The Scenic Difference

Travel and Leisure

Ok, so this isn't an advertisement for Scenic river cruises. I’m not a travel advisor, nor am I affiliated with Scenic. But I have always been curious about Scenic river cruising, and so I thought I'd go check out the local Scenic river cruise seminar that was taking place here in Vancouver, and see what all the hubub was about. Having sailed on four different river cruises, I can tell you that the river cruise experience itself is pretty much the same regardless of who you go with. What does change however, are the little details that some of you may find worthwhile and/or worth the extra cost. So I jotted down some notes where I thought that Scenic offered something unique or different, perhaps versus the other middle tier operators. Having cruised with their little sister company, Emerald, I’ll try to compare and contrast the experience with them. It won't be my place to tell you if Scenic is the brand for you; that's up to you to decide.

It's all about luxury

Apparently the Scenic Founder and Chairman, Glen Moroney, was hearing from his land-based tour participants that they wanted more luxurious experiences. From what I saw today, you are taken care of from the moment you step out of the baggage claim area, until you are returned to that airport at the end of your trip. Judging by the seniority of the audience participants (late 70s to early 80s), it would seem that age has something to do with this requirement for river cruising i.e. this demographic of clientele appears to want to have someone accompanying and guiding them from start to finish. I learned that Scenic goes to great lengths to take the guesswork and planning out of travelling in Europe and making sure that their guests experience a minimum of pain and stress while on their vacation.

Scenic adds 2 days to the typical Danube route

This also seems to equate to longer river cruises with Scenic; where other providers offer cruises starting a 4 or 5 days, Scenic seems to have a starting point of around 8 days, pulling in frequently visited cities as pre- or post-cruise destinations and stopping more often to make longer itineraries. i.e. instead of having to coordinate your own pre- and post-cruise extensions, Scenic makes a point of including those from the get-go.

We do our own pre-cruise extensions

We normally like to establish our own agendas for European travel; e.g. the time we went on an Emerald river cruise, we arranged our own self-guided, 8-night trip through Croatia and met our ship in Budapest. We feel that doing our own pre- or post-cruise extensions not only allows us to tailor things exactly to what we want to do, but also is far less expensive than doing it with the river cruise operator.

Anyhow, back to the Scenic differences; in no order of priority, here are the things that I noted that would appear to differentiate Scenic from Emerald and other middle-tier operators.

Butler service

I have a hard time wrapping my head around this, so I had to Google what a butler does on a river cruise; I came up with this website if you care to read. Having been on four river cruises, I have never had need for these services, but maybe you do. There was that time on our Emerald cruise, where we got poured on while using the bicycles in Budapest, and so we used up all of our towels trying to dry out. But a simple call to the front desk had our housekeeper dropping off fresh ones moments later. I find that part of the fun of being on such a small ship, is walking down the hall to the bar to grab some ice, and having a friendly chat with the bartender. However, if you like staying in your room and are not particularly excited about running down to grab an espresso in your terry towel robe and slippers, then perhaps butler service is something you are willing to pay for.

Staterooms and suite choices

Having not been on any European Scenic ships, I can't say just how much more luxurious their staterooms are, but from the videos, they seem to be like the Emerald ones, but larger. Specifically, where the Emerald Panorama Balcony rooms are contained within a rectangle, the Scenic ones have the bathroom off to the side. As such, Private Balcony Suites start at 205 sq. ft. and go up to 225 in the Deluxe one (vs. Emerald's Panorama Balcony Suite at 165 sq. ft.). I don't like how they have a divider or curtain that separates the "balcony" area from the rest of the room, as it would seem to just get in the way and offer little value. The extra room in the bathroom would definitely be a bonus, and one of the things we'd look for when choosing rooms on any river cruise (e.g. Gate 1's Monarch Empress and Queen ships).

And then there's the selection of more spacious suites that Scenic offers. Where most ships offer staterooms that are larger than the standard French balcony ones, Scenic has a number to choose from, obviously at elevated price levels. Moving up from the bottom, "swan-view" rooms to a balcony is about US$130/night (compared to Emerald, where it's about $50-60/night difference), and about $300/night to move into the Royal Suite. However, a quick peruse of their website shows that all but their bottom level rooms sell out very quickly, so if you want a bigger suite, you need to act fast.

Enhanced dining experience

A significant difference that I saw during the presentation, is the level of dining that Scenic cruisers experience. Not only are there more restaurants, but from the videos I saw, it looks like Michelin-star dining (can't vouch for the taste). I've only eaten in about 4 or 5 Michelin-star restaurants, but it would appear that supper on Scenic comes pretty close to that experience. Of course, you'll still have buffet options at breakfast and lunch, but I think you should expect an elevated dining experience in the evenings. The European ships offer two separate restaurants that are reserved either for a once-per-sailing dinner, or for specific guests on the Diamond deck or higher-end suites (by invitation). There is also the River Café where guests can grab a casual bite, or even get a lunch packed for them (I've never heard of this on other cruises), if they should choose not to return to the ship at mid-day. Most other mid-tier river cruises will offer 1 to 2 dining venue options; in the Emerald case, the lounge was used for a light lunch alternative, but not used as an alternate dinner option. And food on Emerald was good, but certainly not the calibre of a Michelin-star restaurant.

More excursions and "Exclusive to Scenic" events

In addition to the included typical walking tours, Scenic offers a number of choices that give their guests greater variety for other excursions. Over and above those options, Scenic offers exclusive events that other operators don't, and the presenter harped on this benefit quite a bit; their website touts, "Scenic Enrich events are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will bring to life the rich cultural heritage of Europe's waterways". With any river cruise operator, you can count on one daily walking tour in each port (sometimes two), but Scenic has also secured private venues for art, music or cultural events. From the slides and videos I saw, it seems to be heavily weighted towards classical music or similar performances in a castle, palace or otherwise historical setting. If this is your jam, then you'll definitely experience something special with these events.

On the French itineraries (not sure if other routes offer these), the options add food-based activities like their Culinaire Cooking School, which may include tagging along with the chef while they shop for local ingredients at the market. In the wine regions of France, you might be offered a vineyard cycling tour (which I am almost certain would be using e-bikes). 

