Gadling Audio Slideshow: Newfoundland Part I

by Erik Olsen on

Ok, folks, trying something a little different here. I’ll try to do a print version as well (though much shorter), but thought I’d pull together some photos and such from my Newfoundland trip into a tight little audio slideshow.

I added some (very) cheesy music and did a somewhat spontaneous voice over, but I think it gives a nice visual feel for the place. I’m going to try and find the time to do one for several of the days I was there, including the two days I spent kayaking outside of St.. John’s and Trinity.

So, click here and check it out and feel free to post comments if you enjoyed it.

Photo of the Day (7/25/2006)

by Erik Olsen on

Sorry folks, assuming executive privilege today and giving the Photo of the Day to myself. Yup, had to do it .I am flush with giddiness after coming back from vacation and have lots of photos to share. In fact, if you haven’t already check out my audio slide show, I hope you do so now. It’s simple, music is hokey, but it’s fun. And as far as the photo, this was taken in Cape Broyle, Newfoundland, where I hooked up with a wonderful outfitter named Stan Cook.

Escape from Newfoundland

by Erik Olsen on


Well, it’s just about 9am here in St. John’s Newfoundland and my flight is supposed to leave in 4 minutes. After our flight was canceled yesterday and we were left hanging, left to completely fend for ourselves in a heavily over-booked city, I figured the folks at Continental would do everything they could to get a crew here and get folks out on time the following day. I was wrong. The plane is now delayed for at least two hours.

And sadly, St. John’s is one of those airports where there is nary a Starbucks, and so all there is to do is sit and wait. Well, OK, there is a Tim Hortons here, a Canadian chain that is kind of like a Dunkin Donuts, but the coffee is thin bellywash, hardly strong enough to pep up a fly. So in the meantime I’m sitting here reading Tom Wolfe’s latest opus, I Am Charlotte Simmons (quite good by the way) and wondering when this travel nightmare is going to end. (I look a bit haggard, eh? Vacationing is hard work.) Funny thing is, people here in Newfoundland are so nice that I’ve already had three people come up to talk to me. One of them was a lady who works in the security line. Have you ever heard of the security folks being chatty? Only in Canada.

Anyway, I’ve got some good Newfoundland stories to tell and pictures, perhaps even video to show of what a fascinating and lovely place this is. But I want to get back to start cranking this stuff out. In the meantime, I wait. And wait. And wait.

Newfoundland Adventure: a Preface

by Erik Olsen on


I am sitting in a hotel room in St. John’s Newfoundland right now, getting ready to head back to the states. I’ve been here for over a week, and have gawked at the astounding landscapes, endured several rather brutal rain storms, savored many a plate of fish and chips, and kayaked glacial-chilled seas while meeting whales, puffins and eagles face to face…or face to beak for that matter. I have one word about this place: amazing. It is beautiful and rugged and gaping and…wait, that’s more than one word.

Anyway, my computer here is loaded down with photos of the last week, during which I got to see an ample, but in all reality rather small, portion of this incredible Canadian province. I plan to provide an informative, photo-illustrated look back on this trip, but right now must head out to board a plane. So in the meantime, I offer this photo of my sea kayaking adventure from two days ago to whet the appetite. Will write more soon.

Heading to Newfoundland

by Erik Olsen on

I’m just moments away from boarding a lane to St. John’s, Newfoundland. I’ll be there for about a week, driving around the region, hopefully doing a fair amount of paddling and perhaps even some fishing. I’m very excited. Newfoundland is one of those obscure, but fascinating places. Kind of forbidding, but with a unique, rich, sea-faring culture.

I’ve been dong a fair amount of reading about it and even caught The Shipping News the other night, which was shot in and around St. John’s, the capital of the region. It was a rather awful movie, I have to say. Kevin Spacey played the timid, kind of dim-witted Quoyle, who goes back to where his forebears lived and who hooks up with the lovely Juliane Moore (who, I might add, lives in my neighborhood…she’s still very pretty in person, but amazingly petite)…well, it just wasn’t very convincing. And the shots around St. John’s didn’t do much to convey what the place is like…other than that is seems to be awfully grey and rainy. I probably should have read the book, but wanted to see what the place looked like.

Anyway, I’ll be posting when I can from the road and will be sure to take pictures to illustrate what Newfoundland is like. So stay tuned.