When I was growing up there was a travel agency in Cloverdale on 176th Street, next to the dry cleaners. It was a good place to go for brochures for those pesky school reports we had to do on far off destinations.
Back in the mid-70's the agency was purchased by a couple who became friends with our parents and was called Cloverdale Travel. Or something as equally simple. I remember the wife's name, Ann, but for the life of me I can't recall her husband's name. They retired about 15 years ago and moved to the Okanagan. My father keeps in occasional contact with them.
After they closed, Maple Leaf Travel, that was formerly inside Cloverdale Mall moved into their location. I noticed they closed down at the end of 2009. There are renovations being done to the store, but I don't know who's taken over the lease or what kind of business is going in there.
Are travel agents becoming a thing of the past? Many years ago I took a 6 month travel agent course. I wasn't interested in becoming a travel agent. I wanted to work for a tour operator - the middleman company that puts together air and hotel packages and sells them to travel agent's customers. During my schooling and for the few years I worked in the travel industry I learned a lot of things. For the most part travel agents are not well paid. I was surprised that most of them earn minimum wage and maybe 1% of the commission the travel agency earns on their bookings. Perks are free or reduced travel and accomodations and tours.
I worked for tour operators (Air Canada Vacations and the long since defunct Silverwing Holidays) and I spent a lot of time on the phone with travel agents. I will say that some travel agents genuinely loved their jobs, knew what they were doing, and were an absolute pleasure to deal with. Unfortunately too many travel agents hated their jobs, but then again, most employees are not too happy with low level paying jobs. Too many travel agents screwed up their passenger's trips. I could get into one nightmare after another. What I learned most of all was that if I could avoid doing so, I would not use a travel agent.
With the advent of the Internet and the ability to search out cheap travel, it appears that many others are no longer using travel agents. Last year BCAA announced they were closing down the travel agencies in their offices, thus putting many travel agents out of work. BCAA moved with the times to now do their bookings over the phone and Internet, so a few agents are still working for them at the head office.
I suspect the Internet has been the downfall of many travel agencies closing down. Lack of customers plus the airlines and tour companies lowering how much commissions they pay out for bookings had a lot to do with it.
We booked with a travel agency last year. One over on Vancouver Island. I've never set foot in their building. My father gave me an ad about a cruise deal to Alaska and we called the company who'd blocked off some cabins and been given a very good rate by Holland America's Zuiderdam. We booked and paid. They sent us an invoice over email and also regular mail and gave us our booking number and instructions to go to Holland America's web site to download our boarding documents. I believe this travel agency deals in cruises only - though they can book air flights if needed to departure ports - and able to block space at lower prices.
Some travel agencies still exist, though a lot no longer have storefront offices. They work out of homes and make their living through Internet and phone sales. Some people still prefer the comfort of having someone else make the plans and book everything necessary for their holiday.
A quick search of the Internet can usually find the information you need to make travel arrangements. There are also many discussion forums on the Internet about travel and people can post and ask questions which can be answered by persons with experience at that destination with suggestions about who to book with.
Our next destination is an 18 day Panama Canal repositioning cruise. Booked directly with the cruise ship offering specials. Cheap flight to Fort Lauderdale and an overnight hotel, thanks to expedia.ca
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Playing at the Clova from March 12 - March 18 2010
Playing at the Clova Theatre in downtown Cloverdale from March 12 - 18 is:
7pm: When In Rome
8:45pm: From Paris With Love
Second show lets out at 10:15pm. Times are approximate. The Clova doesn't start the shows until there are no more customers waiting at the concession. Could be as much as 15 minutes on busy nights - weekends and Tuesdays. Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies, and $4 on Tuesdays.
7pm: When In Rome
8:45pm: From Paris With Love
Second show lets out at 10:15pm. Times are approximate. The Clova doesn't start the shows until there are no more customers waiting at the concession. Could be as much as 15 minutes on busy nights - weekends and Tuesdays. Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies, and $4 on Tuesdays.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Pancake breakfast at the Cloverdale Legion on Saturday March 13
The Cloverdale Legion on 57th Avenue, across from the firehall, is holding their pancake breakfast this Saturday, March 13. Pancakes, eggs, sausages, coffee or tea and juice. $4.50 adults, $3.00 children.
Christmas decorations in Cloverdale March 2010
Try not to get too excited - but city staff are starting to remove the Christmas decorations from 176th Street. Not bad. Its only March 10, 2010. Christmas is barely over.
Last week I saw city crews putting the poles on the street lamps in preparation for the hanging flower baskets. I wondered if that might mean the Christmas decorations would be coming down soon.
