Wendy

Hayley

Hi Wendy, I'm also going on this trip, it will be my 2nd with Just You. Always loved mountains so have wanted to see the Rockies for a while now. Also I'm told that Vancouver is a really nice city too so can't wait. Can't believe its less than 2 months away now, seems to have crept up on me with lightning speed. With my last holiday I was all planned and sorted by now. At the moment I've hardly looked anything up and have no idea what to take with me really. Hoping to do all the optional excursions though if I can, I thought the river rafting sounds really fun, something different!

Hayley

If you haven't already found it, I wrote a review of this holiday after I came back in June last year. It should, I hope, give you some idea of what to expect and what to take with you. Other people have also covered it, so if you go into "Search" and enter "Canadian Rockies" you will should everything that's been written.

Have a lovely time - I'm jealous (I've got one of my aerial photographs as my desktop so it reminds me every time I open the computer).

Ann

Hi Wendy, I'm also going on this trip, it will be my 2nd with Just You. Always loved mountains so have wanted to see the Rockies for a while now. Also I'm told that Vancouver is a really nice city too so can't wait. Can't believe its less than 2 months away now, seems to have crept up on me with lightning speed. With my last holiday I was all planned and sorted by now. At the moment I've hardly looked anything up and have no idea what to take with me really. Hoping to do all the optional excursions though if I can, I thought the river rafting sounds really fun, something different!

Hayley

Hi Hayley,

It's good to hear from someone else who is going on this trip which is also my second with JY. I have been told by a number of people who have been to parts of the Rockies that they are fantastic places and Vancouver is supposed to be an amazing city.

I checked the hotels out at weekend and if I remember rightly the temperature in Jasper or Banff was hitting the minus figures (single ones though). At least there is still plenty of time for it to warm up!!

Like you I plan to do most of the optional excursions and I have always wanted to go rafting.

I am flying down from Manchester at 11am and will have plenty of time at Heathrow so it is good to be in touch with others on this trip beforehand.

8 weeks today!!!

Wendy

Hi Wendy, I'm also going on this trip, it will be my 2nd with Just You. Always loved mountains so have wanted to see the Rockies for a while now. Also I'm told that Vancouver is a really nice city too so can't wait. Can't believe its less than 2 months away now, seems to have crept up on me with lightning speed. With my last holiday I was all planned and sorted by now. At the moment I've hardly looked anything up and have no idea what to take with me really. Hoping to do all the optional excursions though if I can, I thought the river rafting sounds really fun, something different!

Hayley

If you haven't already found it, I wrote a review of this holiday after I came back in June last year. It should, I hope, give you some idea of what to expect and what to take with you. Other people have also covered it, so if you go into "Search" and enter "Canadian Rockies" you will should everything that's been written.

Have a lovely time - I'm jealous (I've got one of my aerial photographs as my desktop so it reminds me every time I open the computer).

Ann

Thank you, I remember reading your review last year, in fact its partly what helped me make up my mind to do the trip. I've just gone back and reread it and looked up some of the places and now I'm getting excited again. The mountains do look so beautiful!

To Wendy- I'm coming from Kent so not too far a journey to Heathrow for me although you can never tell with the M25. Last year I ended up at the airport an hour earlier than I planned but that was at stupid o'clock in the morning. I'm happy this flight is a bit later. I'll make sure to have my Just You label on my bag and will keep an eye out for people, although I'm really shy when it comes to meeting new people. I'll be ok once I'm off though 🙂 apart from gawking in awe at the mountains the whole time that is!

Hayley

I read your review before I booked this holiday and having looked at again I went online to find the suspension bridge that you mentioned. This looks very scary but amazing and like you I am scarred of heights but think having seen the pictures and potential views from it I will have to force myself over it. This review was really helpful.

Hayley,

Like you I am on the shy side and found it a bit daunting last year on my first JY holiday but after looking at the forum I booked the lounge at the airport where a number of the other group members had decided to meet up in. This put me at ease meeting some of the group beforehand and they were really friendly it's just a shame this isn't available at Heathrow.

Well you will soon spot me I will be the one at the front of the queue eager to board the aircraft after having spent many hours waiting at Heathrow!

On Friday there was an article in the Daily Mail online about a skywalk that is opening in Jasper on the 1st May - it looks amazing and is like the one at the south side of the Grand Canyon. I have just been on it again and it is under the travel section now.

I'm not sure if we will get to see this but hopefully someone at JY can let us know if we will get an opportunity to see it on our trip.

I am getting excited now and it is just over 6 weeks before we go!

Wendy

I'm booked on this trip in June. Its my first time on holiday on my own. I'm so pleased to see this forum and I am really looking forward to seeing the scenery. I found the article posted on cash/Post Office card helpful and so will make sure I get one loaded up.

