Flying Cattle

We finally set out from Vancouver airport on 24th October, Gina is pictured above, at the check-in. I guess we were all so excited about going that we didn't think that the taxi ride to the airport would get us there so punctually. As you can see in the picture the place looked a bit empty. At first we thought it was going to be a quiet flight....until we realised that we were about an hour too early. We were there before the check-in desks were even open. Now that's excited.

Anyway once we were finally on the flight we realised that this holiday chartering business was not as comfy as one would like. The 5 hours on the flight with WestJet felt longer than the 8 hours from Heathrow to Calgary with Air Canada. WestJet were cheap, so cheap that they even felt they could charge us extra for in-flight video entertainment. The only problem is if you didn't want to pay you still had to face the video screen that had been installed on the back of every chair, blinking away an advertisement that bragged the advantages of buying the rights to view more then the advertisement itself. In the end the dumb video was out of order anyway and no one would get a chance to sample the fine array of movies they would've had to offer. Gina found a better use for the back of the chair in front of her and simply fell asleep. Nice one.

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The Evil One

I am at soon to be sister-in-laws apartment in Vancouver (or Hongcouver as it's popularly known).

Why am I wearing rubber gloves whilst checking my email? That would be said sister-in-laws cat, Zooey, or, as I liked to call... Sauron.

Sauron is a man-hating cat. As soon as I entered the apartment he made his feelings heard with constant hissing. I didn't get any photos of Sauron, he skulked around the apartment and kept his distance.

Little did I realise he was plotting and biding his time before he pounced. The next day when, Gina left to go shopping, he saw his chance to strike, whilst I was lying on the couch I suddenly felt a claw scratch the back of my head- and there he was- hiiiisssss.

Attempts to shoo the little critter, and grab the scruff of his neck resulted in the first of many injuries inflicted by critters during this holiday. Eventually I was left no choice but to arm myself with broom, rubber gloves and boots. I didn't manage to get him out on the balcony where I could hang him, so instead I got him into the bedroom.

He tried messing with me again only once, but it was short lived.

Till we meet again psycho devil cat.

Photo's on Facebook

Sasquatch!

First the grizzly and now this guy! Someone must have radioed ahead and told Snow White I was coming to Canada for the first time... because Snow White then got on the blower to the bluebirds, and the bluebirds spread the word to the rest of the forest to be on the lookout for me.

This one didn't talk much, but he was used to having his picture taken and offered to pose like he was just caught sneeking out to the liquor store.

Actually I think we actually had caught him sneeking out to the liquor store. Mrs Foot was not pleased.

Here's a nice view of some valley at sunset which is quite beautiful. This was just before we entered the (teehee) desert. Yes folks apparently Canada has a desert...

Photo's on Facebook

Uncle Bob and Aunt Dora

Here's a picture of Donna's Aunt and Uncle. Bob even managed to smile for the camera, which I'm glad about, because he truly is a funny guy to be around.

Bob has a dry humour which the Canadians tend to have difficulty with. The truth is there are probably a lot of Brits that would get offended by Bob, but all I could do was laugh.

Aunt Dora is a born again believer, but Bob isn't a Christian, he's kind of anti in a way. So please pray for him everyone.

I've given it a lot of prayer, I'm going to come back one day and bring a missionary team to Trail to stay with Bob and Dora and try to win Bob for Christ.

I know he'll appreciate it once we get him saved... Jesus loves you Bob!

Trail, home of 'Fluff n Stuff' and The Colander!

Here is Donna with Aunt Dora outside her church, the Family Worship Centre, Trail, BC. Below is a picture of the street the church is on. You can just make out on the photo (if you zoom in) that the church is right across the street from Fluff n Stuff: Adult Boutique!

It brings to mind the childrens hymn we sang at first school:

"Cross over the road my friend, ask the Lord his help to lend..."

Indeed. Your own jokes in the comments please...

We stopped here overnight to visit with Bob and Dora, Donna's aunt and uncle and we ate, ate, ate. It started at the infamous Colander. Here they just serve you spaghetti, meatballs, chicken and potatoes till you can't reach the table because your gut has pushed it further away during expansion. I have to admit though, it's great food!

Cranbrook to Trail

A turn-of-the-century mill grain elevator in Creston, which is pretty cool. I wonder if Canada has laws like England that list protected buildings? A country as large as Canada would probably be able to do it and still look good, in contrast to England, with lots of small crappy buildings and crappy streets which have trouble accommodating 21st century transport and housing development.

Below is a stream that runs parallel to Highway 3. I have no idea where it was we stopped. But I just had to get a shot. Raw, natural beauty.

