Up next: “In Britain: Walking The Bryson Line”

Bill Bryson is an extremely popular travel writer who is known for his humour and bitching. His latest travel book is called The Road to Little Dribbling, in which he finds out that the longest possible line across the British island runs from Bognor Regis on the English Channel to Cape Wrath on the Atlantic Ocean. He states that he wants this line to become known as “The Bryson Line.”

The only problem with Bill Bryson as a travel writer is that he doesn’t travel much. His books are almost always spiced up with events from the past, because Bryson himself never does much more than visiting museums, checking in to hotels, and finding a place to eat. The man wants to be comfortable, as he stated in one interview, and as an American, he is mostly comfortable being in places where they speak his language and/or resemble his culture – Australia, the United States, Britain, Europe. His magazine article-length African Diary talks about experiences he had amidst Western aid workers.

The Road to Little Dribbling is his second book on the United Kingdom. Bill Bryson gets in rental cars, drives to some place, and treats the reader to a great anecdote from either his own or somebody else’s past. He pinballs all over England and Wales, and, essentially, only the first and last chapters have got something to do with the Bryson Line. The anecdotes make for great, humorous storytelling, and I loved the book, but I kept wondering what it would be like if one travelled The Bryson Line in one go, almost religiously.

And therefore I have chosen that short trip – Bognor Regis to Cape Wrath is 914.4 kilometres in a straight line; indeed, that’s the length of the Bryson Line – as the premise for my next travel book. Not only do I like the idea of getting to know England and Scotland by touching upon villages and cities either on or in the vicinity of the Bryson Line, but it’s also interesting to have a look at the country from a Dutch perspective. The United Kingdom is across the North Sea, which is thirty kilometres from where I live, and yet I have only seen London, Colchester, and Glasgow.

A better look at England and Scotland, while journeying through them on foot, with a tent and a sleeping bag, and trying to open up a people known for being reserved, will make for a fascinating trip and travel book. And yes, it will be my next travel book. Stay tuned.

An alternative to Machu Picchu: The Ruins of Sondor

A step-by-step guide on getting to the Ruins of Sondor can be found underneath this article

When you visit Peru, do you feel obliged to visit Machu Picchu? Many people do. But the country has so many “alternatives,” that you can actually visit a ruin site without any other tourists. Yep, that’s right: I was the only one today at the Ruins of Sondor.

Where now?

That’s what I thought, too, when a lady told me about the site. I was on my way to Abancay, but I travelled back the next day to the city of Andahuaylas because that’s the jump-off point for Sondor. I booked into a hotel for two nights (Hostal Diamante, just outside the bus terminal, 15 soles per night) and set off the following day (this morning) to see the ruins.

The colectivo (a 15-seater filled with just locals) left the town, followed the road over a mountain, and soon the Laguna Pacucha came into view. This is a mountain lake with the farmers’ village of Pacucha on one side, and the road to Sondor on the other. The colectivo dropped me off at a split in the road, after which I had to walk for another kilometre.

Along the way I was surrounded by paddocks and grazing animals – cows and pigs happily sharing the same soil. Only that beautiful mural on the photo indicated what was ahead. The ascending road to the ruin site was an easy walk through a breathtaking landscape.

When I arrived, there was only one other person: the lady who had me sign the guest book (I’m on page 197 of the current book, look me up when you get the chance) and pay ten soles. It’s always kind of thrilling to have a place to yourself – it awakes the explorer we all have in us. There were no tour guides, no other visitors; it was just me and the ruins.

 

 

The highlight is the pyramid, where you reach the highest point:

At the top:

And it almost looks like Machu Picchu from up there, too. Almost!

Afterwards, I decided to walk back to the town of Pacucha, along the lake, taking in the sights. It was a walk through a part of Peru where they weren’t used to seeing a gringo. Life is so quiet here. The friendliness of the peasants, mostly indigenous folks, felt very welcoming in a place where I was a true foreigner. This is the road through the valley toward the lake:

A lady guides her four cows through a field to the place where she’s going to tie them up for them to graze. Behind her walks her 3-5 year old son:

The road into town from the lake:

And, of course, lamas! Peru is home to this animal, and I have seen hundreds of them living freely in the highlands. But always from behind a bus window! On the outskirts of the town, I saw four of them from upclose. The light-brown coloured one was held on a rope, while the three white ones followed the lady and the brown lama, including on their walk home through town!

