How much does playing mas in Trinidad cost? Carnival in Trinidad is EXPENSIVE … don’t doubt that!

 1 - All Trinidad Posts, 2 - All Tobago Posts, 2012, Canada  No Responses »
Mar 012012
 

With the post Carnival cool down over, it’s back to real life and figuring out the bills. The number 2 question, I’ve  gotten from readers is how much should I budget for my Trinidad Carnival plans?

Here is a detailed cost breakdown for Carnival 2012. I’ve included all Carnival and touring related costs. I recognize that this cost breakdown will differ depending on your own experience, but this is a rough average for any foreigner who can organize their own accommodation and transportation. If you’re looking for a packaged experience, expect to pay significantly more for everything.

Carnival 2012 Cost Breakdown

Overall costs are summarized below

As you can tell, playing mas in Trinidad is not a cheap event by any stretch of the imagination, especially if you’re going to fete and drink EVERY night while you’re there. Going to all inclusive fetes can get tiring by the end of a 7 day stretch since you’re going to see the same routines on stage, hear the same music and see about the same people, especially in the all inclusive fetes.

Disclaimers

My cost estimate should be fairly close for most foreigners assuming you’re

  • Without a friend’s or families’ place to stay and have to rent a house or find a hotel. (Adjust upwardly if you’re using a full service hotel)
  • Without a family or friend’s car to use
  • You’re coming from some part of the Western region of North America with a month’s advance booking for your flight
  • Partying all week – you can adjust your estimate using the detailed breakdown.

All in all … Carnival in Trinidad is EXPENSIVE … but completely worth it on your bucket list … unless you’re playing in Tribe (then you can really play in Brazil to get the same experience from a costume perspective … shitty, poorly made, Chinese sourced costumes but great organization and facilities)

Riding the Sulphur Mountain

 2012, Canada  No Responses »
Jan 032012
 

One thing I do love when playing Trini Tourist in any part of the world is riding a cable car/telespherique/gondola … pretty much any ride that goes up or down a mountain.

Past highlights include

So once you’re in Banff, this is another must see/do, especially if you’re blessed with sunny weather in winter. Sulphur Mountain is one of the most popular hiking trails to do in Banff during the summer – not that I would attempt hiking it, when there is a gondola to ride (and the hike is about 2hrs+ … I don’t have that time to kill. The good thing is that the gondola is available for those who want to go to the top of the mountain when the trails are not open or are unable to make the several hour climb on their own.

As for the cost and the schedule of the gondola … feel free to check out : Banff Gondola but here are the main facts for winter 2012/13

  • The one way ride is 8 mins long
  • $29+taxes for an adult return ticket (Going up and down the mountain)
  • Runs from 10am -4pm in winter
  • The Upper Gondola Terminal offers visitors a 360 degree view of the Bow Valley.
  • Budget about 1.5 and 2 hours for your sightseeing (or even more if you’re going to the walk the 1km trail from the Upper Terminal to the radio antennae

There is a popular rumor suggests that the employees at the gondola do not check tickets on the return trip down, implying that those who hike up can take the one way trip down for free. While I wouldn’t really test this theory without the single fare down, I’m sure that there are people who attempt and easily get away with this.

As for the views once you’re on the cable car … they’re as spectacular as expected going up.

Once you’re up the Upper Terminal, then you’re treated to some great vistas

As for seeing the Fairmont Banff Springs, there were three zoom views of the hotel …

Did I mention the close up of the Moraine Lake …

As for some video going up the mountains …

or the view while you’re up there

Also if you’re into other alpine activities and want to go skiing in Canada? Be sure to check out cheap flights to Vancouver and discover what Vancouver has to offer.

Getting from Banff to Lake Louise and back … with Morant’s Curve

 2012, Canada  No Responses »
Jan 022012
 

I often take living in Canada for granted. Only after seeing more and more of the country, am I amazed at how much there is to do there and what spectacular vistas and scenery we have.  Driving from Calgary to Banff is fairly uneventful, but only if you’re not impressed by snow capped mountains with the Canadian Rockies in the distance.

The driving video isn’t that exciting but at least you get a sense of the scenery that there is to be chewed

You drive past Canmore and then into Banff … but then the fun starts. There are two roads linking Banff to Lake Louise.

  1. The TransCanada Highway is the quicker route, more popular with through traffic. (Highway 1)
  2. The other is the more scenic 51-kilometer (32-mile) Bow Valley Parkway, which branches off the TransCanada Highway five kilometers (3.1 miles) west of Banff. (Highway 1A) 

Driving along the 1A is a lovely slow process, especially in the winter … and not because of the ice and slippery roads but really because how picturesque everything is.

It’s definitely a stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of slower driving route with incomparable views, and interpretive panels that explain the flora, fauna and history of the Canadian Rockies. In Trinidad, obviously we never see this type of stuff, nor do you hear the type of quiet associated with a cold frozen forest … it is lovely in so many ways!

 

Just more quiet with the sunlight and trees

Then you “stumble” upon Morant’s Curve.

This view is one made famous by Nicholas Morant, who photographed the Rockies extensively in the 1930′s and 40′s for the Canadian Pacific Railway. The high peaks of the Bow Range, and S-curve in the railway tracks, an eastbound train, and good light are the requirements for this classic photo stop. …

Here is the view looking east at Morant’s Curve

Here is the western view … which is the classic view

Morant’s Curve is one of the classic locations in North America to shoot trains, and we were determined to sit there until a train came, but in the end, it was just too cold for us.

Then it’s more quiet …

And maybe through all the quiet, you might stumble upon a friend

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