Yukon or the Maritimes?

[Andrew O'Neill]

Hope was always a gas stop for me on the way to Vancouver from Kamloops - I would often go to Vancouver for day trips, at least once a month, partly to stock up on film and other photo supplies, partly to get the h*ll out of dodge. The thing I always hated was the approach in and out of Vancouver - sometimes I could be stuck in traffic for almost as long as the rest of the drive.

Rachelle, if you do make it to Vancouver, and can get away for the day, I'd love to take you up past Hope, to Alexandra Bridge for some photography fun! Maybe we can drag some other Apuggers along, too.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Rachelle, if you do make it to Vancouver, and can get away for the day, I'd love to take you up past Hope, to Alexandra Bridge for some photography fun! Maybe we can drag some other Apuggers along, too.

That would be fantastic! I'm about to book my tickets but it looks like I'll have 2.5 days in Vancouver, assuming everything goes well.

 

[MattKing]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[Kilgallb]

Air Canada flies direct from Narita to Calgary. That gets you to Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay national parks.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Air Canada flies direct from Narita to Calgary. That gets you to Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay national parks.

Thanks, but I used to live in Kamloops and have visited all of them already. I'm not looking for information about travel to Canada, but about two specific regions that I have NOT been to yet (as evidenced by the title of this thread).

 

[Down Under]

Thanks for all the info @ozmoose! I know the Yukon (and the entire north really, not just in Canada) is super expensive, so it's a real struggle to manage what I want to do with what I can realistically afford to do. Being from Manitoba I think I know what to expect when it comes to mosquitoes, although to be fair it's been quite a while since I've had to deal with them. Flies will be more of a nuisance for me.

As for the east coast, it's funny, but probably not a surprise, that out of all the provinces there, NB has always had the least appeal. But in researching it more, there are quite a number of places I would like to visit and spend time in, but at best I'll have 2-3 days there. I probably won't spend any time in the cities (that's true everywhere except for Halifax), since I'm more interested in what the natural and rural places have to offer.

Tough to decide - I could travel longer and see more if I go to the east coast, but the appeal of seeing the Yukon is strong since I'll be in Nunavut as well. Will have to decide soon (maybe today) and finally book my tickets.

I very much agree with all your comments. Also much useful information and comments from others. The idea of seeing whichever part of Canada you are unlikely to go to in the future, is sensible - on this basis I too would probably have factored travel to the Yukon first on my itinerary, back when I could afford this. Now much too far (and expensive) for me to do as a age pensioner, living in Australia so my life and interests are different - the lack of family back in New Bruns is also a big factor.

Bearing in mind that I tend to be somewhat more cynical and black humor focused than most, I will now offer a few more comments by way of, well, comments.

NB does get ignored - most tourists basically see it as part of the country they drive across on the way to PEI or NS, which feature more highly on the Desirable List. A lot of what is to be seen there (NB) is understated - lifestyle is low-key but revolves around family activities like camping, or fishing/hunting which seem to be the fave pastime of every second person there, much (too much for my liking, but here I well realise everyone's tastes differ) small town culture focused on mostly local or regional interests, and a surprising lot of good local food (including many dishes based on early Old World French cuisine) which needs searching out to be found, but most enjoyable when you do discover it. Lobsters and fresh sea fish are available almost everywhere, but may not be cooked to everyone's liking (ocean fish battered and fried in animal fat, aka lard, was a staple supper dish in my household when I was growing up there in the '50s and '60s, and remains to this day food I cannot bear to ever eat again) and sadly, as most of it is sold overseas at inflated prices, is usually not cheap to acquire, especially from restaurants or cafes or even take-away outlets. (I will spare you any further comments on Moosehead Pale Ale.)

As well if you don't drive yourself, public transport isn't exactly the most efficient. The cities are also mostly forgettable, with the exception of Saint John which as a sea port on the Bay of Fundy, has some interesting locations and life to check out.

From my own experience I can say Halifax will surely give you all the urban scenes you will ever want in the Atlantic provinces. Charlottetown is, in a word, "quaint", smaller regional centres tend to have assembly-line architecture and sites to see, and almost all the NB cities are places you will tend to drive thru, maybe stop for a lunch break or to look at some overstated local attraction like The Bore in Moncton ( to me most appropriately named) and then drive on. As well, there is just so much pretty scenery one can stomach before the bile rises and one's urban cravings take over.

