Canada

Hello! Yes I am still about, just been away and then have been a busy bee on my return and blogging has just had to be left aside.

On 5th Oct I flew out with 5 work mates to VANCOUVER, where we went up the lookout tower and spent the night in hotel. It was cheaper for us to get a limo ride to the hotel than the bus -so we did! Do not fly with Air Canada -they are rubbish!

In the early hours we were picked up and taken to the Rocky Mountaineer train station ready to board the amazing train, which we spent the day on (Redleaf -which was amazing) travelling through the mountains following the river to KAMLOOPS, where we spent a night in a hotel (Kamloops is nothing but a lorry stop over place). The train journey -well words cannot describe the scenery.



The next day we were picked up and taken to the train again to travel for a second day on our way to BANFF -the scenery was even more breathtaking as we got higher into the mountains, went through spiralling tunnels and went through areas with snow. Nothing I write and even pictures do not show the awesomeness of it all.

BANFF is really just for tourists and our guide informed us that even though he'd lived in Banff for 20yrs, there are no residents in Banff only short-term or long-term tourists! Its magical, snow-capped mountain backdrop etc -you think you are in toytown or winter wonderland or something! We spent a night in Banff and the next day went up Sulphar mountain on a gondola (cable car) -this is an experience I won't forget. Climbing to the top -totally amazing!
Our hotel in Banff:



We then moved onto CALGARY by coach and stayed there for 4 nights, where we went up the tower, went to Calgary Zoo, the Glenbow museum and had some fantastic meals (including thanksgiving) and times with some relatives of my work mates. We even visited a show home and began thinking of moving out there....!



From CALGARY we flew with Westjet (great airline) to VICTORIA on Vancouver Island, where we spent a few nights.



We visited Buchart Gardens (wow -how many gardeners work there! -amazing).

The sunken garden at Butchart Gardens:



We the picked up our hire car and drove the 4 hour drive to TOFINO still on Vancouver Island. On the way we stopped off at Cathedral Grove, where there are giant redwood trees -some over 800 yrs old) -you have to be there to understand the scale of them!) Tofino is remote and it rains a lot! However, we went whale watching on a zodiac boat with an indoor and outdoor area. We saw lots of Gray Whales and sea lions, which was awesome and I got to drive the boat! 37mph over water -thats so much fun! Loved it!



In Tofino we ate at a wonderful resturant called the pointe restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn:



After a few days in TOFINO visting beaches and going for walks up radar hill, we drove back to VICTORIA, dropped off the car and got the ferry across to VANCOUVER, where we spent the last couple of days shopping etc and going across the Capilano Suspesion Bridge. We flew home and got back on 22nd Oct, shattered with serious jetlag -I hate losing 8 hrs!

Capilano Suspension Bridge:



Fantastic holiday -totally recommend anyone going -although a lot of you already have!

I have 4 hours of camcorder footage and many pics, but I'm not gonna put them on here just yet. Will try and add some at some point.

Will blogg more stuff soon!