Craving Views? Try Banff!

Some of us crave champagne truffles or rocky road ice cream (yes, I'm guilty!), others crave salt & vinegar potato chips or fresh tomatoes with salt and pepper.  The good things in life, the things that get us through the hard days.

I had a hard day today.  It made me wish for solitude, for a world with no people and infinite peace.  It made me dream of endless skies, of evergreen trees and snow capped mountains.  A place without people and without obligations.

Luckily Canada has an excellent selection of empty corners I can fly away to.

Banff is a small town located a couple hours outside of Calgary, Alberta in the Rocky Mountains.  It's a town built for skiers, filled with quaint shops and tasty restaurants.  You can use it as a gateway to visit Lake Louise and Jasper, or just go for a weekend and relax in the hot springs.

Plus, if you want to get away from your friends, coworkers or other tourists, the gondola awaits to sweep you up the mountain to a place where the silence is pregnant with speechless awe.

Details:

Transport: A taxi costs ~$8CAD from town and it's a short drive but a bit far for walking.  There is a large parking lot if you have a rental car, and public transit is also available.

Cost: $35+tax per adult

Length of gondola ride: I wasn't timing, but about 5-10 minutes each way.

Total time: Give yourself a couple hours total to wander around at the top, take 1,000 pictures, pause for a hot chocolate, and then take 1,000 more pictures.

Website: http://www.explorerockies.com/banff-gondola/hours-rates.aspx

Best for: All ages.  It's a nice walk, or you can just sit with a cup of tea in the main lodge.  You are at altitude, though not to a degree where it would be troublesome.  Just noticable.

Added benefit: This is located right next door to the Banff Hot Springs.  The parking lots literally back onto each other.  So pack your bathing suit, go for a hike, and when you're either frozen or energized, go relax for a bit in the pools.

Pictures: Just a few to give you a taste of why you should book your flight right now and get away from those evil coworkers who seem to think they know everything but in fact help with nothing.

Gondola up the mountain.

View from the gondola.

The valley and Banff lie far below.  If you look closely, the Fairmont Hotel is the taller building.

The area at the top of the mountain offers a pleasant hike over wooden pathways.

Each turn promises white capped mountains, even in the summer.

And even in the height of summer, if the wind doesn't take your breath away the views will (but still, pack your mittens!).

Trip Report: AC J YYZ-YYC

Date: 09-2013
Route: YYZ-YYC
Airline: Air Canada
Class of service: J (purchased in Y, then upgraded)
Aircraft: Boeing 763
Mile-High Potential in J: 0% - besides being a day flight, the cabin was only half full.  25% of passengers were women, and of the men, most had white hair.  This is unfortunately typical for AC flights.

The plane took off sideways, or so it seemed.

I was on my way from Toronto to Calgary and had used e-upgrade credits to upgrade from economy to business class.  I had chosen my flight with the intention of doing this, and knew that unlike the rest of the day, the 10am flight was on AC's 763 and had pod seating up front.

J Cabin - nice and bright, only half full on my flight.

You can see from this perspective the 3 rows of seats.  Also note the luggage bins above, which I found were tight to fit an international-sized carry on.

AC's pod seating

AC's pods are actually quite comfortable.  They lay flat and horizontal (180 degrees), allowing for either a nap or a solid sleep on a longer flight.  The controls are intuitive, and while the movies are a bit spotty, they've certainly gotten better over the last year.

The odd sensation at take-off is associated with the direction of the pods.  You aren't facing straight ahead as you would on other planes, so it can be a bit disconcerting.

Seat & TV control - note that the TVs are also touch-screen.

The TV, which pops out of the side consul.  Of note, the TVs must be stored on take-off and landing.  This can be a bit irritating if you don't realize it and are trying to finish a movie, so something to keep in mind.

Power outlet

The windows are a bit behind the seat and difficult to look out.  Definitely not the best seat for views, though I would sacrifice the views on some flights for not having to climb over my neighbor to get into the aisle.  Next to the window is a reading light, and there are also lights that you can activate from overhead.

