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Dreaming of Bali

January 28, 2012

Bali has been in my dreams since a woman I know from my Toronto days came back raving about the cycling, the people and the beauty of the island.  And I’ve seen plenty of stunning photos over the past few years that I’m inspired to try to visit.

A beautiful sunset and beach in Bali

Where is Bali??

Bali is part of Indonesia, and is just one of the more than 14,000 islands that make up the country. Australia lies to the south, while Singapore and Malaysia are to the northwest. Thailand is further north again, almost 1900 miles away.

Getting There

Bali flights are direct from an ever increasing number of countries and major cities, including several cities in Australia and New Zealand, Singapore, Bangkok and most of the big European cities. In North America you can fly direct from Los Angeles.

Rice terraces in Bali

Bali is home to almost 3.9 million people, a beautiful and gracious lot, and of those people over 90% adhere to a form of Balinese Hinduism.

Women bringing temple offerings

What I’d Like To Do in Bali

Apart from biking around the island over the course of about a week – past those beautiful emerald coloured rice terraces, I’d like to climb Mt. Batur in time to see the sunrise – though that entails one of those horrible early starts to the day.

A Bali sunrise

I wouldn’t want to miss the kecak monkey dance, one of Bali’s traditional dances. And somehow I’d squeeze in a visit to a few of the beautiful temples.

Kecak monkey dance

Snorkeling among giant parrot fish and relaxing with a drink at a seaside resort ranks high on the to do list too.

And I’d definitely take the time to visit one of Bali’s famed spas. Bali has long been considered to be one of the best spa destinations in the world and if I was feeling flush, the clifftop Ayana Spa would be my destination.

I know nothing of the food but I bet I’ll be eating fruit I’ve never seen before and dining on fish just caught from the ocean.

One day I’ll make it to Bali so I can see for myself just how beautiful the island really is.

Have you been to Bali and can you recommend any must do activity?

**This post has been written in collaboration with Flight Center.com.au.**

Photo credits: Bali beach, rice terraces, temple offerings, Bali sunrise, dance

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Travel Photo Thursday: Shooting Calgary at Night

January 25, 2012

This is not my usual sort of travel photo Thursday blog; but what it does do, is take you on my journey to improve my photography. In this week’s class we spent time shooting Calgary at night – but playing around while we did it – zooming, tilting and panning – then checking out the effects.

We were given a very handy night exposure chart – listing night scenes with ISO, f – stops and shutter speeds, so I had half a chance of getting the correct exposure.

All of these shots were taken in manual focus mode with an ISO of 400 , an aperture of f11 and a shutter speed of between six and eight seconds. I turned the anti vibration off and played with the white balance too – alternating between daylight and tungsten mode.

The commuter train in action

Calgary downtown on a January night

Zooming in, half way through the exposure

Panning the camera from top to bottom - half way through the exposure

Another zooming shot

Not many lights turned off

Looking east in Calgary - photographed using the daylight setting on the white balance

Same photograph - tungsten white balance

Have you tried zooming or panning to great effect?

Here is this week’s submission to Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox - a website where Nanci offers a chance every Thursday for fellow travelers to post their favourite photos.

Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel

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The Worst Family Vacation We Ever Had….in Belize

January 25, 2012

I was going through old photo albums a few days ago after my sort of step-father suggested I try taking photos of my non digitized pictures with my new macro lens. I had a few modest successes before the light disappeared.

And it got me thinking about our worst family vacation ever – in Belize of all places.

Clouds gathering over the ocean

Expectations are a big part of whether a vacation is deemed to be a success. Our expectations were high as we headed down to Belize for a week of kayaking over Christmas many years ago. We were thrilled to escape the short days and cold temperatures.

In fact when we landed at the airport the first words out of my daughter’s mouth were I could live here.

That feeling lasted precisely three hours.

What changed was the possibility of boas coming out of the ceilings of our rustic lodge not to mention the distinct chance that giant spiders might walk across you at night. She barely slept a wink.

And we weren’t even kayaking yet.

Kayaking off the coast of Belize

There’s something about a photo of turquoise blue waters that suggests that all is right with the world. Much of the kayaking in the islands off of the Belize coast is lovely.