Before I left the town on a colectivo, there was one last glimpse of the lake from the main square:

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get to the Ruins of Sondor from Andahuaylas:

1. Bring water from Andahuaylas, and perhaps some food. There’s nothing available at the site;
2. Take a colectivo from the property near the corner of Avenida Los Chankas and Avenida Andahuaylas;
3. Ensure the driver knows you’re going to Sondor. You’ll recognize the drop-off point by the mural, about 1.5 km after the lake. The ride costs 3 soles and takes less than 30 minutes;
4. Take the road to the left at the split, it’s just short of a kilometre;
5. The entrance fee is 10 soles

If you choose to walk back (which is a great way to experience rural Peru), allow for about 1.5-2 hours. In case you get bored with it, taxis and colectivos drive by all the time. Once you’re back at Pacucha, colectivos leave from the main square – one after the other.

Why an alternative to Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu reportedly attracts about 2,500 visitors per day. That’s such a vast amount, that a few negative consequences come into view.

First, it takes the true energy of such a place away. The experience is shared with so many people that it’s hard, if not flat-out impossible, to truly absorb the place.

Secondly, it’s now a true tourist industry (=trap). People pay an extortionate amount of money to visit the site. Where does this money go to? The Peruvian driving your train (Presidential class, anyone?) and the conductor helping you on board are employed by a big company that cashes in big time, but allegedly still receive a very average Peruvian salary. Your entrance ticket is $50 or 126 soles (without the museum and Machu Picchu mountain) while Peruvians pay half (64 soles), which is an act of discrimination. A man should have more dignity than to let someone discriminate him.

Thirdly, do you want to see an Inca site, or do you want to see Machu Picchu just so that you can say that you’ve seen it? In other words, how much of your choice to go is yours? I wanted to see an Inca site, and found Sondor.

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Top 15 Things To Do In Banff

You won’t be bored in Banff – that’s a guarantee. And if you pick the right things to do at the right time, it doesn’t have to be that expensive either. I have lived in Banff for two years and here are the top 15 things to do that I would recommend to any visitor. There are three subcategories that you’ll see are reflected in the recommendations: Hiking, Nightlife, Offered Activities And Leisure.

First a word of caution: the hikes described here take you into the forest, which you will be sharing with predators like grizzly bears and cougars. Both of these species have killed human beings in the park before. These were, thank goodness, very rare cases, and they occurred many years ago. But don’t be foolish in thinking that it won’t happen to you. Hike in groups, carry a bear bell and bear spray, and ask at the Info Centre on Banff Avenue what advice they can give you on the current situation.

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15. Hiking up the backside of Sulphur Mountain

Sulphur Mountain is the mountain where anyone can reach the summit, mainly by riding the gondola. There are people who choose to hike it. But what many visitors don’t know, is that there’s a very quiet road leading up the back side of Sulphur Mountain. It can be a strenuous hike for those not used to a constantly ascending footpath, but the altitude gain is about 655 metres spread out over 5.8 kilometres.

To get to the “Back Road,” walk to Cave and Basin National Historic Site, and keep going past the parking lot and the building. You’ll find a wide, paved footpath that leads into the forest. Follow this footpath for nearly 2 kilometres until you reach a very obvious bend to the left. Just before this bend, you’ll see two dirt trails: one to the right, and one to the left. Take the one to the left. From here, it’s 5.8 kilometres to the summit. Keep an eye out for the hoary marmot that resides near the top and sunbathe on the rocks.

Once you’ve reached the summit, definitely have a look at the old stone hut where a true legend, Norman Sanson, observed the weather for many, many years. Afterwards, you can hike down the switchback trail down to the Upper Hot Springs (see below) or ride the magnificent gondola down with its (literally) moving views. Don’t attempt this trail while mountain tops are still covered in snow.

14. Hike the Spray River Loop (or onwards to Canmore)

This 11 kilometre loop takes you from the parking lot behind the Banff Springs Hotel along the Spray River, which ends up in the Bow River just past the bridge to the golf course. The trail is easy, wide, and goes through a narrow valley. The walk can be shortened by taking the little bridge across the Spray River about 800 metres into the forest. You’ll be mesmerized by the rising mountains on both sides. Hike until you reach the bridge after about one hour, and then return on the other side. You can also start this hike at the golf course, though the trail head is harder to find there.

The hike can also be done as part of a wilderness walk to the town of Canmore. At the bridge, simply keep going. After about another five kilometres, you’ll get to a turn-off to the left. About 100 metres into the turn-off, you’ll see a bridge you’ll need to cross. Then simply follow the trail on the other side. At the park boundary, turn left. You’ll get to a mountain road, which will take you down to the town of Canmore.

