A Summer Christmas

I have never had a summer Christmas.  Christmas to me has lots of snow, dark nights, cozy living rooms with Christmas lights on the tree, decorations, and maybe a blizzard or two.  Two years ago, while traveling New Zealand, I had the opportunity to experience a New Zealand Christmas.

It wasn't so different from Christmas in Canada, really.  Except that there was no snow.  I had a difficult time accepting that fact.  While living in Wellington I attended Arise Church in Wellington.  (www.arisechurch.org.nz/)  This church was very accepting of, and welcoming to, people from all walks of life. Church staff realized that there were quite a few people in the congregation that had nowhere to go for Christmas.  So it was arranged that 'the strays' - travellers, transients, orphans (people who had no family to spend Christmas with etc) - would go to someone's house for Christmas.  A sign up sheet was put into the atrium of the Michael Fowler Centre, where Church services were held, and if you had nowhere to go, you could sign up.

So it was arranged that I would go for dinner with a family who lived in the Upper Hutt area of Wellington.  I had met the eldest daughter, so at least knew someone.  It was a large family like mine, plus with about six 'strays' on hand too, the dinner turned out to be not unlike the usual Christmas gathering at my parent's place.  Confusion reigned.  A very good turkey dinner was served, along with ham, potatoes, Kumara (a sweet potato native to New Zealand), and my favourite - roast pumpkin!  For dessert there was cake and a New Zealand dessert called Pavlova. Excellent!

I spent the afternoon there being grilled about Canada in general, Canadian politics, the weather, and the differences between English and French Canada.  At one point following dinner, one of the boys asked when the water fight would start.  In Canada, we have snowball fights.

It was a good Christmas.  I was worried because it wasn't like my Christmas.  But in a lot of important ways, it was!

In New Zealand, there is a tree called the Pohutukawa Tree.  This tree only blooms in December, just in time for Christmas.  Kiwi's call it New Zealand's Christmas Tree.

Pohutukawa Tree

Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te tau hou ki a koutou katoa! (Māori for Merry Christmas!)

 ~Angie

Middle Earth Tours on the North Island

“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, 
and it's very difficult to find anyone.' ~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

In honour of The Hobbit opening next month, and premiering in Wellington, New Zealand November 28, I thought I would talk about the Tolkien inspired tours available in Middle Earth (otherwise known as New Zealand). Specifically on the North Island.

The first thing I did when I arrived in New Zealand was head to Rotorua. Tours to Matamata, where the Hobbiton Movie Set is located, can be arranged from the tourism office in Rotorua, or at any hostel. I highly recommend it. www.hobbitontours.com

The cost of the tour from Matamata is $75NZD, from Rotorua it is $110NZD (as of today's date). The tour includes Bag End, though I couldn't go up to it and it was behind scaffolding, due to preparations for filming. Usually guests are able to go up to Bag End. The party tree, that was featured in The Fellowship of the Ring, the pub, and several hobbit holes are found among the rolling hills that comprise the sheep farm where the set is located.  Photos can be taken, but you are asked not to post the photos to any social media outlet, or email them. It was very exciting to see Hobbiton, the only thing that was unShire-like the day I visited was the rain!

I highly recommend the Lord of the Rings tour in Wellington.  There are two options, both can be bought from the toursim office (iSite). There is a half day tour that includes Mount Victoria where the four hobbits first encountered the black rider, and Kaitoko Regional Park where Rivendell scenes were shot. The full day tour also includes lunch, Peter Jackson's film studios, and a visit to the Weta Cave in Miramar. 
www.wellingtonrover.co.nz/rover_rings_tour.htm

Me and Gollum, Weta Cave

For a more in-depth description of my day tour in Wellington, see my blog post: Lord of the Rings Tour in Wellington, NZ from May 2012. www.nomadgirltravels.blogspot.ca/2012/05/lord-of-rings-tour-in-wellington-nz.html

Tours are also offered in Tongariro National Park, where quite a few of the Mordor scenes were filmed. www.tourism.net.nz/region/ruapehu/ruapehu---tongariro-national-park/tours/lord-of-the-rings-tours Tours can be booked through hostels in and around Tongariro National Park. Or another option is to hike the Tongariro Crossing. This is New Zealand's most popular day hike. It takes approximately eight hours to complete and it is recommended that hikers have layers of clothing and a lunch with them, due to the changing weather patterns on the volcanoes. www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/

~Angie

Whale Watching

I have gone whale watching off Vancouver Island, British Columbia...and did not see any whales! Ten years later, I got the chance to go whale watching again. This time, on the East Coast, off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This time I saw whales!