But here’s the part that wasn’t:

• For a week my husband and I never shared a kayak because of a single woman who lacked kayaking experience. The guides never took the initiative to have her switch places and we didn’t want to create a fuss. (Lesson here – ask ahead how the company would handle the situation.)
• My son hasn’t kayaked since this trip. One week in a too short boat (he’s 6’3″) has put him off forever.
• Another couple had a leaky boat and by the end of every day they would be sitting in six inches of warm Caribbean water. Not actually that pleasant.

What we did enjoy on the kayaking part of our trip was the snorkeling, bird watching and if the wind was blowing – time in the hammock.

My husband lounging in a hammock

One of the islands we camped on

Some of the meals were amazing too – such as when we dined on fresh caught lobster.

But then there was Christmas dinner.

The food was fine but the bugs – no seeums – were so bad that my daughter and I ate in a stuffy, hot tent.

In fact there’s a saying that goes like this: When the wind don’t blow, paradise go to hell.

Even stopping to pee in a windless area resulted in a dozen supremely itchy bites that lasted for weeks.

A picnic in the ocean

The moral of this story – ask a lot of questions of tour companies. Keep your expectations in check. Don’t be swayed by photos with turquoise coloured waters.

Fortunately at the end of our week of kayaking, we’d booked three nights at an eco lodge in the jungle. It was a small place, hard to reach and very beautiful. Swimming in a free form pool, tubing the local river, exploring Mayan caves on the hotel’s land, feeding horses star fruit, admiring beautiful flowers and dining on excellent food – all of this – revived our spirits. And after hearing stories from the owner we gained a healthy respect for the local Fer-de-lance poisonous snake.

View down to the river from our eco-lodge

Have you ever been on a family holiday that was a complete let down or disaster?

Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel

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Skiing to Skoki Lodge via Boulder and Deception Passes

January 24, 2012

Yesterday I wrote about what awaits you when you get to Skoki Lodge – but first you have to get there.

In the winter that means you need to cross country ski or snowshoe eleven kilometers in from Temple Lodge at the Lake Louise Ski Resort, accessed via a gondola ride up and a chairlift ride down. The other alternative is a 24 kilometer ski in via the Pipestone River but you need to be a strong skier to attempt that.

Skiing towards Temple Mountain on the return

Skiing into Skoki Lodge is very popular – largely because the scenery is outstanding, the avalanche danger if you stick to the route is basically non-existent, and the level of difficulty is reasonable for many skiers.

Skoki Lodge is most commonly accessed via Boulder and Deception Passes. Boulder Pass is a snap, Deception Pass less so.

But let me get back to the route to Skoki Lodge.

First, don’t do what we did. We skied from the Ptarmigan Chairlift past Temple Lodge looking for the trail.

What you need to do is turn right as you’re looking straight on at Temple Lodge, and climb about 100 meters up the hill. Stay left as you climb the hill because the trail to Skoki heads left into the woods. It’s marked and has a sign with the usual back country warnings.

Not far from the start of the trail is an intersection. Stay right.

Climb gradually through the woods for the first two kilometers. The trail is marked with poles but there are no signs to Skoki except at the start. Obviously if it’s snowed you’re going to be breaking trail too. We were the first on the trail that day so that’s exactly what we did. And if it’s windy the tracks fill in quickly.

Eventually you break out into a large open meadow with gorgeous views if the day is clear. Take the time to look back – and not just forwards, because that’s where the best views are.

Beautiful meadows

Looking up towards Boulder Pass - in better weather than we had skiing in to the lodge

The map provided at check-in shows the Halfway Hut on the right side of the trail as you’re skiing in. But it’s not. You’ll see it on a small knoll above a creek on the left. It’s rustic but a good place to get out of the wind on a cold day.

Continue on up to Boulder Pass – obvious because of the large number of – you guessed it – boulders. At the top you may need to take your skis off if the ground has been stripped of snow.

The wind blown route to Boulder Pass (skiing in)

Snow covered boulders at Boulder Pass (skiing out and looking towards Lake Louise)

From Boulder Pass, there’s no wind protection until you’re down in the trees on the other side of Deception Pass. You have to cross the lake and the wind can howl through here. On the day we skied in, visibility was poor. In a snowstorm you’d probably only be able to see one or two poles ahead, at a time.

