Jandal Road

#WhyYVR update: celebrating touchdown of Virgin Atlantic’s first flight to Vancouver

Christina — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:05:58 +0000

And so I landed at Vancouver’s International Airport, after a very smooth ride on Virgin Atlantic’s inaugural flight to Vancouver. But the fun started much earlier. On arrival at Heathrow, I went straight to Virgin’s Clubhouse, essentially the airline’s lounge. Über-stylish is probably quite a fitting word for the Clubhouse. I was a bit lost for words on entering yesterday morning at 8am. It’s a very cool design in which some elements remind of the seventies, but with a very futuristic touch. I couldn’t help but think of Star Trek’s Ten Forward, but much brighter and much more fun. The Clubhouse is complete with a spa and a hairdresser, and even a recording studio. Just in case you have an epiphany and need to record that next number one single before you board your flight! Touching down at YVR The flight on the new Airbus A340-300 was fantastic, and again the design continued to impress, and not just because of the fancy bar between Premium Economy and Upper Class (although admittedly, it is a major plus). On arrival at Vancouver International Airport, Sir Richard Branson was welcomed at the aircraft by the Premier of British Columbia, Christy Clark, and presented with [...]

Virgin Atlantic sends Jandal Road to Vancouver with Twitter competition #WhyYVR

Christina — Tue, 22 May 2012 23:33:33 +0000

Virgin Atlantic ran a global competition on Twitter with the hashtag #whyYVR over the first half of May 2012, looking for the best blog post on Vancouver, the prize being the last seat on the inaugural flight. Guess who won! About a year ago I went to Vancouver and instantly fell in love with it, and have since not really been able to get it out of my head. I keep raving about it to my friends, family and of course to you, Jandal Road readers. You may have noticed the odd Vancouver post. And so when Virgin Atlantic announced that they would launch a new direct flight route from London Heathrow to Vancouver, I thought: great stuff, even more opportunity for people to experience this awesome place. Of course I couldn’t help but notice #WhyYVR, the social media competition launched on the vtravelled blog a few weeks ago, inviting people to blog and tweet about what exactly it is that makes Vancouver such a great place to visit. As a competition prize, Virgin Atlantic chose the perfect inspiration – the last seat on the inaugural flight, accompanied by an incredible itinerary complete with VIP launch party, biking in the [...]

German edition: Mount Cook Nationalpark, Neuseeland

Christina — Sun, 20 May 2012 11:12:55 +0000

Mit 3.754m ist Aoraki Mount Cook Neuseeland’s höchster Berg. Er liegt in den “Southern Alps” auf der Südinsel, und ist dort in guter Gesellschaft: dort gibt es noch ein paar weitere Dutzend Berge über 3.000 Meter, was diese zu einer der atemberaubendsten Regionen der Südinsel macht. Und dennoch hätte ich auf einer Tour durch die Südinsel beinahe den Fehler gemacht, Mount Cook Nationalpark einfach auszulassen. Ich hatte gerade in einem kleinen Cafe in Twizel zu Mittag gegessen, und fragte mich nach stundenlanger Fahrt, ob ich wirklich noch eine weitere Stunde die schnurgerade Strecke nach Mount Cook Village fahren sollte. Letztendlich konnte ich mich doch noch dazu entschliessen, trotz aller Müdigkeit. Das Wetter war hervorragend, also hielten wir auf dem Weg oft an. Es gibt einige Raststops und Aussichtspunkte entlang der Strasse zum Mount Cook, die direkt von Twizel zum Mount Cook Village führt. Hier ist einer davon: Mount Cook Village Mount Cook Village ist eine winzige Ortschaft. Es ist hauptsächlich ein Ort für Touristen und Wanderer; es gibt Hotels, Motels, Campingplätzen und ein paar Läden und Restaurants. Mount Cook Village hat nur 230 Einwohner. Das bekannteste Hotel ist das Hermitage Hotel, das es in seiner jetzigen Form seit 1958 gibt. [...]

Travel photo: Curio Bay, New Zealand

Christina — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:23:52 +0000

This little piece of heaven is Curio Bay. Curio Bay is located in the Catlins, a region in the very south of New Zealand’s South Island. As an area of extraordinary wildlife and stunning natural beauty, one would think it swarms with tourists. But not so. Admittedly, it is quite literally off the beaten track; despite its vicinity to the Southern Scenic Route, Curio Bay is still a long way for most visitors to New Zealand. It is difficult enough for most tourists to fit in touring both islands in 2-3 weeks, that many never take the time to go this far south. However, the drive there is rewarding, and so is the actual destination. Not only can you learn to surf in Curio Bay’s steady waves while dolphins play next to you; there’s a petrified forest, great camping and plenty of wildlife (which may get even too close for comfort).