Whatever your choice, I'm sure you will have an interesting, even exciting Canadian holiday - both destinations you have in mind offer many splendid things to discover and enjoy, even if down in NB you will have to spend more time hunting them out and then getting to them. There are, after all, mosquitoes and expensive food places in NB too...

I hope you will post comments and photos to entertain us. Bon voyage to you when you go.

PS Kamloops in BC was a place I always enjoyed, if only to pass thru and maybe stop for lunch - in the '70s and mostly as it was about as far from Vancouver as I could get even back then. (My innate cynicism again rising to the fore, this is.)

 

[mooseontheloose]

I very much agree with all your comments. Also much useful information and comments from others. The idea of seeing whichever part of Canada you are unlikely to go to in the future, is sensible - on this basis I too would probably have factored travel to the Yukon first on my itinerary, back when I could afford this. Now much too far (and expensive) for me to do as a age pensioner, living in Australia so my life and interests are different - the lack of family back in New Bruns is also a big factor.

Bearing in mind that I tend to be somewhat more cynical and black humor focused than most, I will now offer a few more comments by way of, well, comments.

NB does get ignored - most tourists basically see it as part of the country they drive across on the way to PEI or NS, which feature more highly on the Desirable List. A lot of what is to be seen there (NB) is understated - lifestyle is low-key but revolves around family activities like camping, or fishing/hunting which seem to be the fave pastime of every second person there, much (too much for my liking, but here I well realise everyone's tastes differ) small town culture focused on mostly local or regional interests, and a surprising lot of good local food (including many dishes based on early Old World French cuisine) which needs searching out to be found, but most enjoyable when you do discover it. Lobsters and fresh sea fish are available almost everywhere, but may not be cooked to everyone's liking (ocean fish battered and fried in animal fat, aka lard, was a staple supper dish in my household when I was growing up there in the '50s and '60s, and remains to this day food I cannot bear to ever eat again) and sadly, as most of it is sold overseas at inflated prices, is usually not cheap to acquire, especially from restaurants or cafes or even take-away outlets. (I will spare you any further comments on Moosehead Pale Ale.)

As well if you don't drive yourself, public transport isn't exactly the most efficient. The cities are also mostly forgettable, with the exception of Saint John which as a sea port on the Bay of Fundy, has some interesting locations and life to check out.

From my own experience I can say Halifax will surely give you all the urban scenes you will ever want in the Atlantic provinces. Charlottetown is, in a word, "quaint", smaller regional centres tend to have assembly-line architecture and sites to see, and almost all the NB cities are places you will tend to drive thru, maybe stop for a lunch break or to look at some overstated local attraction like The Bore in Moncton ( to me most appropriately named) and then drive on. As well, there is just so much pretty scenery one can stomach before the bile rises and one's urban cravings take over.

Whatever your choice, I'm sure you will have an interesting, even exciting Canadian holiday - both destinations you have in mind offer many splendid things to discover and enjoy, even if down in NB you will have to spend more time hunting them out and then getting to them. There are, after all, mosquitoes and expensive food places in NB too...

I hope you will post comments and photos to entertain us. Bon voyage to you when you go.

PS Kamloops in BC was a place I always enjoyed, if only to pass thru and maybe stop for lunch - in the '70s and mostly as it was about as far from Vancouver as I could get even back then. (My innate cynicism again rising to the fore, this is.)

Well, in the end I decided with the Yukon, with possibly a side jaunt to the NWT, just so I can check all three territories off my list (because the reality is, if I don't go to the NWT now, I probably never will...). That said, it's certainly not easy flying around the north - instead of direct flights between major towns/cities many go through Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, or Vancouver, which is understandable but frustrating. That, or direct flights run only once a week, and not on a day that I need it to!

Coming from Manitoba, I certainly understand how NB is seen as a "pass-through" province, as SK and MB often are as well. And like many small or underpopulated areas of the world (Japan included), a lot of these communities will try to find something, anything, that will pass as a tourist attraction, when really they should be marketed as "if you're in town and have nothing to do this is worth a look, but otherwise don't waste your time coming here". That said, my travel is not really about seeing the sites, but more experiencing what the area has to offer, whether it's nature, road trips, or interesting photo ops.

