KLM: A Dream Lies Shattered...

I always wanted to travel by KLM (The Royal Dutch Airlines). Right now I am sitting at Amsterdam Airport Schipol (have an 8 hour transit here!) thinking why did I ever have this dream!
Lets start from the beginning... I have always had this thing about flying KLM. Don't know how it got into my head. So when I had a chance to fly to Vancouver by KLM I took it without a second thought. The one big advantage of flying KLM is that they fly from Bristol (where I am based) therefore I don't have to undertake a long and expensive bus ride to Heathrow (London).

Anyway so the aircraft for the Bristol-Amsterdam flight was a Fokker 70. It was bit old but I knew they would not put a brand new Boeing 777-200ER on a low yeild route like Bristol-Amsterdam. Now during the Bristol - Amsterdam flight I just happen to pick up the KLM Inflight Magazine. In the magazine they had given a list of all the aircraft in the KLM fleet. Reading through the list I spotted the 777-200ER and I thought that I would be travelling to Vancouver from Amsterdam on that. The special thing about 777-200ER is that it has an on demand entertainment system for every seat. So you can decide what you want to see and when you want to see it. The next aircraft which caught my attention was the MD-11 (the worlds only 3 engine aircraft!). Seeing it I smiled and thought of the poor people travelling in an old aircraft like that! I thought probably they reserve it for non-major routes say going towards Eastern Europe or Russia. With these happy thoughts I landed at Amsterdam and made my way towards the connecting flight.

I guess you all can imagine what happened next.
To my utter amazement I saw that the aircraft for Vancouver was an MD-11! I couldn't believe it!
My shock turned to horror when I entered the aircraft and took my seat. No on demand entertainment system, no private viewing screen... there was NOTHING modern about the aircraft.
I knew it would be a long long 9 hours to Vancouver.
I prayed to God that atleast on the return flight the aircraft would be bit better. I didnt want an on demand entertainment system, a simple personal viewer would do. But the return flight turned out to be even more amusing.
The aircraft airconditioning system was leaking, a reading light wouldnt switch off (so the crew covered it with metal foil) and the food was (to put it in a nice way) crap.

The leaking roof ;)


Reading light covered with foil!

Compared to this my flight to Melbourne via Dubai was much more entertaining. The service aboard Emirates was first class (even in Economy!), the air hostesses were real hot looking and on the whole it was a travellers dream come true.

The First Indian

Yellowknife is a small city (Population approx: 20,000).
I might have been the first Indian tourist there. There are some Indian doctors working at the local hospital but they are probably Canadian-Indians.
Anyway I went to the National Assembly building for North-West Territories and there they had a world-map on which you were supposed to put a pin on your home city.

This is the map:


Now zooming in on India there was no pin on any Indian city but one pin on Karachi, Pakistan. This made me wonder was I the first Indian there and closely following that who the hell came here from Karachi!

Here is the zoomed view:


Well then I did what a true Indian would do, instead of putting a pin on Bristol, UK I put the pin on New Delhi, India. That is where I am from. One cannot deny ones roots. Its like cutting off your hands so that you can run faster.

Here is the map once I put in the pin on New Delhi:


I chose a white pin coz white means peace. India stands for peace. Even though it is not the most peaceful country in the world. Bombs still go off, people still get raped and murdered. But it is what we are supposed to stand for.

All these things didn't go through my mind right then. I was thinking about the rain which was falling outside (wishing it to end). But later on I realised that we as Indian now represent something. Whenever we step out we show the world what India is about. Whether we get a good or bad reputation as world travellers... that is up to you and me. So I may have been the first Indian tourist there. Whatever the case may be.. I know one thing, I did give out an image of India. I just hope it was the correct one..

Canada ...

Sea to Sky Highway (from Vancouver to Whistler)

The Journey Log

26th July 2006 started out from Vancouver.


My Route to Yellowknife.


At Vancouver Pacific Central Bus Station.


On the bus!


Part 1: Vancouver to Edmonton
6:30 AM:
Left Vancouver

Away we go!


7:05 AM:
Coquitlam Greyhound Station


The Greyhound Station


Heading to Abbotsford.


