BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Sep 03 - 03:10 PM

Thanks Brian, earlier Guest and all others- Much appreciated.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 03 - 12:38 PM

I live in Moncton NB, and can offer some ideas... Halifax Nova Scotia is probably going to be the first stop for the plane, as it is a connector point for international flights. Saint John (spelled out for the province of NB, as opposed to St. John's, Newfoundland -- might save confusion when booking flights), Fredericton, and Moncton are the closest Canadian airports. The coastline along the southern shore of NB from Saint John to St Stephen is gorgeous, however it can get a little nasty weather during the winter months. For transport, go to http://www.smtbus.com/ for the bus company that services New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

if Delta must be the airline of choice (unsure if they fly into any of the above listed cities), it does fly into Bangor International Airport in Maine, which would be the closest location to the St Stephen area, and I believe that SMT Bus Lines actually has connectors running from Bangor too... good luck!

Brian.

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 03 - 09:23 AM

I would NEVER depend on public transport anywhere in Canada..it tends not to take people to communities but to highways, the trans canada mainly. I would be sure to check this out before departing.
   I think I would fly into halifax, it would be the cheapest way and in the long run, the most direct.

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: gnu
Date: 15 Sep 03 - 08:20 AM

Transport system - good. Temperatures - bad. Usual is around -10C day, -20C night. But, it can range. I've seen green lawns at Xmas and I've seen over a metre of snow in one storm.

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 07:47 AM

Driving is no problem for him - He doesn't! Never fancied it. So he will be getting picked up or using public transport. Which brings another question to mind. How is the transport system in the area?

Thanks for the advice on customs. I don't think he would mind getting deported to Swinton but I think it might curtail his holiday a little! What are the temperatures likely to be there over Christmas and New Year?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: gnu
Date: 14 Sep 03 - 05:05 AM

Yeah, the driving. If it's icy or snowy and he has no such driving experience, even just a half hour playing in a parking lot may be a good idea. If there is anyone local who can help with the driving, it's also a good idea until he can get some practice. Tell him not to be deceived by others travelling "at speed" as there are just as many idiots on the roads here as anywhere else.

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: mg
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 10:48 PM

if it is remotely near the same amount of money, save the customs problems and go straight to New Brunswick via Air Canada or whatever. Also, some of those roads can be pretty darn icy in the winter if he is not used to pretty serious weather...

mg

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: Willie-O
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 02:45 PM

Gnu's right about southern New Brunswick, the shore trip between Saint John and St Stephen (which sits right on the US border across from Calais Maine) is a nice salty drive.

Dave, be advised there is absolutely NO protection for transitting passengers whose planes land, or who change planes, at a US airport. There is a Canadian citizen, born in Syria, named Maher Arar, who was deplaned and jailed by US Immigration in NYC last year before he could board his connecting flight to Montreal, and arbitrarily deported, not to Canada but to Syria (which doesn't let you abandon your citizenship and will probably arrest you for avoiding military service if you leave as a teenager and return many years later). He has been imprisoned and tortured in Syria since then. It's getting a lot of attention.

Generally speaking, and particularly at the St Stephen border crossing, it doesn't take long to get into Canada but there can be big vehicle lineups on the NB>Maine side.

Lots to see in that area. If he has a good tolerance for cold, try taking the ferry from Black Harbour to Grand Manan Island and back.

W-O
that's my family stompin grounds.

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 09:28 AM

Thanks Andy - Much appreciated. He may well be going via Schipol (KLM to Boston is a realy good deal) but I think that may be a bit far from you;-)

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: MudGuard
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 03:14 AM

Dave, if he is travelling thru Munich I will happily provide accommodation. But going thru Munich might not be the shortest/fastet/cheapest way... ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Sep 03 - 02:56 AM

Still no-one else? Ah well. I guess the mudcat had to let me down eventualy. *sigh*

Out of interest, thinking about the customs thigy. Does the US not have a system, like we do in Europe, of allowing onward travellers movement within the airport without going through customs? If, for instance, I was going to Spain with KLM I would have to change at Schipol but I would not have to clear Dutch customs. Would it not be the same for my son if he went to Fredericton in Canada via Boston?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: gnu
Date: 12 Sep 03 - 06:38 AM

The drive from St. John is much more pleasant as some of it is along the shore on a nice highway. The drive from Fredericton is through the woods on a smaller highway. Although you have much more of a chance to see the native wildlife, sometimes very close up.

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Sep 03 - 05:38 AM

Thanks Gnu - Much appreciated and a good point about customs. Certainly an avenue worth investigating.

C'mon rest of you! No other responses?

:D

Subject: RE: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: gnu
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 12:21 PM

You mean SNOW covered wagons right ? I assume there are flights to Halifax, which is connected to St. John and to Fredericton several times a day, with those connections about 25 and 35 minutes respectively, in twin turboprops, Dash-8 and smaller. You would save a fair bit of time and going through US customs twice.

Subject: BS: Gnomeson travelling to Canada - Options?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 11:28 AM

Hiya

Son #3 wants to cross the pond over the Christmas period for 2-3 weeks. He is visiting someone in St Stephen, Canada. Aparantly the nearest Canadian airports are Fredericton, NB and St John. Nearest US one would be Bangor, Maine. Anyone any suggestions for a good route that will not cost the earth?

We do have a relative works for Delta Airlines (they fly into Fredericton daily from Boston) so he may be able to get a good deal. We live in Manchester, UK, so flights from there would be preferred but any UK airport will do! Apart from that - no set ideas. Buses, trains, covered wagons and star trek teleports are all options at the moment;-)

Thanks in advance for the tons of help, advice and strange comments...

Cheers

Dave the Gnome