Gallery Mcbain

 Churchill

Way out on always frozen ground, and far from everything at the northern end of the train tracks, on the shores of frigid Hudson Bay, Churchill defies logic. Presented with a list that includes barren, freezing, almost unreachable, expensive and small Canadian town, few people would pick this as a place to spend precious vacation time. Add to that the chance to see uncommon wildlife in their natural habitat and potential danger, and the polar-bear capital of the world has become Canada's worst-kept secret.

The remoteness of the town and vastness of the surrounding area instill a feeling that you're in an important place. Things like community teamwork, values and neighbors take on a whole new meaning. The world that's so easily taken for granted means nothing when you consider that the same distance you'd travel to your grocery store back home could spell disaster if traveled out here. A visit to Churchill can teach a person a couple of things: the world is not small, and polar bears are very large. 

Polar bears spend winters hunting on the frozen ocean, where they can smell seals through a meter of pack ice. As the ice melts, the bear are forced onto land, where they wait, and return north when the ice returns. Churchill happens to be smack bang! in the middle of that migration path. Up to 300 bears have been seen migrating along the coast between Nelson River (200km south of Churchill) and cape Churchill (400km east), Churchill being the most populated with bears, at one point more bears than residents.

Recently, warmer and shorter winters mean the ice melts sooner, freezes later and the bear's hunting season dosen't last as long. Returning to land still hungry is not a good thing for the bear, or the people who live here.

These are not the same cuddly balls of fuzz one might see in Coca-Cola commericals or wearing Santa hats in department stores. They are huge predators with razor-sharp claws and they can run up to 50km/h. That said, bear aren't in the habit of attacking unless they feel threatened or extremely hungry. Coming between a cub and mother is the worst thing you can do. Wandering from town without and experienced guide or inquiring about recent sightings is the second worst,which i just found out! crikey! i went wandering basically everyday, saw polar bear tracks and kept going =P silly me, but hey you wanted photos, so i got photos =P!

Local authorities maintain a 24-hour vigil most spring into summer; gunshots are fired at night to shoo off town-bound bear. If bear do break the perimeter, they're tranquilized and moved out of town by helicopter. The three-strike rule applies; the third time a bear is caught, it's taken to the cinderblock jail cells of an old military base for the winter. (Authorities spray paint numbers onto the bears at 1st strike so 3rd strikes are logit). Unfortunalty there are no tours of 'Polar Bear Jail'

Beluga Whales 

In the Summer months the Hudson invited the spectacular Beluga Whales. Up to 3500 of these glossy white torpeodoes follow the warm water into the Churchill River every summer. It's possible to see them from shore, but you'll probably hear them first; early whalers called them 'sea canaries'

Northern Lights 

The aqua-turquoise-yellow dance of the aurora borealis is nothing short of spectacular when you're hundreds of miles from urban lights. Would have to be the most beautiful natural excitment in Churchill, if not, the world (excluding myself, ofcourse). Most clear nights all year round the Aurora Borealis dances over remote Churchill. Most intense during the cold dark winter months. With colours that would put a rainbow to shame.

All of that experienced, thought, typed; Churchill is a must see for travlers who are obsessed with remote places and polar bears. Eg, Simon Webster.

I would also like to send my gratitude to Mum & Dad for helping me financially and helping me plan the trip =)

 Until the next adventure,...

'take care now, bye bye than'

Dr. Ryan J McBain

BVSc 

(Bacholor Of Veterianry Science)

haha, i like the look of that ;)

New york

New york is the most awsome city i have ever been too, it is on a much larger scale than what is is portrayed to be on TV or a magazine. It's a megatropolis pretty much,

 The traffic is hectic, 3 times worse than Sydney no doubts. I went to downtown Manhattan with a mate who actually lives in NY, which is helpfull, otherwise i would have been lost in the maze.

 Surprisingly the subways of Manhattan (NY) are disgusting, homeless people everywhere, urine stench with a rubbish everywhere, i was horrified. The only real thing i actually liked about NY was times square, and all the sky scrapers, oh, and the statue of liberty ofcourse! that was awsome.

 I also when via ground 0 to check out where the twin's once where. Very depressing.

I only spent like 2 nights in NY so didn't see too much, you need atleast a week to check most of NY out.

Although i am glad i went there, atleast i got that downpat in my book.

Philadelphia:

At 3am i got a bus to Philadelphia, PA whith Dan, to stay with him on Campus. Which was in North phili, I would not reccomment this place to anyone, it was dirty, very dangerous, and sketchy.. also the people seemed to be rude. Phili is like %90 African american, and in North phili, %80 of them are homeless  (phili is the #1 murder state in USA) i got told a few days after..The government spends no time what-so-ever on these homeless people nor the suburbs it's saddening to see.

