The next destination on my “Let’s Goto X” series was Canada, a country synonymous with stunning natural landscapes, multicultural cities, and a quality of life that ranks among the best in the world. This blog post is a detailed account of my journey through three of Canada’s most iconic cities: Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto. From the Pacific Ocean’s rugged coastline to the cultural melting pot of the East, this trip was a rollercoaster of experiences I can’t wait to share with you all.

Canada is a land of better compromises.

(Skip this opening if you don’t want to read a socio-economic rant)

How did Canada happen?

The Initial Spark

The journey began with an invitation to a tech conference in Vancouver. Check out the post about Open Source Summit 2023 North America conference that I spoke in. It was the first international conference I spoke at after years of sabbatical. The Canadian visa is illusive, the journey 22 hours long, and it is quite a cost to make this trip.

So, why limit the trip to just one city? Canada is a vast country with a rich tapestry of cultures and landscapes. It would be a disservice to not go backpacking to a few places around this massive country in North America. This is “Let’s Goto X” series, and let’s go backpacking Canada.

The Plan then.

The first route for my trip was based on instinct. I am a visual person. I visualize my destination. I see mental images of what I think a country is all about. When I think Canada, I see lush green forests, massive landscapes, maple syrup, and Niagara Falls. With this mental, I start my learning process with facts, backpacker blogs, and flight maps to get the big picture. I create my first itinerary with the entry and exit points for a country sorted. Then, I start filling the days I have in between like filling colors in a drawing sprinkling day trips, recommendations and rest days.

The Canadian itinerary got extended into a nearly month-long journey. Here’s what I did:

Love making these routes for my itinerary.

1. Seattle – Meeting my friend and checking out our office
2. Vancouver – Bustling downtown, haven for outdoor enthusiasts
3. Montreal – Epitome of Canadian-European fusion
4. Toronto – Near to Niagara falls

I like cities. Each of these cities offers a unique slice of Canadian life. I also had or made friends in these cities I wanted to meet for the first time. Some of these cities also include outstanding hikes. The plan was set: Land in Seattle, somehow reach Vancouver, head east to Montreal, and wrap up the journey in Toronto.

Visa

Canadian visa is known to be quite illusive for Indians. Many people from India apply for it, but only some get it. The application process for my visa was a gentle breeze due to my CAN+ eligibility.

What is CAN+? If you have traveled to Canada in the last 10 years or have a US passport or visa, your visa is considered a Canada Can Plus visa. Can+ visa is a program to fast-track the tourist process. These cases require less documentation; all document collections and communication were online. Here’s a timeline for my visa process, which took 3 weeks, including visits to the VFS Delhi.

I applied on the Canadian IRCC portal using a YouTube video for help. I can’t find the one I watched, so I’m linking another video explaining each application step. All details and documents were uploaded online. The application was frictionless and took me 30 minutes to fill it. After submitting the online form, I got an update to book my biometric appointment at VFS and submit the passport. The next update after a few days/weeks informed me that the passport is ready to be collected. As per, you go to VFS again, and then the result is revealed as approved.

One does not simply get visas quickly…

Except when it’s the Canadian Visa

I applied for a business visa, which provides you a 10-year validity, a 6-month stay, and a multiple entry visa. However, the Canadian Embassy only issues visa validity as long as the passport is valid, unlike the US’s B1/B2 visa, which gives you 10 years of validity regardless. That said, another reason why having a US visa opens doors. I booked my flight tickets after getting the visa approved.

Visa fees were a total of 11325 INR.

The Logistics

Money

After figuring out the flights, Canada was still brutal with trip costs. The currency is called Canadian dollar, and one Canadian dollar (CAD) costs ~60 INR. Credit cards were king and widely accepted. Tapping my cards on subways, Starbucks, and taxis was convenient. I rarely used more than 200 CAD in cash on my one-month journey.

I carried no currency this time, which I started doing from last year’s Thailand trip. I use the Niyo Global Credit Card to withdraw money from ATMs. I carried a hundred or so US dollars, which came in clutch quite a few times. Canadians will happily accept US dollars, but at the overpriced 1 USD = 1 CAD. Update: Would need to find a new way to withdraw cash since Niyo has started charging fees.

