I am a former journalist turned postgraduate researcher. Having been born in Guyana and raised in Canada, I have lived in the UK since 2014. While I love to binge streaming films and series, I enjoy watching documentaries. My passion is to travel. I firmly believe we should all have at least on holiday booked at all times; it helps to make normal life more bearable.
Bergen, Norway is among the country’s most popular destinations.
We’ve all been a hotel in a major
city and been shocked by the prices of items in the minibar and room service
like £4 for a coke, £5 for a small tin of Pringles, or £12 for a sandwich.
We often laugh off the prices and go
out and find food that is more suitably priced. But there is one country where
every shop is priced like a five-star hotel in a major city — Norway.
I had heard the rumours that Norway
is among the world’s most expensive cities. I figured something was up when the
hotel staff in Copenhagen complained that Norway was ridiculously expensive.
If someone from a Scandinavian
country tells you someplace else is expensive, you know it will be expensive.
Our first experience of this was at
the aviation museum in Bodø, Norway. After walking around this magnificent
museum, we still had about 45 minutes to kill before our bus ride back to the
cruise ship. Not having had anything to eat or drink since a mid-morning snack,
we went to the museum’s café and ordered three Coke Zeroes and a Fanta.
That came out to £16.
I believe I can buy two cases of 24
cans of coke for that price in Costco.
This made me look closer at pricing.
It is roughly 10 Norwegian Kroner to the pound currently. In one restaurant, an
order of toast cost £6.50 while a garden salad cost £16.50. Petrol cost about
£1.55 a litre.
Geiranger, Norway is one of the most beautiful natural areas of the country. It should be experienced from the water to appreciate the majestic surroundings of the fjords.
Norway is extremely expensive. Sure,
Norwegians are among the highest paid people in the world, but that is offset
by a high cost of living.
The real benefit comes from the
socialist benefits of high prices. The majority of the price of anything in
Norway is tax which is used to improve the country. The two biggest benefits
are the government-paid child care and education programmes. And, the education
is paid for for both local and international students from nursery all the way
to PhD in university.
This is one of the few countries
with an honest government.
Our tour guide in Bergen pointed out
a bridge that was built in the mid-1990s connecting the city to some suburbs.
The Norwegian government put a £25 toll charge to cross the bridge with the
promise of removing the toll charge once the cost of building the bridge was
paid off. And they did. I can’t see any other western governments removing a
tax. Remember, income tax was a war measures act, but someone forgot to tell
our governments the war is over.
A trip around Norway shows how the
taxation revenue has benefitted the country: excellent road surfaces,
reforestation programmes, education, child care, health care, and more are
evident in a country that has one of the highest standards of living with a
relatively low crime rate.
While I wholeheartedly recommend a
visit to this beautiful Scandinavian country, I would forewarn you to save up
for the high costs ahead.
British Airways is about to experience some turbulence as its pilots go out on strike on 9, 10, and 27 September.
You might want to avoid British
Airways for the foreseeable future.
The UK’s flag carrier is going
through labour pains as it battles its pilots’ union. As it stands, British
Airways pilots will walk off the job on 9, 10, and 27 September, causing chaos
for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Flights on BA CityFlyer, Sun-Air,
and Comair are not affected by the strike action.
The one solace is that the strike
does not impact holiday travellers too much as children return this week to
school.
However, it is unknown how long the
strike action and negotiations will continue for and if this will become an
issue for Christmas holiday travel.
Regent Seven Seas’ Explorer is reflected in the windows of the concert hall in Kristiansand, Norway.
I’ll admit it. I hate cruises. You’re
stuck with thousands of people, people get on your nerves, staff make too many
mistakes, and the tours aren’t usually that great.
But then I recently took a cruise on
Regent Seven Seas’ Explorer. Unlike P&O, MSC, and other cruise ships for
the masses, Regent Seven Seas is considered to be a luxury liner the likes of
which makes even Cunard pale in comparison.
Yes, the prices will make your eyes
water (a 7-night cruise usually starts at £10,000 per person), but there are
many discounts on offer to help the costs a little. One thing that stands out
when you look at a Seven Seas Cruise is that the costs are front-loaded. By
that, I mean that you really don’t need to spend anything unless you want a spa
day, to buy something from the gift shops on board, or try a premium drink.
The price includes your stateroom,
all meals in all restaurants, most alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, specialty
coffees, ice creams, and most importantly, excursions. All of these are usually
extra costs on the other cruise liners where prices seem a lot cheaper.
The cruise my family did was a
12-night Norwegian cruise along the western coast above the Arctic Circle and
into the fjord lands of this beautiful country. This included ports such as
Copenhagen, Denmark; Kristiansand, Bergen, Hadstad, Geiranger, Bodø, Aselund,
Norway; Gothenburg, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway. Of the 12 days on board, two were
at-sea days and one included a technical stop before anchoring at Geiranger for
a day.
The Regent Seven Seas Explorer can be seen from a lookout point in the Norwegian town of Aselund.
One of the striking differences between Regent and other companies is that the ships are relatively smaller. Explorer, the largest ship in Regent’s fleet, can accommodate 750 passengers, a far cry from the 5,000-plus the super carriers can house. It also has capacity for a staff of more than 700 which means you have an almost 1:1 ratio of passenger to staff. Other companies are lucky if the ratio is 10:1 passenger to staff. This makes a significant difference when it comes to your experience on board.
Explorer staff are very attentive
and will remember you. I had the habit of having afternoon mojitos and malbec
at dinner. After two days I didn’t need to order, the staff remembered what I
drank.
Meals are provided in several
restaurants. Veranda is the buffet style restaurant on the top of the ship. In
the evening, a part of Veranda becomes Sette Marie, an Italian restaurant.
Compass Rose is the formal dining room. The ship also has the pool grill
restaurant which is open at lunch and dinner. There are three specialty
restaurants on board: Prime 7 (steakhouse), Chartreuse (French), and Pacific
Rim (Asian). You are encouraged to make reservations at each of the three
speciality restaurants.
Seven Seas’ other draw is that the
majority of the land excursions are included in your price. The only time you
pay a supplement is if your excursion is something like a boat ride, a hike, or
a visit to a family’s home. If you are interested in the panoramic or museum
tours, these tend to be at no extra cost. Nothing adds up on your tab on other
ships like excursions. You can easily spend thousands extra on tours especially
on a 14-plus day cruise.
Overall, I found Regent Seven Seas
to be well worth the price of admission. It follows the old adage: You get what
you pay for. Yes, you will probably never pay more for a holiday than you will
on Regent Seven Seas, but your experience most likely will be something you’ve
never had before. Regent has four ships in its fleet with Explorer the newest
having launched in 2016. Next year, Regent will launch its fourth ship,
Splendor.
Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan has the highest concentration of the remaining Bengal tigers in India.
The British Raj was the epitome of
colonialism as the British took rule of India. During their time in India, the
Raj committed many atrocities against the people, the environment, and the
wildlife.
While Ranthambhore National Park is
now a reserve for the protection of animal, it was one of the bastion of
English excess as the British hosted hunts without accountability.
Today, the park is a tourist
attraction for those who want to see the protected Bengal tigers. Located near
Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, the park attracts thousands each year to the forest
and the ruins of the old fort.
Ranthambhore Fort
Ranthambhore Fort sits atop the national park.
If you are in passable shape, you should be able to climb the stairs
up to the fort. There are some interesting architectural features on the way up
like a hallway that goes nowhere.
Guides say that the reason for the
design was to fool marauding enemies. Because the fort is build on higher
ground, attacking armies would charge the stairs. When they got to the hallway
platform, if they continued forward in the hallway they were in for a fatal
surprise of a 200-foot dead drop into the ravine below.
Today, the fort ruins is home to
several temples and shrines to many of Hinduism’s gods, tourist shops, and
restaurants. One of the shrines is to the monkey god Hanuman. Ironically, the
shrine is overrun by monkeys who often take liberties with the tourists such as
stealing water bottles or cameras. I was leaning against the wall and felt a
hand push me. It was a monkey who wanted to get past me.
The hunting lodge
Langoor monkeys have taken up a homebase at Ranthambhore Fort’s Hanuman shrine.
We stayed at the Vivanta by Taj Sawai Madhopur hotel which is a converted lodge from the Raj era. The reading room is covered with artefacts, photographs, and other trinkets from that era.
Each day, guests are taken for a
pre-dawn and mid-afternoon safari to see the wildlife in the park. The tours
are at 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. and are timed to get you back to the lodge in time for
breakfast and dinner.