I'm not too sure what to pack; it seems like walking gear and layers is the most appropriate but for those who have been before do you dress for dinner at all? And do people go off and find places for meals themselves generally or mostly eat in the hotels?

Havent heard about booking a lounge at the airport? is that a good idea?

Carole

Walking shoes and layers (and a waterproof jacket) are definitely required - the going underfoot can be very uneven, and the weather can do anything! The temperature in the Rockies is also several degrees below what it is when you get to Vancouver, so layers let you adjust accordingly. In the party I was with I don't remember people dressing for dinner but it is entirely up to you. On our trip some of us ate at the hotels and others went out to find places. I ate in a couple of times and then went out on the other evenings. From a personal point of view I found the steak house chain that I mentioned in my review very good (I can't for the life of me remember its name) (others had found the one in Banff before me) and I wasn't at all impressed by the restaurant/cafe in the Vancouver hotel - very busy and the hotel was geared up for business customers rather than tourists. When it came to evening meals, some people went out in a group while others linked up with others who happened to be going out at the same time and yet others went off on their own - you just have to play it by ear.

Re the lounge at the airport, when we went last year we did have access to an airport lounge because we had to change airline and terminal but I'm not sure that that is usually the case - the best thing to do is phone JY Customer Services and check. I have a feeling that at least one of the terminals doesn't have any pre-departure lounges and you just have to find somewhere to sit in the usual departure area (but keep an eye out for the JY luggage tags on others' hand luggage and make sure yours is clearly visible).

Have a lovely time - don't forget to charge your camera before you go and take a universal adapter plug to keep it topped up.

Ann

Thanks so much for the kind tips. I'm making a list that is getting longer and longer. I have walking gear so luckily will not need to get too much then. Nice to know about the meal situation. I'm not shy so it will be great to mix with new people.

Kind regards Carole

Ann F - is the name of the steakhouse chain Keg's? I ate in a few of those whilst doing this holiday a couple of years ago.

Re the airport lounge - I think it's terminal 5 that doesn't have one at Heathrow and that's the one I flew from for this trip.

This is a superb holiday and I recommend doing all of the optional extras. With regards to the rafting, this is great fun (but be prepared to get wet!) and as for the suspension bridge, be prepared for it to move as you across on it but it's perfectly safe!

Hope this helps.

Michael.

Cindy

I just found this while looking on tripadvisor. Its a liveish webcam of lake louise updated about every 30 secs during their daytime. Its still frozen and covered in snow! I think the lakes are a bit later thawing this year because of the really bad winter they had. Might have to pack a few more warmer clothes than I was planning but will be nice to see the mountains with snow on 🙂

I went on my first JY holiday last year and met a really good crowd of people all different ages. A group of us went out most of the nights to eat and on one occasion we did stay and eat in the hotel but that was only due to a lack of local restaurants and the time we got back from our days travelling.

I would like to try the local restaurants but will just go with the flow and as far as I am aware no one spent the evenings on their own.

I have been looking at the temperatures and it seems that it will be warm days with chilly nights.

Very excited now as just over a week to go!

Look forward to meeting you on the 10th June.

Wendy

I went on my first JY holiday last year and met a really good crowd of people all different ages. A group of us went out most of the nights to eat and on one occasion we did stay and eat in the hotel but that was only due to a lack of local restaurants and the time we got back from our days travelling.

I would like to try the local restaurants but will just go with the flow and as far as I am aware no one spent the evenings on their own.

I have been looking at the temperatures and it seems that it will be warm days with chilly nights.

Very excited now as just over a week to go!

Look forward to meeting you on the 10th June.

Wendy

Hi Carole,

I went on my first JY holiday last year and met a really good crowd of people all different ages. A group of us went out most of the nights to eat and on one occasion we did stay and eat in the hotel but that was only due to a lack of local restaurants and the time we got back from our days travelling.

I would like to try the local restaurants but will just go with the flow and as far as I am aware no one spent the evenings on their own.

I have been looking at the temperatures and it seems that it will be warm days with chilly nights.

Very excited now as just over a week to go!

Look forward to meeting you on the 10th June.

Wendy

Hi Wendy I'm rvising my packing. its so warm at the moment its hard to think of packing fleeces! I've looked up the temperatures and Banff is very cold, Jasper warmer and Vancouver warmer still. Looking forward to it. See you tomorrow if youre flying BAA from Heathrow.

I'm booked on the 9th sept trip too and can't believe how quickly it is coming round - have just made my final payment today to beginning to get really excited.

This is my second trip the JY - I went top Venice last year and had a great time.

I agree Ann's reivew and advice has been great - thank you.

Has anyone any thoughts on how much cash/local currency to take?

Please keep an eye out for me and my JY luggage tag at the airport as I too can be a bit shy at first but fine when I get going!

Looking forward to meeting you all:thumbup: