Onward to Jasper

We set off early this morning around eight but we failed to avoid the heat. Around 10am we stopped off to fill up with Gas and have some breakfast. There was an announcement on the radio that the forest fire cause by the car fire was still burning.
The traffic on the roads was light and we made good progress. Just after Valemont we were passed by a fire engine with al lights flashing. We started wondering if we would find the road ahead would be blocked. At Mount Robson we decided to stop off and have some coffee and a snack. The views were fantastic. While we were there an ambulance, sirens blaring, went past.
About 2 miles up the road we discovered the problem. An over turned car. It looked pretty battered. I could not see if anyone was injured.
A few miles later we arrived at the entry to Jasper National Park. We were stopped at the gate and the attendant started asking us some questions. Suddenly she stopped as she saw the ambulance we had passed earlier approaching. So that the ambulance could get through she waved us on, questions unasked.
The place we are staying, Pocahontas Cabins, is some 20 miles on the other side of Jasper through some of the most beautiful scenery I have seen ever. We are now settled in the cabin and Rita has disappeared to the laundry room. The cabin is very good, lounge with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. The only thing missing is air conditioning. Luckily the cabins are under trees and are shaded from the direct sunlight.
Tonight we will eat in the restaurant and take a glass of wine while sitting on the veranda in front of our cabin. We will try to workout what we will do tomorrow which is Canada Day, its 141th birthday.

Hot off the Press

This morning we discovered that we were totally wrong about the temperature while we were waiting in line at Jackass Pass. It wasn’t in the 80s, it was in the 90s. In fact at 2pm it was 95°F, at 3pm it was 99°F and at 4pm it was 102 (39°C). This was a record for the area.

Some like it hot.

We started out early before it got too hot. The night before I had phoned the transport help line at 10pm, yes they were still open, and was given the buses we need to catch to get to the Ferry Terminal. The bus arrived on time. Things were warming up by the time we got to the terminal.
The ferry journey was smooth and relaxing. We bought tickets for the bus to take us back to Vancouver. We arrived at the bus terminal were we had set out to travel to Seattle four days earlier. There we took the Skytrain, something we had not managed to ride on while we were in Vancouver the first time and then walked the 5 blocks to the car rental office. We arrived just after midday and by this time we were tired and very hot.
We were told that the cars were late in being delivered from the airport and we would have to wait. We waited nearly an hour. On the good side we were upgraded at no extra charge to a Chevy Outlander. Before we could start our journey we had to pick up our suitcases from the Ramada.
Driving in a busy city on the other side of the road with strange road signs in a car I had never driven was interesting. Rita’s job was to tell me what side of the road to go on at turns. It worked well.
We finally got out of the City. The aircon was working well and we were both felling comfortable. The raised position in the car was certainly a great benefit. There were two options to get to Kamloops; the scenic Highway 1 or the Highway 5 toll road. We opted for the scenic root. After about 50 miles we saw a huge plume of white smoke rising from the side of the road with black clouds at the base. Then saw the line of stationery traffic. We stopped and got out and withered in the extreme heat. It was at least kin the mid 80s. We discovered that a car had overheated and had burst into flames. It had also set fire to the nearby trees.
After sitting in the queue for about 45 minutes watching planes drop water and powder onto the fire and a helicopter Rita stopped a car going in the other direction. They had been close to the accident and had been told it would be over 2 hours before they would reopen the road. So they had turned round. We decided to do the same and drive the 50 miles back to Hope and then go on Highway 5.
We got as far as Merritt some 60 miles from Hope. We found a motel and a diner. We have an early start tomorrow to make up for lost time. Only 325 miles to go.

Whale of a time

The day started cloudless and sunny and it was like that all day.

