Interesting that you brought this up now.

We're about to set off on a trip to Canada, and I think I have done more planning for this trip than any other trip I've done. I've written up a possible itinerary, and have even gone so far as to book accommodations for 3 nights of the 3 weeks.

I'm not particularly comfortable doing all this planning and pre-booking, but in order to see all the family and friends we want to see in 3 weeks, there was just no other way. We're also not taking camping gear with us, so we don't have the option of just stopping wherever we want along the way.


One of my coworkers keeps telling me how much he would like to go to Canada ... he's seen pictures and thinks it is just beautiful (and it is!), but one day he asked me why Canada was so expensive. I thought that was a little bit of an odd question. It is more expensive than some countries, but it is comparable to, if not a little bit less expensive, than Australia.

And then I realised ... he keeps talking about a tourism package sold here in Australia. You see it in newspapers, on TV, and everywhere. This package consists of a cruise from Vancouver up to Alaska to see the glaciers etc., and then a VIA Rail train ride across Canada. You can do just one part (cruise or rail) or both. And that package is indeed quite expensive. I tried to explain that there are other options for seeing Canada, but that's all that is advertised here, so the impression is, I guess, that's the only way to see Canada.