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Post by bet on Oct 13, 2016 16:15:15 GMT
Hi Bet, I spoke to my travel agent today, and she advised that Trafalgar does not offer the gold seal protection insurance in Canada. She did tell me about an insurance policy that they offer that allows people to cancel up to 24 hours prior to leaving for the trip for any reason, and get 75% back. Even with a pre-existing condition, I would still qualify. She wasn’t sure how much it would cost, and the price depends on the person’s age and the length of trip, etc. She would have to price it out for me when I’m ready to book my trips. I have a feeling that it will be expensive, but, going forward, I may have to pay extra for this type of insurance, given my health issues and treatment schedule. Looks like there's different options for different countries and appears Trafalgar in Canada are a bit more customer friendly than in Australia, which doesn't surprise me. I wish I had taken out the gold seal insurance when I cancelled my Trafalgar Switzerland & Austria tour and booked with Insight as I lost more than my deposit, despite cancelling 5 months ahead of time. They have a thing in the T&C's where they state they can charge other fees above the standard fees like the lost of deposit. I think it's just a way to rip customers off where they can and expect that they will return and wonder why when they don't. I decided to judge them on the Costsaver tour I did which was very good however their German Christmas Market tour was less than impressive.
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Post by purvis on Oct 13, 2016 20:21:42 GMT
Chech: Just read your first installment which explained the ship and the routine. Am looking forward to the rest of your tour tale. Purvis
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Post by tiffany on Oct 14, 2016 11:50:32 GMT
I just finished reading the first two days Chech, and so far, this sounds like an interesting tour. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of your tale.
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Post by chech on Oct 14, 2016 18:14:23 GMT
Kugluktuk is up. Let me know if you see any typos.
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Post by chech on Oct 15, 2016 12:08:05 GMT
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Post by purvis on Oct 15, 2016 14:32:31 GMT
Chech: Just finished Anderson Bay. I must say I'm enjoying your tour tale a lot but also very thankful that you did this trip and not me as I hate the cold weather. (living here in the Edmonton area is enough for me). Looking forward to reading your next installment. Purvis
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Post by chech on Oct 16, 2016 12:08:42 GMT
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Post by purvis on Oct 16, 2016 14:54:55 GMT
Chech: Interesting to hear that the Franklin sailors could possibly have died due to lead poisoning and that lead poisoning may have hindered their decision making process Must say once again that I'm glad you did this tour and not me. I would find it a wee bit scary especially with the anchor slamming into the side of the ship during the nite. Looking forward to reading the rest of your tour tale. Purvis
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Post by chech on Oct 16, 2016 16:05:27 GMT
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Post by purvis on Oct 17, 2016 3:04:32 GMT
Chech: You and your traveling companions are walking through Canadian History . How exciting. Purvis
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Post by chech on Oct 17, 2016 12:12:37 GMT
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Post by chech on Oct 17, 2016 18:04:09 GMT
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Post by purvis on Oct 17, 2016 22:53:11 GMT
Chech: any idea where the people in Arctic Bay earn their money with which to pay such horrible prices for food or are they subsidized by the government as our lower mainland indians on reserves are. The children look well dressed and ATVs are not cheap. Purvis
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Post by Tulips on Oct 18, 2016 0:44:09 GMT
Chech, your trip sounds fascinating. Was Silken Laumann really on board?
Internet was was not cheap. I know you don't drink, but did you happen to see what those prices were like?
Cant wait to read more.
