Back from Canada and back at work
Well, I am back from my travels. Canada was amazing! It was so much colder than we had expected it to be but the scenery in the national parks was breath-taking and I even saw a bear! I made a note of everything I did while we were out there so here's my diary:
Day 1:
Caught flight from Gatwick. Flight was half empty. Watched some films on the plane, Shrek the Third, Blades of Glory... Arrived in Calgary airport and was greeted by cowgirls. Collected our car, a Dodge Charger (which was HUGE) and drove to our hotel, the Carriage House Inn. we dropped off our luggage and drove to Calgary town centre, walkes round Eau Claire market and China Town, walked down Stephenson Ave (which had a ton of Ferraris and Lambourghinis lined up outside a bar) and saw Calgary Tower. Had dinner in China Town and went to bed.
Day 2:
Drove to Banff. Couldn't check in at The Juniper as it was too early so walked around Banff town centre. Japanese tourists everywhere! Went
up Sulphur Mountain gondola and saw views across the whole of the Banff but it was freezing cold! Walked along the catwalks on the mountain tops. Had a steak dinner and saw a deer that walked right out in front of the car. So jet lagged we both keep falling asleep!
Day 3:
Got up at 5:30am because of the jet lag, drove to Lake Louise. Stopped at Johnson Canyon and walked to both waterfalls. Got to Lake Louise and it rained then snowed. Drove to Lake Moraine and it snowed even heavier! saw an elk in the trees by the roadside. Drove back to Banff, had a bath and lay in bed watching telly then went to Sukiyaki House for dinner. bed by 9.
Day 4:
Woke up and everything was white. Must have snowed overnight. Went to MacDonalds for breakfast (slowest service EVER! canada is so laid back!) then hired bikes. Cycled to the cave and basin site and saw both which stunk of sulphur. Cycled to Sundance Canyon and walked the trail. Then cycled back to Banff for lunch. Headed up the tunnel mountain trail (ALL UPHILL!!) and down the hoodoo trail through the forest where we saw an Elk and heard a Moose. Had to carry the bikes over the last bit of trail as it was too steep. Then took bikes back, drove to the Vermillion lakes and had dinner in Canmore.
Day 5:
Drove to Yoho National Park. Went to the townsite of Field which has a population of 250. went to Emerald Lake and had lunch at the lodge then drove to Wa? falls. Back to Banff had a soak in the hot springs (which were 39 degrees and really hot!) and had the cheapest and nicest meal do far at Chaya (japanese cafe). Went to the cinema and watched The Kingdom.
Day 6:
We checked out of the hotel and headed to Jasper. Stopped at Peyto Lake and Sunwupta Falls and the Icefields Centre. Didn't go onto the Icefields glacier as it was snowing too heavily. Arrived at Jasper and drove round for AGES looking for a b&b. Settled on the Bear Hill Lodge which was like a motel and had dinner at the Jasper Brewing Co.
Day 7:
Drove to Medcine lake but stopped half way to Maligne Lake as the snow got too heavy and we were worried we'd get stuck! Went back to Jasper and had roast chicken from the supermarket (which the other half had been going on about for days) in the hotel room. Then after boyf had a nap, went to Pyramid lake and island. Had dinner at Den Jiro.
Day 8:
Time to head back to Calgary. Stopped at Athabasca falls, snowing again. saw a bear, a coyote and big horn sheep on the way down the Icefields Parkway. Stopped at Lake Louise and took out a canoe onto the lake until it started snowing and we were forced to go back inside. Drove all the way back to Calgary and had dinner in Chinatown.
Day 9:
Up at 5:30 and went to Calgary airport. Had breakfast at Cheers and flew to Vancouver. Checked into the Ramada Inn and Suites Downtown on Graville. Went to Chinatown and walked round Dr Sun Yat Sen gardens and went for dim sum. Drove to Richmond and went to The Bay shopping centre. Went to Granville Island and walked round the market and then it chucked it down with rain. No dinner tonight as too full from lunch and bubble tea. So many Chinese here, every other shop and restaurant and sales assistant is Chinese! There's even a Chinese TV station and radio!
Day 10:
Went to Stanley Park and walked down Robson Avenue at night. Ended up back in Richmond at a 24 hour Chinese place. Portions were huge!
Day 11:
Went shopping down Robson Street again and managed to fall over and twist my ankle really badly. Now looks like a balloon. Met with Uncle and Aunty and had tea and cake at another Aunty's place. Then went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner which was amazing and met my cousins! They drove me to a supermarket so I could get a pumpkin pie and then dropped us off back home.
Day 12:
Went back to Granville Island and boyf finally got to have his clam chowder! Then a LONG LONG LONG flight back home.... watched so many films. Saw Music and Lyrics (ok), Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (again), Premonition (rubbish), opted to sleep through Mr Bean. Sat the whole flight with my foot up on the seat beside me.