We went out this morning on the Prince of Whales Zodiac. Unfortunately the Orca Pods were too far out for us to get to them. We did however come across a humpbacked whale. It was probably a young one and gave us quite a chase and it surfaced very briefly and then disappeared only to surface way away from where it had been previously.
Rita proved to be a natural at whale spotting and she is hoping to find a job on Japanese whaler. We never got really close but I got a few good photographs, although one was a fluke. The boat captain got out his fishing net and brought up some krill that were swarming all around our boat and why the humpback was there.

We also saw a bald eagle, seals and an elephant seal. All in all it was a very good trip out.

Tomorrow we are catching the ferry back to Vancouver to pick up the car.

Flower Beds and Sea Beds

According to the locals today has been the first real day of sunshine. It was glorious.

This is a short post as we have only just got back from a full day. In the morning we took a coach ride out to the Butchart Gardens. The gardens were created by the wife of the owner of a cement factory. The deep hole created by removing the limestone has been turned into a superb sunken garden featuring a rose garden, Japanese garden and an Italian garden as well as many other formal areas and a superb fountain.

After a short walk around downtown Victoria we returned to the hotel to get ready for thr evening's entertainment. The Cannon Battle.

A number of the tall ships were going to sail out from harbour an do battle. We were in the Lynx. It was a superb spectacle with hands-on experience of raising the sails.

More information when I get time.

Return of the Colonies

This morning was a milestone. Both of us slept well and we are over Jetlag. We had breakfast in the Executive Lounge of the Holiday Inn. It may sound special but all they had was a couple of types of cereal, boiled eggs, muffins and very sweet pastries. They didn't have any bread. We didn't eat much. After breakfast we deposited our case at reception.
The weather was overcast with a slight threat of rain as we set to the Space Needle. At our Underground Tour yesterday we heard how the tax on the seamstresses funded the civic improvements in Seattle. It occurred to me that this erection could have been built to celebrate this period of the city's history. Rita yet again surprised me by enjoying the elevator trip. The view was impressive and the multimedia support facilities made the experience even better. Even the telescopes dotted around the platform were free to use.
We took the monorail into the centre and wandered around finally ending up at Pikes Place. Here we had a snack at Lowells before returning via the monorail to the hotel to wait for the taxi to take us to the Victoria Clipper terminal.
At the terminal we checked in and joined the queue for the boat. There was no repetition of the previous 'issue' when Rita went through security checks.
The journey was uneventful. As we arrived in the harbour we were presented with a display of tall ships including the Eagle, a US Coast Guard ship.
After passing thought Canadian security we got a cab to the Howard Johnson hotel. This is a bit farther out than the previous hotels. As the sun set the sky was clearing maybe promising a bright tomorrow.

Sleeping in Seattle

Everything started out well. The weather was looking glorious. We had breakfast, a cab took us to the station and we got on the bus without any problems. The coach set off and the roads were clear. But things were about to change. It was nearly a tale of "Sleeping Elsewhere".
At the boarder the bus pulled into the checking area and we all decamped with our luggage and joined the queue for the customs and security. When our turn came we both went up. I was first and after answering a few questions my passport was stamped. Then the customs officer checked Rita's documents. He was looking at the monitor funnily, and then he called out. Suddenly four other officers appeared and crowded in around us. One officer asked if there was a match. Things were getting tense. 'Nope,' said the first officer and things relaxed. After that Rita had her passport stamped. I'm convinced that it was her reply to one of the questions. When asked 'What is your reason for visiting the United States?' Rita replied 'To get my daughter a Starbucks' Mug.
The rest of the journey was uneventful.' After a short taxi drive we booked into the Holiday Inn at noon.
Seattle is quite small, not much bigger than the City of London. After dropping off our bags we set off from the hotel and walked the 200 mts to the Seattle Centre where the Space Needle is located. There we got on the Central Monorail to Pine Street. We then walked, downhill to Pike Place.
What a wonderful place. Vibrant and full of colours and smells. The display of flowers, fruit and vegetable competed with the smell of the fish shops, chocolate shops and the restaurants. There were plenty free samples on offer and you could have eaten your fill on them. We found Starbucks shop and bought a mug. I bought a pen made from maple and then we had fish and chips at Lowells Restaurant.
Next we walked along 1st Avenue to Pioneer Square, the oldest part of Seattle. Here we bought tickets to the Underground Tour. Basically Seattle is built on itself. Because of flooding and sewage problems the roads were raised by roughly one storey so that today's pavement level is actually the first storey. The tour took us around the spaces below the current pavements and introduced us to the interesting history of Seattle.
By this time we were feeling tired so we caught the free bus back across town and then a short walk to the hotel.