I had the option to go as an excursion of my Moose East tour of Canada. Our whale watching experience was through Captain Zodiac in Cheticamp, Nova Scotia. Cost was $30CAD. http://www.novascotiawhales.com/

~Angie

Lest We Forget

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
~Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Canadian soldier, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, wrote the war memorial poem, In Flanders Fields, during the second battle of Ypres, in Belgium on May 3, 1915. It is about his fallen comrades who were buried in Flanders. 

This poem, and the poppy, have become a symbol of our veterans from the First and Second World War, and the Korean War. Every year, in November, the Royal Canadian Legion distributes poppies and Canadians wear them to honour our soldiers, who fought for our freedom. Poppies are worn in Britain as well, where Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day.

I was recently in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I visited the Canadian National War Memorial there. The war monument depicts soldiers on the battlefront, with a cannon behind them. As you walk around the memorial, the years of the three wars are etched into the monument. In front of the War Memorial, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier is prominently displayed.

World War I, the War Memorial, Ottawa

World War II, the War Memorial, Ottawa

The Korean War, the War Memorial, Ottawa

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the War Memorial, Ottawa

 Lest we forget.

~Angie

Guy Fawkes Day

Guy Fawkes was an English Catholic who, along with two fellow Catholic Englishmen, was involved in a plot to blow up the British Parliament in 1605. Their plan was to blow up Parliament and assassinate King James I, thus restoring a Catholic monarch to the throne. It did not work. 

Guy Fawkes was in charge of the gunpowder for this plot, and was guarding it when he was discovered during the early hours of the morning of November 5, 1605. This plan to assassinate King James I and blow up Parliament was also know as the Gunpowder Plot.

Guy Fawkes has become synonymous with the Gunpowder plot. Every year on the anniversary of this failed attempt to blow up Parliament, monarchists throughout the British Commonwealth celebrate by throwing a dummy symbolizing Guy Fawkes on a bonfire, or with a fireworks display. November 5th is known as Guy Fawkes Day.

I have been to a Guy Fawkes party in Canada where there was a dummy thrown into a bonfire.  I also attended the Guy Fawkes Day festivities in Wellington, New Zealand. The whole city goes down to the waterfront to watch the fireworks! It is a lot of fun.

Fireworks on the Wellington waterfront

Fireworks on the Wellington waterfront

~Angie

Ah...Paris! A Night(mare) to Remember

I was left behind. By my tour. In Paris. My first night there. 

Here's what happened...

It was July, I was on a Contiki tour of Western Europe. The first stop on the tour - Paris! Oh was I excited! I had always wanted to go to Paris! After arriving in the city, we went for supper, then left to go see the most famous sight in Paris - La Tour Eiffel! The Eiffel Tower! 

The Eiffel Tower

I was on the trip with my cousin. On our tour were several Australians, a few Canadians (like myself), some Europeans, Mexicans, and Americans. We had about an hour to spend at the Eiffel Tower. However, it was a really long lineup to get to the elevator. 

In the small group of six that I went to to the top of the tower with were: Three Australians, one American, my cousin and me. We went to the first viewing platform and got a few photos of the city from there. Then, we went to the top. It was dark by then, so our photos were not great. In all we were at the top of the tower for about five minutes before we had to leave to go back to our bus. Rocket, our bus driver, made it very clear that we had to be back on time. He would not wait.

As we were advancing in the line, there was one group of six ahead of us. Just as they were getting on, one Australian in our group commented that it would be ironic if we missed the lift because it was full. Guess what? It was.

As a result, we did not make it down to the bottom on time and our tour bus left us stranded at the Eiffel Tower!

Fortunately, the American girl and I spoke French. We knew there was a Métro station near our hotel, so we had an adventure getting back! We left the Eiffel Tower at around 10:00PM and did not make it back to our hotel until 1:00AM. 

Though it turned out to be a fun experience, it has left a negative impact on me that I still deal with today. I am very scared of being left behind by any tour that I am on. In fact, it was so stressful for me that I did not go on another tour for nine years. I am unusually prompt now for any pick-up times. People have commented on that, but it is something that I will always have in the back of my mind. I was left behind once. Who's to say it won't happen again?

Bon voyage! Et bonne chance!

~Angie

Who To Travel With?

I like to travel by myself. It allows me more freedom than having a travel partner. That said, I have traveled with my Mom (and will again), and with my counsin (that did not go so well).  As a solo traveler, and a female traveler, I feel it is sometimes better to travel with a tour company. This is not always the case-- I have traveled to England, California, and parts of New Zealand by myself. But when I do travel as part of a tour, I tend to like the companies that cater to small groups.