Looking up at Deception Pass

Views from the lake

Once you’ve crossed the lake it’s time to start climbing. Its 180 meters (590 feet) up to Deception Pass, the high point of the route at 2510 meters (8235 feet). Lots of people skin up when they start climbing but we didn’t find that we needed skins on either pass.

The pass is straight forward when you can see. In whiteout conditions it wouldn’t be fun. As you near the top of the pass look for a marker to your left; the trail veers slightly left before heading straight and then dropping down.

If you like skiing down, then you’ll find the rest of the route to be fun and fast and it might take you only half an hour. But if you’re like Angela, who we met on our trip, the descent is where the tough skiing started. It could easily take you another 90 minutes if you aren’t a good downhill skier.

What the slopes look like just down from Deception Pass

Looking down the valley in the direction of Skoki Lodge

From Deception Pass, follow the trail marked with large stakes. It continues across the slopes of Fossil Mountain and then angles left down into the trees. You should continue to see stakes and probably snowmobile tracks as you get closer. You will pass trails heading off to the right directing you to Red Deer Lakes. Ignore those signs and any other side trails. Continue to the lodge, located on the right bank of Skoki Creek beneath Skoki Mountain.

And you won’t see it until you’re a minute away. Some people were looking for smoke – but none will be visible.

But then all of a sudden – voila – and you’ve arrived.

Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park

Useful Information for Skiing to Skoki

• Pack lightly but pack smart. You need clothes that wick the moisture away and you need a lot of layers. Include a coat with a hood and a neck warmer.
• Bring skins and wax.
• Don’t forget a spare ski tip and basket for your pole.
• Duct tape always comes in handy.
• Include a first aid kit with band aids and moleskin to help with blisters.
• Your water will freeze so keep it buried in your pack. Think about bringing a thermos with something hot.

Guess the vintage of my Dynastar skis - easy if you can remember when fluorescent orange was last in vogue

• My skis are probably 15 years old – minimum. But they still work for me. There were all types of skis – from fancy, back country skis, to basic rental gear to my classic stuff.
• Buy a topo map and bring it.
• Include a headlamp AND extra batteries.
• I think one shovel per group is a good idea.
• Carry energy bars. Keep them close to your body if you don’t want to break a tooth.
• Time required to ski one way will vary from three to six hours depending on your ability and the weather conditions. Plan accordingly.

For more information on what to expect at Skoki Lodge read this post.

• A Winter Visit to Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park

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A Winter Visit to Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park

January 23, 2012

Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park was our destination last weekend.

But you don’t drive to Skoki. You ski or snowshoe the 11 kilometers in, starting at Temple Lodge at the Lake Louise Ski Resort. And in the summer you hike in – that is unless you’re Prince William and Kate, in which case you fly in.

Skoki Lodge at about 6:15 pm in mid-January

The trip in to Skoki Lodge begins with a visit to Guest Services at the bottom of the Lake Louise Ski Resort. Sign the waivers, get the parking pass – that allows you to park steps from the lodge, pick up a map and your lift tickets for the gondola and chairlift rides and you’re good to go.

The view of the Lake Louise area from the gondola

The gondola ride comes next. It takes 14 minutes and offers up spectacular views of the mountains on clear days. On snowy days it keeps you warm. Then you download onto the chairlift. Fortunately, they stop it so you can get securely settled in with packs and skis before continuing to the bottom.

After extricating yourself from the chairlift, ski to Temple Lodge, climb up the hill about 60 meters to the right of the lodge and look for the Skoki sign on the left. That is the official start of your 11 kilometer ski in.

Tomorrow’s blog will detail the route.

This is not an outing I would recommend for inexperienced skiers. It’s what I would call a moderately difficult trail, but challenges can occur with route finding in bad conditions, and more than a few people have trouble on the descent from Deception Pass to Skoki Lodge. In fact one woman at the lodge called it Deliverance Pass but I think she was referring to the climb up to it. (I would also bring a topo map with me on my next visit to help with route finding in bad conditions.)

Back to the lodge itself.