Remember to bring a light jacket or
a long-sleeved shirt on the morning safari because under the forest foliage it
can be quite cold. Temperatures in the morning can be as low as 10 to 12C. But
the moment you leave the park you are back in the 30-plus-degree weather that
is normal in India.
There is an air of authenticity on
the pre-dawn trek where you meet at 5:30 a.m. in the main area of the hotel for
biscuits and tea. It genuinely feels like you are about to go on a hunt,
except, instead of guns, you are armed with cameras.
Unfortunately, we didn’t see any
tigers on our four treks into the forest, but we saw lots of other wildlife
such as blue ox, deer, monkeys, and several bird species.
How much extra-curricular research
do you do when booking airfares? By paying attention to news, you can alleviate
any heartaches down the road.
For example, my flight to Thailand
was on Qatar Airways. While all appears well with Qatar, which recently was
named, World’s Best Airline, geopolitics threatens the airline.
In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and
Bahrain led a blockade of Qatar because they accused the Gulf State of
financing Islamic extremists in the region. This blockade means no access from
Qatar to the three countries by land, sea, or air.
It also means that airlines
registered in Qatar, such as Qatar Airways, are not allowed in Saudi or Emirati
airspace. They are allowed two routes in Bahraini airspace because Bahrain’s
airspace starts in front of Qatar.
This forces Qatar Airways to fly
their planes over Iranian airspace.
Recent developments in which America’s
amateur president has chosen Iran as his focus on the month (it changes all the
time), this has led to a no-fly notice by the American Federal Aviation
Association. However, Qatar Airways has no choice but to ignore the warning.
Add to this the fact that Pakistani
airspace remains closed after they and India were on the brink of war earlier
this year and Qatar really has very few options for the start and end of their
flights into and out of Doha Hamad Airport.
Unhappy unions mean strikes
Another consideration is for the labour situation at airlines. Today’s
early signs of labour unrest are tomorrow’s strikes.
I always double check the latest
news developments on airlines’ labour news. The last thing you want is to find
out the airline staff is on strike just as you are about to travel. It means
headaches as you try to sort out alternative arrangements for your travel
plans.
On my flights, I didn’t need to
check this information because Scandinavian Air Service (Manchester to
Stockholm) recently ended a strike last month so I knew it would be highly
unlikely there would be another strike. I also knew that Qatar Airways does not
allow its staff to unionise.
How financially healthy is your airline of choice?
In the past year alone, Monarch (UK), Wow Air (Iceland), Jet Airways
(India), and Primera (Denmark) have all shut down operations.
The toughest part is that you have
no recourse for refund if an airline goes out of business. If you are on your
holiday, then you either have to hope your government will charter flights to
repatriate stranded passengers or other airlines are in a generous mood to
offer you discounted fares. Otherwise, you will fork over a lot of money for a
new ticket home.
A quick Google News search will help
you find out these types of information before you book your flights. A little
extra planning now means a seamless experience when you travel. Well, other
than the usual delays on the day of travel.
Khao Phing Kan, or James Bond Island, in Phuket recently re-opened after it was closed because it became over-run with tourists.
By the time you read this, I’ll be
in Thailand. I’m here for two weeks.
One of the biggest questions I am
asked (not including lady-boy-related questions) is: “How much money should I
set aside for Thailand?”
Although Thailand is a cheap
country, current exchange rates are horrendous. Two years ago, I was getting 50
baht on the pound, a few weeks ago, the exchange rage was 37 baht on the pound.
Surely this is the result of Brexit, populism, Trump, or some such idiocy that
has thrown the world into chaos at the moment.
Although Thailand is a cheap
destination in Southeast Asia, it is losing the Cheap Charlie title to nearby
Laos and Cambodia where they are trying to attract customers with extremely low
prices such as three pints of lager for £1.
Affordability in Thailand depends on
many factors:
Where you plan to spend most of
your time;
What kind of hotels you choose;
Are you willing to eat in small
“mom and pop” restaurants as opposed to big name places?
How do you plan to get around
Thailand if you are going to more than one location?
Like anywhere else in the world,
Bangkok is the major city and it is more expensive than other touristy, smaller
cities. But by world standards, Bangkok is still a bargain.