Here are a list of companies that I have traveled with or had help with booking my trip:

Canada
Moose Network www.moosenetwork.com

This backpacker company has two types of tours. In the West, travelers can hop-on or hop-off wherever they please and then book the next bus that has room available. In the East, tours are scheduled with specific stops and hostels. There are two options for the Moose East tours: Inclusive and non-inclusive. Inclusive is a bit more and all hostels and attractions are booked in advance; non-inclusive has a lower tour price and an extra fee to be paid for any attractions. Plus, hotels have to be paid when the traveler arrives at the hostel.

Travel Cuts/The Adventure Travel Company www.atcadventure.com

This company provides loads of information about adventure travel worldwide. I booked my trip to the South Pacific through them. They booked my flights, submitted my Visa applications for Australia and New Zealand, helped me with my YHA membership, and booked/helped me register for my Oz Experience tour.

gAdventures www.gadventures.com

This company used to be called Gap Adventures. That is what they were called when I traveled to Thailand. They have changed their name, but not the type or quality of thier product. This is a great company. They offer different types of adventure tours all over the world. You can choose the style of travel accommodations and transportation you want (gradings are classic, standard, yolo etc.) And how much physical activity you want (rated one to five, with five being most active). This is a great company due to the variety of tour options available. Check them out!

Australia
Oz Experience www.ozexperience.com

This is a hop-on, hop-off style of backpacker tour. It provides a login link where you can book your buses for your trip across Australia. There are options for hostels where the bus picks up and drops off passengers, so you can book your trip based on that. I booked all my hostels and buses in advance of leaving Canada because I only had a specific number of days there. However, travelers can choose to book only one leg of the journey at a time, if they want.

New Zealand
Stray Travel www.straytravel.com

I traveled in New Zealand both by myself and on a tour. The tour company I chose was Stray Travel because it offered more adventure, an authentic Maori experience, and a smaller group. Group sizes are 25 passenger maximum. Travelers can hop-on, hop-off wherever they choose. This company also provides a login link where the passenger can book available buses as they choose. It is a great way to see New Zealand, as lots of highlights are offered on various lengths of tours. You can choose to tour all of New Zealand, only one island at a time, or small tours of only specific parts of New Zealand. It was a great way to see the country!

 Kiwi Experience www.kiwiexperience.co.nz

This backpacker tour company offers tours similar to those offered by Oz Experience in Australia. The clientele tends to be the younger, party crowd. Passengers can hop-on, hop-off where they please and book their buses online. Tour sizes tend to be a bit larger.

~Angie

The 'Art Deco' Weekend

The 'Art Deco' architectural style in Napier, New Zealand makes it a unique place to visit. It did not always look like it does today. On February 3, 1931 a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Hawkes Bay region along the east coast of New Zealand. This was, and still is, New Zealand's most devastating earthquake. Due to the fires and subsequent damage caused by the tremors, downtown Napier was especially hard hit and had to be rebuilt. City planners decided to rebuild the city in the new 'Art Deco' style that was gaining popularity in Spanish countries.

The Tom Baker Fountain

This 'Art Deco' style gives Napier a unique style in New Zealand, making it a tourist attraction. As Napier is a major port, cruise ships stop there so that people can see the amazing architectural styled buildings in downtown. One major attraction along the waterfront is the Tom Baker Fountain, an 'Art Deco' style fountain that is lit up at night for a light show.

'Art Deco' style of architecture

'Art Deco' style of architecture

Every February, to remember this event and celebrate the architectural style that Napier is famous for, the town hosts the 'Art Deco Weekend'. This weekend reminds me a lot of the Calgary Stampede because everyone in town dresses up and it is a lot of fun. For the 'Art Deco Weekend', everyone brings out their best 1930's dress up clothes, jewellery, cars. There is a Vintage Car Parade to start the weekend, along with lots of '30's inspired gatherings - tea parties on the grass, jazz music, and art and market displays showing everything from '30's era books and artefacts to grammophones. It's really cool!

Vintage Car Parade

Bystanders dressed in their best, watching the parade

Tea Party

 So if you ever have the opportunity to visit Napier, New Zealand, try to visit on the 'Art Deco Weekend'. You'll have a blast!

~Angie

La Belle Ville

Québec City is beautiful! La belle ville! Especially Vieux-Québec, the Old City. This is inside a fortress wall that the British built to defend against the Americans and Indians during the Seven Year's War.  Québec City is the only fortified city in North America, outside of México City. The city was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. It has a very European feel to it.

Inside the wall, one of the gatehouses

Outside the wall

Québec City was founded by French explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1608. During the Seven Year's War, in 1759, Québec City was captured by the British. In 1763, the French handed the city over to the British, thus starting the long history of resentment between the French and English in Québec that continues to today.

The name "Québec" is derived from the Algonquin Indian word Kébec, meaning "where the river narrows". This is because the St. Lawrence River narrows where Québec City sits across the river from Lévis.