The trip to Whistler

The morning didn't start out too good. As we were walking to the pick up point, Fairmont Waterfront, after breakfast we felt a few spots of rain and the clouds were looking a little menacing. The forecast was for 30% chance of rain. In the coach travelling to the station, Rocky Mountaineers own private station, the rain fell a little heavier. We were welcomed by our carriage attendants, Trena and Louise, with a glass of Buck's Fizz. We then discovered we were to be served breakfast. I thought only Hobbits had a second breakfast.
One of the bits of literature passed our was a map of the route which gave the mile points for the main points of interest so it was easy to know when to dash to the observation car.
One of the points of interest was about up to 3000 bald eagles nesting in the area. I went out and began to scan the sky and trees hoping to see the eagle when I suddenly
one was sitting on a overturned tree route about 100 yards away. I just pointed my camera and fired away. It was just so incredible.
By the time we got to the newly opened Rocky Mountaineer Whistler station the sun was shining and it was getting pretty warm. We transferred to coaches to take us in to Whistler Village and the first thing we saw after disembarking from the coach were not skiers or snowboarders but cyclists coming down the dirt tracks. We then noticed that the ski lift was carrying cycles and cyclists up the slope.
Unless you are a dirt cyclist, a skateboards or a hiker there is very little to do in Whistler other that shop, eat or drink. We whiled the time away with a very slow meal and read our books.
Our return journey was by seaplane, or float-plane as the locals called them. We were picked up late by the coach and the plane was late arriving from the previous trip. That said the flight itself was very enjoyable. There were 12 people returning and we each had a window seat. The views were wonderful as we flew over the snow covered mountains and green forests. We were treated to a view of Downtown Vancouver before arriving at the terminal.
We have now repacked all our gear so we will only have to take one suitcase with us to Seattle and Victoria. The Ramada will store the other two cases for us.
Another early start tomorrow as we travel into the United States to Seattle.

First full day in Vancouver

Because of the unexpected trip to Whistler tomorrow we had to pack as much sightseeing in as we could.
But first we had to work out where we would need to go to pick up the car when we came back to Vancouver, where the Fairmont Waterfront hotel was, and what we could do with our spare cases to reduce what we were carrying around. After breakfast we went down to the front desk and Sean was very helpful and told us we could store the cases in their store room.
The place we pick the car up is only one block along and 4 blocks up and the Fairmont was only 10 minutes walk away.
It was still before 8am so we sat down in front of the Station and worked out what we would do. The best option according to Sean was a 1 day multizone travel ticket, and it proved to be just that.
First visit was to the Lookout in the Harbour Centre. Spectacular views of the whole of Vancouver and the surrounds. Our Guide Miak, told us a great deal of the history of the city as we looked out.
After descending we made our way over to the Seabus terminal and travelled over to Lnsdale Quay in North Vancouver where we caught the bus to Grouse Mountain.
Now Grouse Mountain has a cable car at the bottom but we went anyway. Rita is very nervous of these devices. We waited to watch one go off and Rita pondered and then announced she would go up. We paid and entered the gondola. Maximum capacity was 100+1. The journey up was uneventful and Rita looked relaxed. There was still a large amount of snow at the top. One of the attractions was the Screaming Eagle chair lift. which disappeared down the slope towards Vancouver. Each chair was a four-man bench with the drop down barrier full open the the elements. I looked at it, Rita look at it. The young girl operating it asked if we wanted to ride. Rita said she would think about it. We walked around the area and saw one of the two Grizzly Bears living there. They we both orphans and are now too used to humans to be released.
Rita suddenly announced she was going to go on the chairlift! Where was my wife and who was this impostor? Even more remarkable was that while travelling down we stopped and Rita didn't start to panic. It was however very fresh sitting there. The rest of the journey down and back up was uneventful.
After a bowl of chips we went back down the Cable car and on to the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Crossing the bridge was a little like being drunk.
The next stop was Stanley Park where we avoided too much exertion by taking the free suttlebus that travels right round the island. We then caught the bus back to our hotel. After a meal we collapsed, after making sure we had set our alarms for 6am for our trip to Whistler.
After

