Hola! Around South America on LAN

[QF WP]

Ah, thank you RooFlyer. Kelowna - you are giving me happy thoughts of going there in 2006 (pre kids) and skiing Big White & Silver Star. Definitely need to do Lake Louise as my parents have been there twice and raved both times. Have loved the pictures and your turn of phrase

 

[RooFlyer]

Must draw this one to a close.

After the weekend at Kelowna, it was a 7-odd hour drive back to Calgary. No point me hanging around in Kelowna for the traffic to build, so I headed off early and got mostly a clear run through.

Back up Rogers Pass ...




And back along the Columbia Valley, admiring that white thing on the mountain side




Other than the Icefields Parkway up to Jasper, I reckon the best views of the Rockies along a highway is at Canmore, just out of the Park on Calgary side.




A couple of days more work in Calgary, then it was back to Oz, at last.

At Air Canada priority check-in at Calgary, I encountered the usual lack of priority. Everyone in the priority queue, non-priority agents who are not occupied, not calling priority pax over ... This is the normal situation I find. So I just join the non priority queue of course, but others stick it out in the Priority queue.



At US Immigration pre-clearance, I encountered at jocular immigration officer. USA pre-clearance here always goes OK for me (ie queues are short and/or move quickly). Security at Calgary on the other hand is bloody awful, as usual. It just doesn't 'work'; never does. Not enough lanes (just two, plus a NEXUS lane for all Calgary-USA ports traffic!!) and none of the agents has a clue about doing those small things that help things to move:

* Occasionally call out requirements re coats, computers and LAGS (in the absence of signs);

* Keep the trays at the loading end supplied;

* Push the trays along when the pax are too dopey to do so;

* Help individual pax when its obvious that they don't have a clue.


No lounge for Air Canada travelling to USA which is just plain ridiculous. No, I don't enjoy my YYC-LAX flights

I was on Air Canada Rouge. There are no 'pure' AC flights on that route - imagine Qantas only putting Jetstar services between say Adelaide and Brisbane. I'm in whY but was able to select an exit row without charge, so at least I wasn't squeezed by a recliner. The flight was OK; just 2 seats in my exit row and the one next to me wasn't occupied.

 

[JohnM]

Ah, thank you RooFlyer. Kelowna - you are giving me happy thoughts of going there in 2006 (pre kids) and skiing Big White & Silver Star. Definitely need to do Lake Louise as my parents have been there twice and raved both times. Have loved the pictures and your turn of phrase

Here, QF WP, get in the mood for the Fairmont Lake Louise: http://cams.skilouise.com/cam9.jpg .

 

[TheRealTMA]

Here, QF WP, get in the mood for the Fairmont Lake Louise: http://cams.skilouise.com/cam9.jpg .

Looks just like the view from our Club Jr suite when we were there but with less snow and non-frozen lake.

Fabulous place.

 

[JohnM]

Looks just like the view from our Club Jr suite when we were there but with less snow and non-frozen lake.

Fabulous place.

PJM and I are going for Xmas so we've been periodically scoping the webcam. It was amazing how quickly the ice melted last week. Went from close to 100% cover to zero in a week :shock:.

 

[TheRealTMA]

PJM and I are going for Xmas so we've been periodically scoping the webcam. It was amazing how quickly the ice melted last week. Went from close to 100% cover to zero in a week :shock:.

Yes I believe it does go quickly, but they have had an early warm in NA and Canada in general. When we were there they'd had a very cold winter and the warm didn't start until May. We were there in early May (2011) and the lake was still frozen, lots of snow around and we could not get up to Emerald Lake because of the snow and closed roads. The glacier high up on the mountain in front is permanent though, although receding.

We've considered the Fairmont at Lake Louise for Xmas a few times but it hasn't materialised. Wonderful idea!

I'd attach photos but that would be stealing the thread.

 

[RooFlyer]

This thread is winding down, so feel free to post pics

But here are mine of Emerald Lake, Peyto Lake (on the Icefields Parkway) and Moraine Lake (near Lake Louise).

 

[RooFlyer]

Can I say something strange? I like TBIT. More the departure than arrival, but after the re-development its a nice place to be (and so it should be after the years of stuffing around with the part built terminal and other cough we've had to put up with for years!)

It will be better once the airside walkway to T4 is completed. LH pic is what it looks like currently (T4 to the right, TBIT to the left), and they are also scraping off the last of the old terminal, in the RH pic looking towards T3. I landed at T2 (Air Canada etc) which I notice is full of building hoardings and shrouds, being re-developed too


I went to the QF F lounge and recounted my experience with tip encouragement and poor service here which others had experienced at the same time. RedRoo got right onto it .