Other niceties

If the inclusions above haven't already reeled you in, here's a few more little details that I picked up that Scenic offers. Of course all your drinks are included, including the in-room mini-bar and premium alcohol cocktails. One free bag of laundry is included with all room types; I believe the benefit enhances as you go up in room category. There's an onboard Wellness Coach, if you need that sort of encouragement, as well as a Salt Therapy Lounge and spa services.

While we've not done a Douro cruise, apparently Scenic is the only operator that docks on the Porto side of the river (vs. Vila Novo de Gaia). The story goes that Glen negotiated with the local authorities to build a dock for his ships that is walking distance from the popular Ribeira district. Similarly, he arranged to build more docks on the Douro, allowing for enhanced itineraries and increased stops along the way; this might explain why sometimes ships moor at spots overnight where there really isn't much there (or so I've read).

Scenic has schedules that allow for "Cruising Combinations" 

Scenic has proven that they listen to their guests, who had suggested that they would like even longer cruises, so Scenic has made a point of structuring their schedules so that cruisers can dovetail cruises back-to-back. Visiting Normandy? Scenic ships will get you all the way to Honfleur, reducing the amount of time you'll spend on the coach getting to and from there.

A parting note on pricing and promos

As some of you might have noticed, the US website shows Full Fare prices that far exceed the Canadian ones, especially with the exchange factored in. I took a few minutes to pull the Scenic representative aside at the end of the presentation, and asked about this. He sort of shook his head, and indicated that the US has a different marketing team and strategy. "Americans want to feel like their getting a deal, so they price their cruises high, and then offer big discounts". My research indicates that sometimes even when the US offers 2-for-1 deals, including free air, that the equivalent price is not as good as when the Canadian site offers a 2-for-1 only. And no, an American guest cannot buy from the Canadian website; well, not unless they have a Canadian residential address that they can bill against.
Over the years, I've priced out many Scenic offers, and while the price is definitely much higher than other mid-tier operators, sometimes the promotional offer brings a Deluxe Balcony down into the somewhat palatable US$450-550/night range. By comparison, the best Emerald deal for a similar cruise and room category can get into the US$270/night territory. 
Someone asked about single cruising, and the presenter indicated that most ships have two single rooms on the bottom level that sell out quickly. However, he suggested that you can call in and inquire about waiving the single supplement, as they often offer it up as an unadvertised promotion.

Why we don't sail with Scenic

After reading the differences that set Scenic apart from say, Emerald, you're probably thinking, "why wouldn't I want to cruise with Scenic?"
Well obviously budget is a factor. We can, and have cruised for 12 nights on a 1st Class river cruise in a French balcony room, including trans-Atlantic flights for about US$7,000 including all tips and add-ons. For the two of us. Can we cruise with Scenic on that budget? Not even close. 
And for us, most of enhanced benefits are not going to be relevant or add value for us. I don't drink a lot, and she doesn't drink at all. Butler? Can't really figure out why we'd need one. 5+ star dining? Nice to have, but not typically our style. An evening at the symphony? Pass. A private opera concert? Hard pass.

Indeed, there seems to be two distinct categories of river cruisers. There's the "cruise experience" one that wants a fully-encapsulated end-to-end tour, where every minute of every day is carefully crafted and curated, packed with luxury and exclusiveness fit for royalty. Then there's the other side of the coin, where folks are really looking for a European adventure, without the hassle of packing and unpacking every day; to these cruisers, the ship is really a boutique hotel with a great restaurant, that happens to follow them down the river, and everything else is a bonus. Independent travellers? Then you're more likely to fit into the second category; e.g. once you've finished the included 90-minute walking tour in Vienna, you'd rather venture off on your own than be escorted back to the ship for lunch and off to your included private symphony performance. The additional differences and add-ons might be appreciated, but since you're paying for them whether you take advantage of them or not, they may be wasted on some.

A couple of months with an EV

Automotive

Well, it's been about two months since I picked up our new Hyundai Ioniq 5, and although it has been a little slow in TV & Film here, I've put enough kms on it to give an update. I've driven hybrid electric cars, and have ridden in other EVs like the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S, but this is a first for us. So here's some things I've learned and a few observations. 

Range anxiety

This is the one thing that grabs headlines for those that aren't familiar with EVs, and the skeptics out there. It all comes down to your individual driving patterns, and ability to charge (at home or work, for example). We bought the model with the longest range, which is pretty good for cars of this size and price. The estimated range is 490 kms, but that is very subjective, depending on driving style, speed, and terrain. I picked up the car in Kamloops, and drove back to Vancouver over a mountain pass; I watched the screen as my range fell quickly due to the combination of highway speed and climbing up the hills. I estimate that this dropped my effective range to around 350 kms, but I needed to stop for a bio break and a sandwich. Using a DC fast charger, I was able to top up enough to get home easily, in only about 15 minutes. Once at home, I plugged into my 110v AC outlet, and juiced up while the car sat in the garage.
My driving needs change from week-to-week, depending on which productions I'm working on, and where the studio or location is situated. But it is pretty safe to say that the maximum I'd ever need to drive in a day is about 80 kms, which I can easily top up overnight. In reality, we only need to plug in after about a week, as there's no need to recharge after running to the grocery store, or if the shoot is nearby. After about a month, I stopped bothering to look at the consumption rate on the display, and only check the battery level if I need to go somewhere further in the next day or two. 

Unlike a traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car, you do need to factor in some things if you are planning a longer trip; temperature is a big factor, as I found out on a winter trip up to Kamloops recently. I made the mistake of not fully-charging the battery (more on that later) and then when stopping at a DC fast charger for lunch in Hope, only topped up to 90%. The steep climb up to the top of the Coquihalla Summit really zapped the battery, even though it was only about -2°C out. While I probably did have enough charge left to get to Kamloops, I was a little uneasy as to how much I'd have left on arrival. I needed another bio break in Merritt anyways, so stopped at another DC fast charger and added 10% just to be safe. 