Flights

The first hurdle was the flights. Vancouver would be the farthest I would ever go on a displacement from India. This flight would also be my first time taking the route over the Arctic. Flights from New Delhi to Vancouver were costly and incredibly long layovers. Hence, the preference was to find a flight with reasonable layovers. Hence, going to Vancouver on a 12+ hour leg or a 4-stop layover wasn’t for me.

My final travel route was: New Delhi — Finnair –> Helsinki — Finnair –> Seattle — Roadtrip –> Vancouver — Air Canada –> Montreal — Via Rail — Toronto — Ethiad –> Abu Dhabi — Ethiad –> New Delhi

You wouldn’t believe it, but I got a steal of a deal coming from Toronto with Ethiad for a one-way flight, only costing me 36k. There were no bad layovers, a great flight experience, and actually decent times as well. Scroll below to find what I spent on flights.

Accommodation

For accommodation in Canada, I opted for staying with friends, hostels, and Airbnb. Not only are these options budget-friendly, but they also provide an opportunity to meet fellow travelers and locals.

0. Seattle – Personal
1. Vancouver – Personal
2. Montreal – Auberge Saintlo Hostel (basement bar is lovely, very social)
3. Toronto – Planet Traveller (The best hostel in Toronto)

Transportation Within Cities

Public transportation is excellent in all three cities. Vancouver has the SkyTrain connecting its suburbs, Montreal boasts an efficient Metro system, and Toronto’s TTC covers the entire city. Where all three cities failed was transportation outside of metro areas. Rental cars, trains, or pre-planned bus routes would be beneficial if you hike or visit a nearby town. I also used ride-sharing apps for late-night outings or when public transport was not open because it does close down early. So be on the lookout for that if you want to pull an all-nighter partying.

Packing Essentials

I am not built for cold, and thankfully, neither was Canada freezing when I visited in May. The weather was sunny with chilly winds & downright pleasant during some days. I traveled with a suitcase and my trusty backpacking bag, as usual.

Packing thermals, snacks, and woolen socks. I had a jacket around my waist, a scarf around my shoulders, and enough layers on me that I was sweating at one point. I overpacked, and Canada can be backpacked. A 65L hiking backpack should be well enough to go around with relative ease.

Sim Card

Activated a roaming plan on my prepaid Jio number. This worked out well. I got excellent service from Telus and didn’t have any issues. I seldom use my data, so I had no problem there either.

Insurance

I dropped Care Insurance as my provider. No reason at all. I found a cheaper alternative. Travel insurance companies seldom honor the policies they sell. They usually have a loophole to get out of things. But on that one rainy day, there was one bad incident. I still need to fight this human condition to be constantly protected. So, I found a year-long travel insurance covering every country (except five) from Tata AIG Insurance.

The policy is called Travel Guard Annual Platinum from Tata AIG. The policy is valid for a year, covering a trip duration of 30 days at a time. You can call them to bump that trip duration to 45 days as an add-on. The policy costs 2500 INR.

Time to start the trip!

The Seattle Stop: Amazon backyard, Starbucks Origins, and meeting the bestie.

Seattle was an unexpected stop for multiple reasons. I didn’t expect to …

1. Find a cheaper flight to Seattle that will put me so close to Vancouver.
2. Get a chance to meet my dear friend, Flynn.
3. Be offered a road trip from Seattle to Vancouver.
4. Meet Ross at the company office for some gelato & RPIs in Seattle.
5. Enter a country using a land border for the first time.
6. Finish The Lord of the Rings trilogy in my round trip.

The city provides you with a proper workout for all the food it offers, with streets casually having a 45-degree incline that I need to figure out how citizens trek to. The birthplace of Starbucks is decked out with gelato places, skyscrapers, odd weather, and Amazon offices. I also went to an Asian supermarket for some needed supplies, and the automated Amazon Go stores around the city. Seattle closes down early, and it caught us out twice in 2 nights when we couldn’t find a decent place to eat when those late-night cravings hit.

The Vancouver Chapter

We started the road trip with a splash of rain, coffee, and Google Maps set for Vancouver, Canada, from Seattle. The two cities were 230 km apart, taking more or less 3 hours depending on how crowded we found the land border to be. It was fine for us. The border control officer checked out the authentic Japanese 4×4 Van Flynn owns with right-hand drive, full panoramic sunroof, and enough seats and storage to have 8 people in the car. The officer proceeded with their standard line of questioning, after which we were free to enter Canada! LET’s-a-GO!