Hotels: Luxury can be affordable
Several luxury five-star hotels overlook the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok including the Shangri-La Bangkok. Luxury accommodations are surprisingly affordable in this world class city.
You can stay in the five-star Shangri-La Bangkok overlooking the Chao Phraya River for about £150 per night. Compare that to London (£650) and Tokyo (£575) and the Shangri-La is a downright bargain.
But you can find luxury for less in
Bangkok. On this trip, I’m staying at the Dream Hotel which is a medium-sized boutique
chain with hotels across the U.S., UK, Belgium, Mexico, Qatar, Belize, India,
Philippines, and the Maldives. A night in this five-star hotel is a steal at
£50 per night breakfast included. And the best part is that it is right in the
thick of things around the Sukhumvit Road which tends to be the major destination
in Bangkok.
Outside of Bangkok, you can get by
in a cheaper room once it has air conditioning. Because it is always hot and
humid in Thailand, you really want a room with air con. These tend to start at
about £30 per night. Anything cheaper and they can be suspect with some
interesting roommates like bed bugs and roaches.
For example, I stayed previously in
the three-star R Mar Resort in Patong and it was an excellent hotel with a
super-king-sized bed, patio, and great pool views away from the hustle of the
nearby streets for about £35 per night. Similar property types in other
countries will cost you about two to three times this price.
Food paradise
Pad Thai is one of the many dishes you can find in all types of restaurants and eateries in Thailand from internationally recognised places to street food vendors.
The great thing with Asia is you can eat cheaply without having to sacrifice quality or healthy options.
It is true that they have the big
name restaurants from North America and Europe such as Sizzlers, Hooters, Pizza
Hut, etc., but they also come with North American and European prices. Besides,
did you really travel to other side of the world to eat over-priced European
and North American food?
You can find fantastic little
roadside, family-owned restaurants with excellent Thai dishes for incredible
prices. For example, a green Thai curry chicken with rice will cost about 50
baht (£1.50). Shopping Centre food courts are also very reasonably priced and
unlike the ones here that tend to be mass-produced junk food. Normally, you go
to a cashier and pay for a certain amount of tickets, which depends on how
hungry you are. Then, you walk around to the different counters and exchange
your tickets for what is being cooked. It isn’t unreasonable to pick up three
filling dishes for about 100 baht (slightly more than £3). Where in the UK can
you have a filling, healthy meal for £3?
Alcohol varies depending on where
and when you drink. In the popular bar districts, you can find cheap alcohol
between 5 and 7 p.m. Singha, Chang, and Leo beers are about 60 baht per bottle
(£1.75). Later on, there are specials such as buy-one-get-one-half-priced. It
is possible to budget less than £20 per day for your food and drink at these
prices.
Another great place for snacks, cold
drinks, and even toiletries are the many 7-Eleven and Family Mart shops. These
shops will sell pretty much anything you forgot to bring in your amenity kit
while you can pick up bottles of water for about £0.20, 500-mL bottles of soft
drinks for £0.50, and beers for £1. While they aren’t as good as their Japanese
counterparts, Thai 7-Elevens are great for the emergency items. They do have
whole meals like the Japanese ones, but not as much variety.
Safety issues in Thailand
The sunset splashes a golden hue across Sukhumvit Road as the Skytrain makes its way above the busy city streets in Bangkok.
Thailand for the most part is a very safe country. It does have the
usual headaches such as pickpockets and petty thieves. The best way to deal
with potential pickpockets is to be remain aware of your surroundings and make
use of your hotel room safe.
Taxi and tuk-tuk scams are rampant.
Either use public transit in Bangkok, baht buses in Pattaya, or walk in other
places where distances are not too significant. You can arrange for prepaid
transfers from the airport which save you hassle rather than money. While a
taxi should cost you about 400 baht (£10) from the centre of Bangkok to
Suvarnabhumi Airport. But some less ethical drivers will try to take advantage
of your tiredness by not turning on the meter and charging you at least double.
By using a prepaid taxi, you do pay a couple of hundred baht more, but there is
no hassle or danger of a scam.
Under no circumstances should you
play Captain Chivalrous and get involved in any kind of fight between Thai
people or Thai people and foreigners. While Thai people are the kindest,
warmest, and most welcoming people, if they are feel threatened, they come out
of the woodwork to fight and they bring weapons. Be warned. If you see
anything, just keep walking.
