Vancouver (26 June - 14 July 2006)

Highlights of Canada

- Arrving 11 hours after leaving NZ but the flights taking 16 hours
- Catching up with Ken, Alice and Kevin
- Spirit bear hunting in downtown and Victoria

- 93c pizza and 99c 1.18L Slurpee
- Rocky mountains tour (including Lake Moraine and Peyto, Walking on the Athabasca Glacier, spending Canada Day in Banff, dancing the night away at Wild Bill's, seeing bears and squirrels)

- Souvenir shopping and underground play in Gastown
- Lots of delicious Chinese Food
- Cycling around Stanley Park

- Day trip to North Vancouver (Walk around Lynn Canyon and saw Grizzly bears, and lumberjacks and birds in motion show up at Grouse Mountain)
- Day trip to Victoria, Vancouver Island and playing mini golf in the museum

Things I learnt in Canada

- (on the way) always secure the rubbish bin on the plane before take off and landing
- (LA) Never lock your keys in the trunk of a rental car in a foreign country (Good one Alistair)
- The donut shop at Granville Street Public Market does not accept 20pound notes
- 1.18L of slurpee is enough for anybody

- Universities own forests
- Leading up to Canada Day many banks give out free cake (even if you're not a customer!)
- The meaning of the German word 'Wuschig', and leading on from this - never trust German boys...
- Claire can beat me in both a virtual wheelchair and bobsled race
- It costs $430CAN just to walk into the hospital, but you do get to keep collectable bracelets!
- Melissa can fall asleep anywhere... the bus, the dock by Beaver lake - she doesn't discriminate
- You can't do anything but laugh (or sit there and get cold) when your 20 minute return chairlift ride has an unexpected 40 minute layover in the middle

- Who knew indoor mini golf in a museum could be fun!
- Tim Horton's advertising for strawberry tarts works!
- Its all fun and games until your Sponge Bob ice-cream loses an eye : (