After Canada was founded in 1867, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was created to take people West. The CPR built luxury hotels beside the railway stations in various cities across Canada. These hotels include: the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC; the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff National Park, Alberta; the Château Laurier in Ottawa, ON; and the Château Frontenac in Québec City. These hotels were merged with the Fairmont Hotel chain in 2006, so now carry the name Fairmont instead of CP.

The Fairmont Château Frontenac

Vieux-Québec is as beautiful city to walk around. There is a lot of history there. Bon voyage!

~Angie

A Day Trip to Niagara Falls

Canadian Falls

A great day trip from Toronto is to Niagara Falls, Ontario. Niagara Falls are shared by the United States and Canada, with the falls split by Goat Island in the middle.

One company that offers a trip to Niagara Falls picks up from hostels and hotels in downtown Toronto. The day trip costs $55 CAD and can be bought from various hostels in downtown, including Canadiana Backpackers and Global Village Backpackers. It is also available through Moose Network (www.moosenetwork.com)

Pick ups take place between 9:15 and 9:45 am. It is approximately an hour drive to Niagara Falls, passing cities including Mississauga, Hamilton, and St. Catherines. Once there, the tour driver takes you to a great view of the Falls at a lookout. After about an hour you have the option of going on the Maid of the Mist. This costs $19 if you were to go alone, but there is a group rate of $16 too, that is offered on the tour at an additional cost. The Maid of the Mist gets you up close and personal with the Canadian Falls, by far the more impressive of the two. Prepare to get wet!

On the Maid of the Mist

Then, after all that, the tour takes you 45 minutes away to Niagara on the Lake. This is a quaint town in the heart of Niagara wine country. It is a really pretty town where you can buy ice cream and souvenirs. Go for a stroll along Main Street and be sure to check out the Court House - it's the original building from the 1800's!

Outside the Prince of Whales Hotel, Niagara on the Lake

~Angie

Not Anne's Version

“Life is worth living as long as there's a laugh in it.” 
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I have been traveling in Eastern Canada. One place I have always wanted to see is the home of Anne of Green Gables - Prince Edward Island. I stopped in Charlottetown, the capital and birthplace of Confederation. PEI is known for a several things including: Red beaches, Confederation, and Anne of Green Gables.

I went to the Anne of Green Gables store in Charlottetown. It has everything you could want relating to Anne: books, magnets, dolls, calendars, and Raspberry Cordial. 

A bit of background to my story is a chapter from Montgomery's book. For those who are not familiar with Anne Shirley, she has a knack for getting into trouble. So here is what happened when Anne's best friend, Diana Barry, came over for afternoon tea.

Anne invited Diana over for tea one afternoon, and it was very special because Marilla Cuthbert had given her permission to serve Diana Raspberry Cordial, an extra special drink. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Anne, the Raspberry Cordial was not in the pantry. After searching for a bit, Anne found a bottle of something that she thought was Raspberry Cordial. It turned out to be Currant Wine, a specialty of Marilla's. Diana got drunk and they were not allowed to see each other.

So, back to my story...I was at the Anne of Green Gables shop in downtown Charlottetown buying my souvenirs, including Raspberry Cordial. A lady came up behind me at the counter and noticed my bottle. She asked where I got it, so I told her. I was still paying for my purchases when she returned to the counter with her own bottle of Raspberry Cordial. She asked the teller if it contained alcohol. The teller and I looked at each other and laughed. The teller said to her: "No, it's not Anne's version!"

Raspberry Cordial

~Angie

City of Angels

I went on a tour of Los Angeles in April 2010. I was staying in West Hollywood and wanted to see the rest of the city. It was a very full day, visting Hollywood, Venice Beach and Beverly Hills. 

I saw the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I couldn't find any of the stars that I wanted to see (Harrison Ford, The Beatles, and Grace Kelly) - I only had half an hour, but was able to get a photo with Steven Spielberg's star. I took several other photos of stars - Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and Houdini. All these were within the two blocks near the former Kodak Theater. (in 2012 they changed the name of the Kodak Theater to the Dolby Theater.) I couldn't find Marilyn Monroe's handprints, but found the handprints of Harrison Ford, Julie Andrews, C3PO and R2D2, and the Harry Potter hand, foot and wand prints in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. Very cool!

Steven Spielberg's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

I also saw the Hollywood sign. It was really far away. No one is allowed to go up to the letters - I assume for the hair ad that starred Gwen Stefani, they must have been given special permission, or used a green screen. It was cool, though. The Hollywood sign originally spelled out 'Hollywoodland' for an advertisement in 1923, but was shortened to Hollywood due to repeated acts of vandalism. The sign is now protected by a non-profit organization, the Hollywood Sign Trust.

