Finally - my last day of work!! Mark has been here with us in Toronto since Tuesday and we've been staying in the Canadiana Backpackers Inn again since we left our home last Sunday.
Our travels plans are almost finalised, and we've managed to pack just one small bag between Mark, Paul and I (we're leaving the rest of our luggage behind in Toronto!)
The boys have been very busy booking accommodation and 2,424 km of transport! It was almost impossible to find places for tonight in Toronto and the four days in NYC - but now we're booked and ready to enjoy :-)
Travel itinery below!
Friday, September 5th - Toronto
We move to hotel for one night.
Saturday, September 6th - Montreal
Four of us take Greyhound bus coach to the French city.
Monday, September 8th - Toronto
Shane departs Montreal for one last night in Toronto. He flies back to Dublin on Tuesday :-(
Wednesday, September 10th - New York
Paul, Mark and I catch a train going south, across the border! We've booked The Bedford Avenue Loftstel for our stay.
Sunday, September 14th - Philadelphia
Time to go further south - again by train. No accommodation booked as of yet!
Wednesday, September 17th - Washington
We catch another train even further south to Washington DC for the last leg of our tour...
Saturday, September 20th - Toronto
Time to fly home to Toronto! This time we stay in Global Village Backpackers for two nights.
Monday, September 22nd - Dublin
Flight leaves Toronto around 8pm and scheduled to arrive in Ireland seven hours later for 8am GMT.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Random thoughts for the day..
Am on a one-day placement just for today, in a gorgeous big office on the 27th floor of a downtown building... and because it's the Friday of a bank holiday weekend, when no-one in Toronto does any work, I've literally taken two phone calls since I came in at nine am!
It's both Paul and Shane's last days in work in the city. Paul finished and went for lunch with his office at one pm; Shane is also finished by now, as far as I know, and he tells me that cake has been had!
It's the last month in Canada for Paul and I, while Shane is leaving us on the ninth :-( I didn't work this week apart from Wednesday, in a well-known pizza company's payroll offices.
We said goodbye to one of our friends from Toronto last night, who returns to college next week. "Frosh" (Freshers') Week is happening around this time in the universities around the city. Hopefully will get a chance to call by U of T to see what they're doing for it on Monday, which is Labour Day and a bank holiday here in Canadia. I will be working Tues-Friday next week and then I am done :-)
Today is the last day it will be just the three of us here. Sean's flying down from Chicago to see us tomorrow, Aoife will be joining us at some stage Sunday/Monday and Mark will be flying from Ireland on Tuesady to join us for the last leg of our travels! We move out of our house this Sunday, August 30th.
Crazy that we've been here almost three months now!
Laters x
It's both Paul and Shane's last days in work in the city. Paul finished and went for lunch with his office at one pm; Shane is also finished by now, as far as I know, and he tells me that cake has been had!
It's the last month in Canada for Paul and I, while Shane is leaving us on the ninth :-( I didn't work this week apart from Wednesday, in a well-known pizza company's payroll offices.
We said goodbye to one of our friends from Toronto last night, who returns to college next week. "Frosh" (Freshers') Week is happening around this time in the universities around the city. Hopefully will get a chance to call by U of T to see what they're doing for it on Monday, which is Labour Day and a bank holiday here in Canadia. I will be working Tues-Friday next week and then I am done :-)
Today is the last day it will be just the three of us here. Sean's flying down from Chicago to see us tomorrow, Aoife will be joining us at some stage Sunday/Monday and Mark will be flying from Ireland on Tuesady to join us for the last leg of our travels! We move out of our house this Sunday, August 30th.
Crazy that we've been here almost three months now!
Laters x
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Niagara Falls
So I'm back in Toronto for a few days with the guys. The first night I slept (hours of sleep to catch up on from camp!) while the guys went to see a puppet theatre musical production called Avenue Q. From the sounds of things it was quite the show.
Yesterday after the guys finished work we took a bus with 25 other tourists out the wonerful place that is Niagara Falls. I was so excited because it is somewhere that I really wanted to visit but didn't think I would get the opportunity. But thanks to the wonderful planning skills of Jen, Paul and Shane we were on our way! It took us a while to get there due to friday evening traffic (which the tour guy claimed he didn't realise would be so bad!!!). Once we got there we went on the "Maid of the Mist" bost tour right into the middle of the falls. It was incredible. We got to wear the wonderfully fashionable blue waterproof jackets and took loads of photos. After the boat tour we went on a wander around the town. It is like a mini Vegas. Lots of tacky lights, food and casinos. I don't know how people stay there for too long. The Falls are unbelievable but we were done with the rest of the place in a matter of minutes! We went for a lovely meal in the Hard Rock Cafe, followed by cocktails on the balcony watching fireworks over the Falls. A really lovely way to spend a night with the guys.
