Conference kaosws::canada

	oh, and also, car hire.

	Does Digital have agreements with AVIS in Canada, and is showing a badge
	and passport enough to get the discount?

	What sort of discount(if any) is there, and what can I expect to pay
	for car-hire?

	Thanks

Heather,

	The Kanata Travel department claims that the corporate rate
afforded to Digital for a car hired in the Toronto area is CA$32.50
per day (unlimited kilometers), for a compact car (Ford Escort). Gen-
erally, a badge is good enough and charging the bill on your business
Amex card is a good idea also.

	As for changes in Toronto in the last 5-8 years, the most
significant would be the Skydome (next to the CN tower).  If you get
terrifically excited over 'rounders', then you may wish to watch
a Toronto Blue Jays baseball game under the 'dome.  Other than that
the best information is provided by the Automobile Association public-
ation, 'Essential Toronto'.  You should be able to get a copy from AA
before you leave, but if not I can post one to you or I can drop off
my copy when I arrive in the UK in May.

Cheers,

Pat

	Thanks for the info Pat, I'm a member of the AA, so I'll see if I
	can get the "essential Toronto" here, I'll also remember to take
	my business Amex.

	I've never watched much "rounders", however, there is a first time for
	everything!

	Will you be in the Reading area in May?

	Thanks,
	Heather

There's no need to charge to your business AMEX, since DEC's agreements with
AVIS specifically apply to both business and personal travel.

I've never had to show any sort of DEC identification when renting a car from
AVIS as long as I specified the DEC discount number (see VTX ORANGEBOOK) when
making the reservation.

/john

    Beware, DEC Canada has a DIFFERENT AWD (Discount) # from the corporate
    one specified in VTX ...  It certainly WAS a little more generous than
    the corporate # during 1990, and still included free CDW and on
    personal rentals, where the corporate one didn't.  Also, the rates
    were a little better than those specified in corporate.
    
    Toronto, even over the last 8 years has changed ... there is the
    SKYDOME ... a multi million dollar monstrosity next to the CN Tower
    where the Toronto Blue Jays now play baseball, and the consortium that
    owns it cannot even meet the interest payments on the loans taken out
    to build it ... it's cost, like most other buildings skyrocketed out
    of all proportion.
    
    The suburbs are growing at a crazy rate ... new houses everywhere.
    
    July certainly should be HOT ... whether it will be sunny depends on
    too many factors ... but you should see some sun!
    
    Stuart

    The AWD # for Canada is A/A 126280.
    
    -Gerry

	<<Will you be in the Reading area in May?

Heather, yes I will be in the Reading area towards the end of May
and the beginning of June.

Possibly a pint at the local?

Arra best,

Pat

    Is this the Heather Thomas who many of us loved to watch in the old TV
    show "Fall Guy".  
    
    :-)
    pete

	You mean I'm so famous that an actress has taken my name??????? 


	Pat, when you're here give me a bell, and I'll introduce you to a pint 
	or so in our local. 830-4970.

	Before June 9th though, 'cause that's when we'll be travelling to 
	Toronto. (I had sticky fingers in the base note, fancy confusing June 
	with July!!!)

	Thanks for all the info,

	Heather

I'll take you up on that Heather!  I should be in the area around
4-8 June (I have to meet my brothers at Heathrow on the 9th).

What is the non-DTN number at your place of work, as I doubt that
I will be anywhere near a DTN telephone.

Pat

    Of course, what Heather is really coming to Canada for is to tell
    you how marvellous the GST is - in fact, the best thing to happen
    since the U.K. poll tax.
    
    Tony

	Phone number is Reading (0734 if you're outside of Reading), 
	then 85, then my extension:

	0734 854970      (I've sent you a mail)


>    Of course, what Heather is really coming to Canada for is to tell
>    you how marvellous the GST is - in fact, the best thing to happen
>    since the U.K. poll tax.
 
	Now Tony, no ratholing please, I dispute that anything is better than
	the poll tax (community charge)


	Heather

    re .12
    
    Heather,
    I did not say you would think that the GST was better than the Poll
    Tax, but that you might think it the best thing _since_ the Poll
    Tax.
    After all, it is an unpopular, regressive tax introduced by a
    Conservative government, so I would imagine you would have no
    difficulty telling Canadians how lucky they are to have it.
    
    Tony

    
>    Heather,
>    I did not say you would think that the GST was better than the Poll
>    Tax, but that you might think it the best thing _since_ the Poll
>    Tax.


	Yes, I know, but I still don't see how anything could be better.

>    After all, it is an unpopular, regressive tax introduced by a
>    Conservative government, so I would imagine you would have no
>    difficulty telling Canadians how lucky they are to have it.
    
 
	It's Okay, I'll let the Canadians make up their own minds about how they
	are asked to fund their local or central governments.

	enough rathole?