FWIW, my credit card is already hurting, booking all these flights, and in some cases, accommodation, in advance. Hopefully though, that'll mean less to pay once I'm actually there. That said, the biggest sticker shock has been Vancouver - prices have more than doubled since the last time I was there on a layover, and anything remotely affordable is not that appealing due to location or atmosphere/neighbourhood. I don't understand how anyone can afford to live there. Makes Japan seem like a budget destination, that's for sure!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Well, in the end I decided with the Yukon, with possibly a side jaunt to the NWT, just so I can check all three territories off my list (because the reality is, if I don't go to the NWT now, I probably never will...). That said, it's certainly not easy flying around the north - instead of direct flights between major towns/cities many go through Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, or Vancouver, which is understandable but frustrating. That, or direct flights run only once a week, and not on a day that I need it to!

Coming from Manitoba, I certainly understand how NB is seen as a "pass-through" province, as SK and MB often are as well. And like many small or underpopulated areas of the world (Japan included), a lot of these communities will try to find something, anything, that will pass as a tourist attraction, when really they should be marketed as "if you're in town and have nothing to do this is worth a look, but otherwise don't waste your time coming here". That said, my travel is not really about seeing the sites, but more experiencing what the area has to offer, whether it's nature, road trips, or interesting photo ops.

FWIW, my credit card is already hurting, booking all these flights, and in some cases, accommodation, in advance. Hopefully though, that'll mean less to pay once I'm actually there. That said, the biggest sticker shock has been Vancouver - prices have more than doubled since the last time I was there on a layover, and anything remotely affordable is not that appealing due to location or atmosphere/neighbourhood. I don't understand how anyone can afford to live there. Makes Japan seem like a budget destination, that's for sure!

Good for you! Enjoy the trip. Take lots of film and photographs. Then come back and tell us what we missed and that we need to get up and to there.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Good for you! Enjoy the trip. Take lots of film and photographs. Then come back and tell us what we missed and that we need to get up and to there.

I'm planning on it!

 

[Down Under]

A good decision, I think. Atlantic Canada will still be there for you to visit if and when you find the time (ad ever pay off your credit card bills). Me, I would give a few toes on my left foot for the op to revisit Japan, which I've seen two times, in 1972 and again in 1986. Both sojourns were fairly extensive, and they cost me about half my travel budget for the several months I was away, in Southeast Asia, but well worth the money spent and the (quite minor) effort to try to get around in and figure out a culture I at first thought was completely alien, but quickly found out was a great adventure and a wonderful experience to indulge in. The Japanese people were welcoming and surprisingly friendly, and often went out of their way to help out a tourist loaded down with film cameras and a big backpack.

And I did sell photos of temples in Kyoto to a book publisher in Europe, but that was a long, long time ago.

I most definitely second Sirius Glass's comment on your photos - take lots, and please post.

 

[mooseontheloose]

@ozmoose The thing I find interesting now in Japan is that if you go out with film cameras to an event or place that draws photographers (i.e. retired Japanese men), you'll find yourself approached multiple times by those who are interested in the (foreigner) shooting film, especially if you are using Japanese gear. They are often slightly bemused by the film camera, much the same way they were when I was shooting with a mostly manual camera in the age of automatic everything. Now when I see people shooting film, it's always the younger generation, and usually NOT Instax, but proper 35mm film cameras.

As for shooting a lot when up in the Arctic, that's the idea, although I'm not sure how much film and gear I'll be able to pack into my carryon. Most of my flights have a strict 10kg (total, regardless of 1 or 2 pieces) for carryon, and the internal flights within the Yukon are even more stringent in terms of weight and size allowed (so I'll be paying a lot of extra charges for the privilege). I know I want to bring at least 2 bodies in the event that one fails or is damaged. My preferred camera is my Rolleiflex, but it'll be in the shop for the next 3 months getting repaired. So I may dust off the Mamiya 6 and get comfortable shooting with it again, as a backup just in case the repair doesn't work and/or takes longer than expected.