The Hollywood Sign

After that we went to Venice Beach - very interesting. The beach itself was not crowded that day. It was a Wednesday after all. But the promenade bordering the beach was interesting to walk down. There were buskers, artists, people selling everything from painted skulls to necklaces. For some reason, skulls and skeleton art were popular there that year. Not sure I would go to a tattoo place there, if I were into that sort of thing. They looked at bit dodgy.

Venice Beach

I had a Julia Roberts Pretty Woman moment on Rodeo Drive. Actually I just walked down and saw all the shops there. I still think Armani is the best of the designers. Everyone else had stuff I would not wear! I guess there have been celebrity sightings there a lot. On the tour the day before, someone saw Adam Sandler. I didn't see anyone though.

Rodeo Drive

~Angie

Wat Prathat

A great day trip from Chiang Mai, Thailand is to the Buddhist temple Wat Prathat Doi Suthep. This is a very sacred temple to the Buddhists. It holds the sacred Buddhist relic believed to be Buddha's shoulder bone, that was carried to the site by the White Elephant. After carrying the relic to the top of the mountain, the elephant died at the site. It was decided that a wat should be built on the site and that it should hold the relic.

At the bottom of the 309 steps

Wat Prathat (wat means 'temple') is located 15km outside of Chiang Mai, in Chiang Mai Province. You must travel along a winding road before reaching the wat. Once there, to reach the entrance to the wat, you must climb 309 steps up the side of a mountain. There is also a tram that can take you to the top, but it comes with a cost (50 Thai baht return).

Lotus Offering

Just inside the entrance, there is a shrine at which Buddhists make offerings including lighting incense candles and offerings of lotus flowers. Inside the temple there was a room called Tan Jan Viara in which people, both tourists and Buddhists alike, were receiving strings from monks and former monks. Men received theirs from a monk, women received theirs from a former monk. I received my white string from the former monk. It symbolizes purity.

Unlike Christian monks, Thai Buddhist monks can leave the brotherhood up to three times, they can even get married, before ultimately deciding that they do want to be a Buddhist monk.

Thai Buddhist Monks

I really enjoyed visiting Wat Prathat. It is a really beautiful wat and I learned a lot about Thai Buddhism. I especially appreciated that I was welcomed and not made to feel awkward, despite the fact that I am a western Christian.

If you get a chance to visit Chiang Mai, make the journey to see Wat Prathat. It is definitely worth the trip!

~Angie

The Devil Made Me Do It

Have you ever been conned? I don't mean in the criminal sense per se, what I mean is: Has someone ever convinced you to buy something you had no intention of buying in the first place, or that you paid way too much for because the sales person was extremely persuasive and would not give up?

This happened to me this week, and I am still trying to rectify the situation. What happened was this...I have been really sick with a cold. On Monday I stayed home from work, but had no medicine in my house, so I had to go to the store for some meds. On my way out, there was a box for a fitness club where you could enter to win a free trial. I impulsively put my contact information down and entered it in the box. Then I left the store.

On Tuesday, while at work but still not feeling great, I got a call from the Fitness Centre. The manager, Helen, wanted to know if I could come in to have a look at the place that night. I said yes, because that is what I do. I called after work to cancel the appointment, but did not get off scott free. Helen called me back to see if I could come in and meet with her - Tuesday night. There was a great deal on that could only be signed up that night.

Now I must admit warning bells were going off and as I drove through pouring rain to the fitness club (not my favourite activity), I was getting angrier and angrier. I told myself I would not buy anything, I would just listen to what she had to say. That is not how it turned out. Helen was such a smooth operator that despite my intentions, half an hour later I had signed up for a two year contract with the fitness club! I hate fitness clubs - I just wanted a free trial. I still am kicking myself for letting that happen. Now I have ten days to 'try' it out and cancel if I want. I am not going to try anything. Today I tried to cancel, but I needed an appointment with Helen, and despite her eagerness to meet with me on Tuesday, she was unavailable to meet me at a convenient time until next Tuesday. I guess now I can re-word my letter so it is not quite so nasty, at least.

How does this relate to travel, you ask? Well, I am an easy target. I must have an invisible "s" on my forehead (for sucker). This is especially troubling when I am shopping in foreign markets. When traveling in foreign, mostly third world countries, one must be especially vigilant with both their money, and how they appear to vendors.

Case in point - Thailand. I wanted a buddha statue from Thailand and I was not leaving until I got one! My mom and I were walking through a market in Chiang Mai, Thailand one night. Mom went ahead of me and by the time she realized I had stopped, it was too late. I had passed by several vendors and abruptly stopped in front of one selling buddha statues. The guy wouldn't tell me how much they were, instead he asked me how much I had. Stupid me...I opened my wallet and showed him everything I had, which was too little by his standards. But he was more than happy to take all my money anyway. I  dished over $18 CAD for a buddha statue whose value is three times less. I should have paid $6.

