Travel: Beam me down, Scotty

FIRST REACTION

So that's what a full herd of caribou on their seasonal migration north looks like.

COUNTRY AND REGION

Welcome to the largest province of the second largest country in the world - northern Quebec, Canada.

NATURE OF THE TERRAIN

Low hills dotted with thousands of lakes feeding the multitudinous rivers which break into treacherous rapids and waterfalls at the edges of the region. The Evergreen forests which cover most of this area provide a home for caribou, deer, elk, moose, and the odd grisly bear.

ALTITUDE

About 200 metres

NEAREST SETTLEMENT

Schefferville - an iron ore mining town some 300km due south west.

POSSIBLE HAZARDS

Midges and mosquitoes could be irritating, but getting between a bear and her cub could be fatal.

USEFUL LANGUAGES

Either French or English depending on which side of the referendum you stand.

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER

Despite separatist fever, the Canadian Prime Minister and staunch federalist, Jean Chretien, still holds onto Quebec.

LIKELY WEATHER CONDITIONS

Getting quite pleasant. Temperatures could be nudging 20C during the day time (count yourself lucky to have arrived now and not last winter when the temperature even in Montreal dropped to -40C).

REASONS FOR HANGING AROUND

Despite over-hunting, the region harbours some impressive flora and fauna, offering the chance to see the reclusive moose and migrating caribou.

GETTING THE HELL OUT OF THERE

Ride the rapids downstream, south-west to Schefferville, then hitch a ride in a mining train south-east towards Quebec City some 900km away.