Sorry, we have not had a lot of time to update the blog. As the scenery was so fantastic and tranquil it made a day trip to Emerald lake such a delight ... The day was culminated by scenes such as this and was a joy just to be part of it.

We had a great dinner, shared by some very funny traveling colleagues and all in all made for another very special day..

Unfortunately we are on the move again tomorrow, however great this experience has been, we are filled with expectation for some more exciting times tomorrow

Emerald Lake was just like stepping into a postcard. We arrived late afternoon and even though we were given the keys to our log cabin as soon as we arrived it was very hard to put the camera away. The cabins were all ready to light the log fire but "unfortunately" the weather has been so fantastic it was out of the question! We were so spoilt this day as we started off at Morraine Lake - stunning place then we moved on to Lake Louise another place like "heaven on earth" where we had lunch and our tour group photo. From there we travelled to Emerald Lake (photo opposite). We thought things couldn't get better but this is a beautiful part of the world. After our celebration dinner we all sat by a camp fire to learn about s'mores. Out came the local ranger and he was an Australian from the Gold Coast who has been a resident at Emerald Lake for 5 years. He was more pleased to see and hear us - I think we made him a little homesick but not too much when you could see his surroundings! So getting ack to the s'mores - they are a honey biscuit covered with Lindt chocolate placed near the fire to soften. Then you keep rolling the marshmellow over the fire until they look like they are going to fall off - quickly place on top of the chocolate and put another honey biscuit on top. Now you try and eat that without anything dripping drown your chin and all over your clothes. Absolutely decadent but you always want somemore - hench the name s'mores.

These are our two new friends in Canada - meet them on the way to Jasper! We are seeing the most amazing sights and I have to say if Canada is not on your "bucket list" then you better put it on. We have a wonderful tour guide and driver (both women) who live in Calgary, so locals showing us around their country and loving every minute of it. As it's near the end of their season for this particular tour you might expect a bit of lack lustre but they are full of energy and going out of their way to show us wildlife and stopping near waterfalls and while our cameras are clicking away they have set up wine, cheese and biscuits to keep us going till our next stop. Yesterday we motored along the Icefields Parkway and witnessed some unforgetable, amazing scenery such as Crowfoot Glacier hanging from a cliff face some 900 feet above the Columbia Icefield, North America's larget sub-polar ice pack. At Athabasca Glacier we climbed aboard a specially designed Ice Explorer bus for a guided tour over steep grades, snow and ice as we acended partway up the glacier before we were alowed to get out and walk on the glacier that had a depth as high was the Eiffel Tower. Tonight we are staying at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - where the Deer and the Buffolo roam (come on I herd you singing it). Actually it is true that the elk their babies and the daddy bull roam about the park so we have been warned to look before opening the door to our room! I know this is supposed to be a holiday but there is so much to see that we are up early and on the go all day but we re having a wonderful holiday

Day 8 we travelled along the highway to see the 3 exquisite lakes of Louise, Moraine and Emerald. We walked along the shores of Lake Louise, Canada's Diamond in the Wilderness before moving on to Moraine Lake, crowned by 10 notable peaks. We passed by the spectacular Natural Bridge carved by Kicking Horse River before arriving at the beautifulk Emerals Lake (pictured) It is one of Canada's mose outstanding wilderness settings. The hotel at Lake Emerald was individual cabins made of hand-hewn timber and each room featured massive stone fireplaces. After a beautiful dinner we stargazed under the night sky and had s'mores so named because once you've tasted one you want "some more". They are made of 2 honey wafers placed in front of the bonfire - cover one with Lindt chocolate squares and put a marshmellow on the fork and gently melt it until it is just about dripping off and quickly place it on top of the chocolate and make a sandwich by placing the other iscuit on top. The trick to eating it is not to let the meltin chocolate drip all over you.

This trip through Canada has been so amazing that we have had no time to spend in our room adding to our Post. We would miss so much if we sat in our room typing this up. It's hard enbough to find the time to download our photo's before we forget where we have been! Today we travelled from Whistler to Kelowna through the sun-drenched Okanagan Valley, one of Canada's mst beloved vacation spots. This lush region is known for it's fntastic fruit and vegetables. Alistair is showing off the size of the onions and tomato's at a loca market. It is also Canada's wine capital (but I have to say Aussie wines are much better). We have developed a taste for a local Canadian beer called Kokanee - very refreshing. Our tour group is fantastic - not a grouch in site and all are quite punctual which makes for a great day. The group is made up of 70% Aussie's with 1 couple from England, South Africa, Malaysia and 3 couples from Vermont & Florida. Can't tell you how many times the geat Aussie chant has gone up - you know aussie, aussie, aussie, oi, oi, oi. Even at a dinner show called Oh Canada Eh! At Banff we stayed at the Banff Fairmont Springs hotel on Canada's Labour Day weekend so needless to say the place was full to the brim and on top of that they had 3 wedddings on the Saturday. This hotel is a grand Scottish baronial castle resort with heaps of history.

This is Victoria's Legislative building,lit up at night by 3,333 bulbs which over the Christmas holiday's are changed to Green and Red.

I took this last night which I was most "Chuffed" about as it is a very impresive building. The camera is runnining hotter than usual so there will be a few boreing parties once I get the sequences organised of events organised... take care from the Kennedy Kapers.

Ready for our trip to Whistler

Hi !! Family and friends and all who are kindly following our travels through Canada and Alaska.

Our first few days are over and we move on tomorrow very early to travel by coach to Whistler for4 a one night stay.

Tonight we explored down town Victoria and simply enjoyed the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We had a great dinner and have returned to our hotel to shower and pack in readiness ror the morrow !!

These two lumberjacks competed with each other all through the show making a bunny rabbit out of a log of wood with an axe then pretending to accidently chop it head off which made it into a small chair for a 9 mth old baby. They are log rolling in this picture - best of 3 and both got wet! There was some clever axe throwing and tree climbing. Great day out at Grouse Mountain.

Grouse Mountain home of the two orphaned Grizzly Bears - Grinder and Coola who now live in the 5 acre Refuge Habitat for Endangered Wildlife. There are also adopted Timber Wolves that roam freely in the protected forrest home at the base of the mountain. We had lots of fun watching the very entertaining Lumberjack show, riding the chairlift to the peak of the mountain for soectacular views over Vancouver. You could also climb the Wind Turbine for a Walk on a 20 storey high platform called the Eye of the Wind which gave the sensation of walking on the wind. You are actually 4,100 feet in the air. There was also a birds in motion demonstration of Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons and Owls (unfortunately it started to rain just before this started so we had to escape for cover to the Theatre in the Sky and watch a show on how the wildlife sanctuary was developed. When the baby grizzly bears first came to the centre they were about 5 weeks old and weighed 6kg at 6 months old they both weighed in over 75kg but unfortunately had had so much human contact from such an erly age they cannot be set free however they have learnt to forage for themselves and lead as normal a "bear life" as possible without any predetors. $45pp

Hi family and friends we arrived safely in Canada and by the time we got to the hotel we had been up for 27 hrs straight - Not a good look. Thought we were doing ok but I had to ask "carol" if he needed a snickers as he wasn't looking like himself a few times! Needless to say I got us lost twice by havng the map up the wrong way. Weather has been great so we have managed to see a few sights before we met up with the tour group. We went across to Granville Island by Aqua Bus and saw a lot of local foods and the market place. The next day we went up to Grouse Mountain by chairlift and saw the Grizzly Bears, Eagles, Falcons and a great Lumberjack show. Next stop Victoria Island.

Clare organising our trip to Canada again !! Only three months to go, and a year late.

 I have to be on my best behaviour.....