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Post by chech on Oct 18, 2016 14:06:15 GMT
Canada has similar treaty obligations to the Inuit as it does to southern indigenous peoples, and like them, the Inuit are finding what they call "own source revenue." Until recently, indigenous peoples were not permitted to generate their own revenue so they had no choice but to rely on government funding which is payment for the land and resources that were, essentially, stolen from the indigenous population. The Inuit have another important role - they enforce our sovereignty over the northern islands which is becoming more important given the rapidly warming climate. In the north, they had a belief that one could not harm the land but given that they do permit using wildlife for their own survival, they now view mining as the land providing for their survival as well. A lot of mining prospects are being developed. A mine used to be near Arctic Bay but was recently closed. The town now relies on tourism and some likely work at the mine in Pond Inlet as well. Fishing, sealing and hunting is common in all Arctic communities. The prices are reflected in the wages as well. They make more money at these jobs which is why so many from the south go north to make money. Art is also a major source of income for some communities like Cape Dorset which is world-renowned for its art. The pieces that were for sale on the ship were in the hundreds and thousands of dollars. And yes, Silken Laumann was aboard. That was her in the photo. Here she is as a member of the Group of Seven on theme night. We also had a Diane Lang and Glen Miller aboard...but they were imposters. LOL And two women whose last names were Eastwood...no relation. They were 88 and 90 years old and some of us had problems keeping up with them. I didn't notice any liquor in the store. The community may have been dry or it was dispensed in another part of the store. It was Sunday, so it may have been off limits as it was in Greenland.
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Post by chech on Oct 18, 2016 14:20:22 GMT
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Post by chech on Oct 19, 2016 11:49:27 GMT
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Post by chech on Oct 20, 2016 11:01:06 GMT
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Post by californian on Oct 20, 2016 20:18:54 GMT
Wow, it seems I have a lot reading to do!! Going in now....
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Post by chech on Oct 21, 2016 10:43:51 GMT
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Post by purvis on Oct 21, 2016 16:32:04 GMT
Chech: Icebergs and the word "Titanic" come to my mind. I'm glad you enjoyed your NWP tour but I'm afraid I would have been frightened most of the time. I can swim but doubt that I would last in the chilly waters of the NWP. Happy to read your tour tale from the comforts of my home. Purvis
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Post by tiffany on Oct 21, 2016 17:33:53 GMT
I’ve only read the first three days, and I’m hoping to get caught up this weekend!
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Post by chech on Oct 22, 2016 11:35:37 GMT
There was nothing to fear from the bergs. The ship was ice-hardened so it can handle the small stuff no problem (they avoid it because it can dent the hull) and the larger bergs show up on their radar. One tidbit about the Titanic. After it was discovered, they didn't find the damage from an iceberg. They only found the plates were popped....like morse code down the side of the ship. This led them to conclude it had actually hit pack ice. The berg sited from the crowsnest by the two lookouts was a well known optical illusion that is common on calm seas and clear moonless nights. Like a mirage, it elongates physical objects on the horizon so the pack ice looked like a flat berg. The plates on the hull had been adhered by inferior rivets which couldn't handle more than 15,000 lbs of pressure. Pack ice struck at the Titanic's speed exerts about 19,000 lbs. That popped the plates and allowed the water to enter slowly. This is why it went down by the head over a couple hours. Had it hit a berg, it would exerted millions of lbs of pressure. It would be like hitting rock. Just like the Costa Concordia, there would have been a gash on the side and it would have capsized in a matter of minutes like the Costa did. The gash was what they were expecting to find given what the two lookouts had reported but it wasn't there. Granted....one can never fight what has become legend and a part of pop culture.
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Post by chech on Oct 22, 2016 11:42:48 GMT
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Post by purvis on Oct 22, 2016 18:12:15 GMT
Chech: Never heard the updated version of why the Titanic went down. Very interesting and as you say old myths die hard. Purvis
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Post by purvis on Oct 22, 2016 19:44:14 GMT
Wonderful pictures of the bergs especially with the sun setting. Purvis
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Post by 1jhwks on Oct 23, 2016 0:28:36 GMT
Awesome pics!!
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Post by chech on Oct 23, 2016 0:45:11 GMT
Thanks. The sun really made a difference!
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Post by chech on Oct 23, 2016 10:48:10 GMT
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Post by Boop on Oct 23, 2016 17:12:07 GMT
What an excellent tale Chech!! I do believe it is your best one yet, a very, very enjoyable read coupled with spectacular photos and videos....awesome!! Did you have to pay tax/es on the sealskin gloves?
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