	Heather

    Well done Heather ... don't let these guys rat-hole you ... It's
    their favourite hobby in this file ... I'm surprised they haven't
    asked you to compare the plan for the Grand Canal with the Severn-
    Trent waterway or something !
    
    Stuart
    

    Stuart is becoming a convert!
    
    The GRAND CANAL lives!
    
    Jean
    

    I think the Grand Canal should be moved to the Arabian desert, so it
    can be bombed!
    
    The day I become a convert to whirley twirlies, Grand Canal support,
    or think Ultrix is the best thing since sliced bread will be the
    end of the world as we know it.
    
    Stuart

    re .14
    
    Heather is still evading the question: Is Canadian GST the best thing
    to happen since the Poll Tax?
    
    Tony

    
>    Heather is still evading the question: Is Canadian GST the best thing
>    to happen since the Poll Tax?
 

	I really wouldn't think so, just 'cause the Poll Tax is so good,
	However, I don't know much about GST, so if any Canadian thinks it is
	better, then I bow to their superior knowledge.


	Is that enough rathole yet?????       

	
	And back to the base note................	


	The air tickets are booked and deposit paid, the car is booked into 
	Gatwick, the cats are booked into the cattery.

	My brother has said he's looking forward to seeing me - and may have 
	moved house by June.   :-)


	I haven't stopped the milk yet.	

	
	Heather

    re .19
    
    If the GST isn't the best thing to happen since the Poll Tax, what is?
    The Gulf War?
    
    Tony

	When I was looking for flights to Toronto, I checked out the scheduled
	flights, and even discount ones came in at �500 each.

	So, I booked a charter flight for �280 each, I really didn't think it 
	was worth �1000 instead of �560 for the two of us to go scheduled 
	rather than charter, even if the sheduled from Heathrow was much more 
	convenient than the chartered from Gatwick.

	Today I get a call from the travel agent - because of the drop in 
	bookings, the charter flight from Gatwick had been cancelled, and they 
	offered me Scheduled from Heathrow with British Airways - with no extra
	charge.

	I went along and signed straight away.

	It's my lucky day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

	Heather

    Welcome to the world of weird air-fares ....
    
    This kind of thing happens all the time ... some airlines will
    provide what they sometimes call charter-class fares ... to help
    fill up planes or in competition with other carriers.
    
    Last time we flew to England, to get a scheduled carrier, we picked
    up flights on KLM via Amsterdam that were as cheap as the charter
    carriers flying direct.
    
    Stuart

I picked up tickets for Toronto to Dublin (CA$270) and Heathrow to
Toronto (CA$290) plus CA$40 Canadian departure tax, for a grand total
of CA$600 (�260).  Had I decided not to see Ireland I could have
paid CA$490 (�213) return, Toronto-Heathrow.

In 1968, my wife and I flew to Europe for our honeymoon, the cost then
was CA$600 each Montreal-Heathrow return.  Looks to me like air travel 
is a real bargain nowadays!

Heather, don't forget to go to the Fox and Firkin Pub at 61 Eglinton Ave.
East.  You can take the northbound (use your astrolabe) subway (underground)
to Eglinton station and just walk across the street.

Pat (58 days to go)

>In 1968, my wife and I flew to Europe for our honeymoon, the cost then
    
    Your old !  bet you were even around when they started the western
    direction of the Grand Canal from Calabogie ...
    
    /T

	Fox and whatsit it is............must get a T-shirt whilst we're there.


	Yup, airfares Toronto/Heathrow rtn. are much cheaper than Heathrow/
	Toronto rtn................but thats always been the case.

	Todays prices do look cheap - recession + the gulf war heebie geebies
	have seen to that - you've got a good deal! 


	Heather   -  I haven't worked out the days, but I've paid the remainder
		     of the pcost today.

	Another question for you..............


	We have decided we would like to hire a cottage for a week, my hubby 
	says "not quite in local cottage country, but a bit further North"
	whatever that means.

	So, are there any phone numbers/addresses/names of companies that
	let cottages, so I can phone them up and book something?
	

	Thanks in advance,

	Heather.

	PS, He's keen on coarse fishing

    hmmm,"not quite in local cottage country, but a bit further North"
    
    local cottage country extends for about a 3 hour drive in all
    directions, but south. even farther if you head straight north.
    
    What exactly is he looking to do ? Commune with the 'skeeters ?
    
    Scooter

I'll bring in my Ontario guide to cottages for rent tomorrow and 
post a sampling here.

BTW, Scooter's reference to 'skeeters should be taken seriously,
mosquitoes are a very serious annoyance in the cottage region.

Mr. Frozen Road Apple (8 days to go)

	Oh no, mossies............

	We'll be there in June, when's the mossie season.

	I'll have to go and get some jungle repellant.

	Heather

I've some good news and some bad news about the mosquitoes.

The bad news is that the mosquito season lasts from about mid-May
to about the first week in September with varying degrees of intensity
throughout the summer.