But are there any trifle lovers here? My grandmother used to make a champion trifle - lots of sponge, jelly (Australian meaning), fruit and cream and the odd dash of rum or whiskey. Unfortunately as she got on and lost her sight progressivle, the dashes of spirits became more like torrents and I recall my mum and dad having to taste the dessert before it was deemed suitable for minors. :shock: :mrgreen:. Anyway the LH pic is the F Lounge bar. The RH pic was dessert "Lamington trifle". It was essentially chocolate mousse (of the quality you could make from a packet) and at the bottom was a tiny bit of cake and ?raspberry jelly. Some coconut sprinkled on top. Sorry, but that's a fail as far as I'm concerned. All serious trifle lovers should rebel at this liberty.




I had a good wander around the new terminal. Lots of space, plenty of shops and places to eat, and even numerous quiet-ish corners just to hang out in.

 

[Milboo]

I'm with you - I like TBIT! In fact I don't really have an issue with LAX overall - coming or going.

Air Canada Rouge is a strange beast -flew them HAV - YYZ a couple of years ago. Dated planes, polyester uniforms off the rack, minimal service.

 

[RooFlyer]

So, wrapping up.

Galapagos cruise - brilliant, one of my best travel experiences. I couldn't say if my big boat was better or worse than the small boats, but I doubt if the difference would be significant compared to the overall experience. My main caution would be on any boat - check to see where your cabin is relative to the engines; get as far away as possible. It would be significant in respect of experience if you were next to the engines (noise)

Machu Picchu - really good, much easier to visit than I thought. I don't regret not doing Hyanu Picchu. Lots of steps getting around the site but I saw a number of obviously less mobile folk there, although their access is limited. Try to get two separate days there to hedge your weather bets; not necessary to stay at the Belmond on site unless you are determined to get a sunset view (and even then, clouds may have the final say). Spend 2 nights in the Sacred Valley before staying in Cuzco.

Sacha Lodge Glad I did it; an interesting experience but I wouldn't say its a 'must do'; if you are into birds then it goes much higher on the scale. If you are going to Ecuador you may as well get the whole experience. Travel light.

Iguassu Falls. Fantastic; I would say a must do if you are touring Sth America. Spend at least 2 nights here; if you do 3 you can do more parks/wildlife activities. I'm not certain that the cost of the Belmond being in the park and by the falls is completely value for money. Its expensive and you have 'exclusive' access from dawn until 9am and in that time the light isn't then best for photography. It is handy though to nip back and forth between your room and the falls tracks. I didn't like the sound of the Sheraton on the Argentine side from reviews, but my look at the lobby and outside says to me that a night wouldn't be the end of the world. In any case, do both sides; quite different experiences. Australians need a visa for Brazil (full page, from Embassy) and pre-pay the Argentine reciprocity fee on line.

Buenos Aires A great city to visit for the city's sake. And steak.

Things for next time: Patagonia; Mendoza; Lake Titicaca/La Paz; Colombia. (No Rio, Lima or high desert as I went there before.)

Adios

 

[TomVexille]

Loved following your trip around. Looking forward to the next one RooFlyer.

 

[rogerkambah]

Great TR RooFlyer - especially the pics. and lots of useful information.

Cheers R

 

[kpc]

I think I need to plan another trip to Sth America....my 5th trip! RooFlyer, don't forget Easter Island! I would love to go to the Amazon river, Columbia, Angel Falls in Venezuela and Mendoza. Whilst I have been to USH airport, I like to take a short cruise from there....just need lots of $$$$$$$$!

 

[JohnM]

Muy bueno y muchas gracias senor RF .

 

[amaroo]

Top Shelf TR

 

[Milboo]

Thanks for the sum up!

Cemented my my decision to do Galapagos rather than Amazon cruise.

 

[QF WP]

Finally got back here to finish the TR. Thanks RooFlyer, you've whet my appetite for South America.

 

[Salem]

What a cool view of Cotopaxi!!

 

[Salem]

Thanks for the link to your TR, another invaluable resource in AFF. Love it.

 

[amaroo]

Another ripper of a resource for our trip planning. Thinking we'd like to see MP and Iguazu.

Just booked Belmond Sanctuary as there was only two nights available that align with our dates in May 2016 :shock: Thought I best secure the rooms and work everything around it.

LOL - I haven't completed bookings for upcoming xmas holiday