Canadiana Backpackers Blog

Davey Jules is a physician. A plastic surgeon actually. But he’s not the kind who “technically augments” rich housewives who are dissatisfied with what God gave them.

He specializes in correcting childhood deformities (Hare Lips, etc.)

We first met Davey a few years ago when he was in Toronto doing research at the Hospital For Sick Children which is a world-class institution.

Davey has a lot of talents. He has just written and illustrated a book on micro-suturing techniques! and he’s currently working on an Anatomy Text Book. How cool is that?

But his most entertaining talent is he can hypnotize people! An eccentric Uncle taught him when he was young and he worked his way through Med. School putting on shows!

He puts a group of willing subjects into a trace. The result: Hilarious!

He’s due to arrive in Toronto any day now and we are going to try to inveigle him into putting on another show for the guests.

He’s currently working in Honolulu but plans to move back to New York State. Loiving in Paradise is one thing. But once a New Yorker always a New Yorker!

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Hardy has been a regular visitor to our hostel for the past 5 years. Hardy is a German National who has made New Zealand his home for close to three decades.

As a result, his English is flawless (if you are generous enough to consider a Kiwi accent, flawless.)

His trips to Toronto (from Nelson, NZ) are to take advanced courses in creative writing at the University of Toronto.

Keep in mind that Hardy did not learn to speak English until his late teens! Today, he writes good fiction in English and has even won a few awards along the way.

He’s planning to arrive here around October. It will be so good to see him again!

In the wniter of 2007, we had an Aussie working the night shift. Rick hailed from Perth and was traveling on a working/holiday visa.

He left us in the summer to work at a camp for kids in Northern Ontario. He really enjoys out-of-doors pursuits.

Rick returned to Oz booking the most inexpensive route he could find. It turned out to be false economy because the journey home to Western Oz took almost four whole days!

Once he got back, he discovered, to his dismay, that the world-wide economic downturn severely limited his employment prospects.

He in the east now, near Melbourne, but the job still isn’t his cup of tea!

He has just received an offer to return to Canada to work at the camp in Orillia Ontario north of Toronto. He worked there last summer and loved the place.  He jumped at the chance.

He is still waiting for the Canadian High Commission to issue him with a working visa and he will be returning on the first available flight.

He said he will make it a point to stay at the hostel for, at least a night, before heading north. He wants to catch up with his old friends.

Canada is a pretty good fit for Rick. He learned to love Tim Horton’s coffee (yuck!) and got hooked on Poutine! ( if you don’t know what it is, don’t ask!)

Let us know your flight number Rick! We’ll meet you at the airport!

When lovely Paoula first opened her mouth at the hostel, we mistook her for a native English speaker. You must listen very carefully to detect just the hint of an accent.

She has come to “improve her English skills”. She’s a Level Seven Student (I believe the most advanced standard offered by the language school).

She’s only eighteen but already possesses first-rate communications skills in a second language. The advanced course she is now taking can only solidify her future working prospects.

When you meet her, you just know, that this lovely young lady is going to go a long way!

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Vivi and Marie are language students. Vivi is from Venezuela and Marie from France. They both arrived in Toronto in January for an English immersion course.

We have a lot of Spanish speaking students from Latin America; French speaking students; Japanese students etc.

There is a tendency for students to congregate into groups with “ethnic similarities” an spend virtuallyALL of their time speaking their native language and, as a result, learning very little English!

Not so with Vivi and Marie. They were fortunate to be paired as roommates on their arrival. With no language in common, they were forced to communicate in English.

As a result, both girls have shown marked improvement in their English skills. THey have also become fast friends.

Marie’s course is ending after six-months study and she is returning to France. Vivi will be here for two more months.

When Marie left for home yesterday, she was accompanied by Vivi who is spending ten days vacation in Marie’s home town in France. Likely another lifelong friendship forged at the Canadiana Backpackers.

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Vivi and Marie

They say that once you have been to Africa, you will always return.

Roughly speaking, travelers to Africa can be divided into two groups: Those who have returned (at least once); and those who long to.

This is particularly true of the Sub Saharan region below the Congo and includes the East African littoral.

Brett is a young recent University graduate from Johannesburg, South Africa who has come here on a working/holiday visa.

Brett is a member of the only “White Tribe of Africa”. He is a Boer or Afrikaner.

They have been a part of Africa since the 17th Century and all memory of their European roots has been lost and many are as distant as fifteen generations past.

Brett studied Journalism and it likely a wise choice of careers given the fact that he has no plans to leave his homeland permanently.

Unfortunately, his homeland is in a state of turmoil and it will be important to document the direction it takes as it enters the 21st Century.

It is a place of seemingly limitless potential. We can only hope that South Africa (already a G20 member nation) does not squander its’ golden opportunity.

There is one “tour” out of Toronto that is a virtual “must see” for Backpackers.

Niagara Falls.

Our Toronto hostel was once served by three tour companies – Magic Bus; Moose Travel and JoJo Tours.

JoJo Tours was well-known as the smallest, most intimate. most personal and most informative of all of the tours.

When the owner (Davia) retired last year after a decade of leading Niagara excursions, it was the end of the 14 seater van excursions.

Now the only choices were the larger tour buses of the Magic or Moose companies.

Davia’s friendly and intimate tours were a thing of the past – and it was a trip that was sorely missed.

Which brings up Carmen!

He is the proprietor of the “Salty Bear” travel company. It is the well-known operator of the Eastern Canada, Maritime tours.

Carmen approached Davia to learn about how she conducted her trips and was given lessons in how to provide a first-rate Niagara experience.

Davia’s tour was always known to be top drawer. Our thinking is if it isn’t broken don’t try to fix it!

The small van allows entry intio the beautiful and historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake for lunch in their quaint and quality restaurants, something the larger tour buses are prevented from doing.

On this tour, we GUARARANTEE  the best Niagara tour available!