 

[Down Under]

Take this Old Timer's advice and load up on more photo gear and less everything else - this will surely be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and once up there, snapping polar bears and seals basking on ice you will be using everything you have taken with you. Almost everything you will need by way of clothes and cosmetics etc, can be bought locally (at higher prices, sure, but how much do you need, and heck, maybe they have charity shops with secondhand stuff in Whitehorse!!) and disposed of before you fly out. Two of everything (in clothing) is ideal, but one of everything with two of undies and socks will serve you adequately, if you are not up there for a month and end up stuck to your clothes by the time you front up at the airport to fly out - in which case they may bar you from the flight for being a bacterial hazard, but them's the breaks.

Actually, with a bit of creative packing, you will be amazed at what you can pack into a 10 kilogram back pack. A laptop can be carried on as hand luggage, and (maybe) a camera as well - I'm no longer okay with Canadian airline carry-on regulations as I've not flown there in ages.

I love my Rolleis, but if I had a Mamiya 6 or 7 I would take it. How many lenses?? One will be enough as long as it's a wide angle. As I've preached for years, anything and everything can be photographed to perfection (almost) with a 28mm (35) equivalent.

 

[mooseontheloose]

@ozmoose I'm pretty experienced with flying with small carry-on limits since in Asia it tends to be the norm (7kg instead of 10kg, only one bag instead one+personal, etc.) I've already decided not to bring my laptop and just go with my iPad Pro instead. I'm also pretty good with photo gear, the hard part is film - surprisingly (not) 100 rolls take up a lot of room and weigh quite a bit. If I shot more 35mm I could get away with fewer rolls, but I definitely will want the bigger negs. The good thing is my trip to Canada will be done in three stages - fly Japan to Vancouver to Yukon, then fly to Ottawa before cruise through Northwest Passage and Greenland, then flight to Winnipeg (via Toronto). I'll definitely be able to stock up on film in Ottawa after the first part of my trip, but the question will be what to do with the exposed rolls - may ship them home to Manitoba to free up baggage space and develop them once I'm at my parents, since I won't have much to do while there (not to stereotype, but retired people tend to watch a lot of tv... ).

Generally speaking, when going to Canada I bring empty suitcases so I can fill them up with stuff that I need in Japan for my return back. But that won't happen until the last part of my trip, which is why I'm going to Manitoba last, and not first. So that should be okay too - I'll only bring a couple changes of clothes for the entire trip, plus hiking boots and maybe trekking poles, and a tripod of course. However, for the cruise (and possibly the Yukon) I'll need some specialized clothing, which I won't be able to buy in Japan (not surprisingly, it's nearly impossible to find anything that fits me here), and will need to buy stuff on arrival in Vancouver, or at the latest in Ottawa. Definitely WON'T be buying anything in the Yukon, the prices are crazy there!

The only question is what two primary film cameras will I take with me? I'd prefer to go all medium format (Rolleiflex and Mamiya 6 with 50mm and 75mm lenses), but for the cruise I'll want something a lot longer, which means bringing my Nikon gear instead (20 or 28/50/70-200). With an adapter I should be able to mount those lenses to my newish digital camera (Nikon Zfc) as well. I'll have to try packing everything in different combinations and see what works best.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Take this Old Timer's advice and load up on more photo gear and less everything else - this will surely be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and once up there, snapping polar bears and seals basking on ice you will be using everything you have taken with you. Almost everything you will need by way of clothes and cosmetics etc, can be bought locally (at higher prices, sure, but how much do you need, and heck, maybe they have charity shops with secondhand stuff in Whitehorse!!) and disposed of before you fly out. Two of everything (in clothing) is ideal, but one of everything with two of undies and socks will serve you adequately, if you are not up there for a month and end up stuck to your clothes by the time you front up at the airport to fly out - in which case they may bar you from the flight for being a bacterial hazard, but them's the breaks.

Actually, with a bit of creative packing, you will be amazed at what you can pack into a 10 kilogram back pack. A laptop can be carried on as hand luggage, and (maybe) a camera as well - I'm no longer okay with Canadian airline carry-on regulations as I've not flown there in ages.

I love my Rolleis, but if I had a Mamiya 6 or 7 I would take it. How many lenses?? One will be enough as long as it's a wide angle. As I've preached for years, anything and everything can be photographed to perfection (almost) with a 28mm (35) equivalent.

