yeah, I'll be doing the Canada trip on my own. How about yourself? You doing the trip on your own?

I went to Peru & did the Inca Trail last year & had a awesome time. Am off to Argentina & Chile next.

Hope you all have Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Oli

Hi Oli
Hows it going? Have a good Christmas? I 've had a fantastic christmas.
Yes I am doing Canada by myself. None of my friends have the travel bug or the money, so I'm always heading off by myself. I think its better in a lot of ways, beacuse you are forced to meet and get involved with people.
How was the Inca Trail? I am dying to do that. I've got my trip to S. America planed. Just need to wait to get the Long Service leave. I start in Mexcio and go down till I finish in Rio for the Carnival or at least thats my plan.
Well have a fantastic new year. Look forward to talking to you some more before we meet.
You staying at the Sandman Hotel the night before the trip? We'll have to meet up and a have a few introductry drinks.
Hayley

Hey Chris
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
So not an Aussie if you think your liver won't last the distance. Its one thing we Aussies do well. Drink and Drink and Drink and not fall down. Looking forward to meeting you. So if this is your last Contiki trip that would make you 34? Which other trips have you done? I'm looking forward to doing a lot of traveling over the new 10 years and always like to hear about places other people have been.
You staying at the Sandman Hotel the night before the trip? We'll have to meet up and a have a few introductry drinks.
Hayley

Having a good christmas so far - lots of food & booze. I agree about travelling on your own, have made more friends that way. All the trips I've been on I've gone on my own. Had a fantastic time on the Inca Trail, though at times but there were some fantastic views. It's one of the musts if you're going to Peru.

I think it was the Sandman Hotel that was mentioned when I booked at the travel agents but not quite sure yet when I'll get there as I've still got to sort out flights as I may be going to Seattle for a few days beforehand instead of going directly to Vancouver from London. Would be good to have a few introductory drinks beforehand. I'm guessing thats where you'll be staying the night before.

Oli

Hi Hayley & Oli,

I trust you're both having happy holidays, a merry Christmas and hopefully an exciting ring in to the new year.

Nah, I could never keep up with the Aussies booze wise ha ha... esp when they're throwing in Bundy Rum in there... Come to think of it I really didn't start drinking until I came on Contiki... Contiki is def known for the party crowd...

Sandman's prob where we'll be at although I won't be staying there any extra nights other than what's booked on tour... there's prob going to be an introductory meeting and we'll all go for customary drinks afterwards. I'll be there for that to meet all of you guys.
And I will probably stay the last night (since it's my last Contiki) for a big party. Yea, that would make me 34... what other ones have I done... well...

-Spotlight on Greece
-Aegean Classic Cruise
-New Zealand Grand Explorer
-Hawaiian Discovery
-Australia Beaches and Reefs
-Great Britain and Southern Ireland
-Canada & Rockies (without Stampede)

I'm going all Da Vinci code-ish and headed on Simply Italy this Feb, and LA to the Bay for a birthday bash in May. Looking forward to meeting you both next summer... this tour's surely gonna rock.

Happy New Year, all the best for 2008, enjoy the travelling bug...

Chris

quote:

Originally posted by Explorer1082015:
gday christopher, are you booked for this tour? Ive been looking at booking it this for a while but im tossed up as to whether to do canada by myself or with contiki....the tour isnt cheap but i know it will be awesome

Explorer1082015: Hi,I just thought I would give my opinion if u havent made up ur mind about going by yourself or Contiki. GO WITH CONTIKI, U WONT REGRET ONE THING AT ALL.U PARTY HARD AND MAKE NEW LONG LASTING FRIENDSHIPS AND MAYBE ROMANACE IF U LUCKY. It may be expensive, but really u only have to buy ur grog and gifts, half ur dinners, all lunches and extra activity options and everything else is paid for.
GO CONTIKI
IF U HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO ASK ME OR CHRIS(RS1973SAR) AS WE BOTH HAVE BEEN ON PLENTY OF TOURS OURSELVES.
I HOPE WE CAN HELP.
Michelle

Hey guys
How was your christmas? Good I hope. Mime was fantastic. Got lots of pressies and money. Ya!!!!!!!
Hope you have fun plans for your new year celebrations.
Drop me a line at my email and send a pic and I will be able to send you a pic, so we all know who we are talking to.
hayleyklasen@hotmail.com
Hayley

hey guys and girls - i havent booked for this trip yet coz i don't have the funds but i really really want to go....i am from australia and i was wondering...how early should we get to vancouver before the tour starts?? it would be quite horrible to miss the starting date haha...speak soon

Happy New Year everyone...

Hope you've all rung in the New Year in style. Because of the success of our Facebook GB/Ireland tour, I've started up a site for the Canada & Rockies 2008 trip... be sure to check it out for updates... You guys can also see pics and post pics as well...

Hi Lex,

Nice to meet ya... If you do come out on this trip, there's a pre-departure meeting the night before the tour starts in Vancouver... great icebreaker and we go for a drink or two... great way to meet your travel mates... Depending on how much money you have and time you have... you can spend some time before and after in Vancouver... The tour ends July 8th morning... you can prob book a flight anytime after that... you won't want to miss the last dinner on the harbor cruise. Most people usually arrive the day before the beginning of tour... so anytime Jun 26th... pre-departure meeting's at 6 PM or 7 PM (can't remember off hand which).

Hey Lex
Where abouts in Australia you from? I am from NSW and hope you do book on for the tour.
I am doing my extra days in Vancouver after the tour and arriving the day before the tour.
It looks like a lot of fun, but the tour is filling up fast and getting flights to and from Canada is hard for us Aussies for those dates coz of the International Youth Week being held in Australia. We are trying to fly home when every teenager is flying in to Oz.
Hayley

Actually that's interesting to hear... I know a few Aussie pals wanted to book on this tour, but had problems trying to get flights... I didn't realize Youth Week was so huge... I wonder how many people are actually already booked for this tour...

Chris

Hi All,

I was orginally going on the July 4-15 Canada & Rockies with Stampede tour although have changed my dates and am now booked on this tour! Chris, thanks for your advice on my post!

I am also an Aussie and was able to get flights...... so there is still room on the tour and there are still some flights available, so if there is anyone still wanting to book, you can.

Look forward to meeting everyone....

Jess :-)

Hi Jess,

Glad to meet ya... and glad I could be of help... yea having done tours which combine... I've found the toughest part is when there's a new group of people that come into an already formed group... that's why i suggested anyone who did that other Stampede tour do the whole Grand Canadian... that way it's easier to form bonds at the beginning, rather than midway through an already existing tour...

that's just my experience anyway... Did the Beaches and Reefs, GB & Southern Ireland, and NZ Grand Explorer tours and they were all combined... it was much easier for people who hopped off tour midway through than those that came on tour midway through...

But glad you decided to join our tour... the more the merrier... I'd like to have a full bus for this one... it's gonna be party central in Canada for the entire journey!!!

Hey Chris,

I agree with you on joining a tour mid way through, hence the reason I changed tours..... lucky you told me otherwise I wouldn't have known..... so thank you!

This will be my second Contiki, I did a Europe tour in 2005 and had a blast and now counting down to June!!

I will be arriving the day before the tour in early afternoon, so it would be good to catch up with everyone pre-tour.

Chris, can you suggest the best and easiest way to get from the airport to the Sandman???