Mom was really mad at me. First because I was way too obvious in my interest and secondly because of how much I spent. I was happy that I got my statue, but it was at a cost, for sure.

Are you familiar with the idea of the conscience being the devil on one shoulder, whispering in your ear, and an angel on the other shoulder? I believe that in the instance in Thailand, and again on Tuesday night, the devil was whispering in my ear. I honestly don't know what got into me. In the one case, I do have a buddha statue souvenir from Thailand sitting on my shelf. That is great, though he is a costly buddha! In the other, I bought something against my better judgement and now have to try my best to get out of the 'great deal' that is not so great for me. It'll work out. I am listening to my angel now. Everything will be fine.

I hope I have learned my lesson, once and for all.

I not only have to be vigilant outside of Canada, I have to be vigilant in my own country as well. Lest I be taken in by a 'good deal' again!

~Angie

Where To Sleep Tonight?

I recently bought a condo, finally. It was time. I had been renting for years and had resisted the chance to buy earlier because I was not ready. I needed to travel overseas for a year first. My move made me think about accommodations while traveling.

When I book a trip the second thing I look at after booking whatever flights or tours I am going on, is where am I going to stay? I usually stay in hostels as they offer the budget price that I am looking for. This poses a special problem for me because I am afraid of heights, so it is difficult to get out of some top bunk beds in hostels. I have to be particularly choosy, I discovered in Los Angeles in 2010, when the first morning of my year long trip overseas, I was trapped in my top bunk because I was too scared to get down, and it was a difficult bunk bed to get down from anyway. By the time I toured the South Island of New Zealand, four months later, I booked all my hostels based on three criteria: beds (not bunks), free meals, and free internet. No hostel offers all three, but sometimes two out of three ain't bad!

It depends on where you are visiting, what type of bed you will get. I soon discovered that I do not like the larger dorm hostels offered by Hostelling International, Base Backpackers, or Astor Hostels. That said, some of these hostels are okay. My favourite HI hostels that I have stayed in are YHA in Tauranga, New Zealand, and the YHA Santa Monica, in Santa Monica, California. Bath Bathpackers in Bath, UK was a good hostel too.

By the time I arrived in Auckland and stayed at a booked and paid for room at Base Backpackers Auckland on Queen Street, I decided I had had enough of Base Backpackers. They are a large chain of large hostels throughout the South Pacific and their clientele is the younger, rowdy, partying teenagers and early-twenty's set. Not my cup of tea. I decided to look for another option for the rest of my time in New Zealand. Arriving in Wellington, I found Rosemere Backpackers, a Budget Backpackers Hostel (BBH). It was great! It was an old house that had been turned into a hostel. It was one of the larger BBH hostels, but it worked for me. I stayed for 6 months! I found the BBH hostels to be smaller, with more character, offer beds sometimes, and they have free internet and a free meal once a week, usually. (Along with the standard free breakfast that comes with hostels anyway.) Rosemere Backpackers offered free soup on Wednesday nights during the Winter, and free barbequed sausages during the Summer.

I recommend getting a YHA membership card, as this offers accommodation choices worldwide, and quite often a 10% discount on activities in various cities too. Also, if you are traveling in New Zealand, a BBH membership is a good option too. Some websites to look at are:

http://www.hihostels.com/
http://www.hostels.com/
http://www.booking.com/
http://www.bbh.co.nz/

~Angie

Yahoo-oo! The Calgary Stampede, 100 Years On

Its slogan is "The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth". It is famous throughout the world. When I was traveling through the South Pacific, people would ask me where I am from. When I told them Calgary, some asked if that was close to Toronto - no, it is not. Others knew where I was talking about because of two things the Calgary area and the city itself is famous for: the mountains, and the rodeo.

The Calgary Exhibition and Stampede is on for another year. This year is extra special because it is the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede. The Stampede started out as a way for Calgarians to connect with their Western Heritage past. One Hundred years later, it is what Calgary is famous for and a great time to be in the city!

In addition to the usual events happening at the Stampede, this year some new events have been added. These include a zipline that is about 110m high at the start, and a simulated surfing trainer that allows amateurs to get an idea of what it is like to surf in big waves.

Music has always been a big part of the Stampede. Original venues include the Coca-Cola Stage for pop and rock acts, and Nashville North for country acts. This year there is a new stage, the Bell Centennial Plaza. Eight years ago the marketing team at the Calgary Stampede decided to have one big name act perform a concert at the Pengrowth Saddledome. The first performer to come specifically to the Stampede was George Strait. Since then, acts have included Bon Jovi, New Kids on the Block, and the Beach Boys. Now more than one big name act comes to town for the Stampede concert series at the Saddledome.