Sage Advice​

 

[Down Under]

@ozmoose . ... when going to Canada I bring empty suitcases so I can fill them up with stuff that I need in Japan for my return back. But that won't happen until the last part of my trip, which is why I'm going to Manitoba last, and not first. So that should be okay too - I'll only bring a couple changes of clothes for the entire trip, plus hiking boots and maybe trekking poles, and a tripod of course. However, for the cruise (and possibly the Yukon) I'll need some specialized clothing, which I won't be able to buy in Japan (not surprisingly, it's nearly impossible to find anything that fits me here), and will need to buy stuff on arrival in Vancouver, or at the latest in Ottawa. Definitely WON'T be buying anything in the Yukon, the prices are crazy there!

The only question is what two primary film cameras will I take with me? I'd prefer to go all medium format (Rolleiflex and Mamiya 6 with 50mm and 75mm lenses), but for the cruise I'll want something a lot longer, which means bringing my Nikon gear instead (20 or 28/50/70-200). With an adapter I should be able to mount those lenses to my newish digital camera (Nikon Zfc) as well. I'll have to try packing everything in different combinations and see what works best.

Huh. Did you say 10 kilograms, or 100 kilograms?? The only thing you may be missing from your load will be your photo enlarger - note I didn't say the kitchen sink, but that too, maybe.

(Disclaimer - note I left your 'wink' symbol when editing your reply, BTW this only to save space, no other reason.)

Manitoba in late year, well - you can fill up your 'cases with ice or snow, I guess.

Seriously, it's obvious you have thought all this through carefully, and intend to travel as lightly as you can. Which will serve you well up there in The Deep Freezer of Canada. But I do think all those cameras and lenses will slow you down, and may get in the way of a 'minimalist' travel experience. Rethink it, maybe - pare it down to photo essentials only. Me, I would go Mamiya/50 and Nikon Zac with at most two lenses. Having said this, it's entirely up to you. after all, such a journey as you are planning will surely be a once-in-a-lifetime trek, and you must make the best and most of it.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Huh. Did you say 10 kilograms, or 100 kilograms?? The only thing you may be missing from your load will be your photo enlarger - note I didn't say the kitchen sink, but that too, maybe.

(Disclaimer - note I left your 'wink' symbol when editing your reply, BTW this only to save space, no other reason.)

Manitoba in late year, well - you can fill up your 'cases with ice or snow, I guess.

Seriously, it's obvious you have thought all this through carefully, and intend to travel as lightly as you can. Which will serve you well up there in The Deep Freezer of Canada. But I do think all those cameras and lenses will slow you down, and may get in the way of a 'minimalist' travel experience. Rethink it, maybe - pare it down to photo essentials only. Me, I would go Mamiya/50 and Nikon Zac with at most two lenses. Having said this, it's entirely up to you. after all, such a journey as you are planning will surely be a once-in-a-lifetime trek, and you must make the best and most of it.

I think you are misreading my post. I'm going home to Canada in Aug/Sept for 7 weeks, the last 3 weeks will be in Manitoba where I will fill up my suitcase before heading back to Japan (it will be hopefully less than half full for most of my travels beforehand).

I agree with a minimalist set up, but I also absolutely want a film camera as backup in case the main one fails or is damaged (which has happened to me on 3 of my trips over the past 15 years). That's why two MF cameras (Rolleiflex and Mamiya with 2 lenses) works best, since I only need to bring one kind of film. But I won't have any tele capabilities with that set-up, and I know I'll want that. While wide angles are important, it seems that tele lenses are too - more so in the Arctic than the Antarctic, from what I've researched - maybe not so much for the Yukon, but definitely on the cruise through the Northwest Passage. So that means a 35mm system too, since i don't want to buy any more gear before the trip, but it adds the complication of bringing 2 types of film. I don't usually go shooting with 2 cameras at one time, one is often left behind in my room as a backup. I think I could probably do 2 bodies, 2-3 lenses (total), and assorted accessories. I'd love to shoot some pinhole images and/or try doing cyanotypes in the field while I'm there, but that just adds another level of complexity I probably shouldn't deal with for such a trip.