Vancouver also had changeable weather during May. It was cold for the first few days in the morning. When the sun came out, it was downright pleasant up to a certain point where, sometimes in the afternoon, it felt like your skin would burn off. With no air pollution, the sunshine is quite intense on some days. When it rains, it’s very chilly.

After settling in for a day or two, the conference was due. And I got to have my talk at the most beautiful conference venue I have ever seen. The Vancouver Convention Center has views of the Vancouver Islands stretching for miles with the only interruptions all day from cruise ships docking in, seaplanes landing, or people cycling at Stanley Park overlooking the Vancouver skyline. The water glistening in the sun as I prepared my talk overlooking this view is a core memory for sure. From the Gastown Steam Clock, the cafes downtown, and the best cheesecake in Vancouver, It was a pleasant welcome to Canada for me. The cobbled streets lighting up at night was all very lovely.

On one of these lovely days, I took the bus to Granville Island. I had the best ramen and the best strawberry-frozen margarita in Vancouver. I still remember drinking two of them back to back with friends I recently met, and what a soothing time it was going around the island.

Vancouver is a food lover’s paradise, thanks to its multicultural population. From sushi to poutine, the city offers a culinary journey from the world over. I particularly enjoyed visiting Granville Island Public Market, where I sampled local cheeses, fresh fruits, and artisanal pastries. There are a few restaurants I can recommend checking out!

• The Keg Steakhouse + Bar – Granville Island, for the best frozen margharita
• Trees Organic Coffee 738 – Great baked cheesecake
• Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba – Downtown, My first Mazeoba
• The Old Spaghetti Factory – This pasta spot’s combo was one great deal in Gastown
• Tacofina Oasis – Impossible meat pastor burrito, I miss this place for lunch
• Truedan (Jenjudan) – Yaletown, for outstanding bubble tea, and if you walk down the street, then a great beach nearby awaits you.
• Ramen Danbo – Anywhere in Vancouver, pretty good

I am looking forward to exploring more of Vancouver and doing more activities if I am lucky enough to come back again. After a couple of years since we last saw each other, I also got to spend a lot of time meeting my mentor and college senior again in Surrey. It was a nice view of the mountains, and the time spent with him gave me a perspective of how folks go about their lives there. A unique experience I will always cherish. After 5-6 days in Vancouver, it was time for the party capital of Canada? or was it?

The Montreal Chapter

Upon arriving in Montreal, the shift in vibe was immediately noticeable. The city exudes a modern European charm, complete with cobblestone streets and historic architecture. The primary language here is French, adding to the city’s unique character within Canada. Go a bit further East to Quebec City, and you feel like you are in a little town in France.

• I met my colleague of the past 3 years who couldn’t come to Mexico for the company retreat last time.
• A scissor dropped on my shoe as I opened a ramen packet at 3 in the morning. Freak accident. All toes still intact. Got lucky.
• Made new friends who helped me realize why I backpack solo. Thanks, Anne, for that; I hope you find your reason to travel.
• Eating poutine in a Shawarma shop after the pub crawl with friends and then walking home for 4 km in the dead of night on the streets of Montreal

From art galleries to live music, there’s always something happening. I visited the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and was blown away by the diversity of its collection. Some say Montreal’s an old people’s town and has the best parties. I didn’t see either of them. Even the biggest nightclubs closed at 2 am, and the metro shut down even sooner. Still, I found many great people in Montreal, which created this fantastic compilation of memories I want to share!

• Sheltering in Notre Dame during heavy rain – Only to miraculously catch a choir of 50+ students singing songs with live piano. Magical.
• Watching the sunset sitting on the roof of Saint Joseph’s Oratory with 2 French students having a picnic. Great sunset. Even better sandwich.
• Walking through L’Avenue only to enter a bakery for a snack. I asked this woman, who was babysitting someone’s kid for the day, for her recommendations and then listened to her plans to go to Egypt one day. She was unsure about backpacking solo at 40. Hope that number doesn’t stop her from booking that flight.