Loing forward to tonight where they plan on taking me out for my first experience of the Toronto clubbing scene!Can't wait!
I'll be back again in a few weeks.
Aoife
Yesterday after the guys finished work we took a bus with 25 other tourists out the wonerful place that is Niagara Falls. I was so excited because it is somewhere that I really wanted to visit but didn't think I would get the opportunity. But thanks to the wonderful planning skills of Jen, Paul and Shane we were on our way! It took us a while to get there due to friday evening traffic (which the tour guy claimed he didn't realise would be so bad!!!). Once we got there we went on the "Maid of the Mist" bost tour right into the middle of the falls. It was incredible. We got to wear the wonderfully fashionable blue waterproof jackets and took loads of photos. After the boat tour we went on a wander around the town. It is like a mini Vegas. Lots of tacky lights, food and casinos. I don't know how people stay there for too long. The Falls are unbelievable but we were done with the rest of the place in a matter of minutes! We went for a lovely meal in the Hard Rock Cafe, followed by cocktails on the balcony watching fireworks over the Falls. A really lovely way to spend a night with the guys.
Loing forward to tonight where they plan on taking me out for my first experience of the Toronto clubbing scene!Can't wait!
I'll be back again in a few weeks.
Aoife
Monday, August 11, 2008
Recent activities!
What we've been up to...
Saturday, August 9th - torrential downpours made for a very wet Taste of the Danforth Festival. The three of us braved the rain to visit Toronto's Greek District for their famous annual food festival and taste what they had to offer. Crêpes and waffles with hot lattes ensued before hailing a taxi home.
Tuesday, August 5th - went to our first ball game to support our adopted home team, the Toronto Blue Jays! Surprised overselves by enjoying it so much, we munched on fries, oreo cookie, butter popcorn and mega pretzel, danced along to the interval exercise, took part in the mexican wave (a little), and joined the other 23,577 people in the crowd on our feet to cheer the Jays victory!!
Monday, August 4th - stayed in Canada's Wonderland until well after closing. See Paul's post on Behemoth, below. Water rides... in clothes? 'Nuff said!
Sunday, August 3rd - spent the day cycling all along the sunny east coast of the city beside the water. Had our bikes back just in time (!) and went for a plate of fish and chips on the waterfront. And almost ordered another.
Saturday, August 9th - torrential downpours made for a very wet Taste of the Danforth Festival. The three of us braved the rain to visit Toronto's Greek District for their famous annual food festival and taste what they had to offer. Crêpes and waffles with hot lattes ensued before hailing a taxi home.
Tuesday, August 5th - went to our first ball game to support our adopted home team, the Toronto Blue Jays! Surprised overselves by enjoying it so much, we munched on fries, oreo cookie, butter popcorn and mega pretzel, danced along to the interval exercise, took part in the mexican wave (a little), and joined the other 23,577 people in the crowd on our feet to cheer the Jays victory!!
Monday, August 4th - stayed in Canada's Wonderland until well after closing. See Paul's post on Behemoth, below. Water rides... in clothes? 'Nuff said!
Sunday, August 3rd - spent the day cycling all along the sunny east coast of the city beside the water. Had our bikes back just in time (!) and went for a plate of fish and chips on the waterfront. And almost ordered another.
Dirty Dancing the musical on Wednesday, July 30th => brilliant :)!
Also, a treat on the way home as we passed the much-hyped new IKEA showroom on King East.. the invitation-only launch party was just finished and we got chatting to the staff, who told us to come in and help ourselves to the leftover chocolates, woop!
Tuesday, July 29th - caught this week's free film in the huge outdoor cinema on the harbourfront.
Wednesday, July 23rd - couldn't decide where to eat this evening. Booked a table at 360 Restaurant at the top of the CN Tower. *Amaazing*!!!
Saturday, July 19th - went on a trip to Centre Island with Dave - this is when the tan happened! (Photos on left)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Explosion in Toronno...
At about the same time as we were going to bed last night (3.30am), up north, a large propane facility was exploding...
So far, over 12,000 people from a 1.6km radius have been evacuated to York University. We're following the latest news on cp24.com. The latest broadcast was live from the fire station around the corner from our house.
Camera crews have interviewed victims of the blast, many of which describe how the windows in their house blew out, ceilings cracked and door handles melted. Electricity failed and many evacuees were forced to make their way to friends and relatives. Emergency services have been praised for their quick response, providing shuttle buses to York University campus.
So far, over 12,000 people from a 1.6km radius have been evacuated to York University. We're following the latest news on cp24.com. The latest broadcast was live from the fire station around the corner from our house.
Camera crews have interviewed victims of the blast, many of which describe how the windows in their house blew out, ceilings cracked and door handles melted. Electricity failed and many evacuees were forced to make their way to friends and relatives. Emergency services have been praised for their quick response, providing shuttle buses to York University campus.
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