Shortly after sitting down, the flight attendant came to take my jacket and offer orange juice or water.  This was a morning flight.  Normally in the afternoon and evening flights they offer champagne as an option, though my experience is more on the international routes and the champagne may be limited to international flights.

At this point they also distributed menus.  In my case the options were (i) an omelet with chicken sausage, (ii) pancakes, or (iii) a healthy option with yogurt and grains.  If you want more current menu options, a good place to check is here.

Along with your main course, a fruit plate, yogurt, and your choice of white or cinnamon-raisin bread was available.  This was served shortly after take-off, but slowly as we had a 4 hour flight.

First course - fruit plate with cinnamon-raisin bread

Second course - omelet with chicken sausage

The food wasn't bad, though I find it hard to either ruin a breakfast or make it spectacular at 40,000 feet.  As recommended in an earlier post, I did make use of those salt and pepper packages and found the taste much improved, but also found that I needed to drink quite a bit more to quench my thirst.

So I ordered coffee and baileys.

Twice.

No complaints.

In terms of other offerings in business class:

• Amenity kits: None.  Those are given out on trans-Pacific/Atlantic flights only.
• Bathrooms: Not noticeably better than economy.  No special amenities, extra space or windows.
• Service: Very good.  The flight attendants circulated regularly, were amiable and made the flight a pleasure.  I'm a big advocate for quality service in business class.  It's part of the package, and when it doesn't happen I'm challenged to differentiate between classes in terms of appeal.
• Snacks: Lindt chocolate, nuts and potato chips were offered twice during the flight.  They were also available upon request.

Overall, a good, quick flight.  We took off on time, landed on time, and I didn't feel stressed or irritated in between.  Based on this, I would say the YYZ-YYC AC J flight on the 763 is a solid domestic option.

If you have any specific questions about the flight, let me know!

Airport Experiences: YTZ (Billy Bishop Airport, Toronto)

Did you know Toronto has two airports?

Everyone knows YYZ (Pearson International Airport), that big one in the upper left corner that has the honor of hosting a slew of airlines while acting as Air Canada’s hub.  It has lovely glass walkways that seem to go on forever, questionable artwork that is likely more meant for entertainment than deep thought, and a slew of shops in which you can buy the usual overpriced but Canadianized snack food.  Familiar to Torontonians and foreigners alike, if you’ve flown through Toronto chances are you flew into YYZ.

My point? 

Not about YYZ, I assure you.  That would be like writing a commentary on Coke.  Drink it and make your own opinion.  Better yet, ask your neighbor as for sure they will have an opinion you can steal, origionalize, and claim as your own.  Instead, let’s talk about YTZ, that other Toronto airport.

Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ), often referred to as the “island airport” by Torontonians, is a small airport located on an island directly across from Toronto’s downtown core.   It caters mostly to business passengers traveling to destinations within a few hours of Toronto.  Flights are on prop planes as the runway is too short to land jets on, however the popularity of the airport has recently brought the viability of jet travel from YTZ into question.

 For those not in-the-know:

FlyerTalk: http://www.flyertalk.com/the-tarmac/porter-airlines-wants-to-take-on-air-canada.html

Globe & Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/mayor-ford-asks-for-report-on-billy-bishop-expansion/article11516617/

Assuming we’re all educated now, for kicks let’s look at the airport itself and the implications of an expansion.

YTZ is easy enough to get to, being located in the downtown core, however it isn’t directly connected to the mainland.  As a result, it has the dubious honour of offering one of the shortest ferry rides in the world.  Having ridden that ferry more times than I would like, I’ll say that in Lena-years this ferry takes ages.

Passengers arrive at the ferry terminal where they cue on the upper floor for up to fifteen minutes (they promise, but I’ve absolutely waited longer than this) before being loaded and carried the short distance to the terminal (schedule: http://www.torontoport.com/Airport/Getting-To/Ferry-Schedule.aspx).  Luckily, there are check-in facilities at the ferry terminal, including both machines and agents, so those rushing for the flight and just missing the ferry aren’t completely without hope (I wouldn’t recommend showing up less than 1 hour before your flight unless you are drunk already, have a bottle with you that you plan to polish off before security, or enjoy the wild ride that is the potential anxiety of missing your flight).