A couple of days ago city crews were cleaning up and gardening some of the flower beds on the median on the Cloverdale Bypass between 58th and 60th Avenues.
Out with the winter decorations and in with the summer ones.
Last week I saw city crews putting the poles on the street lamps in preparation for the hanging flower baskets. I wondered if that might mean the Christmas decorations would be coming down soon.
A couple of days ago city crews were cleaning up and gardening some of the flower beds on the median on the Cloverdale Bypass between 58th and 60th Avenues.
Out with the winter decorations and in with the summer ones.
Geocaching
The game where you are the search engine.
I first heard about geocaching when an editor assigned me an article about geocaching on horseback. I had no idea what it was but I accepted the assignment anyway. Contrary to popular advice, most writers don't "write what they know". There's more opportunities to "write what you don't know".
The first thing I did was find the online community www.geocaching.com and learn more about it. To put it simply, geocaching is a treasure hunt using a GPS (global positioning system) to find the hidden treasure. The hidden treasure are usually dollar store type trinkets that people trade and they are usually contained within watertight containers, such as tupperpare or similar plastic containers. Some caches are micros, meaning there is usually no room for tradeables, only a log book to log your find. After you come home, sign back onto the geocaching website and log your find there too.
This is a game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is relatively inexpensive once the initial purchase of a handhelf GPS is made. A decent GPS costs around $200, and they go up in price from there. A basic GPS costs $100, and of course used units can be found for all prices. In fact the geocaching website's forums have a garage sale topic where cachers can sell their old units. And then of course, there's gas for your car to drive you to the different locations. Oh and of course a computer and Internet service to access the geocaching website. As for tradeables, that's up to the cacher. Some people leave nothing and take nothing. They're only there for te thrill of the search and to log their finds. Some caches have a theme and request tradeables to stick with the theme, such as toy cars, key chains, or dog toys.
So where are the caches hidden? Usually in parks. Its better to hide caches in areas where you can search and record your finds and be relatively hidden from prying eyes. Stealth is required so "muggles" people who are not involved in geocaching don't see you and give them the opportunity to swoop in and steal the cache. Yes, sometimes caches do go missing. Other caches are hidden in wide open spaces, such as parking lots. Look around the next parking lot you drive to. Possibilities are endless: under bushes, beneath rocks, a magnetic key holder can be attached to the bottom of a bench.....
Who hides the caches? Other geocachers. Its part of giving back to the game. Creating new caches for fellow geocachers to search. There are rules of course. There are places due to safety that caches can't be hidden. They also can't be hidden within 600 feet of another cache.
There are dozens of caches hidden around Surrey, including a couple of dozen in and around Cloverdale. They all have varying degrees of difficulty based on the terrain and how well hidden the cache is.
Geocaching brings people out to areas they might not otherwise go to. I've discovered all kinds of pretty parks and unique neighborhoods.
But the real thrill is the find. GPS units bring you to the general area, but based on satellite alignment of the GPS you're using and the GPS the person who hid the cache, you can arrive anywhere from 4 feet to 20 feet from where the cache is hidden. Some people don't use GPS units. Based on satellite imaging and map directions, some geocachers can get to the location and start their search. This usually works best on easy caches! With new technology some cell phones have a built in GPS.
Then there's the keeners. These are geocachers who have premium memberships and are emailed immediately when the website reviewer has approved and pupblished a new cache. These people want the glory of being the "first to find". I'm talking the early morning hours when most people are sleeping. Some of these people dash out within minutes of the new cache being published and log their finds at two in the morning. Must be really annoying to the second to find who shows up half an hour later!
If you're looking for a new way to enjoy getting out for an afternoon with friends and family, give geocaching a try and soon you'll be hooked.
I first heard about geocaching when an editor assigned me an article about geocaching on horseback. I had no idea what it was but I accepted the assignment anyway. Contrary to popular advice, most writers don't "write what they know". There's more opportunities to "write what you don't know".
The first thing I did was find the online community www.geocaching.com and learn more about it. To put it simply, geocaching is a treasure hunt using a GPS (global positioning system) to find the hidden treasure. The hidden treasure are usually dollar store type trinkets that people trade and they are usually contained within watertight containers, such as tupperpare or similar plastic containers. Some caches are micros, meaning there is usually no room for tradeables, only a log book to log your find. After you come home, sign back onto the geocaching website and log your find there too.