So before i complained too much about the place i left and i am back up here in lovely Montreal.. I won't say i regret going to phili, it was an experience i will never forget. Although i reckon even Jay would have wanted to lock himself in the campus haha, too dangerous to walk around in those areas aye. Oh well, all the way USA:P

I can now confidently back up my view on USA, I think Canada is about 100 times better, USA has no healthcare at that, the government spend money on the CBD not outter suburbs, such as New Yorks - Queens, Harlem, Brooklyn & Jamaica. Phili's - North and West areas. They are infested with African American Homless people who find joy in mugging nearly anyone who walks down their areas at anytime of the day. I am not it's the homless peoples fault, it's not, it's the government not helping them out.

Although USA does have nice areas i suspose such as Colorado, Chicago, Louisiana. I will give them that.

The americans i talk too even think Canada is a much more layed out, put together countrie which i find both funny and surprising, usually USA citizens are very patriotic right?

Anyways i'll stop venting. Back to the present: 

As i said i was in Montreal, I scored a 4 * apartment with a girl by the name of Simone, awsome lady i met 2 weeks ago. Even though she is 51 she acts like me so it's awsome.. and if i wanna chill out i come here and chill, on the pc or have dinner, drink, tv etc..

 My next dest will be Vancouver, meeting up with a bloke i meet a week back here in Montreal via the name of Chris, awsome guy. From Vancouver i want to try and wing it up to Whitehorse (capital of the great Yukon) for the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) before April 15 when the day tour ends, cheap as chips i might add as well. See how i go. Might as well whilst i'm up here right?

Anyways i am off to Cafe Depot for the best coffee ever, ( i swear they mix it with amsterdam ingrediants), and write some post cards.

Also i want to thank Brian for giving me the yellow book by Dale Carniege, Awsome book dad, love it.. helped me a lot.

 talk later, peace

 love too all.

 Cheers, Ryan 

Hey, everyone!

I have been in Montreal for over a week now and never want to leave! it`s the most gorgeous, hardcore, awsome city i have ever been too and if i have had been to every city i`m sure i would still have this same feeling for Montreal!

Montreal contains such beauty`s as the "Old Montreal"  old school architecture, The Nortre` Dame Cathedral, (Celion Dion got married their)  The biodome and biosphere which is just spectacular as you will see in the album!

The Olympic stadium, old school subways (French love to make boring things seem awsome, for example, on all of the underground stations, instead of having an average cement wall, they use 1800`s brick with patterns, indents etc, pretty awsome to stare at whilst intoxicated. Or just sober).

The night life here is amazing! most nights i go out with the "gang" from the hostel with Hernarldo (house keeper) as the leader, and we party all night, come back to the hostel than party more, and usually hit the sack after 5am! it`s the life for a young guy like my self! 

The hostel i am staying at is the best hostel by far, it`s ratings are all %100, the people i have met here will always be in my memories they are just awsome! I usually go out with Jim, Peter, Brian, Megan, Trish, Daniel, Julian, Devon, Mary-Beth, Margaret, Peter Number 2 and more, they are all from USA... they are all awsome people! and i have met plenty more.

Last nigth was awsome, we went to Club Campus! which goes off on Thursday night, so we all got 2 cases of Corona, chilled in the lounge room, laughed, joked, drank up than left for the club around 10pm,

Once we got there we sat down, had profressional massages from this wonderful lady who i actually just met! and than we drew hair on all our chests with pens, than went to the floor! we owned that floor lol, no other guy had any chance! not with Brian, Peter, Jim and I, we go crazy on that floor, as if our egos are as high as heaven and it`s the last night of our life`s!!

I can`t tell you everything about all the wonderful nights otherwise i will be stiing here for hours and so would you.

All i got to say is, is that Montreal! night life and day life is amazing, the best, it`s as if i am on ecstasy all night long haha. Apparenlty the Summer here is better! everyone parties in the parks, like the Moon dance in Thailand, Siberia trance in spain or Park life in Sydney. Difference is, they only happen once a year for 1 - 7 days, It happens here all the way through summer! May -August!

 Deffinalty have to check it out next year, haha, i am having too much fun.

 Anyways! i am off to have my usual 3pm coffee and laughing fits on the floor with Daniel (funneist guy one would be likely to ever meet)

Also i am going on a road trip to NY tomorow with Trish, Megan and Dan! should be awsome!

 I will try get back on a pc in New York, or Philidelphia!

 Take it easy, I will see you when i`m looking at ya!

 P.S

 sorry about late post, to busy partaying!

It's Friday evening! Every friday we have a party here at the Snow Valley Lodge (SVL) just a get together, eveyone that travels to Fernie turns up or just anyone interested haha, it's pretty awsome aye.

I went to the ice hockey with the group than came to the house to piss up, i had a 6pack of good old Coronas and some bourban, was awsome, at around 12am i got the laptop open, plugged my ipod in and played DJ for a few hours mixing some hard trance with house and happy hard, was awsome music, everyone seemed to love it haha, besides the people already passed out, and the people on the roof choofin up a billy or two lol.