Once across, passengers have a quick walk to the main check-in counter, which I have never once seen even moderately busy.

 

From there, passengers usually have a short but very exacting security check before proceeding to the departures lounge.  Of note for frequent flyers, there is no priority line (gasp!).

The lounge is downstairs, offering a setup reminiscent of cubicles in an office with chairs set to face each other in small sets of four.  WiFi is free, and if you need computer access there is a somewhat austere business centre in the back.  Also on offer are drinks (water, pop, juice, hot chocolate, coffee, espresso maker, tea) and snacks (mixed nuts and cookies).  There is no charge for these, and there is also a small shop attached that offers more substantial options for purchase.  Another note for frequent flyers, all passengers have access to this area and there is long Star Alliance lounge (Elitist snob nightmare!  Gasp #2!).

 

 

 

The airport offers only a handful of gates, and the walk is delightfully short to any plane you might be catching (girls, keep your heels on, this is a non-running shoe necessary airport).  When the flight is called, passengers file through glass sliding doors and down a brief hallway to one of several desks where tickets and IDs are checked.  Boarding proceeds from there.

 

So overall, what are the key pros and cons?

Pros:

1.       Downtown location: I’m not convinced that this airport is a faster experience than YYZ, but it does have a phenomenal location.  Transit from the terminal into the downtown core has gotten better over the last several years, and with a shuttle service to Union Station and a timetable for the ferry I would expect the experience to continue to improve.  On top of that, the landing is hard to beat, coming in parallel to the Toronto skyline.  Honestly, I’ve landed in some phenomenal locations globally and never gotten the city skyline these flights offer.

2.       The airport authority has promised travelers a walkway “coming soon”, placating complaints related to the inefficient ferry they currently use.

3.       Departure lounge: Free food, newspapers and a business area with about two dozen computers.  Wifi is easy to access and doesn’t require a password, making this a great offering for those passengers who don’t typically have access to an airline lounge.

4.       Flights are rarely full.

Cons:

1.       Logistics: (1) The ferry: touted as one of the shortest ferry rides in the world, I’m quite certain I could swim across faster.  (2) Getting a taxi: a harrowing experience where you wait with the masses until someone shouts and waves at you to go to “that cab over there!”  (3) Security: For a primarily business-oriented airport where travelers know the procedures, could the agents be any slower?  (4) Pick-up: there is no area for stopping and no cellphone lot, so coordinating pick-up of a passenger is an unpleasant exercise in patience or non-verbal growling.

2.       No Maple Leaf Lounge: If you’re a frequent flyer, you may have gotten use to a little quiet place where you can have a lowball before or between flights.  The YTZ departure area is advertised as a lounge however it’s a far cry from your average Star Alliance offering.

3.       Routing: YTZ is small and caters to small planes.  As such, the route offerings are limited and the distance they travel often means that a connection is necessary.

In my experience, while YTZ is a great concept it has failed to deliver.  My primary complaint is related to the logistics of catching a flight and the ease of getting home when I land.  It’s poorly done and they are overburdened by the passengers they currently cater to.  I’m hard pressed to understand how they intend to efficiently and effectively bring it more flights and passengers.  An expansion is obviously worth considering, but first I would challenge them to work out the bugs in their current system. 

Judge for yourself, but for my part I’ll stick to Pearson.

Papers, please?

I was longing for a hot shower and a good dose of greasy Canadian take-out as I walked the long but familiar hallways of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. Cliché, I know, but I was glad to be home. The last week had been an epic adventure, but the whirlwind pace and long transit was catching up fast. Though I can truly say I love travelling the remote wilds of Africa, the comforts of home had acquired a certain shine.  My friend Mo, just then trailed at my heels, appeared to silently agree.

We hit customs with the rest of the plane, turning down the resident’s line and patiently waiting our turn.  We bantered back and forth wearily, mostly about what our dinner options were.  It was trivial, but it kept the wait from becoming a torturous exercise in patience. 