This is a game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is relatively inexpensive once the initial purchase of a handhelf GPS is made. A decent GPS costs around $200, and they go up in price from there. A basic GPS costs $100, and of course used units can be found for all prices. In fact the geocaching website's forums have a garage sale topic where cachers can sell their old units. And then of course, there's gas for your car to drive you to the different locations. Oh and of course a computer and Internet service to access the geocaching website. As for tradeables, that's up to the cacher. Some people leave nothing and take nothing. They're only there for te thrill of the search and to log their finds. Some caches have a theme and request tradeables to stick with the theme, such as toy cars, key chains, or dog toys.
So where are the caches hidden? Usually in parks. Its better to hide caches in areas where you can search and record your finds and be relatively hidden from prying eyes. Stealth is required so "muggles" people who are not involved in geocaching don't see you and give them the opportunity to swoop in and steal the cache. Yes, sometimes caches do go missing. Other caches are hidden in wide open spaces, such as parking lots. Look around the next parking lot you drive to. Possibilities are endless: under bushes, beneath rocks, a magnetic key holder can be attached to the bottom of a bench.....
Who hides the caches? Other geocachers. Its part of giving back to the game. Creating new caches for fellow geocachers to search. There are rules of course. There are places due to safety that caches can't be hidden. They also can't be hidden within 600 feet of another cache.
There are dozens of caches hidden around Surrey, including a couple of dozen in and around Cloverdale. They all have varying degrees of difficulty based on the terrain and how well hidden the cache is.
Geocaching brings people out to areas they might not otherwise go to. I've discovered all kinds of pretty parks and unique neighborhoods.
But the real thrill is the find. GPS units bring you to the general area, but based on satellite alignment of the GPS you're using and the GPS the person who hid the cache, you can arrive anywhere from 4 feet to 20 feet from where the cache is hidden. Some people don't use GPS units. Based on satellite imaging and map directions, some geocachers can get to the location and start their search. This usually works best on easy caches! With new technology some cell phones have a built in GPS.
Then there's the keeners. These are geocachers who have premium memberships and are emailed immediately when the website reviewer has approved and pupblished a new cache. These people want the glory of being the "first to find". I'm talking the early morning hours when most people are sleeping. Some of these people dash out within minutes of the new cache being published and log their finds at two in the morning. Must be really annoying to the second to find who shows up half an hour later!
If you're looking for a new way to enjoy getting out for an afternoon with friends and family, give geocaching a try and soon you'll be hooked.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Playing at the Clova from March 5 - March 11 2010
Playing this week at the Clova Theatre in Cloverdale, starting on Friday March 5 is:
7pm - The Book of Eli
9:15pm - The Lovely Bones
Last show lets out at 11:25pm. Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies. Tuesday nights is $4. Times may vary. The staff at the Clova don't start the movies until the customers have finished their concession purchases.
7pm - The Book of Eli
9:15pm - The Lovely Bones
Last show lets out at 11:25pm. Admission is $7, stay for one or both movies. Tuesday nights is $4. Times may vary. The staff at the Clova don't start the movies until the customers have finished their concession purchases.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Finally planted the raspberries
At the end of last summer Potter's nurseries was having a 50% off sale. We went and bought some everbearing raspberry plants that were regularly priced $13 - $15. I got 7 plants, I think 3 different varieties. I thought they were a little overpriced but at 50% off a bit more reasonable. Last spring I had stopped in to a wholesale nursery in Langley on 16th Avenue just past 224th Street and they were selling everbearing raspberries for $6 each but we weren't ready for them yet.
Actually we weren't ready for the raspberries we bought at Potter's either and they spent the winter in our back yard in the pots they came in.
However we finally have built a raised garden next to my rhubarb patch and planted the raspberries.
What really ticks me off is 2 days ago we were down at Port Kells Nurseries on 88th Avenue near 188th Street and I saw a lot of everbearing raspberry plants priced at $3.99. Too bad I didn't go there. This is a nice nursery we've gone to in the past when we lived in Dogwood Gardens and had planters on our sidewalk. Port Kells Nursery will take your planter boxes, fill them with bedding plants, and call you when they're ready. If you've ever been to White Rock during the summer and noticed the moss hanging baskets down Johnston Road, Port Kells Nursery does them, too.
They have a lot of fruit trees right now, going for around $30, or just under. I think we'll be returning for a plum tree to add to our small orchard because Kerry really likes plums.
If you haven't been to there nursery in awhile stop by one day when you're out for a drive. Our main reason for stopping in was to buy sod because we had to put down a small area of turf at a customer's house. They really offer a lot of different things from gift shop items to farm fresh eggs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)