This latter hike is relatively long (more than 26 kilometres) and goes into the back country proper. I did it alone, because I like to think that I’m Superman and can fight off the largest grizzly bear, but wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Carry your bear spray, walk with other people, and take water and food with you. In Canmore, you can take the bus back to Banff. This is a great day hike. There’s nothing along the way in terms of assistance, and you may not have cell phone reception at points along the way. Please go prepared.

13. Hike up Tunnel Mountain

Now here’s a hike that will make you feel like a true mountaineer: hiking up Tunnel Mountain is a relatively easy hike that takes about 45-75 minutes, and brings you to an altitude of about 1,600 metres – although the real altitude gain is only 220 metres, or so. The summit provides you with fantastic views of the valley and the surrounding mountains.

To reach Tunnel Mountain, walk to the end of Caribou Street where a footpath takes you to St. Julien Road. Follow the road to the right, and after 100 metres you’ll find the trail head on your left, beside the parking lot. The first part is pretty steep, but don’t let this discourage you as it will get better and much easier. The trail is popular with locals and visitors alike, so there’s very little chance of encountering wildlife here. Tunnel Mountain is the perfect introduction to hiking in Banff National Park. After you’ve had a taste, you’ll only want more of it!

12. Hike Sundance Canyon

Like Tunnel Mountain, the hike to Sundance Canyon can be done by anyone who’s not on crutches. It takes you to a great waterfall, which is bypassed with a bridge, and then the 1.6 kilometre Sundance Canyon Loop brings you back to near the waterfall.

Getting to Sundance Canyon is simple: from town, walk to Cave and Basin National Historic Site, cross the parking lot and walk past the building, after which you’ll see a wide, paved path leading into the forest. That path brings you straight up to Sundance Canyon, from where the Loop starts.

Taking in the breathtaking scenery, you should allow about two hours for this hike.

11. Hike the Cory Pass Loop

This one is said to be one of the more strenuous hiking trails in Banff National Park, and I can confirm that it is indeed. But it’s also the most rewarding one. You’ll ascend above the tree line and the trail becomes more or less a scrambling route. The agreeable aspect is that it’s a loop that – no matter which direction you take it in – will first ascent about 900 metres before you get to go that same distance down again.

The trail head is about six kilometres outside of Banff. Walk or cycle along Vermillion Lakes Road out of town, continue on the bike trail until you get to the second wildlife gate, and take a left on the 1A. At the wooden gate, turn right, and follow the dirt road until you get to the Fireside picnic area. This is where you’ll find the trail head to the Cory Pass Loop.

10. Drink a Banff Brew

When I first heard of Banff National Park, I had not expected that there was a vivid nightlife scene; let alone that there was a beer brewery. Think about that for a second: a beer brewery inside a national park. But on the other hand, there’s nothing more authentic than drinking a beer that’s locally brewed and can’t be bought elsewhere in the world. I’m a great beer lover, and have tried them all. They range from good to great, are smooth, and varied. You can find the brewery along Banff Avenue, in the Clock Tower Mall, right near McDonald’s. Have your first beer here.

9. Where the locals drink

Maybe I shouldn’t put this bar in here for the sake of keeping it authentic, but Bruno’s Bar is where the locals drink. It has a great, relaxed atmosphere with talkative bartenders who know the place inside out. You’ll find it on Caribou Street, just off Banff Avenue.

8. Play Bingo at the Legion

The Legion’s building is situated right at the Bow River Bridge, and hosts a bingo evening every Thursday night. Get there early: the $1,000 jackpot makes it a very popular event. Inquire beforehand about the exact time. Almost anyone working in Banff can tell you about it, because bingo in Banff does away with the grandmotherly image that the game generally holds. The Legion also offers the cheapest beer in town. Because the Legion honours the Canadian soldiers and forms a support organization throughout the country for those who have served, respectful behaviour is most important. This includes taking your hat or cap off when you enter.

7. Rocking it out at the Rose & Crown

There are many great bars in Banff, but the bar where live performances are almost guaranteed is at the Rose & Crown. What I enjoyed there mostly, is that the acoustics are one of the best in town. Whereas other bars may play loud music in (too) confined areas, the Rose & Crown has the perfect setting for a nice evening of rocking it out with engaging Canadian and American (cover) bands. You’ll find the Rose & Crown near the corner of Banff Avenue and Caribou Street.

