The following is the two reports from Squadron Leader Grant te Tau’s on his IACE trip to Canada.
Part One:
Bonjour,
I am just half way though the trip now and the days are long but enjoyable.
In the last few days I have been very much the tourist. I went to the Niagara Falls yesterday and Fort George today. We are of to a theme park tomorrow. We will be in Quebec by end of the week and my Franch is not very Tres Bein its almost le crape.
Interesting bunch of adults on the trip who are supervising the teenagers – A retired Australian Police Officer, Retired NYPD/ US Customs Agent, Retired US Army Helicopter Pilot now a Vet, Travel Agent, Public Servant, and a Young Lady (24) from the Turkish Aeronautical Society (she was sent on the trip). All the other Adults are 10 – 30 years older than her but she is fitting in well.
This is a new one on me. I have never been put up in a 5 star hotel with cadets until today – The Sheraton Hotel at Toronto Arrport, Ontario, Canada. As an observation it also appears that the more stars a hotel has the more the internet costs in general (this is free) WiiFii and a room connections costs. This appears to be at the expense of the DND here in Canada and it is ‘very’ nice. It is raining outside and at one stage reminded me of a Windy Wellington in volume and quantity except only 30 degrees warmer. No more photos until I have a way of downloading my camera in the next day or two.
This is an interesting trip when you look at the nationalities – NZ, Australia, Turkey, US, UK, France, Belguim, Dutch, Hong Kong, Germany, South Korea and Israel. For half the team English is not their first language. The young folk are generally 17 – 20 and the ones from France, Belguim, Dutch, Hong Kong, Germany, South Korea and Israel all travelled on their own.
Being in a part of canada where french is as common as english I am amazed how easy some jump from one to the other, and how some also struggle with the jump as well. They have only been doing it for 150 yrs longer than us. Point of note – The French also have trouble with understanding the French Canadians and all the english speakers have trouble understanding me A diverging language
And Part Two on his last day:
Just had breakfast on what is our last full activity day in Canada, it fells like we have done 3000km by road and stayed in a many different hotels each day.
I have been to the Canadian & Quebec Parliaments, white rafting, helicopter flying, Canadian football game, Niagara Falls, Fort George, sugar shack, toured Ottawa, Quebec and Montreal, took the team gliding & high ropes, Canadian space agency and today will be the canadian aerobatics. A busy few weeks.
The farewell dinner & dance included President Air Cadet League, director of cadets and others.