Charging

We were great candidates for an EV, not just because of our driving patterns, but because we have a place to charge at home, specifically with what is known as Level 1 - 110v AC: For most people I know, charging at 110v AC off your home outlet will likely be enough for day-to-day use. The caveat there, is that you're not driving 150 kms everyday, and you have electricity that is not time-of-day rate-based. In BC, our power is hydro-electric, and is flat-rate priced at 9.75¢ per kWh. It jumps up to 14.08¢ over a certain threshold, so that will vary based on your usage and time of year (e.g. if you have electric heat). So regardless of whether you use 110v or install a 220v home charger, you're still paying the same for the electricity to recharge your battery. As a point of reference, a full charge from 0 to 100% would cost us $7.50 at our base rate.

Level 2 - 220v AC: There are numerous places around town that offer Level 2 charging, like at the supermarket, or mall, but since we don't need the charge when doing errands etc., we don't use these. Additionally, since Level 2 charging only adds about 5% charge per hour for the Ioniq 5, it's not really that useful unless you're going to park for hours (e.g. at work). In places where your electricity is time-based, it may make sense to install a Level 2, 220v charger at home, so that you can refill during low, overnight rates. But for now, in BC, it is not a cost saver for us.

DC fast charging: Some erroneously refer to this as Level 3 charging, but this is where the Ioniq 5 excels. With an 800V architecture, the Ioniq 5 and 6 (which are identical EV platforms) are the fastest charging EVs right now. With battery pre-conditioning (i.e. warming), you can restore the charge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes! How does this work? On the navigation system, you simply enter your destination, and any DC charging stations as a waypoint, and the car will automatically start warming the battery as you approach the station. I've taken some time to see what DC chargers are available along my typical route, and their proximity to McDonalds/A&W or other lunch spots. We don't really need the 350 kW chargers, as I've found that in the time that it takes to use the bathroom and grab a burger, I've topped up my battery sufficiently on a 200 kW one. I like the ON the RUN stations associated with Chevron, as charging is currently free (you have to use the Journie app), and I'm already familiar with their locations and nearby amenities. Update: the ON the RUN stations now charge by the kW, so it is a good place to top up regardless of your EV's recharge speed. For us Hyundai Ioniq 5/6 owners, the Petro-Canada stations offer higher charge speeds at $0.50/minute.

Battery usage / charging level

I'm no Electrical Engineer... oh, wait. I'm no expert on batteries, but there is one factor that apparently will make your EV battery (and apparently other rechargeable batteries) last longer. That advice is to only charge to 100% if you absolutely have to, otherwise set your charge limit to 80% or 90%. Of course, if I need lots of juice to get up the Coquihalla, I've learned now that I'm going to start with a full charge in Hope. But otherwise, charging that last 20% takes a lot longer than when the battery is depleted. Battery charging is not like pouring out water through a hose at a constant rate; that's because the "resistance" of the battery increases with the level of charge. I read an analogy that likens it to boarding an airplane - when it's empty, it's easy for passengers to get seated quickly, but as it fills up, the process slows down. So that means that for around town, daily driving, I'm effectively starting with 80% of the state range for my car, or around 400 kms (in ideal conditions). Something for those to consider if they are on the cusp of buying the smaller battery version, but are not sure if it will be enough range for them - go for the bigger battery. 

Regenerative braking

Most folks know by now that the electric motor(s) in EVs can put charge back into the battery when braking, but for many EVs, it's a setting in the menus to adjust the level of regen braking you desire, so most folks set it once and leave it. I've learned that with the Ioniq 5, I prefer to use the maximum regen setting in town, using the i-Pedal feature to bring the car to a complete stop without touching the brake pedal. 

However, on the highway, I prefer to turn down the regen to level 1 using the steering wheel mounted paddles. It's not like full coasting, but it mimics the feel of an ICE car when you lift off of the accelerator. Level 0 is too "loose" for me; since there's virtually no resistance slowing the car down, it feels kinda like you're not in control of the vehicle's speed. Using the regenerative braking is desired obviously, as it extends your range, but I don't think it's a substantial amount; for our needs, it probably doesn't change where and when we'd stop to add more juice.

Driving experience

EVs are heavy, due to the weight of the battery, which is normally in the floor of new-era models. In the Ioniq, this makes the "feel" very similar to a large German touring car (I've had two). The distance between the wheels also contributes to a very smooth ride, as the Ioniq 5 has the longest wheelbase (3 metres) of any vehicle I've owned. This makes the turning radius large, but it hasn't proven to be a problem in parking lots. The major difference in driving is related to, I believe, the regenerative braking. I find that you need to hold/push on the accelerator to maintain a constant speed; the moment you ease up on the pedal, you start to slow down. Of course you can change the regen braking level with the paddles so that doesn't happen, but I like/want to keep that on. It takes a little getting used to, but it's certainly not bothersome. Other than that, and the gear shifter being mounted on the steering column like the olden days, and the regenerative braking, it's pretty much like driving an ICE car. Ok, except for the astonishing acceleration - who would have thought that a 2 tonne vehicle could go from 0-60 in 7.5 seconds? Because of the electric motor, torque is available immediately, and you really notice it when you're overtaking on the highway. Combined with the smooth, no engine noise ride, it is very easy to exceed the speed limit without trying.

Other things learned / liked

The small things that have also come up really have more to do with the advancements in automotive technology, than with EVs specifically. e.g. although Highway Driving Assist technologies have been around for a while, this is our first car with lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control. Similarly, having an app to do things like remotely lock the doors, or turn on the AC/heat a few minutes before you need this is a nice to have, but again these are not EV-specific features. I guess the biggest change for me is the liberating feel of not burning up fossil fuels, and the thought at the back of my mind that each trip to a Langley film studio is costing $13-15. To be honest however, owning an EV will not save us any money vs. an ICE car; our gasoline consumption was less than $2,000 a year, and it's safe to say that our Ioniq 5 was at least $20,000 more than we'd normally have paid for our next vehicle. At that rate, we'd need to keep the EV for about 10 years to break even, but we typically move on before then.

