Riding the Magic Bus

Arriving at the Canadian Falls, a line of luxury hotels dominate the landscape somewhat overshadowing the natural treasure across the street. Niagara Falls is actually 2 separate sets of falls; the American and Canadian Falls. The Canadians are quick to inform you the smaller set belongs to the Americans while the larger more impressive set to the Canadians. Because of their shape the Canadian Falls are also called “Horseshoe falls.” These famous Falls are also the site of 15 attempts to tumble over their edge in various kinds of barrels.

The first such attempt occurred in 1901 when Annie Edson Taylor, a retired school teacher, went over the Falls with her cat using a traditional wine barrel. Both occupants survived but upon exiting the barrel, she was heard to utter, “nobody ought ever do that again.”

Even as late as the 1990’s several attempts tried to capitalize on the advancements in technology. One of the more tragic involved a man using a steel barrel with a harness and oxygen tank inside. Upon crashing into the waters below, the barrel became trapped spinning for 24 hours behind the Falls. Unfortunately, there was only enough oxygen for 4 hours, and it was reported to have been a very gruesome site inside once the barrel was recovered.

During this same period a kayaker was so confident in his abilities that he made dinner reservations at a restaurant down river. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep his appointment and all that was recovered were small pieces of his kayak. Another noteworthy attempt shortly after had a Texas rancher daring to go over the Falls using a jet ski, a jet pack and a parachute. Anyone familiar with Wylie Coyote can quickly imagine the result but unlike Wylie Coyote the rancher didn’t bounce back.

One of the more unusual incidents involved a man attempting a dramatic suicide. What was more surprising was that he lived. Since the first attempt in 1901, there have been 15 people foolish enough to follow in Annie Taylor’s footsteps. Of these, ten survived with only 5 ending with the loss of life. While the odds seem to be in your favor, it certainly doesn’t seem to be worth the risk.

Once you have walked the length of both the American and Canadian Falls, you might want to take the Journey Behind the Falls tour. For an additional $10 Canadian ($8.5 US), you can take an elevator down to the observation deck at the base of the Falls. Here you will find 2 tunnels. One leads to the observation deck where you can get a spectacular view of the water as it comes off the Falls. The other tunnel goes farther back where you can truly appreciate the deafening power of the wall of water as it crashes down in front of you.

As the Magic Bus pulled away two and a half later, everyone had had time to view the Falls, visit several souvenir shops and even test their luck at a Canadian casino. It had been a perfect day trip and gave us enough time to truly enjoy the beautiful scenery. {mospagebreak}

On the way back to Toronto, the Magic Bus had one more stop to make. This they called the mystery stop. In truth, our driver pulled into a scenic overlook where everyone was treated to one of the most picturesque views imaginable. As the sun set, the reddish hues were reflected off the buildings that make up the Toronto skyline offering everyone a last chance to take a memorable photo.

Reflecting back, I can now say the Magic Bus Company has proven itself true to its word. For a modest fee, they did in fact provide a very enjoyable trip. There was an opportunity to meet other travelers from various parts of the globe. I was treated like a traveler on a budget instead of a herded cow. And, I was given enough time to see everything I wanted. All in all I was more than pleased with the services provided. I will caution that these tours are meant for younger or more agile passengers. With the extra firm bus seats, no bathrooms and little personal attention, it is really up to the passengers to see to their own needs. Still, for the price and for anyone who does not mind these limitations I would recommend a trip on the Magic Bus.