john pass

Hello, I have a few general questions and looking for general advice. <BR>1-Making our first trip to Canada (Banff, <BR> and Vancouver Island) in July.Regarding <BR> money, is it better to carry travelors <BR> cheques or use a credit card ? <BR>2-Film for the camera ? what would you <BR> suggest for a film speed.? <BR>3-Is it possible to Leave Jasper townsite <BR> in the morning to be at Calgary airport <BR> for a 2:00 flight out or would it be best <BR> to spend the nite in Calgary before? <BR>I hope these questions are not considered <BR>stupid or dumb ,My wife has posted recently <BR>and thnx for the advice given to her it is noted and helpful,again thnx Jp <BR>Jp <BR>

elizabeth

Hi John - I just topped a thread that discusses Travellers Cheques versus ATM versus Credit Card - some good info. It's called "Canadian Exchange Rate". <BR> <BR>Also - are you aware of the GST rebate (Good and Services Tax)? You can receive a refund of some of the GST you'll pay - if you need info just reply to this message and I'll find a recent posting. <BR> <BR>Can't help with your other questions - sorry!

Bob Brown

The film speed question is one I can tackle first. What kind of camera do you have? If you can set the shutter speed at 1/1000 of a second and stop it down to f22 on a telephoto lens, I would go with ASA 400. <BR>You will hit a wide range of light conditions. Once or twice I have been in the woods trying to photograph a moose and was happy to have all of the speed I could get so that I did not have to drop the f stop to the point I had no depth of field and could keep the shutter speed fast enough to prevent blurring of the objective. <BR>Then at other times I have wanted to photograph snow covered peaks. The light can be very intense, so I needed a camera/lens combination that would let me adjust upwards to prevent overexposure. <BR>If your camera does not have that capability, I would go with ASA 200. <BR>But, you might mix your types. Take along short rolls of ASA 100 or less for day and have a roll or two of the fastest film you can get for evening wildlife photography. There is something about trying to capture that moose or that bear or that raft on the river near twilight that adds to the enjoyment. <BR> <BR>On the subject of money. I have used my ATM card at the banks to get currency. You get the best exchange rate that way. The next to last time I was in Canada, I got cured of cashing travelers checks when the bank slapped a <BR>$3.50 CDN fee on just for the conversion. <BR>I normally carry a few hundred in travelers checks as emergency reserve, but my wife has some that have been to Europe twice and Canada at least once. <BR>Our usual practice is to charge everything practical and use the ATM for currency. I know I loaded up with Canadian money at a bank in Canmore before we got to Lake Louise. <BR> <BR>On the airport deal. I would go in the night before. Perhaps you could take a liesurely drive down the Icefields Parkway and turn east at The Crossing, ending at Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, or Sylvan Lake for dinner. It is a little longer drive that way, but you can see some of the territory. <BR>From Jasper to Banff is 412K, or about <BR>255 miles. The airport in Calgary is about 15 miles farther on the northeast side. So you can figure on at least 6 hours to drive it. The Icefields Parkway is not a high speed road, although some drivers seem to think it is. You are not going to really want to highball it along there anyhow because there is too much gorgeous scenery. <BR> <BR>I am forced to assume from your remarks that you are unfamiliar with the road between Jasper and Banff. Am I wrong? <BR>Hope so.

dnorrie

Traveller's cheques are fine as are credit cards or just use your ATM card. ATM machines are everywhere and you will get the current rate of exchange. Some dealers give a reduced rate for traveller's cheques. <BR> <BR>You should have no problem getting to Calgary from Jasper unless there are road delays/accidents etc. Be advised though, be sure to be at the airport at least 1 1/2 hours in advance. Navigating in Calgary is quite easy but traffic is fast. If you want to make it a leasurely trip from Jasper, why not go the day before and enjoy the scenery. If you are going in July, make sure you book a room in Calgary in advance. I am not sure when Stampede is but if you are there during that time, it could get quite hard to find a room. <BR> <BR>Let me know if you need any more help. <BR> <BR>

Donna

The best way to acquire Canadian cash is with your ATM card. Some funds in travelers checks are good to have just in case your ATM card doesn't work for some reason (we've never had a problem, but you never know). Look at the back of your card to determine the international network your bank uses (Cirrus, Plus, NYCE, etc.) and look for ATM's with the same logo(s). Note that there are some ATM's in Canada that are not on international networks, so look for those that are. With a credit card at an ATM, you'd be taking a "cash advance" which usually incurs a service charge and interest that starts immediately (details should be on the back of your statement). But, credit cards are just fine for purchases. If you have an ATM/debit card, you can make purchases with that as well. I really like the new Kodak MAX film. I take 400 unless planning on a lot of nighttime, low light indoor (where flash is restricted), whereupon I take some 800. Look for 4-packs of 24/roll. Much more economical. Be sure to check out the tax refund rules and procedures. Do a search for the website "Canada for Visitors". If you have any Canadian cash leftover, use it toward your hotel bill so you don't have to change it back.

john pass

Thnx for the replies and advice.Bob,I <BR>do have a Canon EOS elan and understand about the "priority" modes.I learned a <BR>valuable lesson last summer when my wife and myself took our first trip up the California coast in July.The coast was <BR>amazing but I never imagined how foggy and cruddy the weather was and my choice of 100 speed was not the best combo.Elizabeth,Dnorrie,Donna thanks for the advice on the money issue,I <BR>also read the thread and will use the <BR>advice given.I will check into staying in Calgary for the last nite ,I was just trying to squeeze every bit of the <BR>wilderness as we could by just leaving that morning but I guess that might not be the most wise.Can't wait, this is our first trip to Canada and from every thing I have read and the pictures I have seen,it's alot different from Atlanta. <BR>Want to say again ,that I read the threads on this forum often and the advice is great.Thnx Jp <BR>

Bob Brown

I understand what you are saying about wanting to linger. <BR>As a compromise, you might set your sights on Canmore, which is east of Banff, for the night. There are many Bed and Breakfast locations in Canmore. <BR>From there to the airport in Calgary is an easy drive. When you get into Calgary, stay on the Trans Canada until you turn north on the Barlow Trail. <BR>Barlow goes right into the airport. It is about 11.5 K up the road from the intersection with the TC. I have an old Alberta Accommodations guide and I counted 40 B and B entries in addition to quite a few conventional motels. If you planned to arrive in Canmore about dark, you would have drained the day dry with views of the mountains. <BR> <BR>By the way, if you are using 800 ASA film, intense light conditions can be a problem. I would not use it unless I could select a shutter speed faster than 1/1000. Sun light reflecting off of snow at high altitude where there is no haze and no trees to reduce the intesity can overwhelm the latitude of the film. <BR>Enlargements tend to be grainy as well. <BR>I normally go with ASA 200, or possibly ASA 400 depending on circumstances. <BR>1/125 of a second will stop motion unless it is a race car or the subject is right on top of you going laterally at a gallop. Of course with a telephoto lens, camera shake is problem unless you have steady hands. I don't, so I like to shoot everything at at least <BR>1/250, and usually f8 and up (f16 being a larger number than f8, but the aperture is of course smaller)gives decent depth of field. <BR>