| Some time ago I noticed these odd shaped colourful | | | | enjoyed the gargoyle story about Old Toronto City |
| bus-type vehicles in the streets of Toronto, and I | | | | Hall, where a famous architect took revenge on |
| was wondering what they were. I caught a second | | | | Toronto city counsellors who criticized him for his |
| glimpse and I saw "Toronto Hippo Tours", and I | | | | cost overruns by depicting their likenesses as ugly |
| realized that these buses carry sightseeing | | | | gargoyles. We then headed up University Avenue |
| passengers not just on the streets of Toronto, but | | | | past Queens Park (the provincial government |
| also in the waters of Lake Ontario. Considering that | | | | buildings) and on to the University of Toronto |
| this form of intermodal transportation is definitely | | | | campus.From there we snaked our way down |
| unconventional, it just recently came to me that I | | | | through the Garment District, admiring all of Toronto's |
| should do an interview with this company and go on | | | | loft conversions and condo developments past the |
| one of the vehicles myself.They are definitely funny | | | | CNE grounds (the Canadian National Exhibition |
| looking vehicles with a rounded snout, bright painting | | | | grounds) to a ramp near Ontario Place, where we |
| saying "Ride the Hippo", and an entry at the rear | | | | were getting ready for THE BIG SPLASH - the |
| where you board walking up a set of retractable | | | | Hippo's entry into the water.It sure was a weird |
| metal stairs.Today I met with Drew O'Gilvie who is | | | | feeling, being on a bus whose windshield is all of a |
| the Director of Sales and Marketing for Toronto | | | | sudden fully submerged by water. But the vehicle |
| Hippo Tours. Drew used to be a Director of Sales for | | | | straightened itself out pretty quickly and we started |
| Delta Hotels and obviously has a lot of | | | | chugging slowly into the waters surrounding Ontario |
| tourism-related marketing experience.1. Please tell us | | | | Place. "Happy the Hippo's" top speed is about 5 |
| who came up with the idea of creating a company | | | | knots, and the vehicle has a single engine that propels |
| with a bus that floats? How long has the company | | | | the bus' transmission on land as well as the propeller |
| been in business?Geoffrey Lind founded Toronto | | | | in the water. At 20 tons it's a pretty heavy vehicle |
| Hippo Tours 5 years ago since he wanted to bring | | | | and a special ramp had to be built to give it access |
| the "duck concept", the famous amphibian vehicle | | | | to Lake Ontario.We took a little spin over off the |
| tours in Boston, to Toronto. Last year the company | | | | west end of the Exhibition Grounds where we had a |
| had 25,000 passengers and we expect to far surpass | | | | good look at Toronto's only wind turbine (we are |
| that number this year. Rather than calling ourselves a | | | | finally making baby-steps towards greener energy |
| sightseeing company, we consider ourselves an | | | | production....) where we turned around and headed |
| "urban safari", a true urban adventure.2. How many | | | | back towards Ontario place.While Dan was driving |
| Hippos are there? What makes them special?We | | | | during the water portion of the trip, Catherine, the |
| currently have 2 vehicles in operation with a 3rd one | | | | other captain, and I stood at the back of the vessel |
| that was just recently completed and is just waiting | | | | and had a great conversation. Catherine is a former |
| for final licenses, a complicated process that involves | | | | insurance sales expert and after being laid off she |
| federal and provincial authorities and safety checks. | | | | went into a completely new career - first as a Hippo |
| The vehicles are Canadian-designed and built, based | | | | tour guide, and she has also become a fully certified |
| on a school-bus platform. Contrary to other places, | | | | and licensed Hippo captain. Catherine also knows lots |
| they are not recycled WWII or Korean war | | | | about fixing the vehicle and doesn't mind getting her |
| amphibian vehicles. They are carefully safety-checked | | | | fingers greasy when she performs maintenance |
| and greased every morning. We affectionately call | | | | duties on the bus on a daily basis. In her off -months |
| our 3 amphibian vehicles Harry, Happy and Henrietta, | | | | from November to April Catherine does some cool |
| our newest addition.3. Please tell us about your route | | | | things, such as volunteering her services to an animal |