Hyundai / Ioniq 5 specifics

For the most part, the above info is really car/manufacturer independent, i.e. we'd probably have experienced the same things in a Tesla, Ford Mach-E, or VW ID.4. So what specific things do I like about the Hyundai? Well, as I've written before, we had a Hyundai Tucson just prior to this, and I feel pretty good about their reputation as a car company now (certainly not when I had a Pony). This isn't their first try at EVs, so they've got a bit of a track record with the technology (vs. others I was considering like the Fisker Ocean). And with dealerships/service locations everywhere, I'm not worried about the long-term maintenance issues with the Ioniq 5. Besides, they have one of the best warranties in the business.

I appreciate that they still have manual controls for often used things like climate control, windshield wipers and the entertainment system. Sure, you can use the touchscreen to access some of these as well, but unlike other manufacturers that have put everything on one screen, Hyundai still gives you the option for dials and buttons. Similarly, where others give a single, centre-mounted screen, I like that Hyundai has two, and puts the driving information on the screen in front of the driver, while auxiliary information and controls go on the centre one. I'm sure I'd get used to it, but the idea of having to look at the centre screen just to check speed, or turn on the wipers seems a little too minimalist to me.

On that note, I do like the clean lines of interior of the Ioniq 5, and Hyundai has been doing good things with their design efforts recently. Ours is a two-tone grey, with the lighter shade adding to the open, airy feel. Some of the features of the top level trim (called Ultimate here in Canada) are a little frivolous in my opinion, and I am glad we did not pay extra for these (e.g. "relaxation seating", sliding centre console, and ambient lighting). I don't miss the leather (Ultimate comes with "leatherette") seats we had in our Tucson, and actually, find that the cloth seats aren't as cold to sit on when you initially get in the car. The perforated leather surfaces in the Tucson were actually a bit of a PITA, as crumbs and small debris would get lodged in the tiny holes, and were impossible to vacuum out.

So with only a couple of months and a some long range trips behind me, I'd say that the EV is a good fit for us, and we're certainly happy with the Ioniq 5.

A brief history of my cars

Automotive

I'm starting a new category, as this doesn't seem to fit into the retirement or the travel section. I don't consider myself a "petrol-head", but I will admit that I probably was more into cars than most of my other friends and co-workers around me. I used to buy car magazines and look up every spec for the new hot cars, and I've probably watched every episode of Top Gear. But as I got older, it became less and less about how fast my car was, or how cool it looked, versus how much stuff could I carry, and or how practical the vehicle was. Oh how old I've gotten!

Then and now: back into a Hyundai hatch 39 years later

Fast forward to now, and we've just taken delivery of a 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5, our first EV. When I first saw pictures of this car, I knew it would be something different, but I didn't factor in just how popular it would become! Announced in 2021, it created quite a buzz in the auto media, and once pre-production models started appearing around the world, the buzz got louder. First, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 won the Best Design award in the Top Gear Electric Awards 2021. Then in 2022, at the prestigious World Car Awards, the IONIQ 5 won big, and was named overall World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. And the awards kept coming.

Car and Driver also named it EV of the Year, and the British awarded it UK Car of the Year, both in 2022. (Update: Cars.com has awarded the Ioniq 5 Best EV of the Year for 2024, second year in a row, and The Car Connection named it the Best Electric Car To Buy for a second consecutive year). So in April of that year, we took a test drive in one, and naively put down our deposit, expecting to get notified in about a year that our car would be arriving. I won't bore you with the long, drawn-out details, but suffice it to say that demand for this model of EV far outstripped supply, and dealers were greedily taking upwards of $13,000 markup over MSRP from those who didn't want to wait in line. By June of 2023, I started to think that I'd never get one, but after stopping into Kamloops Hyundai, and shamelessly name dropping the previous owner of the dealership (a high school friend's husband), I was on a new list. So here we are now, about four months later, driving a car that is powered by water (BC is hydro-electric).

Timeline and history of cars

(clicking on any image will open a gallery view)

The EV 45 concept appeared in 2019

One of the things you can read about in the trade articles, is that Hyundai says that they drew inspiration for the concept and final production car from their original Pony. Umm... yeah, right. As you can see, I had a Pony in 1986, and it doesn't look anything like the IONIQ 5 or the concept car (pictured right). So I went looking through my photo archives trying to find a picture, but it has long been lost (the Pony picture below is by Brendan McAleer of Driving.ca, but it's almost exactly like mine). However, while I was searching, I came across almost every other car I've owned, so thought it would be fun to document the vehicular journey.

My little Pony

Unfortunately, with five kids all going every which way, my dad owned a fleet of cars. Not fancy cars, mind you, but lots of them, and in my teens, we had a few to choose from, depending on where you were going and what you were doing; e.g. the 1976 Cutlass Supreme with its 350 cubic inch V8 was a favourite for highway cruising. The last of these "fleet" cars that my dad bought, was a Hyundai Pony. By that time, all the other siblings had left home, so this one was effectively reserved for my use. With a whopping 74 bhp, it took my little pony about 15 seconds to get from 0 to 60. It was a terrible car in every sense of the word, and I vowed to never own another Hyundai.

1976 Mercedes Benz 280S

This was my dad's car, and I loved it. As a kid growing up in Kamloops, a Mercedes was rare, and while this wasn't the coveted 450SL, it was still a Benz. I'd spend afternoons washing and polishing it, and this didn't go unnoticed. So when he retired, he gave me the big Benz. At over 1600 kgs and with only 156 bhp, it took almost 11 seconds to get from 0-60, but once you were up at highway speed, it was cruising! I got hooked by the level of quality and finish of the car, even if it was not the style for a 22-yr old. Unfortunately, it only lasted a year or so longer, before it lost a battle in Edmonton when an F250 ran a red light on a cold winter evening.

