Whistler

It is a strange town, it is nice but looks so fake as it tries to be an old fashion ski village in the alpes but was only built about 15 years ago. The people are great and lots of bars to drink with the majority of the population being Aussies. I had a good time met some nice people but it was starting to get really cold, most of the girls where wearing thermals to the bars! It snowed a few times and rained a lot, when the snow lays in was really pretty and lots of fun having a snowball fight on the way home from the pub.

Halloween

Australia doesn't really celebrate Halloween so at 25 years old Mandy had never dressed up for Halloween or went 'Trick or Treating'. So for Halloween we got costumes and went trick or treating in Kathie's street and yes I know how old I am. We did get some funny looks from some people and even more when she said it was her first Halloween! A couple of the houses here go all out at Halloween there are decorations everywhere and some fake graveyards in gardens. Some of the pumpkins looked really good. We left the costumes to the day before which meant there was not a lot of choice left. I was going child friendly as there are 2 kids in the house, Mandy has discovered that she like to scare children as was sitting on the stairs at the door with the lights off so that her glow in the dark make-up would show.

Ice Hockey Game

Got to go to my first live Ice Hockey game. Went to see the Calgary Flames play the Nashville Predators. Kathie had got free tickets for one of the suites and gave them to Mandy and me. It was good as we got free food and drink. The game was OK but Calgary were in control of most of it so wasn't that exciting and there wasn't that much shouting from the crowds. Did hear the crowd shouting 'Who ate all the pies" which i thought was weird. They won 5-1 which was good and I also got to wear my hockey jersey.

Boo at the Zoo

The Zoo opened for 6 nights before halloween where they had different areas with halloween stuff for the kids and even a couple of scarier ones for older kids! It was better than I thought it would be. There was lots of things to do. Although as I was working for 5 of the days double shifts I was glad when it was over! Did get a chance to go though the Walk of the Dead and the Haunted House, the Walk of the Dead was good they had people jumping out at you but the Haunted House wasn't as good.

Journey Home

Unbelievablity the journey home was worst that the way there! We knew that we would have all day in Churchill as the train was suppose to leave at 8.30pm, it left at 12.00! Then the toilet on our carriage didn't the heating in the next carriage didn't work. None of the staff gave us any information on what time we would get in at. We finally got there about 9 hours late, meaning we had to change our connecting flight. It just took so long and was really uncomfortable to sleep. Trip was still worth it though. We also saw the Northern Lights while we where at the centre they where amazing.

Churchill Town and Surrounding Area

After the Dog Carting we went to see the Polar Bear Jail, it is where they put the Polar Bears that come into town looking for food. They release them by airlifting them to an area further north so that they will continue on to find ice. There was 11 Polar Bears in Jail while I was there, we didn't see them as they don't want them to have too much human contact. After that we when and saw Miss Piggy a plane that crashed a few years ago, there is also a shipwreck at the bay that you can walk to in low tide. They don't seem to take away things that crash. We also went into town and when to the beach, a museum and the gift shops. It isn't a big town so didn't take that long!

More Polar Bear Photos

Dog Karting

We also went Dog Carting instead of Sledding as there was no snow! It was pretty cool and they go really fast and actually seem to really enjoy it. They taught about the different position of the dogs and we could to meet all the dogs they had the cutest puppies. They had racing dogs so they weren't the big Husky dog I was expecting.

Polar Bears

Once we got to Churchill the trip was really good. We where staying at the Churchill Northern Science Centre which was good. Mandy and I had a room to ourselves which was good and the food was a bit too good as definitely didn't go hungry! We spend two days on the Tundra Buggies which take you out to see the Polar Bears. It was really good, saw 5 Polar Bears the first day and 6 the second including a mum and cub. A couple of them came right up to the buggies and they look so cute but they are highly unpredictable. We saw one of the bigger bear chasing one of the smaller bears, they can move really fast!

Journey to the Polar Bears

So our journey to Churchill, Manitoba started at 4.30am on Sunday when we got up to get ready for over 6.30am flight to Winnipeg. From Winnipeg we where getting the train at 8.13pm, which left us with the entire day in Winnipeg which you would think it wouldn't be hard to spend the day in a city! Winnipeg has not a lot in it, we asked people before we came what to do and the people from here couldn't really think of anything! We ended up looking around the shops and then going to see 2 films in a row at the cinema! It was cheap so that was good, the first show we where the only people in the cinema!