6. Have a tranquil pint at the Irish pub

One of the most comfy bars in Banff is, in my humble opinion, St. James’ Gate. There is a huge selection of beers, the service is remarkable, and you can actually have a conversation there because the clientèle is interesting and diverse. I’ve often enjoyed sitting in that great bar, in the midst of great company, local friends. Go to Wolf Street to check it out for yourself.

5. Read Baffling Banff on a bench at Central Park

Why not read a book on the town where you are while sitting in the pristine setting of Central Park, along the peaceful waters of the Bow River? Baffling Banff is a book written by me about my two year stay in the town. It’s sharp, because it’s an honest account, and the reader follows me on my journey as I try to get deeper into the story of the town. The book is personal, and will make the reader laugh and shake the head hopefully a couple of times.

Central Park is the go-to place for relaxation in the summer time. You’ll find people there who are running, couples walking hand-in-hand, backpackers trying to balance atop a slackline, families having a picnic, and so on – all the great park activities you’ll find all around the world.

There’s no other place in this list to mention this, but if the river feels like further exploring, walk upstream to the Banff Canoe Club and rent a kayak to paddle upstream and simply flow back with the current. You’ll be looking at the surrounding mountain landscape from a whole different perspective.

4. Lake Minnewanka cruise

Brewster Travel Canada offers four activities that will help you look at the mountains from a different perspective: the Glacier Skywalk and the Glacier buses (I strongly disapprove of the former and won’t go further into it), the aforementioned Banff Gondola on Sulphur Mountain, and the Lake Minnewanka Cruise. I loved this latter activity. It’s costly, but the cruises are executed in a great way.

To get to Lake Minnewanka, follow Banff Avenue out of town and keep going underneath the highway overpass. The lake has an interesting and even surprising history that is explained while on the cruise by engaging tour guides. Buy your tickets on-line to avoid having to stand in line on the mooring docks.

3. Soak in the Upper Hot Springs

I can’t put a picture of bathing people on here, but here’s the bus you want to take to get to the Upper Hot Springs.

Banff is all about hot springs. Yes, it’s why the town is even there: because railroad workers found the hot springs around Cave and Basin. Those are closed nowadays, but you can still get a taste of the original tourist magnet by visiting the Upper Hot Springs.

The water is kept at a beautiful 40º, and especially in winter it’s an almost magical experience to sit in water that releases steam constantly while your hair freezes.

To get to the Upper Hot Springs, go up Mountain Avenue by bus or car. Local bus line 1 takes you up there for $2 one-way, and can be taken from every bus stop along Banff Avenue. The admission is just over $7 (it was $7.30 when I lived in Banff) and can be combined with a spa package. Towels and bathing suits can be rented from the cashier.

2. Visit the museums

Banff has three unique museums. Here are brief descriptions of each:

The Luxton Buffalo Nations Museum
This museum, which looks a trading post, is all about the native cultures that were once present in the Bow Valley. The depictions of Aboriginal life are fantastic, such as the sundancing ceremony shown on the photo, and the museum guide is a knowledgeable Nakoda native who can tell you everything about the things you see in here. The museum is located on the other side of the Bow River: cross the bridge, look to your right, and you’ll see the trading post sitting right there.

The Parks Museum
This one is by far my favourite. It has been open since 1903, and still looks the way it did in 1914. So it’s a museum within a museum. It’s filled with stuffed animals and specimens from across the national park. On the second floor is the office of Norman Sanson, the man who built the weather observatory atop Sulphur Mountain. To get the full picture: visit this museum before ascending the mountain to the hut – you’ll see a sign on which Sanson has written that he has gone up Sulphur. Try meeting him there! The Parks Museum is the square wooden building right at the bridge, on the edge of Central Park.

The Whyte Museum
This museum is probably the most classic museum of Banff. It changes exhibitions periodically, and deals with the local history, mountain culture, and the likes. It also hosts the Banff Archives, which I needed for the writing of Baffling Banff. The Whyte Museum is behind the library. On its premises are original cabins from the old days which have been donated to the museum. Definitely visit the museum when they tour those cabins!

1. Johnston Canyon

Look, I tried hard to keep as much as possible within the town boundaries so you wouldn’t need a car and pollute the pristine nature. But Johnston Canyon will always remain my favourite leisure activity within the national park. It’s open year round, and a very popular place that gets very crowded in the summer.