1989 Mazda MX-6 GT 4WS

Armed with the insurance money from the Merc, and an 8.75% car loan, I sought out the best sporty car that I could afford. After reading the reviews in the car mags, this was it. The 4WS stands for four wheel steer, and at the time it was made, it was the fastest slalom production car in the world. 145 bhp propelled the MX-6 GT to 60 mph in 7.43 seconds; top speed was 209 km/h, but I seem to recall something faster? I’m surprised this thing didn’t kill me. This car was so rare, I had to scour the internet just for this picture. It was great for getting back and forth from Edmonton, but it was a cop magnet. But back then in Alberta, they only gave you points for speeding tickets, and when I moved back to Vancouver, I used a drivers licence swap to avoid having the points transfer across. 

1981 Toyota Landcruiser

This was part of the fleet that I mentioned earlier, and was our primary Tod Mountain ski vehicle. These Landcruisers were legendary, and we put many miles on that inline, 6-cylinder diesel engine. After my other brother Daryl graduated from university, he bought it from my dad, and after he was done with it, I was next in line. By then, it was rusting to pieces as they all did, so I got rid of the roof and doors and got it Maaco’ed. It was impractical as all get out, but a ton of fun at the time. You couldn't/didn't want to drive fast in this, and with only a bikini soft-top, it didn't work for weekend camping trips. I'd longed for having a 4x4 again, but without the roof, this wasn't practical enough, so when a guy came looking for a BJ40 to take him to the Baja, I sold it to him without regret.

1987 Toyota 4Runner

So I decided that I needed to trade 0-60 times for inches of ground clearance. I loved the Mazda, but it wasn’t great for camping, even worse for off-roading. What I really wanted was a Land Rover, but they were beyond my means. But the SUV was just starting to become a thing, and most manufacturers were coming out with something to try and keep up with the Jeep Cherokee market. Toyota basically took their legendary Hilux pickup truck and put in a second row of seats and topped it with a removable fibreglass shell. Well, you can take the boy out of Kamloops, but you can't take the Kamloops out of the boy; this truck was the key to reigniting my weekend camping and fishing adventures. The 4Runner was well sized for the city and excellent for these adventures, but with a wimpy 4-cylinder engine, it was perhaps a bit too underpowered?

1997 Ford F-150 4x4

We're now just past the half way mark of the nineties, and I've taken a new sales role where I was paid a healthy car allowance, so my buddy David talked me into leasing the brand new Ford 1/2 ton. This was technically in 1996, when Ford released the new model design for their F150; it was an all-new design with much smoother, rounded lines than the predecessors. It had a 4.6 litre V8 that pumped out 220 bhp and 290 lb-ft of torque - plenty for what I needed. David had it fitted with huge BFG All-Terrain tires and a matching fibreglass canopy, so it was fantastic for my camping and fishing adventures. However, I found that it was too big for navigating around in Vancouver, so it went back at the end of the 2-yr lease.

1997 Land Rover Discovery

The famous Land Rover, which became known as the Defender, was my dream 4x4, but for many reasons, too impractical (more on that here). However, they came out with the Disco, as they are affectionately called, and it was right in the middle of the Goldilocks zone for my purposes. It offered the best of both worlds; off-road adventures on the weekends, but cushy leather-wrapped commuting. Getting back into a European vehicle was also noticeable, as it had the feel of being in a solid German car like the Benz, but without the associated reliability. While BMW had bought Land Rover in 1994, it took them a number of years to incorporate their quality controls and measures; that meant that this model year was still very much a British-built car. Overweight and underpowered, this vehicle changed my driving style forever (well, almost). 

1967 Mercedes Benz 250SL

A little later on in the 90s, things were starting to heat up in the dot com space, and I had a little bit of extra cash kicking around; maybe an early mid-life crisis car was in order? A guy down the street had one of these when I was growing up in Kamloops and I’ve always coveted one. So I started watching the Buy & Sell and Autotrader for one of these to pop up; surprisingly back then, you could find two or three for sale at a given time. Some were projects asking for $9-10k, and others in the $15k range weren't the right colour. Then I stumbled onto this one, where the old guy had kept it in the garage for 6 years and only driven it 300 miles! I lowballed him at $13,500 - and he accepted it, but I wrestled with fuel issues for a few years and a few thousand dollars. With only 150 bhp, it yielded 0-60 times of... well, let's just say that the average soccer mom in her Toyota Sienna could take me off the line. I held onto the roadster (never put the hardtop on) for almost 20 years; when I noticed the value had gone up substantially, I decided it was time to part ways. It was the only car I really made money on.

1987 Mercedes Benz 560SEC

Even though I had already filled the two parking spaces at my condo, there was another spot you could rent for a small fee. Besides, all my friends around me were having kids, so I decided that I needed a new baby of my own. Now this was a grand-touring car if there ever was one. Let's not forget that this was the flagship S-Class for Mercedes Benz; it had bells and whistles that other manufacturers hadn't even though of back then. One of my mates liked to call it the Yakuza-mobile, as this is the kind of car that the Japanese mafia liked back in the late 80s; at almost 1800 kgs, I preferred to call it “The Panzerwagen”. This Euro-spec version with 300 bhp was good for 0-60 in 6.6 seconds. Top speed? 250 km/h (unverified). But all that power and luxury was wasted commuting in Vancouver, and we had four cars at the time (hers a 1984 VW Jetta), so more practical minds eventually prevailed.

2004 Land Rover Discovery II

Needed room for these two furballs

Don't forget that I still had the Disco, but after 10 years of ownership, it was starting to get a little long-in-the-tooth. I wanted to improve the reliability of my primary vehicle, but didn't want to change, so I decided it need to be replaced by… another one. Now called the Discovery Series II, displacement went up from 4.0L to 4.6L, which meant it was even more expensive to keep this thing full of petrol. For off-road nerds, this was the model year to get, as it had all of the new electronic traction gizmos AND the centre-locking differential. But the more pressing issue was that we now had two Bernese Mountain dogs, and this was the perfect way to get around with the two fur-kids in the back.

2005 MINI Cooper

Technically this was Christine’s ride, as what guy would be caught dead driving one? Actually, we were getting tired of her Jetta's rainwater ingress issues, so when we talked about retiring the Panzerwagen, a more practical 4-cylinder replacement was suggested as a 2-for-1 (I was actually looking at 6-cylinder Mercedes options). Also a BMW acquisition, the MINI didn't exhibit the typical British car issues, and it was pretty fun to drive... if there were only the two of us. Inevitably we found it too small, and it rode like a go-kart, making city driving irritating. It too, started leaking, so we started looking at something practical, like a Ford Fiesta, to replace it.