• Get a scoop at Kem CoBa, but coming across the best Gnocchi I might ever eat for 5 CAD is heavenly. I met a fellow Indian couple who studied at SPA Delhi.
• Having dinner alone at Restaurant Tenderrese, trying out a dish (Caramelised Mushroom Waffles) I would never ever order with a server choosing my drink (Garden of Thirst).
• Having lunch with strangers cheering to hot sake, soup dumplings, and heart opening & breaking conversation in the chilly street called Saint Catherine close to our hostel. Thanks, Sanjam, for bringing it all together.
• Lastly, an after party at night celebrating the promotion of my friend.

Montreal was a vibe. There wasn’t a single sour moment for me. I only wished that there were more moments, actually. The great weather and the memories during the Happy Hour at the Auberge Saintlo Montréal Hostel were a treat. But, the backpacking journey continues after nearly missing the train for Toronto. I was off! Over to the next.

The Toronto Chapter

Toronto is a melting pot of cultures, a lively home to Toronto Blue Jays, and the closest location to Niagara Falls. The bustling streets stretch from Chinatown to Little Italy to Toronto islands to St. Lawrence Market for fresh produce to skyscrapers downtown, seeing it all with a pint at the Distillery District. Ofcourse, this list doesn’t include the CN Tower because…

“No visit to Toronto is complete without going up the CN Tower.”

What BS?! – Vipul Gupta, Toronto, 2023

I didn’t make the mistake of going there; instead, I teamed up with a group of people whose day plans I stole to head up (trespass) to a skyscraper in downtown Toronto. The elevators were public access and didn’t require any tailgating. Once we reached the top floor, we looked around and asked nicely (yeah, no) to go to one of the offices to see the view. The receptionist was kind enough for us to watch the city below from the 45th floor. This goes on to prove my theory that “You won’t find out, until you fuck around”. While in the elevator, I asked my partner in crime, Katharina, “How would she like to be arrested in Canada?” But, thankfully, it never did come to that. She did call 911 once, among other things. But those are stories for later – She did win this arm wrestling match we had.

I stayed at The Planet Traveler hostel for a little less than a week. The hostel wasn’t social per se, but they had damn good staff, and with the right mix of people I luckily bumped into during my days there created core memories that I will always cherish. The hostel was comfortable and clean, and it had a fantastic Friday dinner that would be criminal to miss. The hostel is in one of Toronto’s downtown University areas, but walking to different city hotspots isn’t too bad. The tram and the metro indeed helped.

Niagara Falls + Getting sloshed – A combination like no other.

I met my friend from work, Miguel, who lives close to Toronto, for a day trip to Niagara Falls. Toronto did think about my choice of day to visit Niagara Falls as we started off with a stormy morning. My Uber pulled up, slicing through the chilly winds next to me on the sidewalk. From there, it took 10-15 minutes on the empty streets for us to reach the Union Station and for me to board my train to Aldershot.

My friend picked me up from the station, and from there we went to the town of Niagara, where it was still raining. I packed in a change of clothes, shoes, dry bags, and waterproof covers. I had already booked tickets for the ship tour online from City Experiences, which I would highly recommend, considering we saw queues of people trying to buy a ticket for the tour.

The anticipation built up as we approached the falls, with the distant roar of the water becoming increasingly audible. The first glimpse of Niagara Falls will stay with me forever. The sheer volume of water cascading over the precipice was staggering.

After finding a place to park, we went out for a hearty lunch and conversation combo with this chonky American-style burger. If the burgers and frozen margarita didn’t knock me over, the falls definitely would, which was our next stop. We walked through the touristy town of Niagara, unimpressed as there wasn’t much we were interested in. The city is kitschy and mega-commercial, with multiple amusement rides, hotels overlooking the falls, and cafes serving deep-fried treats. We passed the viewing section across the streets for uninterrupted views and went straight for the boat tour.

Donning the provided pink poncho, it was time to see what these falls were all about. We boarded the boat, which took us close to the falls. And, it didn’t disappoint. The boat ride took us to the base of the falls. The experience of being so close to the cascading water was exhilarating and humbling, a true testament to the power of nature. It was a moment of pure awe, a moment I could record with just 2 friends having fun. The video is on Instagram.