Day 1:
Caught flight from Gatwick. Flight was half empty. Watched some films on the plane, Shrek the Third, Blades of Glory... Arrived in Calgary airport and was greeted by cowgirls. Collected our car, a Dodge Charger (which was HUGE) and drove to our hotel, the Carriage House Inn. we dropped off our luggage and drove to Calgary town centre, walkes round Eau Claire market and China Town, walked down Stephenson Ave (which had a ton of Ferraris and Lambourghinis lined up outside a bar) and saw Calgary Tower. Had dinner in China Town and went to bed.Day 2:
Drove to Banff. Couldn't check in at The Juniper as it was too early so walked around Banff town centre. Japanese tourists everywhere! Went
up Sulphur Mountain gondola and saw views across the whole of the Banff but it was freezing cold! Walked along the catwalks on the mountain tops. Had a steak dinner and saw a deer that walked right out in front of the car. So jet lagged we both keep falling asleep!Day 3:
Got up at 5:30am because of the jet lag, drove to Lake Louise. Stopped at Johnson Canyon and walked to both waterfalls. Got to Lake Louise and it rained then snowed. Drove to Lake Moraine and it snowed even heavier! saw an elk in the trees by the roadside. Drove back to Banff, had a bath and lay in bed watching telly then went to Sukiyaki House for dinner. bed by 9.
Day 4:
Woke up and everything was white. Must have snowed overnight. Went to MacDonalds for breakfast (slowest service EVER! canada is so laid back!) then hired bikes. Cycled to the cave and basin site and saw both which stunk of sulphur. Cycled to Sundance Canyon and walked the trail. Then cycled back to Banff for lunch. Headed up the tunnel mountain trail (ALL UPHILL!!) and down the hoodoo trail through the forest where we saw an Elk and heard a Moose. Had to carry the bikes over the last bit of trail as it was too steep. Then took bikes back, drove to the Vermillion lakes and had dinner in Canmore.Day 5:
Drove to Yoho National Park. Went to the townsite of Field which has a population of 250. went to Emerald Lake and had lunch at the lodge then drove to Wa? falls. Back to Banff had a soak in the hot springs (which were 39 degrees and really hot!) and had the cheapest and nicest meal do far at Chaya (japanese cafe). Went to the cinema and watched The Kingdom.
Day 6:
We checked out of the hotel and headed to Jasper. Stopped at Peyto Lake and Sunwupta Falls and the Icefields Centre. Didn't go onto the Icefields glacier as it was snowing too heavily. Arrived at Jasper and drove round for AGES looking for a b&b. Settled on the Bear Hill Lodge which was like a motel and had dinner at the Jasper Brewing Co.
Day 7:
Drove to Medcine lake but stopped half way to Maligne Lake as the snow got too heavy and we were worried we'd get stuck! Went back to Jasper and had roast chicken from the supermarket (which the other half had been going on about for days) in the hotel room. Then after boyf had a nap, went to Pyramid lake and island. Had dinner at Den Jiro.
Day 8:
Time to head back to Calgary. Stopped at Athabasca falls, snowing again. saw a bear, a coyote and big horn sheep on the way down the Icefields Parkway. Stopped at Lake Louise and took out a canoe onto the lake until it started snowing and we were forced to go back inside. Drove all the way back to Calgary and had dinner in Chinatown.Day 9:
Up at 5:30 and went to Calgary airport. Had breakfast at Cheers and flew to Vancouver. Checked into the Ramada Inn and Suites Downtown on Graville. Went to Chinatown and walked round Dr Sun Yat Sen gardens and went for dim sum. Drove to Richmond and went to The Bay shopping centre. Went to Granville Island and walked round the market and then it chucked it down with rain. No dinner tonight as too full from lunch and bubble tea. So many Chinese here, every other shop and restaurant and sales assistant is Chinese! There's even a Chinese TV station and radio!
Day 10:
Went to Stanley Park and walked down Robson Avenue at night. Ended up back in Richmond at a 24 hour Chinese place. Portions were huge!
Day 11:
Went shopping down Robson Street again and managed to fall over and twist my ankle really badly. Now looks like a balloon. Met with Uncle and Aunty and had tea and cake at another Aunty's place. Then went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner which was amazing and met my cousins! They drove me to a supermarket so I could get a pumpkin pie and then dropped us off back home.
Day 12:
Went back to Granville Island and boyf finally got to have his clam chowder! Then a LONG LONG LONG flight back home.... watched so many films. Saw Music and Lyrics (ok), Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (again), Premonition (rubbish), opted to sleep through Mr Bean. Sat the whole flight with my foot up on the seat beside me.
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