2013 Ford Focus ST 

Did I just say practical? I was telling a buddy that we wanted another 4-cylinder city car, and he said, "I'm selling my Focus". Hmm. After not a lot of research (as critics loved it when it was released), we bought it from him. It was deceptively quick, and is certainly the fastest car I/we have ever owned. With 252 bhp/270 lb-ft torque, this rocket took only 5.8 secs to get from zero to 60; it was more than adequate to get Christine to work and back. But Recaro seats, sport tuning and tight suspension also made this a pain to drive in the city - literally. Didn't we go through this already with the MINI? Then, the suggestion was to get rid of the gas-guzzling Disco, in favour of something more crossover-sized as our primary vehicle. Hmm. Ok... plan in motion.

1995 BMW 318ti

As part of the strategy, and after I retired, we briefly tried being a one-car family. It didn’t work, but I felt that all we needed in a 2nd car was dependable, basic transportation when the primary car was unavailable. Still wanting the reliability of a German car, but without needing all of the cylinders and power that usually accompanied them, I was on the hunt for a small BMW. As a Benz-guy, this was sacrilege, as 3-series BMWs were for cocks, not respectable regular guys. But when I found this low mileage, unmodified one (which is rare), I decided that it was the perfect car to meet our 2nd car needs. Even with a transmission issue right out of the gate, it has has exceeded my expectations, and meets the requirements for “collector car” status for low cost insurance. With only 134 bhp, performance is snoozy, but that’s not what we were looking for anyways. 

2016 Hyundai Tucson 1.6T Limited

Remember at the top of this post and how I said I'd never own another Hyundai? Well, here's how the story goes. I'm supposed to be looking at crossover-type vehicles, so I had convinced her that a pre-owned 2016 Discovery Sport was the right choice, as it was a smaller car, and only had a 4-cylinder, turbocharged engine. But the Disco Sport wasn’t on the dealer's lot when we arrived to look at it, even though we had booked an appointment. Disgruntled, we walked across the street to Hyundai and test drove a Tucson instead, and it immediately restored my faith in the brand. Smooth and quiet, it was surprisingly powerful; 175 bhp and 195 lb-ft of torque propelled the Tucson 0-60 in only 7.6 seconds - go back and look at the MX-6 GT spec! Truth be told, if there were only gas vehicles to choose from, I'd probably buy another Tucson, or perhaps the 2024 Kona.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Preferred Long Range RWD

And so here we are, full circle, from the humble Pony all the way up to its stylish successor, the IONIQ 5. What's it like (new post with EV experience here)? Awesome. At over 1900 kgs, this is about the same weight as the Disco II, but has a wheelbase that is about 50 cms longer; actually it's closer to the 560SEC in that respect. As such, it rides like a big, grand touring German car, yet it looks small from a distance and in pictures. Even though this isn't the fast one (you need the AWD version for that), it still is remarkably quick, with the electric motor providing all the torque instantly. When you need to pass someone, it jets from 100 to 140 km/h in what seems like the blink of an eye. 0-60? About the same as the Mazda MX-6, and a little slower than the 560SEC; the Focus ST is still the winner there.

Things I learned in France

Travel and Leisure

Ok, so this isn't going to be a history lesson - that's not what I mean by the title; it's more like "what I learned about travelling on our own in France". Let me start by saying that this wasn't our first time there, as we'd stopped at a few places on our 2009 Rhine river cruise, but it was definitely our longest French visit, at 19-nights. See, when you're on a guided tour, as most of a river cruise itinerary is, you're not really getting much local culture, as I commented recently in the FB Group. You're typically surrounded by Americans and you eat most of your meals on the ship, not getting immersed in the people and surroundings. Sure, you get a neat, guided walking tour in each port, where a local explains the history and sights, but it's all taken care of for you. No language barriers, no (or not much) navigating on your own, and certainly not having to find a decent restaurant. What was/is great about river cruises, is that you get a taste of a lot of places, without having to pack and unpack every day, as you're essentially on a floating boutique hotel that follows you along the river.

We were all over Colmar

On our Rhine cruise, we loved the Alsatian town of Colmar and the nearby Wine Route villages, so we put that on our self-guided itinerary for a solid 5-nights. With almost three weeks for France, I decided that we'd use the high-speed TGV to get around, keeping any particular day's travel to around 2 hours or less. That put stops in the Champagne region, continuing to the Alsace, then down to Burgundy, and back to Paris to close it off the loop. So in no particular order of importance, here are some of the things I learned about travelling in France.

France requires pre-planning

Some pre-France planning

What I mean by this, is planning that is beyond what I'm assuming that all of you would do when going on a self-guided, European trip; booking airfare and accommodations is a given, but there are a number of other considerations that require your attention long before you start packing your bags. Sure, during the course of booking your hotels or Airbnbs, you needed to decide, "how many nights do we need in Dijon?" and that sent you off to Google to figure out what day trips you would do while staying in Burgundy. Exploring by car? Book it as soon as you can; prices usually go up as you get closer to departure date. If they go down, you can just cancel and re-book at the lower price. Read more here.

Using the TGV system: If you're going to be using the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), that's where you might need to start planning ahead, as the lowest fares go on sale about three months in advance. Yes, I know that this does kinda lock in your schedule, but you can change your tickets, only paying the difference in fare (if applicable).

TGVs are fast and efficient

This pre-planning only worked against us once, where I should have purchased morning tickets from Colmar to Besançon, and spent the day there, rather than backtracking as a separate day-trip. I purchased the SNCF Carte Avantage, which at 49€ may or may not save you money; I found out later that the discounts that this card entitles you to, are strangely applied, or not at all. We saved on only about half our TGV trips, but it also worked for some REB (regional) train prices as well. Only one person in your party of two needs to buy the Carte Avantage, as you can purchase tickets for the both of you on the SNCF app, and the discount will automatically be applied. In the end, we saved about 40€ using the Carte Avantage. 