Returning from this epic moment, I was about to mentally conclude my trip, but there was just one more thing to do. As I boarded the train back to Toronto, we said our goodbyes as another day in Canada had successfully concluded.

Apps I used on the trip

Not much special is needed to go around Canada.

1. BlaBlaCar – For Car Pooling
2. GPSmyCity + Smartguide: Offline tours with step-by-step directions
3. Happy Cow – For vegan restaurants
4. GetYourGuide – for booking tours (Alternative Viator, Tripadvisor tours, Airbnb experiences)
5. Google Translate – For the occasional French encounter
6. Niyo Global – App to manage my Forex debit card and review transactions.
7. Maps.me and Google Maps for all navigation

Detour: The 100-layer Lasange, some personal thoughts.

What made Toronto incredibly special wasn’t visiting my long-awaited Niagara Falls. Instead, it was a dish called 100 Layer Lasange served at La Palma on Dundas St.

Here’s the background story. I saw this place on an IG reel. La Palma’s head chef was explaining how they created this delicious monstrosity. In the video, he was piling lasagne sheet on lasagne sheet with bolognese and cheese. After 100 layers, the lasagne is baked and kept away. When I ordered the dish at the restaurant, the chef cut out a healthy piece of lasagne from the tub, searing the top layer until crisp on a cast iron skillet. All that cheese, sauces, and lasagne sheets simmering on the pan already spiked my cholesterol. The dish is served with parmesan, fresh tomato sauce, and olive oil. Honestly though, it was lasagne alright. It was great in its own creation and all. But, why am I telling you my love story of this lasagne? And why it meant more.

Two months back, when I was watching this reel at home. This very lasagne felt absurd. The lasagne felt out of reach. The concept was great, and so was the preparation. But, I never did imagine that future Vipul in 2 month’s time would be in Canada. Would be in Toronto. Sitting at the very restaurant, right at the chef’s counter, see that lasagne get prepared like he saw in the reel and eat it. And through all those sheets of refined flour, cheese, oils, and sauces. I was humbled. I felt incredibly privileged to be here and said an audible thank you.

Thank you for the memories.
Thank you for the people I have met on this journey.
Thank you to everything who’s been supporting me.

I got overwhelmed. Having the means to backpack solo for months, explore a multiversal range of food, cultures, and landscapes, and have people close to my heart who always support me no matter what. I am way to lucky to have that in my life. I write this here to remind myself to never forget that. No matter how much the distance would hurt. They enabled me, and I would be ready to help them in a heartbeat if I could.

I only wish to be like the lasagne. Each layer complements the next. I wish I was there to support the people who helped me. Uplift them in their time of need. And complement them when they go out of their way to achieve their goals and aspirations.

(End of Lasagne love story, back to the trip)

Conclusion

As I boarded my flight back to New Delhi, I couldn’t help but reflect on the incredible journey. Each city—Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto—offered a unique slice of Canadian life. Yet, they all shared common threads: a commitment to multiculturalism, a deep respect for nature, and an undeniable sense of community.

This trip was a geographical journey and a cultural exploration that enriched my understanding of what makes Canada such a special place. And what’s great is that there are still tons more to explore, trek, and look out for. This trip was another incredible chapter in my “Let’s Goto X” series. It’s a country I’ll revisit, and I highly recommend adding it to your travel bucket list.

Expenses

Canada is not cheap by any means. The country’s massive landscape holds little of the total population of Canada. Most of it collected together in the little spots on the east and west coast near where I went, leading to these cities having an exorbitant cost of living.

As usual, my estimates are my best effort since I don’t do strict budgeting for these trips as of yet. After my trip, I looked at my credit card statements to calculate figures as accurately as possible.

Total spends were 342,258 INR
Personal spends: 218,423 INR

Phew, if you didn’t get it so far. I left no expense, and this trip was expensive.

More trip documentation: Daily logs

I click many pictures and keep a daily travel log using a tool called Instagram. Uploading 80 photos on WordPress can be a hassle. Hence, I recommend checking out my highlights on Instagram about Canada as I document my travels in detail with no influencer BS. Feel free to mute me as I post a lot of pictures. Thank you for reading this far, and I hope another edition of this trip documentation helps you out.

See you later! Till then, live in the mix.