This year, because of the centennial celebrations, Garth Brooks has come back to Calgary to perform one show at the Stampede. That concert is tomorrow night and it was a really hot ticket - the concert sold out in 58 seconds! I saw Garth Brooks in 1996 for his Fresh Horses tour. It is the best concert I have ever been to! People are in for a great show tomorrow night!

There is something for everyone at the Calgary Stampede. Free events include: The Coca-Cola stage and Nashville North, the kids corral, and the animal barns and petting zoos. Families and seniors can get in for free before 9 am on Family Day and Seniors Day respectively.

Of course, people come from all over for the Stampede Rodeo. Tickets are sold for the rodeo but sometimes discounted standing-room-only tickets are available, and seniors can get tickets for free for one section on Seniors Day. You do have to pay for tickets for the midway, and food costs as well. There is everything you would expect at a carnival available on the midway: cotton candy, caramel apples, ice cream, corn dogs. Then, if you're still hungry and in the mood for something international, you can go to the Corral, where international food stands offer a variety of foods from all over the world.

So, when you get a chance, come to Calgary for "that rodeo" in July. It's a great time to be in Calgary!

~Angie

The Art of 'District 9'

Have you ever won anything? One of my luckier days was October 6, 2010. The week before I was reading the Capitol Times in Wellington, NZ and saw an ad for a special event being put on by Weta Workshop called "The Art of District 9". This was to be held at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington. All that was required was that you send your mailing address via email to the Capitol Times. I don't usually win anything, but thought: "What the heck. May as well try." Then I promptly forgot about it.

One week later I received an envelope in the mail. It was two tickets to the event "The Art of District 9"! This included a chance to hold the Prawn Guns used in the film, meet four artists who worked on the props and art for the film, and a special screening of District 9. Very cool!

So I met my friend at the theatre and took photos with the Prawn Guns. They were heavy! At one point I realized that Richard Taylor was there signing autographs and taking photos with fans! This was an unexpected surprise! Richard Taylor is the founder and head of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital. He has worked on several films including Lord of the Rings, Heavenly Creatures, King Kong, and District 9.

After I got a photo with Richard Taylor, the artists who worked on District 9 gave a presentation about their work and then we watched a screening of the film. This was a very cool evening! I am so glad I got this opportunity!

Me holding a Prawn Gun

Me & Richard Taylor

~Angie

Harry Potter Tour

In 2009 I decided it was time to return to England. I had not been there in ten years and it was time to go back and see what lay beyond London. That said, I did want to spend a few days in London and that is why I decided to research filming locations for the Harry Potter movies and create my own Harry Potter tour.

At the time, filming was taking place at Leavesden Studios, just outside of London, for the final Harry Potter film. I could have gone and stood outside the fence, but that seemed like a waste of time to me. Now, since March 2012, tours of Leavesden Studios are available to the public. I hope to return one day and do a tour.   http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/

After spending four days in London doing and seeing everything I missed the first time, I started the Harry Potter portion of my trip. First stop - Gloucester Cathedral. Scenes from the first film and more recently Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince were filmed at the cathedral. I had booked a tour before leaving Canada, but was disappointed when I arrived to find that I knew more about the books and movies than my guide. I even pointed out an area where scenes were filmed from HP6 when he failed to notice. Not exactly the best tour, but I am glad I went and it was an interesting historical tour of the cathedral anyway.

Gloucester Cathedral - Scenes from Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone were filmed here.

After that I went to Bath. A day tour from Bath took me to Lacock National Trust Village, a historical site in England. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock/  The house from the first film, in which Harry and his parents lived in when he was little, where his mother died for him, is located in Lacock Village. Also, the house where Harry and Dumbledore meet Professor Slughorn is in the Village.

Harry Potter House from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

My last stop was Oxford, specifically Christ Church College. This is where the Hogwarts stairs are. The scene from the first film where Harry meets Malfoy were shot in Christ Church College on the marble staircase leading to the Great Hall. Also, the Great Hall in Christ Church College was the inspiration for the Great Hall set at Leavesden Studios. Tours start at 12:00 noon.

~Angie

Lost & Found in Bath

"Not all those who wander are lost." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

I tend to get lost when I travel. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident. One place where it is very easy to get lost by accident is Bath, England. In North America, our towns and cities are designed on a square grid that is easy to follow. Bath is another matter entirely.

The roads follow no set design, they twist and turn and to add to the confusion, there are traffic circles! One famous traffic circle in Bath is the Circus. Just beyond the Circus is the Royal Palace on the Royal Crescent. 

