Anyone doing this tour? Would be good to get in touch before landing in Vancouver.

Hey there
Well I have just booked this trip!!!!
I will be doing the Grand Northern just b4 so am super excited. I have been on 2 Contiki trips b4 and have 3 booked for next year - yes I know it is crazy but they are super fun and I have met some awesome people and hope to meet up with some when I am in the USA and Canada. I am aslo doing a 2 week snowboarding trip on jan/feb 09 as I loved it this year and soooo wanna do it again. I have just come back from the Ultimate European trip and wow that was amazing!!! 6 weeks and 17 countries!!!
Well enough of that - I am Joanne and I am from South Africa and am living in the UK at the moment.
Take care and c you in June!!!
Jo

Hey Jo, you are going to love the Grand Northern. I did it last year at the same time you are doing yours.
I'm doing the Southern first then spending a night in New York before flying to Seattle. I'll then be catching a bus to Vancouver. I found it to cheaper doing it this way plus I wanted to see Seattle.
I've done 3 contikis before. European Experience plus two tours in the States. Grand Northern and Wild Western.

Hey Pervy,

I'm doing both the Stampede and Grand Southern trips too. I can't wait. 12 weeks off work, yah.
Kazz

Hi Kazz, what date does your Southern start? I'm doing the May 26th one.
You planning on spending time in vancouver before or after the tour? I'm heading to Seattle after the tour to have a look around. I'm only having 7 weeks off work.

I'm doing the May 26th grand southern. I am going to be in Florida for two weeks before the GS as have to go to a work conference, I will then spend 2 days in LA before the tour starts. I am only going to spend one day in Vancouver either side of the trip.
Kazz

Hey Kazz thats cool, guess we'll be on both tours together. I made a mistake saying I was on the May 26th Southern. Think it starts on the 28th. I'm also only spending 1 day before in Vancouver, well i'm getting into Vancouver the day before and I leave on July 7th to go to Seattle for a few days. There is a group of us on here booked on the 28th Southern. About 8 of us so far.

Hey Guys,

My boyfriend and I are booking on Thursday for the Western Highlights 17th of June and Canada & the Rockies (inc Calgary) 26th June..
Kylie

Hey Kylie, glad to see you guys are coming on this tour. What are your plans before the Canadian tour after the Western Highlights, any time to spend in Vancouver first?

Hey Pervy,

I'm glad you are on this tour also, I spent last night reading through some of the forums including the 28 pages of the guys going on the US tour on May 28th lol.

We are spending the 24th June in Las Vegas, then fly to Vancouver 25th, so arrive the day before the tour, then a night after the tour in Vancouver.
Guessing from your threads you are 30ish?? Me too, I am a little more 30ish than Braden lol.

I can't wait for my holidays next year. Really looking forward to the stampede. A friend did this tour last year(but not with the stampede) and her photos are amazing. Yep i'm in my 30's.
So where abouts are you from? I'm from South Auckland NZ. I'm getting into Vancouver on the 25th too.

I know, I can't wait , I have been wanting to do the Stampede since I was a little girl.

This is my first overseas trip so I am a little like a kid in a candy store. I'm from Newcastle just North of Sydney. Braden is a little more traveled than me, born in Australia but he lived in Papatoetoe for 4 years.
My best friends are from Hamilton and another friend of mine is moving to Auckland in January.

I have a friend landed in Calgary 2 days ago, he met a sweetheart there on his last trip a couple of months ago and has now moved there, he had amazing photo's also which is pretty much what made me decide to book this trip

Madly saving at the moment to cover the trip and then save to take up as many of the optional excursions as we can, oh and of course money for shopping

Have you already booked your accommodation in Vancouver? We are staying at the Sandman

Yeah i'm booked to stay at the Sandman the night before the tour starts. Fun part will be getting from the Greyhound bus station to the hotel. We'll have to go for a nice cold Molson after the tour meeting that night.
Papatoetoe aye. I'm about 15km south in Papakura.

Sounds like a plan, looking forward to trying Canadian Beer, some of the ads for Molson Beer are hilarious How far is the bus station from the Hotel? Guessing the airport is also bit of a hike from the hotel, though I think there are shuttle buses ??
I have been checking out some of the Calgary Stampede pages on facebook, it looks like one massive party.
Also excited that we'll be there for Canada Day, do you know anything about the celebrations is it anything like the 4th July for Americans?

Ha, I've checked out the facebook stampede pages too. It does look fun. Not sure what it will be like for Canada day but it should be fun. Lets hope lots of Canadians want to buy us beer.
Bus station doesn't look to far from the hotel. Just got to make sure I go the right way.
I'm going to look up Molson adds on youtube now.