Wild mountain goats we ran into on the Skyway between Creston and Trail. I think the largest free roaming animal we have in England is a badger or a fox (we do have boar apparently but they are rarely spotted). You would never see goats mountain sheep, moose or bears roaming wild around the English countryside, so to see it is breathtaking.

And they just don't care, they don't run away, they just ignore you as you drive on up, pull out your camera and start taking shots. I actually have these guys on video so when I work out how to edit it on the puter, I'll upload for all to see.

Edit (16/5/07): Doh! Elsie wrote to correct me:
"Sorry Wes More editing ! Donna is not doing her job. The buildings in Creston are not mills, but grain elevators. The pictured animals are not goats but Rocky mountain sheep. We do often see goats on that route, but those were sheep."

Pumpkins

We stopped off in this small town called Creston(?) on the way to Vancouver. Elsie was having a meltdown because the car was having trouble starting. She'd just spent $1000 (£~500) on a new transmission on her van. Turns out they had left the battery cables loose is all.

This is the biggest pumpkin I have ever seen. I think there was a competition to guess the weight and you could win it. I think the competition should have been eat it in one sitting and you don't have to pay for it.

Ha, check out that witch, Canadians have a terrific sense of humour.

Photo's on Facebook

Saying Goodbye To The Nephews

From the left: Ryan, Kyle and Erik.

Ryan and Kyle weren't smiling, I think they we're sad to see us leave, they were holding back the tears. I must have had such an affect on them. It's ok guys, you'll see us again soon.

More Hidden Cranbrook History

Here's Donna standing on the wrong side of the bridge that leads from Cranbrook to Kimberley.

Donnas Dad helped build this bridge, she showed me his initials (AM) in the cement overlooking the beautiful valley.

Photo's on Facebook

Crows Nest Pass

A large crow guards the entrance to Crows Nest Pass.

On the right, a picture of us standing outside the smallest chapel in the world(?). I had the camera on a flash with slow shutter since it was getting dark but we moved before it had finished capturing. Looks kind of spooky.

Gravity Hill

So we're back, after a long hiatus, back on the journey towards the the wedding on the beach. We know you've all been faithful and patient as we waited for our broadband to come on and to sort through things.

This image is of Gravity Hill. That's the unofficial name. It looks like we are standing at the top doesn't it? Well, Donna took me to the 'bottom' which is like, the third telegraph pole down and asked me to stop when I thought we had reached the lowest point. Then she put the car into neutral.

The car rolled back to where we are now and the photo was taken from. Weird huh?

So that's the story of Gravity Hill.

Stand by for more posts, I am now abandoning the back-dating system and simply posting with current dating.

On The Road: Calgary to Cranbrook

Some random photo's on the road to various places.

Views of Highway 22X "The Shortcut" Cranbrook to Calgary. Canadians are a friendly people, it's almost as if they purposefully put all these landmarks and interesting things out for your enjoyment and amusement as you travel. Above is a fence with a baseball cap on every post, and one even had it's own bra.

This is possibly the most photographed tree in the world. It's located on a highway near Crows Nest and is regularly used for magazines and publications, recognise it?

Pizza Time!

Far left: from the left: Mike and wife Shannon, son Erik and me. Near left: Donna's mum Elsie, Mike and Erik.

MIA: Kyle & Ryan Moskal

There are 4(?) computers in their house (next door to Elsie). My brother-in-law, Mike has even built his own games arcade (below). Mike if you build a fruit machine we could be on to a winner.

Jetlagged

We finally made it to Elsie's (Donna's Mum) house Cranbrook, so far I survived jetlag from a 9 hour flight, then a 4 hour car trip and it shows. No sooner had I arrived I got to meet new inlaws
as they came round to interrogate welcome me.

Canadian Hedgehog

Canadians don't have hedgehogs (small animal with spikes, usually roadkill), so this is the next nearest thing. Except if your car runs into this guy you are in trouble.

He was meandering across the road oblivious the small amount of cars that were now queing up
on the road to get a look. I wound my window down and bravely stuck my camera out to get pictures. He got right up about 12 feet from the car, then stopped to sniff the air. I think he must have smelt the A&W wrappers, then he went into the forest behind a tree. Donna says they have poor eyesight and he didn't see us, but personally I think he was scared off by the high-pitch squeals coming from our car "Wes! It's a bear, it's a GRIZZLY, LOOK IT'S A GRIZZLY!"

A & W

My first A&W, and my first experience of the Mozzaburger and the beginning of a beautiful relationship. After this, going back to McDonald's was just never the same.

This photo was taken in Canmore, just outside of Banff. We had 4 more hours to go before Cranrook (6 hours with the tourist, aka Wes).

I didn't take any pictures of Banff, it looks like every ski resort/mountain village in Switzerland and I already have tons of pictures of Switzerland.