The visitor walks through a narrow gorge with waterfalls, cascades, and rising rock walls with the aid of a walkway attached to the rocks. You’ll get to Johnston Canyon by heading west to Lake Louise along the highway, then take the first exit onto the 1A. Johnston Canyon appears on your right after 17 kilometres. The relatively short distance also makes for an easy bike ride, in which case you would get to the 1A by cycling down Vermillion Lakes Road.

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Jeroen Vogel is a Dutch travel writer and slow travel expert. He loves hiking, endurance sports, adventures, authentic foreign lifestyles, and thrills. He’s currently travelling from the polar bears to the penguins as part of his “Expediton America.”

About Jeroen →

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The proceeds from the book sales will go towards the funding of Expedition America.

Baffling Banff’s Castle Mountain: A hostel in the wilderness

Baffling Banff→

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all pictures © Adam Jewers

This week I discovered a gem of a hostel. About thirty kilometres from the famous town of Banff, in the shadow of the imposing and characteristic Castle Mountain, lies Hostelling International Canada’s Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel. Ever since my first stay in a hostel back in 1997 (which was either in Texel, the Netherlands, or in Glasgow, Scotland – I keep mixing them up in my chaotic memory, but I was sixteen, alone, and having a blast in both places), I have come to love the environment in which like-minded people of all ages and from all continents come together, cook their budget-induced spaghetti in the communal kitchen, and, oh boy, those conversations – I’ve had my shallowest and deepest conversations in hostels.

But all those hostels where I’ve stayed, had a supermarket, bar and houses in their direct vicinity. So when I had a chance to stay at a wilderness hostel, I asked my buddy Adam, who is an aspiring photographer, to come along. We hopped on our mountain bikes, cycled out of Banff and down the Bow Valley Parkway, and soon arrived at the hostel.

Castle Mountain HI is hard to spot from the open road for the untrained eye: only those who know what the sign with the pine tree and cabin stands for, would think of a hostel. And even then it seems to be in such an unlikely place, that surely a lot of people would drive by without ever knowing it was there. Precisely the way we like it!

The greatest feature is the setting indeed, but a nice second is the maximum amount of 28 guests. It’s almost crazy to begin to think of all the grand-scale hotels in nearby Banff, filled with folks who want to see the mountains, and while those hotels were full, Adam and I were two out of ten people staying in the mountains at a fraction of the cost. Yes, for less than $30 a night (and around $25 for HI-members) you get to make your own bed in either the male or female dorm (no co-eds) and sleep in a – admittedly – cramped dorm. The dorms each have their own bathrooms.

When we checked in, we met Tony, the manager and sole staff member, who possessed an impressive knowledge on local history and got Adam and I almost instantly to help him fold a few towels and bed sheets – the hostel spirit is, after all, self-sufficiency to ensure those low rates. The other guests were two German 18 year olds who had saved up and were now travelling from one side of Canada to the other between high school and university; a chick from Quebec who had started her round-the-world trip in her own country before heading off to Europe, Oceania, Asia and whatever-may-follow; and five young people from New York State.

The cozy live area with inspiring magazines and posters is centred around a fireplace, which was not used during our stay. Surely, it was warm enough inside, and why make a modest fire inside when you can build a much bigger one in the fire pit outside?

And then slowly darkness fell. It was a very hazy week due to wildfires in Washington State, and that obscured the view of Castle Mountain.

The next day we were up at 7, ready to take on nearby Johnston Canyon (go there early (!!) to avoid the horrible masses that start flocking in around 9!), but not before a strong cup of coffee in the hostel kitchen with still-sleepy eyes.

HI Canada has a whole range of such hostels throughout the Rocky Mountains. To find out more about these hostels, click here.

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Jeroen Vogel is a Dutch travel writer and slow travel expert. He loves hiking, endurance sports, adventures, authentic foreign lifestyles and thrills. He has written In Australia, In Vietnam, The (mis)adventures of an exchange student, apple picker, and a campsite courier, and Baffling Banff. Expedition America: Overland from the polar bears to the penguins will come out in 2016.

About Jeroen →

Books →

The proceeds from the book sales will go towards the funding of Expedition America.

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Top 10 Things To Do In Kununurra And Surroundings

Kununurra (in Western Australia) is awesome! No traffic lights, no McDonald’s, very Australian and the perfect gateway to the Kimberley region and its many attractions of astounding natural beauty. Here is a guide to the Top 10 Things To Do In Kununurra And Surroundings.