Originally Posted by nick61

This is about my 2 weeks in Canada so far hope it helps because its opened my eyes up.
Well lets just start at Calgary airport. When I got to customs and handed my passport over the customs official asked me where I was going I said I didn't know I didn't have any plans except to see my cousin in Winnipeg the following weekend. Well then I got asked about a hundred questions, have you met this cousin, what job do you do, return flight tickets, and the rest of the usual questions. I thought I'm only here for 2 weeks. Then its off to the rental place (car booked for morning). I get a discount for the local hotel from the rental company (free WIFI when I tell the Duty Manager about Customs not bad eh). Gets to the rental co and she's not bothered about scratches and minor dents thats just where and tear but the windscreen is another matter
Cracks must be paid for (so thats another $275 cdn to pay). It smashed on 1st day. Drove up to Jasper and stayed the night at www.beckerschalets.com opens 1st of May for summer expensive but lovely.
So only one night, went into Jasper to find B&B www.stayinjasper.com very reasonable from $40 per night. So I stayed 3 nights no WIFI but Bar in town does Downstream for a meal and a drink its free with electric if needed.
Plenty to do around Jasper the tramway for 1 www.jaspertramway.com.
The big thing about it so far is the people are so friendly and the roads are empty and I mean no cars, can you imagine driving around the M25 and only seeing 2 cars I'm in Heaven. The road from Jasper to Winnipeg is like that 1 road Highway 16 no need for a map check it out on google. You need to keep filling up with coffee and gas (petrol) (take I Pod with you plenty of songs). Not all towns in Canada have alcohol so be careful were you stop. Winnipeg and the Flyingj are okay. Met a fellow trucker down there through the Expats forum on the Sat, went in truck on Sunday enjoyed every minute of it he's been with Kindersley for over 3 yrs and loves it only wished he'd done it sooner. Then I met a company boss and had a good chat no jobs but will keep my info on file and will share it. As I was only 5 minutes away from the border I thought I would get another stamp in my passport (same problem with the Americans no address to go to only wanted to go to nearest town). It took me longer to go through customs than drive 2 miles to buy a T shirt then drive back,saw same guy he said there's more 2 America than 2 miles. (but it was worth it ) I'm just a mad Englishman.
Managed to hook up with Gremmie for the day most enjoyable.
Canada on the whole is lovely the people are friendly the food is not what we are used to back home but I haven't starved as they say when in Rome.
The job front is quite at the moment but we know that at the moment. I have fallen in love with the place its so peaceful, blue skies, empty roads for the best part. Sometimes we forget why we want to leave the UK in the 1st place (Even the Canadains can't get workers to work on the pipe lines for over $30 cdns an hr or $60 thousand a yr and thats the teenagers).
So you either love it or hate it I love it but thats only my view I'm sure others would agree some would not roll on the busy times .

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you enjoyed it

Nick