After our long day we headed to get the train that left over an hour late. It was a day and a half nearly 2 day train journey (we where 5 hours late, got free lunch) with 2 overnights. First night wasn't so bad as we where tired and there weren't as many people on the train so we could have 2 seats each but the second night there where people getting on and off and your back was still sore from the night before that you couldn't really sleep in the uncomfortable upright position. I don't really mind the time on the train read my book and then got made fun of because I had my disney kids colouring-in book, the train conductor gave me one of the VIA rail colouring books and crayons that they would give to kids. Mandy couldn't believe I was colouring-in but at least i wasn't bored, i told her it could be worse I could have my knitting and she said she wouldn't have let me!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was on the 8th October here for some reason that no one really knows why it is different from the US. It is kind of the same as Christmas but without the presents. You have the turkey dinner will all the trimmings some slightly different from Christmas. We watched the football (American) games on the T.V. which i have never really watched before the games were better that I thought. We also had a few drinks, what a surprise! There were a whole munch of people over for dinner. Typically we were eating leftovers for the next 3 days!

Birthday

So it was my birthday at the start of October, thank you for the cards and gifts people sent and the messages that i got. I also know that not all of you know when my birthday is so don't worry about it. I know it will be a shock for all of you but I didn't go out and get drunk for my birthday! I know, it's unbelievable! I did however go shopping which I know you will believe and then went back to Kathie's for birthday dinner. We had pizza and home made chocolate birthday cake and played party games with the kids. I got my first (Ice) Hockey Jersey, I am now a Calgary Flames fan my adopted family gave it to me as a present.

Ucluelet

Ucluelet is quieter than Tofino there isn't much of a town. Arrived late afternoon and just walked around to see where things where and then headed back. When out for pizza and drinks with some people from the hostel at the local bar. It kind of reminded me of the Stag and Hound everyone was a little bit strange but nice in their own way and of course there was a couple of fights. And as per usual ended up with a drink spilled down me. It was actually a good laugh. We got into trouble of being too noisy when we came back in!

The next day went and saw Little and Big Beach as well as Terrace Beach. There are not what I would call a beach as they had more gravel than sand!

Tofino

The night I got there met up with a girl I knew from the zoo and with a couple others when to Long Beach and walked along the beach until it was getting dark. Took a photo of the sunset and it looks as if i changed it to black and white - honestly haven't changed and to these photos.

Went on a hot spring trip in Tofino, which involved a boat - note to self need to remember that I really do get seasick! Only good thing about the boat was that we saw a grey whale, sea lions, seals and some dolphin like things that i can't remember there name. Was still dizzy and feeling sick when we got to the hot springs after we walked the 30 mins through the rainforest that was really pretty that I didn't go in as though i would be sick. Would have passed out with the heat! Slept on the way back - no more boat trips.

One of the photos is the few from the room it was the best view i have had so far.

Nanaimo

Went to Protection Island walked around the Island, people live on the Island and there is a floating pub but did not see any other businesses. Most of the people used Golf Carts to get around instead of cars. I'm not even sure how they would get the cars there! Also went to the University which is a lot prettier than any university I have seen in Scotland but think could have been helped by the view and the sunshine. Also walked along the harbour front which was nice.

Victoria

So I am now on Vancouver Island and first stop is Victoria. I managed to get the ferry over and not feel too sea sick! Victoria is a very English town, there are flower baskets hanging from all the lampposts, they even serve High Tea in one of the hotels. Spend the afternoon when I got here walking around seeing where everything was. Saw a man playing the bagpipes in a kilt next to a totem pole! (Scots they get everywhere)

The second day I had so much planned, was going to rent one of the mopeds and travel around seeing the stuff that was further out of town but the weather decided to pour down so I went to the Museum which was actually quite good - well the Native Indian and Victorian sections where - watched a Charlie Chaplin movie in a Victorian theatre! Then went and saw a real movie. Met a women from Newcastle and went out a walk with her in the afternoon and then for dinner later.

Saw this sign for the name of a pub - though it would be a good place for a lot of people that i know!!! You know who you are!