| and your schedule. Are the tours narrated?The Hippo | | | | conservation area to protect sloths in Costa Rica, or |
| tours are 1.5 hours long and spend about 1 hour on | | | | travelling extensively to Cuba. As a matter of fact, |
| land covering the major Toronto sites, all | | | | Catherine is a pretty cool and interesting individual |
| professionally narrated by a tour guide who is also | | | | herself and I will be doing a follow-up intereview with |
| licensed in first-aid. We run tours from the beginning | | | | her in the near future.Back on land we passed by |
| of May to the end of October every hour from 11 | | | | Harbourfront and headed back up towards the |
| am to 6 pm.4. Please tell us about the prices. Is it | | | | famous Royal York hotel. Shortly after we made a |
| possible to book the vehicles for a private | | | | quick turn left and headed back to the Hippo Tours |
| outing?Prices are very reasonable at C$35.00 per | | | | parking spot at 151 Front Street, just a tiny bit east |
| adult, or C$30.00 for seniors or students, and | | | | of the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre (formerly |
| C$23.00 for children 12 years and under. The vehicles | | | | called the Skydome), Toronto's multi-purpose stadium |
| can also be chartered and are frequently rented for | | | | with the retractable roof.Catherine and I had a |
| special occasions both by business organizations and | | | | chance to catch up for about 10 minutes after the |
| private individuals for birthday parties. At C$500.00 | | | | tour was over, and we briefly talked about doing a |
| per outing, which holds 40 passengers, this can be an | | | | language study trip to Cuba, something that |
| extremely affordable special event.5. Please comment | | | | Catherine was interested in. I shared some |
| on the special training that your captains and tour | | | | information with her since I have had the opportunity |
| guides receive.Our guides are certified in St. John's | | | | to study Spanish at the University of Havana earlier |
| Ambulance and CPR, and are all restricted engineers. | | | | this year.It seems to me that Catherine is a bit of an |
| They undergo strict testing with government | | | | adventurer and I am really looking forward to |
| authorities as marine captains and they have to | | | | catching up with her to find out more about her new, |
| obtain licenses to become school-bus drivers for | | | | unconventional lifestyle that went from corporate |
| operating the vessel on land.After interviewing Drew, | | | | sales to being a road/lake captain for 6 months of |
| I had a chance to actually sample the Hippo | | | | the year, and doing some other cool stuff in the |
| experience myself and I got on board, plunking | | | | months between..Thanks again to Drew and the |
| myself down right behind the Captain, who in this | | | | whole crew at Toronto Hippo Tours for spending |
| case was a sporty-looking lady by the name of | | | | their time with me and for giving me the opportunity |
| Catherine. We had another tour guide who | | | | to explore Toronto on a bus - on land and on the |
| competently and entertainingly mentioned the major | | | | water.......Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website |
| sights along the way and cracked some dry jokes in | | | | called Travel and Transitions( Travel and Transitions |
| between. Another guide by the name of Dan also | | | | deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of |
| accompanied us. He is just finishing up his road | | | | advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews |
| licensing and has already completed the marine | | | | with travellers and travel experts, insights and |
| portion of the licensing process.The vehicle passes | | | | reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many |
| through the streets of Toronto at a very leisurely | | | | other features. You will also find stories about life and |
| pace. Our route included major sites such as the | | | | the transitions that we face as we go through our |
| Royal York Hotel, Union Station, Yonge Street with | | | | own personal life-long journeys.Submit your own |
| the Bay, the Eaton Centre and Dundas Square. We | | | | travel stories in our first travel story contest( and |
| then headed over on Elm Street and down on Bay | | | | have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise |
| Street past Old and New City Hall. I particularly | | | | on the Amazon River. |