Glam

Hi,

We're in the immigration process and i was just wondering how many people visited their chosen destination in the winter. We've been many times in the summer months but thought we should see the other side. We've just booked for March to Calgary for 3 weeks for a reccie and some boarding etc.

If you did were you surprised / shocked / disappointed etc ??

Your thoughts please

Gav

__TJ__

we are off to visit vancouver in 2 days so not quite winter yet but it should be cold enough LOL. that way if we move in the summer it will be a nice surprise

iaink

It makes sense to me that if you are going to pay for the reccies, you might as well try and see the place you are considering moving to at its worst to make an informed decision.


Of course, if you are into skiing / boarding, that might not necessarily be the winter

I certainly makes sense to get a feel for what winter is really like, how cold -20 or 30 really is, how much hassle having to clear snow from your car is, etc, etc.

However, a couple of weeks isnt really like going through 4 or 5 months of it, the novelty probably wont wear off in that time. The reality of course is that living here you wont be skiing every winter day, work and life will get in the way.

I came here after a grand total of 2 days in Canada for the interview, so my views are definitely in the "theoretical" camp. Worked out OK for me, but I had no family in tow and not much to lose if I hated it...

Nicola N-A

Our first visit was the 2nd week of January. We were told if we liked it then, we probably wouldn't have too much to worry about!!

Loved it!!! Ice, snow, way way below freezing temperatures!

ann m

After a couple of summer holidays, we purposefully decided to visit in February.

It was fine. I was somewhat disappointed, having imagined the place to be a cool -10 degrees and covered in 2 feet of glistening and beautiful snow - but the reality was a dirty, gritty, brown-grass-everywhere-with little-bits-of-snow-in-the gutters mild 5-12 degrees the whole time. The placed looked dirty.

I guess my opinion of that hasn't changed much - it can still be a gritty, filthy mess, but I know my way around now and keep my eyes upwards to the sunshine and mountains

We did manage to experience 'proper' snow in the mountains, and booked a dog sled ride on the one day the temps plummeted to -23! We also got to drive back to the airport in delightful snowy driving conditions and then watch the aeroplane be de-iced - so I think we got a flavour ....

Well worth a visit in the winter if you can afford it IMHO.

Steve_P

I'm sorry the reality didn't live up to your ideal, but seriously having lived here for a period I'm sure you can see why it looks the way it does. That dirty filthy mess keeps everyone from sliding all over the roads and there is no practical way to clean it up until all the snow is all gone in spring.

You just have to as you have already said look beyond the edges of the roads and highways.

ann m

Oh I know Steve.

The difference in appearance of Calgary in July versus Calgary is February is quite startling though - I had imagined a winter-wonderland a la Xmas cards (because I had no other frame of reference back then I guess), and was greeted by filthy cars, roads, kerbs, stores, signage - well everything. Just a wake-up call really. I think I was surprised more by the fact that there was no snow - this isn't what I'd been told ! I was preparing myself for this frozen wasteland that everyone had been going on about.

But I still moved here

Steve_P

You did too and we're all better for that.

Aviator

Its going to be 18+ and sunny next week. All we've got is a slight chill in the air in the mornings. The leaves have not even turned on the trees yet.

ann m

Aww !

iaink

If you have seen the winter in the UK, then you have seen the winter in Vancouver anyway..except that its more hassle to go skiing in the UK...

Mountain Girl

My one and only visit was in the winter. Yes the place did look pretty grubby, but I didn’t really care once I saw the mountains off to the west. The summer of ’06 after we arrived was great, an added bonus. One of our primary reasons for being here was to be close to the mountains and all the “small stuff” just pales into insignificance once you are actually here. You may be shocked by what you see in the winter, but once you move here you will just cope and more than likely be too busy setting up your new life for it to be a major deal. Its amazing how quickly you get used to the "rituals" that the winter brings.

lancashirebird

Our first ever visit to canada was in the snow, we loved it and so did the kids, we remember sitting in the car one morning saying "dont make me move" as it was that cold, but soon learn't that hey its ok to leave the car running outside to warm up, it will be still be there
Infact where i moved to i can leave the car running whilst i go shopping, so added bonus now.......

We looked at it, if we call fall in love with it at its worst, then it could only get better, so true for us..
i know others get what they class as cabin fever, me nah, infact they said that this winter was the worst in 18yrs, yeah the roads where bad, but now we are more settled, i cant wait for the winter to begin and all the fun to start

Hope you enjoy your visit

LB

lifeisajourney

Our first visit over ten years ago was in the summer and it was baking. Then when we came out for my OH's Uni interview it was in February, absolutely freezing and just a day after a massive snowfall. I clearly remember wearing all the clothes I'd brought with me (all layered one on top of each other!) and laughing my head off at how cold it was outside as I slipped around with my trainers on. Didn't put us off, just made us realize we'd probably have to do a lot of clothes/footwear shopping when we arrived for good.

Oink

Just a little ocean misting today but it'll be back to sunshine and lollipops tomorrow.