If you are in a bar, keep a track of
your drinks and their cost. It is easy to do because every time you order a
drink, the bar staff puts a bill in your little receipt cup so you can keep
track. Some bar staff are not averse to creative accounting methods if you are
too drunk to realise what they have done.
Red lights of the cities
I cannot finish a blog on Thailand without talking about it’s more
notorious side. It is sin city and has been that way since the Vietnam War when
American soldiers used to go to Thailand for R and R during the war.
While Thailand still has a
reputation for gogo bars and prostitution, it is slowly changing. Pattaya, one
of the more notorious destinations in Thailand, is starting to gentrify like
Amsterdam but at a slower rate.
You can’t avoid the red light
district because it is where the entertainment district exists. But you can
make it very clear that you aren’t looking for “business”. Body language plays
a big role in that as does the way you interact with staff in the beer bar. If
you are friendly, they will attempt to solicit you. But if you buy a drink and
sit at the counter facing the streets, then you are left alone.
The two groups that do not
discriminate are the massage parlours and the infamous lady-boys. They will
grab your arm, block your path, and generally harass you, but if you are firm
then they go away. They tend to work on the law of averages strategy. If you don’t
want their services there are many others who do.
But don’t be phased by the red light
district is part of the landscape. If you are easily offended, then you
probably shouldn’t go to Thailand in the first place.
So it is possible to see Thailand
and live quite comfortably on a shoestring budget. Thailand is a wonderful
country
For many people, cruise ship
holidays are wonderful. For people like me, I can take them or leave them.
Don’t get me wrong. I can understand
the appeal of cruises for people with young families or the elderly. You get on
board, unpack once and pick and choose what excursions you want to do. All of
your meals are included and, depending on your drinks package, so are your
drinks.
Unfortunately, like group tours, if
there are any annoying people, you’re stuck with them for the duration of your
trip.
One that that I found to be quite
evident about people on cruise ships is that they become oblivious to everyone
and everything around them. Maybe it’s because they are on holiday, but people
cease to think rationally on cruise ships.
Take the lifts, for example. If you
are in a wheelchair, you will wait a long time for a lift at peak times because
people suddenly forget how to walk or, more importantly, their consideration
for those who aren’t able to use stairs.
This post will outline what had to
be the worst cruise experience we have had. IT was on board the Italian cruise
line MSC this past New Years on a week-long trip around the Persian Gulf with
stops at Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Ban-i-Yas Island, Bahrain, and Qatar.
Our cruise package allowed for
unlimited drinks of all sorts. So, you can imagine our shock when we got a bill
for our first round of drinks. It seemed that the clerk at check in didn’t
bother to put that sticker on our shipboard cards.
On the first night, we decided on
the excursions we wanted to do. With about 40 people in line, the ship decided
it was best to have only two clerks on the excursion desk.
As I said, it was an Italian ship. You
would think on an Italian ship the food would be decent. It was uninspiring at
best. The breakfast options were exactly the same every day. No effort was made
to offer regional foods. In the lead up to New Year’s Eve, there were
advertisements of special New Year’s Eve dinners. However, it turned out to be
exactly the same as any other evening. I have been on other ships on Christmas
or New Years and they made an effort to offer a special meal.
I overheard people asking staff what
happened to the New Year’s Eve dinner and got zero response from the staff.
Either they couldn’t care to respond or were too embarrassed to be thrown under
the bus by their bosses.
The lunch menus tended to be
extremely stereotypical fare such as pizzas and pasta dishes.
When we stopped in Bahrain, our tour
guide left with the rest of the group because we took a little time to get off
the coach. When we confronted her about why she didn’t wait around, we got a
flimsy lie about how she came back when we knew she did not. In Qatar, we
signed up for a private tour and waited an hour after telling ship staff that
we were ready to leave only to be told we were late when they came to us an
hour later.
The nightly ritual for my niece and
nephew would be to stop in the main floor bar for a hot chocolate. When we
ordered from one of the wait staff she adamantly insisted that hot chocolate is
included in the package but we had to pay for whipped cream. Other wait staff would
look the other way and give the children free whipped cream because it wasn’t a
big deal.
I’m sure, like everything in this
world, there are good and bad things, but I can say that MSC is definitely not
a good quality service.