Things to do in Vancouver

Christina — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:10:20 +0000

Vancouver is quite something. It’s a dangerous place. That’s because once you’re there, there is a huge risk you may never want to leave again. Vancouver has its appeal. Not only is it the warmest city in the country, but the gateway to Whistler, it’s by the coast, you could go skiing and sailing in one day, the people are incredibly friendly and welcoming … the list is long. No wonder Virgin Atlantic is now flying to Vancouver regularly – how could you not?! In their latest campaign, they asked the public to comment on what is so special about this city. So let’s see what you can get up to in beautiful Vancouver! The beaches Huh? Maybe beaches are not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of a city, but not so for Vancouver. The city is blessed with multiple long sandy beaches, and locals certainly know to make use of them! Walking along Kitsilano beach (pictured above), you will see Vancouver’s residents playing beach volleyball, people jogging and cycling on the path along the beach, others walking their dogs, and of course, in summer, plenty of sunbathers and swimmers! Kitsilano beach is great because it’s very [...]

My 7 Super Shots: New Zealand, Japan and China

Christina — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:14:37 +0000

Today, let’s have a photo session. Sabrina from Country Skipper and Mark from Migrationology nominated me to participate in a photo project organised by HostelBookers: The 7 Super Shots. Why not unearth my favourite travel photos from the depths of the external hard drive and have others join the photographic journey? So I was asked to contribute one photo each for seven categories – see below. I had to discipline myself first though, before diving into all my favourite photgraphs from all over the world. In the interest of time, I decided to focus on pictures from New Zealand, Japan and China, otherwise it would have taken ages. Special thanks to New Zealand – you really do make it easy to provide great scenes for photography. So easy in fact that it is very difficult to choose. Here is my contribution. Let me know what you think in the comments section! Enjoy the photographic journey. A photo that…takes my breath away I could stand there all day, pondering whether the view from the cruise boat is more magnificent than from the shore. Of course, the views of Mitre Peak when you’re on a cruise in Milford Sound are just as spectacular. [...]

Whangarei Falls, New Zealand

Christina — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:05:53 +0000

There’s more to see in Northland than 90-Mile Beach, giant kauri trees and funky toilets designed by world-renowned architects… I know, Northland is pretty amazing for all the above. But don’t forget to stop every now and on your way to sand-surfing in the dunes up north and visit all the other stunning sights. Whangarei Falls definitely are one of these sights. Whangarei Falls are located in the Northland region, on New Zealand’s North Island. They are about 5 km from Whangarei city centre, and should be a mandatory stop on any Northland road trip. Finding them is quite easy if you know where to go. They are situated just off of Ngunguru Road. Just follow the signposts to the small parking lot and take the walkway down to the Hatea river. The track leads right to the foot of the falls from where you can fully appreciate their splendour. It’s like a scene from a film. A little oasis of calm!

Discovering Vancouver: Cycling in Stanley Park

Christina — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:25:14 +0000

One of the best things to do on a sunny day in Vancouver is spending some time in beautiful Stanley Park. 400 hectares of greenery and scenery await and you’d better rent a bike for the day and get exploring on two wheels or you won’t be able to see half of what it has to offer! Bikes are easily rented on Denman Street near the entrance to the park. Prices range from 6 CAD per hour, to 16 CAD for 4 hours or 24 CAD for 8 hours. The bikes we rented were very comfortable light-weight mountain bikes and also came with helmets. Enter the park from Coal Harbour and take the cycling path along the seawall. It’s a beauty – you get to look onto the many boats in coal harbour on your right, the elegant high rises, the Burrard Inlet and of course many trees and greenery to your left! In case you’re not into cycling, you could also walk around or rent rollerblades and zoom around the seawall. The cycling and walking paths run right next to each other. As you ride along the cycling path you’ll pass many an interesting spot or lookout point. The [...]

Panoramic view: Curral das Freiras, Madeira

Christina — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:11:17 +0000

Today’s panoramic view comes to you from Curral das Freiras on Madeira. Curral das Freiras is Portuguese for Valley of the Nuns. Deep in the valley is the village of the same name, which became the permanent refuge of nuns in the 16th century. The latter fled inland when escaping from pirates attacking and plundering the island from Funchal’s coast in the late 16th century. The valley was virtually inaccessible at the time, but provided land for agriculture, enough sunshine and the much sought protection from invaders. They lived in isolation for a very long time and, just to give an example of their remote location, only got TV signal in the late 80s! The Valley of the Nuns is famous for their cherry and chestnut liqueurs and attracts their fair share of visitors, usually half-day trippers from Funchal. Whilst the small village of barely 2000 souls is charming, it is the view from the lookout that is really breathtaking. Click on the image and drag in either direction to get a panoramic view.

Quick tip: Alesund, Norway

Christina — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:26:12 +0000

Alesund on Norway’s west coast is not just a cruise ship pit stop. Well, they stop there for a good reason. Seafood enthusiasts love it, and so do fans of art nouveau architecture. You’ll also find the occasional skier and boarder there – it’s close to some fine ski fields a bit further inland. Alesund makes for a great weekend getaway. The town of now about 40,000 inhabitants burned down completely in the early 20th century and was then rebuilt in art nouveau architecture. It’s a beauty!