The things we miss
Nov 21st 2007 | 10:19 am
#31
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 717
From: Wellington, Nova Scotia
Re: The things we miss
don't know what to say, is it possible to change your job, I think your on a WP right?
Take care
Nov 21st 2007 | 10:29 am
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 894
From: Heritage Valley in Edmonton
Re: The things we miss
Yes, because sitting around at home all weekend when your family is 3000 miles away is quite normal.
Gee, thanks. I hadn't noticed.
No, you're not being sarky. You're also not answering either of my original questions. Is this going anywhere or are you a wannabe shrink?
No, it's a general tri-cities thing. I found that driving to a clinic 82km away means we get seen by polite staff.
Could you tell me where from? All the tea I've found is Orange Pekoe which is disgusting.
And if customs open it they confiscate it.
My point wasn't necessarily about the cheapness of it. Although most places around Ontario that are near anything remotely interesting do seem to want a lot of money for a two night stay (one hotel wanted $180 per night crib rental!) it's not about the money. It's about the lack of choice. Regardless of which country I'm in Canada seems to have the least choice for everything I can possibly think of. Tea, doctors, weekend breaks, tv programmes. Even coffee shops. But going back to the holiday thing, are we seriously saying that not one Canadian has ever though that they would like to go away
- for a weekend
- with the family
- not in a tent
- in Canada
It doesn't seem much to ask.
Gee, thanks. I hadn't noticed.
No, you're not being sarky. You're also not answering either of my original questions. Is this going anywhere or are you a wannabe shrink?
No, it's a general tri-cities thing. I found that driving to a clinic 82km away means we get seen by polite staff.
Could you tell me where from? All the tea I've found is Orange Pekoe which is disgusting.
And if customs open it they confiscate it.
My point wasn't necessarily about the cheapness of it. Although most places around Ontario that are near anything remotely interesting do seem to want a lot of money for a two night stay (one hotel wanted $180 per night crib rental!) it's not about the money. It's about the lack of choice. Regardless of which country I'm in Canada seems to have the least choice for everything I can possibly think of. Tea, doctors, weekend breaks, tv programmes. Even coffee shops. But going back to the holiday thing, are we seriously saying that not one Canadian has ever though that they would like to go away
- for a weekend
- with the family
- not in a tent
- in Canada
It doesn't seem much to ask.
I've been here since April and work in Kitchener.
There's a walk in clinic on University in Waterloo, bit of a wait, but better than driving 82Km. We have just got our health cards and have no chance of a doctor, the website is out of commission so we haven't even gone on the list yet.
Funny thing about the Orange Pekoe is I have a friend in Saskatoon who's of the same opinion. I checked up on what it was on the internet and found its the same as what we drink in the UK, its the most common leaf, we just don't call it by its name on the box. The Tetley variety is OK to me.
I don't think many people go away for short holidays (unless its to a cottage on a lake, which is usually owned by grandparents or such).
I can't wait to try the baby ski slope we have in Kitchener, I've only skied once in my life so it sounds perfect to learn on, I've been told it a bot crowded though.
Sounds like you need to go out for a beer, if you need to get it out of your system I don't mind drinking with anybody!
Nov 21st 2007 | 10:30 am
#33
Seasoned Maritimer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,309
From: Fredericton, New Brunswick CA
Nov 21st 2007 | 10:37 am
#34
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,713
From: Windsor, ON; Chicago, IL
Re: The things we miss
It's not free from Scotiabank to HSBC Canada via Interac email - he paid a small fee (? 2.50 CAD) and I paid another small fee to receive it. The money didn't turn for 3 or 4 days despite being instantly debited from his account. Won't be using it again 
OP, try priceline.com for cheap weekends away. We've had some great bargains from there.
OP, try priceline.com for cheap weekends away. We've had some great bargains from there.
Nov 21st 2007 | 10:38 am
#35
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 717
From: Wellington, Nova Scotia
Re: The things we miss
Try to make the most of it and just remember all the effort you put into getting there, hopefully the job will get better and if not 2 years isn't that long....
when I'm struggling with it all this time next year please don't quote me
thinking about you m8
Nov 21st 2007 | 10:39 am
#36
Binned by Muderators
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,708
From: White Rock BC
Re: The things we miss
I think I am the only person in BC who ever spends some of their weekends at home.
Nov 21st 2007 | 10:57 am
#37
Binned by Muderators
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,708
From: White Rock BC
Re: The things we miss
Scotiabank don't charge me for receiving an interac payment. Maybe I have so few transactions that I don't use up my $3.95 monthly fee. I have not tried to send send a payment so they may well get me then. I agree about the barstewards keeping the cash for a few days though.
Nov 21st 2007 | 11:03 am
#38
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,377
From: Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, BC
Re: The things we miss
Hi skiboy,
We are (hopefully) moving to Alberta in January and haven't sorted out which bank to deal with. Any advice, like which bank and what sort of account package or account name are you set up with?
Being a canny (another word for tight, hee hee) Scot I'd be delighted to have a "no charges" account.
Thanks
Jim
We are (hopefully) moving to Alberta in January and haven't sorted out which bank to deal with. Any advice, like which bank and what sort of account package or account name are you set up with?
Being a canny (another word for tight, hee hee) Scot I'd be delighted to have a "no charges" account.
Thanks
Jim
Unfortunately I don't think this going to help you in Alberta but perhaps they have a similar bank there?