Assuming you’ve arrived in one piece, you’re most likely thirsty and hungry from the three to five hour ski in. The photo below is a sample of the mid afternoon tea that awaits your arrival. What it doesn’t show is the happy grins sported by the guests when they bite into the home baked goods. And you can’t hear the sighs of contentment as people sip hot soup, herbal teas or lemonade. And you don’t see the guests spread out around the wood stove in deep, comfortable chairs with a plateful of goodies in front of them.

But that all happens. 

The afternoon spread to tide you over until dinner

The actual accommodation is rustic.

But that should be expected considering the lodge opened to skiers in 1931.

There is no running water. That means there are no toilets. Instead you can count on a cold porcelain toilet seat in an outhouse behind the main lodge. There are two – one for woman and one for men.

Inside your room, whether it is the Honeymoon Cabin that we stayed in, the Riverside Cabin the Royals used or a room upstairs in the main lodge, you are going to need a headlamp to see what you’re doing – at any time of the day. It’s dark in the rooms – no lights because there isn’t any electricity, and the windows are small. But there are a couple of lanterns and there is a propane stove if you’re in a cabin to keep you cozy.

Our Honeymoon Cabin

The Wolverine Cabin

Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park

Fortunately there is warm water available for washing – you just have to do it the old fashioned way with a bowl and a sponge.

The Meals

Even if you ski four or five hours every day while you’re at Skoki Lodge, do not count on losing weight. Blame it on Katie and her sidekick, Vanessa. Katie has been looking after and cooking at Skoki Lodge for fourteen years now. In fact a cookbook is due out soon and I can see why. Everything she makes is delicious, and it’s all made from scratch in the small kitchen in the photograph below.

Katie and Vanessa - what a cooking team!

Let’s start with breakfast.

The coffee is on beginning at 6:30 am, though breakfast doesn’t begin till 8:30 as the sun comes up. Start with a choice of homemade granola or a hot cereal. Yesterday’s hot cereal was a rolled oat, flax seed, apricot combo that was as delicious as it was healthy. Or you can just have yogurt and fresh fruit salad. Then there’s the hot entree – some sort of eggy affair on mornings we were there, plus bacon and fresh baked scones and muffins.

Immediately after breakfast, a lunch buffet is put out. Make your own sandwiches on fresh, homemade bread. Throw in a few cookies – ginger, chocolate chip or a peanut butter – M&M mixture, add in carrot sticks and fruit and chances are that will be enough to hold you until the mid-afternoon spread. Return to photograph above.

Lanterns add a warmth to the lodge

Then there’s dinner.

It’s served at 7pm with the warm ambiance of candles and lanterns adding to the relaxed mood. There’s a board that shows the day’s menu, though all dietary restrictions are seemingly accommodated. One evening we had beef tenderloin, a sweet potato tart, baby roasted potatoes, oven roasted vegetables and a Caesar salad. Dessert was a fat piece of chocolate cake with melted Callebaut chocolate and a raspberry coulis. Wine was available by the bottle for $40 though some people brought their own in hydration packs.

Not only is Katie an amazing cook – so amazing that Prince William asked if she cooked on boats, but she is a lovely human being – full of warmth, vitality and eager to share her considerable knowledge of the area. I’d go back to Skoki again just because of her. Ryan and Vanessa, two of the other staff, were equally lovely and also happy to help in any way.

Skoki Lodge attracts the outdoorsy types so right off the bat there’s a commonality with other guests. Conversation is easy and you wonder why you can’t have the people you meet up here in your life at home. Last weekend there were guests from Banff, Calgary, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Whitehorse.  Up to twenty people can be accommodated – in a variety of sleeping arrangements.

Skoki Lodge Rates and Information

Skoki Lodge charges $139 to $244 per person per night in the winter. That includes everything but a gratuity and wine. When you book, you are sent a packing list. Follow it but don’t over-pack. It’s very casual around the lodge so you can leave the dress-up gear at home. The only thing I would add to their list is one shovel per group, as a just in case measure if something ever goes terribly wrong. A two night stay is ideal so you have the time to discover the beautiful country surrounding the lodge.

There’s lots of winter left and it’s possible to visit this year up until April 21st.

Now I’d like to visit Skoki Lodge in the summer.

Have you been to Skoki or any of the other ski lodges in the Rockies?

Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel

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