Played some pool, danced around, than a group of people and myself grabbed a mattress and used it as a toboggan and slid down the flight of stairs haha, was awsome cause we was all so intoxicated haha, If anyone was standing up by 4 am, they were't partaying hard enough:P thats the rule here apparenlty :P

At around 2:30am i went in the spa with BJ and Sarah and some other pissed randoms and drank some more, chilled out, was awsome lol, of what i can even remember=P!

The morning was halarious though, there was about 20 people randomly passed out all over the place, i ended up taking some photos as well, in the SVL folder under Canada, check them out.

Im off for now, talk later

peace 

[Edit] There are a number of specially created panorama shots showing off the beauty and wonder of the canadian rockies here. Shot by Ryan. [/Edit:Simon]

So, here i am chillin in my house at fernie, a lodge in the main part of fernie, although i guess all of fernie would be the main part of fernie because it's so small, but a blissfull country tucked away in between the huge rockies covered in blankets of snow as far as the eye can see, the Fernie valley is notories for the snow fall over winter, it's one of the little towns in the rockies with hales the award for the most snow fall, it snowed all last week and weeks before that, and again in a few days.

I entered the town. All i could really see was 3-4meter high snow walls on the egde of the road and snow all over the house, the town might as well been under the snow haha, acess is only via heavy snow plowed vehicles and tight squeezes,

It's the most beautiful town i have ever been too, the rockies are just outside and the snow reachs up past the door handles and even 1st story windows in some house's.

Besides the refreshing high -5 to low -30 tempretures and no winds, Fernie is like heaven on earth, old school pubs, very nice people, white wonderland, and extrememly photogenic.

The mountian fields are just another wonderland. After 26mins of chair lifting I was on the very peak of Siberia mountion (highest peak in fernie)  at 12pm today, looking OVER the clouds.  It's breathtaking sceneary it was ironic, no-one was around.

I started to gliding down Sibera pass (black run) nothing around but the green maple tree's covered in canadian snow, the softess powder i've ever seen, that strecthed for as far as i could see, The giant moutains starring over me in every direction  &  the odd red eye'd raven flying over my head, as if it was wathcing me, knowing i was the only thing up there, in the wilderness of the rockies, sub zero, only home to the very stubborn of creatures.

I  was Listening to  enigma on my Ipod, Iornic, the soft chillout music seemed to correspond with the sourroundings, allmost brining tears to my eyes.  All i could feel and see was the aftermath of my skii's digging deep into the ft'' high powder, as i cut through the untouched snow, that god made, as if he only wanted me to tocuh it, no one else, no one esle would be able to find it.

As passed down through the remote pathway listening to the music, in a trance of wilderness i began to reach the bottom where i could see people, at this point eveything started to fade away, people around, man made objects around, i reaised that remote can only be for a short time.

 So i guess i'll try and find my way back to that heavenest place tomorow, 

other than that the snow is awsome and everything is awsome haha, i might go hit the swimming pool now

Check, out the pano's!

i'll take photos of this place asap.

Cheers,

Ryan 

Landed at Denver airport on my way to Calgary

Plane got delayed due to chronic forzen mist over Calgary, so the engineers had to fill the plane up so it could circle around Calgary until it was safe to land (i was freaking out)!

Once the bitch landed on an icy runway, i got sent to customs than immagration, i was their for around 30mins trying to convince the asshole that i was going to canada for pure travel, and backpacking, not illegal working etc, their was apparenlty a 30-40% chance that i would be sent home, i was pretty cut.

 After i got let in i went to get my luggage, waited.... waited...WAITED, 30mins had gone, so i got suss, went to the desk to speak to a person (who didn't know english) who took care of the luggage department.. so after my splean venting, (about 1h 20mins later) i got told my bag got sent to a different Caresole in a plastic bag because it was a (heavy item)? it was only 14kg and the staff at LA never told me this, so by this point i was, yeah, releaved but very angry!

 So, i walked outside the front door, (remeber the scene from "COOL RUNNINGS" )? yeah, that was me, heh, it was -17 with snow,

I waited in a line for 30mins for a taxi, which happened to be the biggest asshole taxi driver i have ever had.. so after a 30min silent drive i arrived at the Sandman Hotel, downtown Calgary on 7th Av.

Walked in the door, to be greeted by a staff officer, who told me all th POWER WAS OUT! i didn't beelive him at first, i mean, it's a massive flashy building, and it didnt even have backup? so i got walked up to my room, with no lights, no torch supplied by them and no sorry or discounts.. i was pissed, very pissed off.

So i bascially did what any other young aussie would do in this situation.  Go to the local pub.... (which was closed) so i went to the local bottolo and got a 6pack of Calgary beer and sunk them, than fell asleep.

 In the morning i went to maccas, waked around, froze my balls off, (-15) heh, and took photos, which i have put up, now i'm in sum internet CAFE'

 you can see the rockies from certian points, very breath taking

and the river is frozen all over, hehe, pretty cool!

i'll post up another blog once i'm in Fernie.

Peace.

(mind the spelling mistakes)