8:05 AM:
Heading out of Abbotsford, saw Mount Baker up close.
Reflecting on how big and beautiful Canada is.


I felt like having a beer when I saw this sign!


Mt. Baker up close and personal! Its in US.


8:20 AM:
Stopped at Chilliwak
Bought water, iced tea and almonds. But couldn't find the batteries for the GPS or post the postcard for Deepak.


The bus!


On the road again!


The Fraser River.


9:00 AM:
Remembering the school days (DPS) for some strange reason. The morning looks the same. For some strange reason I am thinking
about the courtyard between the Senior/Middle school and Junior school.

9:10 AM:
At Hope.
Cowboys and Angels (George Micheal) just came on the mp3 player. Perfect mood and perfect song.
They are turning on a movie (Sindbad - the cartoon) while outside around us are majestic mountains.
Leaving Hope but not loosing it!


Motel Slumber Lodge at Hope.


9:40 AM:
Going slow through the rocky mountains around us. Climbing all the time now. Passed some granite mountians (on the left)
Signs: Coquitlam summit and Falls lake.


Through the mountains we go!


More mountains!


9:55 AM:
Passed toll booth at the Cascades Forest district.

10:10 AM:
Sign: Larson Hill. Once again I am thinking about how wild and beautiful Canada is.


Speeding through!


10:30 AM:
Sign: Merrit Town Valley.


Merritt Town Valley


12:20 PM:
Left Kamloops. Had lunch (fried egg sandwich and fries with gravy). Managed to buy batteries for the GPS. It is up and running.
Thank you God!


At Kamloops.


Blue skies!


12:55 PM:
Passed Mc Clure. GPS bearing taken (05).


Fraser River.


1:05 PM:
Near Barriere. GPS bearing taken (06).
Why am I still thinking about school? What am I searching for? It feels wonderful being alone.

1:35 PM:
Left Little Fort.

2:15 PM:L
eft Vavenby. Saw a sign there by the Vavenby council saying "Our roots are in the community".

Anyone want any 'hot specials' (at Vavenby)!


Tree at Vavenby!


3:30 PM:
Stopped at Blue River. GPS bearing taken (011).
Pictures transferred to the laptop.


Me at Blue River!


Outside Blue River.


A road into the mountains.


4:25 PM:
Near Valemount. GPS bearing taken (012). I am trying to think about a convincing reply to Ambrosia's question: "Why feel lonely when there is so much beauty around you"
Strangely I was also thinking about the girls. Am I ready to give up the chase? I think I am. Being on the open road has made me calm and cool. Open wild spaces makes us realise how small we are!


Near Valemount.


Mountains at Valemount.


The bus stopped at Valemount.


4:55 PM:
Along Fraser River heading for Jasper. GPS bearing taken (013).

5:20 PM:
Passing Moose Lake. GPS bearing taken (014).

5:36 PM:
Crossed over into Alberta. Going through the Jasper National Park. Time change upon crossing (by +1 hour).


Moving towards Jasper.


7:10 PM:
At Jasper. Saw the Rocky Mountaineer train parked at the station (bus stopped right next to it in fact). Got excellent views of the peaks.


The Rocky Mountaineer at Jasper.


Mountains at Jasper.


Thats not snow. Its the sunlight reflecting off white rock!


7:45 PM:
Near Athabasca River. Saw an elk standing on the roadside with lots of cars parked nearby to take pictures of it. GPS bearing taken (018).

8:20 PM:
Stopped at Hinton. Delayed by 20 minutes. May miss the connecting bus to Peace River. But driver says they will hold the bus for us. Let us see what happens. GPS bearing taken (019).


Bus at Hinton.


10:10 PM:
Picked up dinner at Edson (around 9:30 PM) - Chicken Fried Rice. Now sitting on the bus and watching a movie (The Johnson Family Vacation) and eating my dinner. Feel cozy. Posted Deepak's postcard at Edson. The bus parked right near a postbox at the restaurant.


At Edson - long stop here for dinner!


A rainbow after the rain (taken at Edson).


Sunset at Edson.


My dinner - chicken fried rice (take away from Edson!)


10:20 PM:
Near Mackay. GPS bearing taken (022).