On a map, these roads look like a question mark. After that though, the roads flow off in various directions and it is very confusing. I had to find landmarks to have a vague idea of where I was and how to get back to my hostel!

Royal Palace

The Roman Bath Houses are a good landmark for reference. These are located in the centre of the main tourist area of Bath and they have the famous Thermae Bath Spa located above. Tourists can rent audio devices so that they can tour the bath houses at their own speed and not miss anything about the history of the Roman Baths. (www.romanbaths.co.uk)

Roman Bath House

~Angie

'Lord of the Rings' Tour in Wellington, NZ

“Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.
You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien

Wellington, New Zealand is where Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor live and work.  Richard Taylor owns and runs Weta Workshop and Weta Digital. I took a Lord of the Rings tour of Wellington and the surrounding area. It was a very good tour, both for the fan in me, but also of the city itself and the area around Wellington.

We started where the movies were first filmed - at Mount Victoria. This is a large hill (not a mountain by my standards) that has forests and lots of pathways. This is a public area, which caused a few problems while the movies were filming. We went to the spot where the hobbits fall off the cliff onto the path after being chased by the farmer through the Shire. This is where the "Get off the path!" scene and the woods before the ferry were filmed. The scenes of the hobbits' first encounter with a Black Rider.

The spot where the Black Rider stood on Mount Victoria

No special effects other than a smoke machine for extra atmosphere were needed for those scenes. The woods were originally cut down by the British and subsequently replanted once they realized that the ground was prone to land slides. Therefore, the trees are not native New Zealand trees anymore and were planted too close together, thus becoming the scary trees that stand there today.

We went up the east coast, very beautiful coastline, to the Miramar peninsula where Peter Jackson lives, and the film studios and Weta Workshop are located. We drove by Peter Jackson's house, which is right off the main road with views of the beach. All windows were open, no blinds and some days the tourists can actually see him there barbequeing or sitting in his living room. Kiwi's leave him alone out of respect for what he has done for the country, so no one takes photos or anything. He has lived in that house for 25 years. It was a nice house, but not really huge like you would see in L.A.

We had "second breakfast" at the Scorch-o-Rama cafe, where the cast and crew ate quite a bit while filming. It is a really cool cafe that has seating across the road overlooking the sea. The waitresses cross the road to deliver the food.

Then we went to Weta Cave. This is a museum and gift shop beside Weta Workshop that has props made in the movies by Weta Workshop. Movies include: Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and the Chronicles of Narnia. Weta Digital is another branch specializing in digital special effects whose most recent film was Avatar. It was neat to see the actual puppet of Frodo used when Arwen saved him from the Nazgul and crossed the river to take him to Rivendell. Also, there were the swords, including Frodo's sword Sting, life size figures of the Urukai and a figure of Gollum. The rest of the Weta Cave held replicas that you could buy, quite expensive because they were made by the actual artists who worked on the films. For example, the One Ring is about $600. Would be cool to have, but I don't need it that much! They also had Frodo and Sam's hobbit ears, for $50 because they are made from the actual mold of Elijah Wood and Sean Astin's ears and are exactly the same molds that were used in the films. At the end we watched a behind the scenes film of Weta Workshop. It would be a really cool place to work!

"Gollum" at Weta Cave

We drove past a post production company that looks from the outside like it could be a group of condos or a hotel. This post production place was created by Peter Jackson and has changed the New Zealand film industry because now big budget films can be made right in Wellington, not outsourced overseas. We also went by Peter Jackson's movie studios and lot. It is small compared to those in Hollywood. Lord of the Rings and King Kong were filmed there.

Then we went outside the city to a regional park called Kaitoko. This is where the Rivendell scenes were filmed. It is very pretty and has a temperate rainforest that we also took a walk through. There is a fern in New Zealand that goes silver in moonlight, or by the flash of a camera. This is New Zealand's national symbol. It was neat to take photos of this silver fern because it does show up silver on the camera.

I had mentioned when the tour started that Elijah Wood was the reason I watched The Lord of the Rings in the first place - I went to the movie because he was in it. So, while in Kaitoko Regional Park, my guide told me to stand amongst a group of trees in a specific spot. I was wondering why I was standing there when he said: "You are standing in Frodo's bedroom." It's amazing how the sets were built and set up in such a small area!

In Kaitoko Regional Park, this is "Frodo's Bedroom"

We went to Harcourt Park, in Upper Hutt, where the garden scenes of Isengard were shot, and the quarry where Helms Deep and the city of Minas Tirith were shot. My guide was an extra for an elf in the Helms Deep scenes. One guy on my tour was a hobbit extra in Hobbiton too. It was great to hear behind the scenes stories from them.

For information on the Wellington 'Lord of the Rings' Tour, go to:

http://www.wellingtonrover.co.nz/


~Angie