Welcome to Canada – “like awesome 'eh”

Vancouver - I know says Brad “lets like go for a nice walk around the shoreline” – 5 hours and approx 20 km later after navigating Stanley Park, it’s this really large 1,000 acres of urban park smack in the CBD. Woodlands, gardens, flowers, lakes, beaches and wildlife. Wow like the seagulls are 3 times the size of ours, if they want your chips they're coming to get them and there’s nothing you can do to stop them.

I have come back to the hotel to die, wash cloths and relax; Brad on the other hand came back and like sprayed sweat around the room doing 30 minutes of gruelling calisthenics using his annoying beeping thingy awesome ‘eh’.

Sick of the “like” thing yet, it appears our colonial cousins like using that word a lot ‘eh’.

So, what does bad coffee, Johnny Cash and clearly a very short supply of eligible men have in common? Can’t guess? Its Kamloops, BC, pretty town on the way to Banff and Jasper in the Rocky Mountains. We arrived just in time to join most of the town at the local park to listen to a Johnny Cash tribute, Brad was in heaven, I wanted to slit my wrists but I did recognise some of the more depressing songs, Brad was also pretty chuffed when I pointed out to him (sweet boy) that he was getting a lot of attention from the local girls, it was his retort that the town must have a short supply of men, personally I think it was Wednesdays grey T-shirt that did the trick.

Funny how we travelled 12,000 odd km to have dinner with the Rolfe’s and Dart’s! They graciously bought us dinner for my birthday, and it was vastly superior to the tuna sandwich we would have had at our hotel on the other side of the railway line. I have no doubt that everyone will hear more about it but Dad and Mum R saw a Bear in Whistler, we on the other hand have only seen one chipmunk, two elk and supposedly sheep, plus droppings that we hoped were from a bear but were in fact from a horse.

Very exciting was our trip up the gondolier in Jasper, no problems going up but unfortunately a storm came out of nowhere, lightning, whiteout, high winds, thoughts of every bad horror movie played through my mind, water was seeping in through the windows, lightning was everywhere, the power went off, if it wasn't for the fact that there was a fully stocked restaurant and bar upstairs we could have potentially died during the 1.5 hours we were forced to wait.

We also stayed at the Fairmont Resort in Lake Louise, I suggest you all Google this hotel, and go green with envy. Wow, situated right on the lake it’s truly beautiful. The lake is glacial so that means the water is a magnificent turquoise colour.

Meeting interesting people, of course everyone is happy as they are on holidays, found the missing generation of Australian boys and girls, they are in fact, hiding in Canada.

Sampled local beers, local wines and we are eating ourselves around North America.

The majestic, extraordinary, transcendent, ineffable, awe-inspiring views of the Rocky Mountains’ are exactly that. Emerald green glacier lakes, vast mountain ranges, crystal clear waters, stunning waterfalls and SNOW, mmm hello, its August!

Its been snowing off and on for the last few days, very pretty to wake up to but not so much fun without thermals, parkers, gloves and scarves.

Here’s a few photo’s to whet your appetite to follow us over here.