Advance tickets for museums: This is really only a consideration for Paris and Versailles, as these venues attract huge mobs of tourists, even in off-season times. This is where the French quirkiness kicks in, as not all museums and attractions use the same booking system, and rules change depending on which site you want. Combine that with the fact that the Paris Museum Pass (PMP) is separate entirely, it makes for very confusing planning. I'll save you the trouble, and say that the 48-hour PMP is worth it, if you plan on hitting the biggies plus Versailles one day.

You'll want to book ahead for the Louvre

You should pre-book times for the Louvre, L'Orangerie, Saint Chapelle and Versailles; again, since these are separate sites, the window for advance booking varies wildly. We happened to be in Paris on the first Sunday of the month, so most museums were free, but we stayed away from the popular ones, and hit the Cluny and Rodin museums. We had planned on stopping at Les Invalides to see only Napoleon's tomb, but it was the end of Fashion Week, and the Army Museum was closed for some event. Unlike most visitors to Paris, we felt that the Eiffel Tower was a great monument to see, but not necessarily worth the price/time/hike to go up; those that do want to see the view from there should book ahead (not covered by the PMP).

Restaurants and other things: We're not foodies and as such, didn't bother to research the best restaurants in each city and make reservations. You can make wine tour reservations in advance, which we would recommend, after waltzing up to the Martel champagne house, only to find that they only open on specific days and times in the off-season. We went on a walking tour with a local in Nancy using a free service called "Nancy Greeters"; this required booking a week in advance, and was definitely worth it.

To explore the Wine Route in the Alsace region, we had booked a hop-on, hop-off shuttle called Kut'zig, which stops at a half-dozen neat little villages. It seemed like a much better idea than renting a car, which is really the only other way to explore the area in a day. But in practice, it failed, as despite being a reservation-only system, they seem to have overbooked on the first day we tried it. We waited by the Unterlinden in Colmar, but the shuttle filled up at the first stop (Colmar train station), and they didn't send a backup overflow one. Similarly, on the the next day when we did get to use it, they left passengers behind at Eguisheim; those folks had to wait another 90 minutes for the next one and queue up again.

Parlez-vous Français?

As Canadians, we get taught/are forced to learn French in high school, the latter because if you wanted to go on to university, you had to have French. This rule might have changed since then, but I resented having to learn it in my youth for that reason; now I regret not having kept it up. So, after booking our airfare, I started using the Duolingo app to refresh my French language skills. I would say that it helped a bit, getting me re-familiarised with the verbs and which words are masculine versus feminine.

Duolingo phrases may not be very useful

But "le cheval mange la pomme" isn't much value in day-to-day use in Paris, and you don't have the time to compose a message on your iPad/iPhone when the bus driver blurts out something before you try boarding. However, Duolingo did help dust off my skills a bit, and I felt pretty good about my ability to ask for help, or order food etc. at restaurants. There'd be a tiny rehearsal in my head, "avez-vous une table pour deux pour le diner s'il vous plaît?" to which the restauranteur would say, "à l'interieur ou l'exterieur?" and then I would say, "l'exterieur". But, what I found is that if I did a credible job of my first question, they assumed I spoke French (well), and they'd reply with a fast barrage that I could only guess at. I quickly adapted to saying something to my wife clearly in English, before asking for anything in French, and that negated that issue going forward. Menus were often in both French and English, and likely due to the advent of Covid-19, some had a QR code to scan for an English-only version (in the Alsace, the printed menu was often in French and German only).

You might need Google translate for the menu

At one restaurant that we stopped at for a snack where the menu was only in French, I saw something called "Rillettes de Poulet Rôti"; I figured, it's roasted chicken, what could go wrong? Anyhow, a 350ml-sized jar filled with some sort of chilled pâté arrived, with some sliced baguette to spread it on. It was delicious! In general, in tourist places and restaurants, most staff will have some English skills, but it's still proper to greet them with a "bonjour" or "bonsoir" as appropriate, and "s'il vous plaît", "merci", and "au revoir" are customary everywhere. You will find that other spots like the pharmacy or supermarket that they don't speak English at all, and that's where you'll need to bumble your way through. The only time I saw a rude response from a Frenchman was when an equally rude American marched up to the bus driver and exclaimed loudly, "Where do we get bus #69?"; she might have received a more courteous response if she had started with "Excuse moi, parlez-vous Anglais?". Luckily, that was the extent of the stereotypical loud American tourist experience in France, but the message is, put a little bit of effort in, and you'll be greeted warmly by the locals. In a pinch, pull out your iPhone and use Google Translate.

Dining in France (and other vacation destinations)

This Alsatian dish was offered everywhere

Speaking of eating, one of the things we've encountered in many places, not just France, is that they offer the same regional dishes over and over in a given area. For example, in Colmar and the Alsace region, there are a few menu items that get repeated in almost every restaurant in the tourist zone. This is great - for the first night or two. But after a few days in one city, we found that it was hard to find something different to eat; I'm not normally a fan of eating dishes that don't match the region, but I was definitely eyeing up that curry place on our 5th night in Paris. Actually, Paris is the one city where you can find a decent variety, but you had to go looking for it. Steak tartare? Escargot? Steak and fries? Almost EVERY Parisian restaurant offered these. We weren't yearning for North American food, but they do make a good burger in France, and I ended up having a great one in Dijon.

Luckily for her, the French do like their vegetables and salads, although they don't seem to know exactly what goes into a Caesar salad. We ate often in brasseries, preferring the casual nature and energetic vibe over formal dining establishments. As such, meals were not too expensive, certainly not as much as I was expecting for Paris. And since you don't tip, what you see is what you pay; we only paid more than 50€ once (for dinner). While I'd say the food we can get here in Vancouver is better, on average, but once you add in the taxes and tip, the price was only about 10-15% higher in Paris. Service was expectedly lacklustre, as we've come to expect from countries where tipping is not required. The only time you'll see your server after they've dropped off your plates, is when you ask "l'addition, s'il vous plaît?". Most restaurants brought the credit card machine with the bill; in a few places, you'd go up to the counter to tap your card/phone.