11:20 PM:
In Spruce Grove. GPS bearing taken (024).

Part 2: Edmonton to Peace River
03:20 AM:
Reached Edmonton around 12:00 AM. Quickly transferred over to the Peace River bus which was crowded. No double seats (an empty set of 2 seats) available. Had to sit next to a weird girl. But it was fun. Now we are stuck in Westlock since 1:20 AM because the bus broke down. some problems with the brakes. We were waiting for the new bus to come. Due to this a double seat was made free by a girl who was sitting on it since she couldn't wait for the bus to be repaired and she asked her boyfriend to come and collect her. So I got a double seat! Right now sitting on the new bus. At the store where driver took us to have a drink I helped a blind guitar player buy stuff and then escorted him to the bus. He was heading to Manning to play at the rodeo. On the bus there was a handicapped man. In the old bus he was sitting near the front on a double seat. But in the new bus he was too slow in shifting the bus. So he couldnt find a double seat. As he shuffled back to the end of the bus no one was willing to give him the empty aisle seat because they had kept their bags there so that later on they could combine the double seat into one (by lifting the middle handrest) and stretch out. Not even me. But there was an aisle seat in the front which was empty which he didnt take. I don't know why. The person on the seat was sitting on the window side. I feel weird.
Anyway the whole schedule is now delayed by 2 hours.


Bags being offloaded from the broken down bus (it is 1:30 AM!). The big blue one is mine (at Westlock).


The bus at Westlock.


5:05 AM:
Dawn at Slave Lake. The handicapped man got down here. I should have given him the aisle seat on my double seat. It was only a question of one and a half hour extra. Yet I helped him untangle his headphone cord. Why do we ignore handicapped people? Why God?
GPS bearing taken (5AM). Feeling bit rested now since I was able to sleep a bit on the double seat due to my selfishness. Once again I feel like heading out into unknown. I can forget myself in these icy latitudes.


Dawn at Slave Lake!


Part 3: Peace River to Enterprise
9:10 AM:
At Peace River.
Been waiting here since 8:30 AM. The coach from Edmonton will go on all the way to Enterprise! So right now we are taking a break at Peace River while the bus is serviced and refuelled. After this another 6 hours to Enterprise.


At Peace River!


12:10 AM:
On my way to Enterprise. GPS bearing taken (030). Saw the movie Catwoman on the bus. Right now we are probably travelling through the middle of nowhere. Stopped at the Regal Beagle Motel!


Left Peace River.


The Regal Beagle Motel.


A Canadian North (CN) train pulling about 100 wagons!


High Level


Me looking like crap (at High Level).


Indian Cabins (this store is probably the only house there!).


An abandoned church at Indian Wells


The highway to Enterprise.


Part 4: Enterprise to Yellowknife
5:30 PM:
On the bus to Yellowknife. Got cash from the store where the bus stopped at in Enterprise. There we changed buses and now am travelling on a rather old Frontier Coachlines bus. It has manual gears and by the looks of it no powersteering. Yet the driver is driving with great skill! At High Level posted the postcards for Abha, Uncle and Vibhore. Once again the postbox was right next to the bus stop. There was this lady who got off at High Level. She had got on at Peace River. When she heard that I was coming from Vancouver and going all the way to Yellowknife she said in a joking manner that I was 'nuts'. I started smiling when I heard that! GPS bearing taken (032).


Crossing the Mackenzy River (its about a mile wide here!)



10:30 PM:
Arrival at Yellowknife. The bus office is in quite an isolated part of town. Here in the summers the sun never sets. The people on board were quite helpful. The driver gave me a local travel guide and a lady returning to Yellowknife after many years told me about the MS Norweta. A ship that goes along the Mackenzy river all the way to the Arctic circle town of Inuvik. It takes nine days to reach Inuvik from Yellowknife. I don't have enough time to do it. The ship also supplies the settlements along the way. Saw couple of buffalos on the way! During the whole journey the old bus was doing around 110 kmph over old roads which were being repaired. At times the bus was jumping around like anything. The forward suspension was soft I think. It was amazing!


Yellowknife Bus Station (10:30 PM) Success!!!


My hotel room at the Capital Suites! The end of the road.. for the time being.