Our next cruise is in August 2019
around the Norwegian fiords on Regent Scven Seas which is supposed to be one of
the best companies in the business. My parents have used this company twice and
had excellent experiences. I’ll be sure to write about that one towards the end
of the summer.
The guesthouse, mausoleum, and mosque make up the complex of the Taj Mahal in Agra.
One of the world’s greatest sights
has made the Indian city of Agra a major destination. The Taj Mahal was commissioned
in 1632 by Shah Jahan as a tribute to his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
The Taj was constructed on 17
hectares of land which also houses a mosque and a guest house. Emporer Shah
Jahan had the mausoleum built as a tribute to his favourite wife who died in
childbirth.
What makes the Taj Mahal a
spectacular feat of architecture is the attention to detail. When you walk
closer to the main building, you realise the four minarets that surround the
main building are leaning.
The reason for this is because Agra
lies on a tectonic plate and if there were to be an earthquake, the minarets
would fall away from the main building instead of crushing it.
Another thing that is interesting
about the entire complex is its linearity with the exception of one thing.
Everything about the Taj Mahal is
meant to represent a linear theme. The main structure is the in the centre of
the complex The gardens are meant to be the same dimensions on either side of
the courtyard and Mumtaz Mahal’s body lies in the exact centre of the complex.
However, the imperfection is that
Shah Jahan’s body lies next to hers, throwing off the symmetry of the Taj
Mahal.
The reason or this is that Shah
Jahan had commissioned a second Taj, the Black Taj, to be constructed on the
opposite bank of the Yamuna River.
In 1657, as Shah Jahan fell ill, his
four sons waged a war to decide the successor which was Aurangzab who promptly
imprisoned his father in Agra Fort where he remained in prison until his death
in 1666. Shah Jahan requested that his jailers place mirrors in strategic
positions to allow him to see the Taj Mahal from his prison cell.
Where to stay:
We stayed at the Taj Gateway Agra which is about a 15-minute drive
from the Taj Mahal. This large hotel has great gardens with Rajasthani
musicians performing concerts in the evening. Some rooms have a view of the Taj
Mahal, but conditions must be ideal to see it which they rarely are because of
the air pollution and smog.
If you ever wanted to splurge on a
hotel, try the Oberoi Amarvilas which is about 100 yards from the Taj Mahal and
every room has an excellent view of the Taj Mahal. Prices can range from £400
per night in the low to season to £800 per night in the high season. But if you
look at hotel resellers sometimes you can find a deal. I saw one for a July
stay that was £250 per night which is a downright bargaining considering the
normal price.
Getting there:
Agra is one of the points of India’s Golden Triangle with Delhi and
Jaipur which means excellent options for transportation. Oddly, there isn’t an
airport at Agra. There is a military air base but not an airport for commercial
travel. However, there are early developments to build an airport due to the popularity
of the city.
The two most likely ways you will
arrive in Agra will either be by road or rail. The drive takes about three to
four hours and the train slightly shorter, but both are popular means of
getting to Agra from Delhi. We got there on the Shatabdi Express from Bhopal to
Delhi by joining the train at Jhansi.
Safety:
For all intents and purposes, Agra is quite safe. But you still must
be alert to pickpockets and petty criminals. You will be harassed by touts,
beggars, and people trying to sell you souvenirs. Always make sure you that you
do not leave any valuables in some hotel rooms. Ensure that you never pay for
anything upfront such as taxis. Some merchants play a bait and switch game when
it comes to buying larger souvenirs. What they sell you isn’t necessarily what
you will get when you get home if you choose for them to post it to you. It is
best to take your souvenirs with you.
The Motorcycle Diaries is a classic film about Che Guevara’s path to enlightenment.
A source of inspiration for our
travel ideas come from cinema. Hollywood and beyond have made an industry of
making road movies that inspire us to travel. Here are my top 5.
5. Lost in Translation (2003): Bill Murray, Scarlett
Johansson
Sofia Coppola’s critically acclaimed
movie follows the path of an aging actor (Bill Murray) who has been contracted
to star in adverts for Suntory, a Japanese drinks company. In Japan, the actor
crosses paths with a bored wife (Scarlett Johansson) whose is in Tokyo because
her husband is working as a photographer. Key sights in the film: Tokyo,
Daikanyama, Shinjuku Park Tower, Grand Hyatt Tokyo.