Cheers
Jo
Nov 21st 2007 | 11:59 am
#39
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 149
From: Ajax, Ontario
Re: The things we miss
For a weekend away have a look on www.resortsofontario.com A lot of these do all-inclusive packages, kids are often free out of peak times. They have activities for the kids so that you get time to yourselves.
Last year we went to the Fallsview waterpark at Niagara, we got a package deal staying at the Hampton Inn which included our tickets.
Have a look at some of the Toronto/London hotel chains where they do family deals (Delta is usually ok, we used them a lot when the girls were little).
One of the guys at work regularly goes on free weekends away to places like Blue Mountain, where they try to flog him a timeshare or holiday club membership. You just have to be able to say no!!
There are always lots of free weekend events going on here so I imagine there must be stuff in your area or within a short drive. Look on your town website and in your local paper. www.torontolife.com has lists of events which are in other parts of Ontario as well as Toronto.
Nowhere is perfect, you just have to adapt and things will get better
Last year we went to the Fallsview waterpark at Niagara, we got a package deal staying at the Hampton Inn which included our tickets.
Have a look at some of the Toronto/London hotel chains where they do family deals (Delta is usually ok, we used them a lot when the girls were little).
One of the guys at work regularly goes on free weekends away to places like Blue Mountain, where they try to flog him a timeshare or holiday club membership. You just have to be able to say no!!
There are always lots of free weekend events going on here so I imagine there must be stuff in your area or within a short drive. Look on your town website and in your local paper. www.torontolife.com has lists of events which are in other parts of Ontario as well as Toronto.
Nowhere is perfect, you just have to adapt and things will get better
Nov 21st 2007 | 2:40 pm
#40
Corn Nibbler
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 254
From: Burlington, ON
Re: The things we miss
Scotiabank don't charge me for receiving an interac payment. Maybe I have so few transactions that I don't use up my $3.95 monthly fee. I have not tried to send send a payment so they may well get me then. I agree about the barstewards keeping the cash for a few days though.
Nov 21st 2007 | 11:21 pm
#41
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 894
From: Heritage Valley in Edmonton
Re: The things we miss
In the UK, if you have the name, sort code and account number, you just transfer yourself on-line! (FREE).
No need to go into the bank taking up your own time and getting charged for it.
Someone said something like 99% of who you want to pay is on the list!!!
Not true.
Nov 21st 2007 | 11:58 pm
#42
Éireann go Brách
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,932
From: White Man in Hammersmith Palais
Re: The things we miss
So, I've been in Canada since July and so far it's been pretty average. There are a few things I miss like having a family doctor and a decent cup of tea. The family Doctor thing isn't so bad now we have our OHIP cards - now we don't have to pay to be insulted and ignored for 4 hours. Favourite line so far "I don't get paid to do blood tests after 5" - a line you'd never hear from the NHS.
But these things are beyond the control of us mere mortals. However, there are some things that someone might be able to help us with...
1) I don't believe for one minute that my 18 year driving record counts for nothing in Canada, but I'm having trouble find the insurers that agree. They're all after a fast buck here but Canadian insurance companies seem different to the UK - in the UK the premiums are quite reasonable but then they make it as difficult as possible for you to get a payout if you ever need one. Here, they just go straight for the high premiums with ridiculous (sorry, for some reason my mind has gone blank - I can't remember the word for the bit we have to pay before they pay...).
Something my family and I liked to do was to phone up Pontins and book one of their chalets for a weekend for the stupid rates they had like £30 for 3 nights. Canada doesn't seem to have Pontins or anything like it. Strangely, "weekend break" seems to involve either a tent or another country. 8 month old baby and sub zero temperatures makes the camping idea silly. "Another country" for a weekend break with two kids is just prohibitively expensive. "Bed and breakfast" seems to be a quaint English idea.
So, to summarise my rants - has anyone discovered an insurance company that isn't going to rip me off for being British and has anyone found out what Canadians do at the weekend (it's not watch TV because the TV is awful
). I'd just like to throw a few clothes in a bag, drive off somewhere on Friday evening, come back on Sunday evening and not spend $1000 to do it.
Steve
But these things are beyond the control of us mere mortals. However, there are some things that someone might be able to help us with...
1) I don't believe for one minute that my 18 year driving record counts for nothing in Canada, but I'm having trouble find the insurers that agree. They're all after a fast buck here but Canadian insurance companies seem different to the UK - in the UK the premiums are quite reasonable but then they make it as difficult as possible for you to get a payout if you ever need one. Here, they just go straight for the high premiums with ridiculous (sorry, for some reason my mind has gone blank - I can't remember the word for the bit we have to pay before they pay...).
Something my family and I liked to do was to phone up Pontins and book one of their chalets for a weekend for the stupid rates they had like £30 for 3 nights. Canada doesn't seem to have Pontins or anything like it. Strangely, "weekend break" seems to involve either a tent or another country. 8 month old baby and sub zero temperatures makes the camping idea silly. "Another country" for a weekend break with two kids is just prohibitively expensive. "Bed and breakfast" seems to be a quaint English idea.
So, to summarise my rants - has anyone discovered an insurance company that isn't going to rip me off for being British and has anyone found out what Canadians do at the weekend (it's not watch TV because the TV is awful
). I'd just like to throw a few clothes in a bag, drive off somewhere on Friday evening, come back on Sunday evening and not spend $1000 to do it.Steve
Prepare to be slaughtered Steve!
NO NEGATIVITY!
p.s. have you tried http://www.uknova.com/wsgi/index
for Brit tv?