The good news is that there is a product on the market that repels
the little stingers without removing skin and without the smell of a
toxic waste zone.  I believe it's called 'Skintastic' by Johnson & 
Johnson and you can get it in any drugstore (chemists, for people on
the world's largest aircraft carrier) in Canada.

I wish I had used it two weeks ago, I'm still scratching my black fly
and mosquito bites!

    I have got a magic little gizmo that deals with the problems of
    mozzies, at least in Greece. It is a little plug which has a
    'hotplate', onto which you place a little blue tablet. This gives
    of an odourless vapour, which prevents the mozzies from flying.
    
    Is there no equivalent in Canada ?
    
    Regards,
    Wayne

    <<I have got a magic little gizmo that deals with the problems of
    <<mozzies, at least in Greece. It is a little plug which has a
    <<'hotplate', onto which you place a little blue tablet. This gives
    <<of an odourless vapour, which prevents the mozzies from flying.
    
The cheapest and also very effective for interior use are the pest-strips,
e.g. Vapona.  However, these and the gizmo (which was available in Canada
some time ago) are ineffective outdoors where the mosquitoes are.

During my sojourn with the Canadian Department of National Defence a few
years back, I had occasion to be part of a 4 year study of mosquito
repellents.  These included all of the commercial oils, creams, sprays,
strips as well as some electronic devices.  The only effective repellents
were those containing the ingredient called 'deet', and a skin lotion
called 'Skin-so-Soft' made by Avon.  I've been using the Johnson & Johnson
product, 'Skintastic', which is a non-oily cream.  Even after a full day
of working in the yard (1 acre of part-bush, part-lawn), the stuff was
still repelling mosquitoes and black flies with only the one application!

Unfortunately, when we have guests over to our pool we have to contend
with the insects unless all of us have used a repellent which will then
come off whilst swimming.  That's when I'm forced to use chemical war-
fare.  The insecticide fogger does an excellent job for a period of up
to four days with one application.

For really horrid bug situations, I use napalm.  One application per year
does wonders and the BBQ is free.


Mr. Frozen Road Apple

Nope.

Best repellent by far is...(ready for this?)

absolutely nothing!

After years of trying creams, lotions, stink bombs, bug zappers, garlic, etc.
I came to the conclusion that letting them bite is the best thing.

The bites aren't painful, right?, so no problem there.

As far as the itching goes, use enough Dry Beer to make you forget how to 
even spell "itch", let alone feel it.

Then, after a couple of weeks, one becomes immune and the mosquitoes land on
you and sniff around looking for a good place, then give up and take off!!

HTH,

rick

	Rick,

	Yeah, I found that too. After working in some of the worst
	'skitter and black fly country around (northern Quebec) I found
	that repellants were of no use and stopped using them.

	As you mentioned, after a few weeks, the flys seemed to lose
	interest and only attack those who wore the repellant.

	Strange, but true.

	Charlie

    What about the Grand Canal?

    
    Is it possible, do you think, that an individual can have a certain
    level 'built in' repellant ?
    
    The reason I ask is, I have noticed that when we go abroad (Germany
    Greece etc) for holidays, I get bit maybe once or twice, whilst
    everyone else seems to be covered in bites.
    
    Wayne

	<<So, are there any phone numbers/addresses/names of companies that
	<<let cottages, so I can phone them up and book something?
	
	<<PS, He's keen on coarse fishing

	Heather, and anyone else who might be interested in renting a cottage,
	refer to NOTE #313.4 for the requested information.  By the way, Dave
	will love Lake Kawagama for its fishing.  The name is Algonqin for 
	'hollow lake', it's very deep!  Thus, one can catch very large trout,
	muskie, and Great Northern pike.  You can even canoe, with a few
	portages, into Algonquin Provincial Park from the east end of the
	lake.


	Cheers,

	Pat

	

    Wayne,

I also have fewer bites than others, I've noticed.

Guess there must be certain types of skin they won't go for, but for sure 
any perfume, after-shave, BO-type odours get them going just like most 
animals.

If all else fails, fart at them.

HTH,

rick

<<If all else fails, fart at them.

Farting in their general direction induces swarming towards the offending
orifice, and is strongly discouraged by well known 'smart fellers' [sic].


Mr. Frozen Road Apple

>    What about the Grand Canal?

	I mentioned this to a friend, he simple asked about your
	brain,

	I said, "What brain?"

	He asked, "What Grand canal?"

	[Tales from a steamy compost heap]
	

	For indoors, I have one of those gizzmos, and will take it with me.

	Even little mossies tend to make a bee-line (!) for me. The little knats
	that gather in the summer weather here make my life a misery. And when
	I think that I've eventually put enough deterrent on - they aim for the
	parting on my hair, and get my scalp!

	I've put in an order for Skintastic with my brother, it should be 
	waiting for me when I arrive (or my little brother will get earache!)	

	Thanks for all the info,
	Heather