4. Easy Rider (1969): Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, Jack
Nicholson
This road movie sees two bikers
drive across the U.S. from Los Angeles to New Orleans. The film’s true star is
the desert landscapes and towns the pair (Hopper and Fonda) ride through on a
drug-fuelled hippie trip across America.
3. Lost Horizon (1937): Ronald Coleman, Jane Wyatt
Lost Horizon is the film adaptation
of Jame’s Hilton’s 1933 novel about a group of plane crash survivors who landed
in the mythical valley of Shangri-La, a valley deep in the Himalayan mountain
range. The key sights in this film are the Gilgit and Skardu regions of
Pakistan.
2. The Darjeeling Limited (2007): Owen Wilson, Adrien
Brody
One year after their father’s death,
three brothers unite to take a train trip across India to try and
re-established their tattered relationship. The film takes the viewer across
India on a fantastical journey through barren landscapes and mountain regions. The
film takes the viewer through Jodhpur and the Himalayas.
1. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004): Gael Garcia Bernal
I have written about this movies previously.
The film is two types of road trip: a literal one across South America and a
figurative one as Che Guevara begins to form the foundation of his
transformation from middle class citizen to revolutionary. The sights on
display in this film include the Andes, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Machu Picchu,
and the Atacama desert.
With today being Canada Day, I
thought I would share with you one of the three times I drove from Toronto to
British Columbia.
Canada is huge. Only Russia is
bigger. To grasp the scope of how large Canada is, if you flew from Victoria,
B.C. to St John’s Newfoundland, it would take you seven hours which is the
equivalent of flying from Toronto to Central Europe.
I drove from Scarborough, Ontario to
Smithers, B.C. in February 2000 which is a distance of 4,490 km. Averaging
about 1,000 km of driving a day, it took me about six days to get out to
Smithers because I stopped for a couple of days to visit some family friends in
Calgary.
I drove out there with my mum. Our
plan was to take four days to get to Calgary, spend a few days in Calgary, and
then complete the drive in another day and a half.
Day 1 and 2: Ontario and Manitoba
Ontario is huge. To put it into perspective, you can drive from
Toronto to Florida in less time than to drive to Winnipeg, which is in the
neighbouring province to the west.
Our first 10-day drive took us to
Wawa, ON where we spent the night in a roadside motel. The motel was very bare
bones, but after a 10-hour drive, all you want to do is have a hot meal and go
to bed.
The next morning, it was -20C and
our sandwiches we left in the car were frozen solid, but after a few hours of
driving with the heater on, they were ready to be eaten. It took us about 20
hours to drive out of Ontario and into Manitoba.
We continued on to Brandon, MB,
which is a couple of hours west of Winnipeg where we spent the night in a motel.
Day 3: Saskatchewan and Alberta
It takes about 10 hours to drive from Brandon to Calgary and it is
one of the most boring drives.
You are well into prairie country by
now which means it is nothing by flat lands as far as the eye can see.
In fact, there are curves in the
road and the odd tree at roadside which are meant to keep you from zoning out
completely on the drive.
After you pass Regina, SK, you
continue on and a few hours later cross into Alberta. From there, it is a
straight run through to Calgary.
Day 5: Alberta and B.C.
After a couple of days of break from driving, it was back on the
road to B.C. It is about a 90-minute drive to Banff National Park where you
begin the northwestern drive towards the B.C. border.
This was one of the most desolate
drives I have ever done because we went about four hours before we saw another
vehicle on the road. On one hand, it is scary because if you have car trouble
there isn’t anyone around for miles. On the other hand, it is a stress free
drive without having to pass slow traffic. But, remember, that was in the
winter. Summer is a different story as there are hundreds of people driving the
route including those in slow moving recreational vehicles.
Once across the border into B.C., we
continued on to Prince George which is the largest city in Northern B.C.
From there, it is about 3.5-hour
drive to Smithers.
While I did this drive for work, it
is also a great way to see Canada on a holiday. Another option is to take the
train but it can be extremely expensive to do so. The cost of a train can be in
the thousands of dollars. Your driving costs are usually petrol, food, and
accommodation which can be about $150 per day.
When doing this drive, you have to
remember you will need to change the vehicle oil before and after the trip.
Always make sure your tires are in good working order and that you have a car
kit in case of emergencies.
Taking the road best travelled 