“Let’s go up together,” I said as we neared the front.  “If they pull us over, it will be because we were in the middle of war-torn Africa.  It would be a hassle if one of us gets pulled and not the other.”

He shrugged, looking like he couldn't care less about anything that didn’t involve a bed. I knew he normally would have tried to get a smile out of the customs officers, perhaps even a laugh, but the long flight and the stomach bug he had picked up had knocked the oomph out of him. I took his passport and customs card, going up to the counter when it came free. 

Though I was trying to hide it, I was exhausted as well.  Nonetheless, I plastered a smile on my face as I slide our collection of passports and paperwork onto the desktop.

“Hello.”

“One passport and one form per agent,” the customs officer said coldly, hardly glancing up.

Rude asshole. I blinked, paused, then licked my lips to keep from growling what I thought of him. I reached out to remove Mo’s paperwork, but just as I was about to lay hands on it the officer yanked it towards himself, huffing.

“I’ll make an exception.  Just. This. Once."  It sounded like a movie line delivered by a B grade actor.  I even imagined I could see the agent's condescension encased around him like a second Perspex shield.

I felt Mo stiffen behind me, standing taller and more alert.  He wouldn’t interrupt, but he knew the opening of a verbal sparring match when he heard one. 

I took a deep breath, firmly reminding myself not to react.  Customs guards have too much power.  I’ve seen them use it arbitrarily far too often.  In the past I’ve been kept waiting just long enough to miss my flight, have watched a grown man bring a lone teenage girl to tears because her grandmother wasn’t picking up the phone, and looked the other way when a wheelchair-bound woman was denied entry because her visa had a crease in the corner.

My smile faded as I waited for his questions.

“Where are you coming from?”

I might have said London at this point.  We had transited there overnight and before that we’d been in Cairo for twelve hours.  That would have been easy though. The agent was being a jerk and I was itching to challenge him on it.

“Eritrea,” I answered.

The officer sighed, his eyes shifting slowly from his computer screen to my face.  “Not the city, the country,” he said slowly, as though I was ignorant not only of his question but of the whole re-entry process.

I wasn’t ignorant, but I was stunned.  You would think a job requirement of a customs guard would be to know the names of each of the countries around the world.  Obviously not.

“Eritrea,” I repeated flatly.  

He scowled, deciding finally to give me his undivided attention.

I considered snidely educating him on behalf of my beautiful and fascinating Eritrea. 

“It’s a small country on the horn of Africa, across from Yemen and bordering Djibouti, Sudan and Ethiopia,  at war with each of those three countries, by the way.  The capital is Asmara, and it has some of the best espresso on the continent thanks to once having been an Italian colony.  It’s one of the 197 countries recognized by the United Nations, and as a Canadian customs guard I would think you’d know that.”

As satisfying as it would have been to spit that out, teaching geography isn’t my job and I wasn't looking for an appointment with the back room.

“It’s a small country in Africa,” I said, mimicking a shade of the condescending tone he had used with me. I didn’t break eye contact with him and waited for whatever came next.

“The purpose of your trip?” 

“Vacation,” I said shortly.  I was enjoying my one word answers.  Ask me something hard, asshole.

Like a chess player realizing they cannot possibly win, he broke eye contact.  I was satisfied to see him looking somewhat chastened. 

I watched critically as he stamped our paperwork and handed it to me.  

He didn’t welcome us back to Canada, nor did he meet my gaze again. 

Canadian customs isn’t all bad.  I’ve had some fantastic experiences and spoken with some really fascinating officers, but that isn't the norm.  Is it unreasonable to expect a smile, a touch of courtesy, and a bit of knowledge about places beyond our own borders?  Customs officers are our first point of contact for foreigners who have often traveled immense distances and spent thousands of dollars to see a country I’m proud of.  I would hope that we would make an effort to make those first moments after a long, tiring journey, good ones. 

But more than that, I would really like to feel I’m welcome when I’m walking back across my own doormat.