We have arrived.
The whole thing went pretty smoothly. We arrived at the airport too early to check our bags in so we had to wait for 20 minutes. The terminal is vast but there are very few seats. We were lucky that things were quiet. When all the BA flights are transferred to T5 it is going to be rather bad.
Seats on the other side of the barrier were not too plentiful either.
Our seats were right at the back of the plane as a pair and this provided a bit more space. The downside was that behind us was then toilets and a small area where the attendant sits during take off. We had a large group of school children who kept using the area to have meetings and things got pretty noisy at times. We had to call the attendant a couple of times to clear them away.
Sleeping was also a problem because the whole journey was during our normal waking period and also we were tracking the sun so it was always midday outside.
I took a few photos on the flight from the window, which was a little scratched on the outside.
We passed over Iceland, Greenland and then Canada. For much of the time there was complete cloud cover so little to see.
We arrived at Vancouver a little late but the weather was prefect. I had checked and found that there was a shuttle that visited all the downtown hotels and when I asked ours wasn't included so we had a queue for a taxi. I must say I was impressed by the taxi service. The route from the airport was one big construction site. The driver informed us that they were building an underpass from the airport to downtown which will be ready for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
After we checked in we had a couple of hours nap. At 7pm local time [3:30am body time] we went out for a stroll. We strolled towards Chinatown. The whole area looks run down and there were lots of homeless people standing around in groups. We were asked a couple of times for change.
We finally found an Italian restaurant and had a meal. We got back to the hotel at around 8:30pm and went to bed.
This morning at 4:30am we were both wide awake. Go figure.

It's tomorrow!

I have just checked in on-line and reserved our seats. With the help of the excellent website SeatGuru I selected a pair of seats right at the back. Because of where they are there and because it is just a pair of seats there is a little more space available. Well, that is what I am hoping.
It was when I printed out the boarding passes it really came home to me just how close it was.
Packing was fun and we had to go to three suitcases to stay under the 23kg weight limit. All I have to do know is pack the laptop and remember to pack all the chargers and leads.

Not long to go

It's a bad post, good post, bad post and good post.
Bad post: Riding to work on last Wednesday I was knocked off my bike by a bus. I demolished a wall and it appears my bike will be written off.
Good post: Other than a few grazes and bruises I'm still walking.
Bad post: Our friends cannot meet us in Vancouver due to illness.
Good post: Their trip by train journey from Vancouver to Whistler and a sea-plane trip back has been transferred to us. It will be awesome.
I've now purchased a laptop so I can save images from the SD cards and do some initial pruning and also update this blog while travelling.
I'm working on about 600-700 images each day. My 8GB SD cards will handle 600 NEF RAW images or 1200 Fine JPG images. I have 3 8GB SD cards so I should be covered. My other concern is making sure all the batteries are fully charged each day.
The Picture? Well up until Sunday this is the nearest I could have got to Canada (Geese)

Victoria Talls Ships event

Finally booked our seats on one of the Cannon ships taking part in the mock battle on the evening of Friday 27th June.
The crew will be dressed in authentic uniforms so it should be quite a spectacle.
Check out the Prince of Whales web site for more information.
The following morning we are booked on a 16 seater Zodiac and will hopefully come close to some whales.