Expect a lot of walking

This goes without saying for pretty much anywhere in Europe, but for some reason, everywhere we went in France, we ended up walking 10-12 kms per day! I don't recall walking as much in places like Rome or Prague, but despite best planning efforts, we wore ourselves out every day of our French vacation. I have a theory that because many places "seemed" walkable, we chose to do so, rather than take the bus or metro (if available). Actually, in many cases, the metro was not faster, and it required almost as much walking to get to and from the stations that were necessary.

In the example pictured, it would have taken us the about the same amount of time to take the Metro, and we would have only saved 500m of walking! Not to mention that you don't get to see as much of the city if you chose the metro option. But the walking can/will usually be over uneven cobblestones, which is another reason why our feet hurt so much at the end of the day. While we both brought along very good walking shoes, you can't prepare yourself for the additional pressures that the uneven pavement places on the bottoms of your feet.

And don't even think about trying to wear fashionable shoes; besides, these days the there are so many shoes designed with comfort in mind that don't look like hiking shoe, so make sure you've checked out some of those for your next European trip. It took weeks for our feet to recover from this trip, so I went out and bought a pair of New Balance 327s. They were like walking on clouds, but I found that the soles wore quickly, so have just replaced them with these Merrell ones, pictured here.

Fashion is not a concern

I've written about this before - Europeans are more fashionable than North Americans. Period. While there's no arguing this, it was also not as noticeable a difference as I was expecting; I think this has slowly changed over the time that I've been travelling to Europe. Sure, we were often in tourist areas, where a lot of who you see are not locals and therefore what they are wearing is not indicative of the fashion trend.

I didn't need my blazer for this trip

But when we were around what we assumed were real French or Parisian folks, they weren't dressed for the runway or red carpet. Admittedly, we didn't see women in Lululemon/yoga gear or guys wearing their Arc'teryx Gore-tex jackets, but I'm pretty sure we didn't look too out-of-place either. Of course we did see Americans that stuck out like sore thumbs, usually due to their baseball caps or clothing logos, but we typically "heard" them before their style choices identified them as being from the US. So unless you plan on going to the Michelin-star restaurants or traipsing down the shops on the Champs Élysées, you can pack comfortable travel clothing, without worrying too much about how you'll look. I wrote a post on my packing choices here.

Getting around can be confusing

The Owl Trail markers in Dijon

While this one isn't unique to France, it is something that we definitely struggled with. Picture two adults hunched over an iPhone, "Where is this?" "What direction are we heading?" "Are you sure this is the right street?". Unlike many other places we've been where there's mountains, a river or an ocean to give you bearings, most of the places we visited didn't have that kind of intuitive navigational landmarks. Once in the old town areas, every street looks the same, and even Google Maps sometimes couldn't give us a correct compass bearing. Some cities have neat little brass markers in the sidewalk to help guide you around. This is one trip that I'm glad I got an Airalo eSIM so that we had data to help us get around, and I often would keep the app open as we walked, and watched which way the blue dot was heading in order to make sure we were going the right way. As with the rest of Europe, the street names are on the side of the nearest building at the corner, but often it's not named. 

And then there's the bus/Metro/RER system. All I can say is that without Google Maps, I don't know how we'd have figured it out. It definitely isn't as easy as say, the Swiss system, where one ticket will take you from the high speed train, onto the metro, and then even onto a tram or bus if necessary. We got the hang of it pretty quickly, but for newbies, I'd recommend going onto YouTube and watching a few videos (like this one by Les Frenchies) on how and what tickets to buy for different purposes. Chalk it up to just another one of those French idiosyncrasies. I wrote a separate piece on using the train system here.

A croissant isn't a croissant

I have had great croissants, surprisingly not in France. The Art Deco Hotel Imperial in Prague comes to mind. As does a little café in the Galeries Royal Saint-Hubert in Brussels. Or the Coop Supermarket in Saas-Fee. As such, I was expecting big things from the birthplace of the croissant; and so I tried to eat my way around France, one croissant at a time. Strangely, there were a some disappointments, where the famous French croissant didn't live up to the expectation.

Breakfast of Champions

Maybe I had over-hyped them in my mind, but I had heard so much about the French butter, and how it made their croissants over-the-top crispy, flaky heaven. Don't get me wrong, I had great croissants there, but they weren't mind-blowing. I was happy to find that most could be had for a little over 1€, with the most expensive being maybe 1,40€; a French café near me sells them for $4 each! I think my favourite boulangerie ended up being Le Pain de Mon Grand-Père in Dijon, with the chain bakery, Paul, as a close second (we have one in Vancouver!). A tip to restore that fresh-from-the-oven crispiness is to stick them in the oven at 350°F for around 5 minutes or so; an airfryer is even better! Anyhow, there's a boulangerie or patisserie about every second block in France, so you'll get plenty of opportunities to sample their carbs; we were surprised to see that the French weren't all fat!

Pepé Le Pew

Ok, as you can tell, I'm trying to make light of an otherwise offensive topic. Yep. That's what I mean. No, I'm not joking. But is it a coincidence that famous animator Chuck Jones chose to make this stinky rascal French? Honestly, it was so bad that we'd have to slow our gait along the sidewalk to avoid the body odour of the person or persons walking ahead of us. Sure, there's been many a time where I've encountered poor hygiene in other places, but it seemed that in France it was much worse. No, deodorant isn't illegal in France, but you'd think it was by the smell of things there. I looked it up, and there is indeed statistical evidence that only 47% of the French admitted to bathing daily, versus 80% of Dutch and Danes! And not to mention that the nationwide average soap consumption is only 1.3 lbs. of soap per person, whereas Germans and Brits use 2.9 and 3.0 lbs. respectively. I'm not making this up folks. The study indicated that "40% of French men, and 25% of women, do not change their underwear daily". Eww. They also state, "Fully 50% of the men, and 30% of women, do not use deodorant". Pee-ew indeed!