Whistler

It was hot in Whistler and lots of people. The hotel supplied breakfast as part of our accommodation toast/bread, cereal yoghurt, baked goods and boiled eggs, already peeled. Hate the kitchen job of peeling eggs!

Warren went on a tree top walk but he said he wished he had done the zip line instead. He went for the tree top as he had done zipline in Vanuatu a couple of years ago.

We found a couple of nice parks to wa lk in and around. We just needed to walk from our hotel through another one and we were in the village, all walking streets. Caching took us to some nice spots a bit out of the way.

 Nearly forgot, we went up in a seaplane when we arrived in Whistler. We were going to do one in Vancouver but the tour director suggested Whistler would be better scenery, well pretty sure she was right. It was awesome but you will just have to take my word for it as the camera run out if battery, have lots of my phone but the two are not compatible. We didnt go in the plane pictured this is only a 5 seater, we went in a ten seater and everyone had a window seat.

We flew over heaps of snow, four glaziers and a couple of volcanoes as well,plus the peak tp peak gondala! It was incredible. Well worth the money.

Lunch at Lillooet

Lunch was at Lillooet, a quaint place that apparently is as hot as hell in summer time and absolutely freezing in winter. Weather was nice when we were there. Some of the eating places have either closed done or they have funny hours so we went out to the grocery store where they do soup and sandwiches or salads. A & W plus Subway was within walking distance too, we opted for Subway and were the only ones there. A six inch gourmet one and two drinks plus two cookies cost us $12 something.

There was jade on most street corners.

This was about 50 cms, there were four bug pieces in front of the visitors centre ranging from one to two metres tall.

After we had lunch, we went to a hardware store, it was between Subway and our bus. Very tiny alleyway to get into the store and it seems that dogs can come shopping too.

iThen it was down the mountains.

I did take quite a few photos but got a lot of glare, this was the only one that was half decent, can see my camera in the shot as well. We arrived in Whistler at about 3 pm.

On the way to Whistler

A special morning tea was posted and then out tour director tells us that we are stopping at at ranch and the tour company is paying for either a muffin or a sausage roll, reportly world famous. They wete good but a little spicy for me, Warren and I shared half each. Yep, I know neither are in my way of eating but its so much easier to stick to it when home.

This is the lady that met the bus, dressed in period costume, there was also a girl dressed in Indian buckskins but I didnt take a photo.

Coffee was good, it was only my second coffee since arriving in Canada, it is usually so strong!

The flowers are beautiful, often stores and hotels have huge hanging baskets of flowers. Just stunning displays.

After we had had morning tea and we all opted to sit outside, they brought out the stage coach and horses, could take a tour of the ranch including a ride on the stagecoach but we were only there for 45 mins so we took photos.

We continued on to and through Cache Creek, we were travelling mainly through First Nation country.

Houses were built at the base of the mountains.

Taken while travelling in the bus.

Jasper to Sun Peaks

Got a sleep in today, suitcases out at 7.30 am and us on the bus ready to roll at 8.30 am. Then we had morning tea at 8.30 am, we had driven for an hour ro Mt Robson, the highest mountain in the area at 3900plus metres. We didnt see the top, it was in the clouds.

Lunch was at Dutch Lake a pretty little place, we took a bit of a detour of the highway to get there as it was nicer apparently than the town on the way.

He was on the wall while we were waiting to order lunch. Basic lunch of soup or sandwiches. 

One thing for sure there is plenty of bathrooms stops. Today on the bus we watched a short dvd about the mounties, I was interested in seeing but i lasted about five minutes before falling asleep. Most of us didnt get much sleep last night and dont know why.

Water lillies on the lake.We came down from the mountains and came into some farming communities.

Tonight we are at a little place called SunPeaks Lodge. There seems to be a circular spot of hotels and restaurants with houses back a bit, it looks very Swiss. Dinner was a shared schnitzel we had been told that most  couples have one between two and Im glad that we went that way, it came with red cabbage which was just devine and something that looks like calamari, it wasnt, I thought it tasted like cheese but apparently it was egg noodles.

Sun Peaks

We stayed here, it is a very small township built in a type of Swiss chalet style. Now that we are at Whistler it is very similar to Whistler in that the hotels form a type of circle with roads and shops being in the middle.

We bought some fruit and yoghurt for breakfast at the grocery store, prices much the same as home if not cheaper although then tax is added on at the checkout.

Warren insisted on buying these.

Our tour director pointed out some places to eat, we did a quick tour in the bus, one of the places had schnitzels but she said they were so big most people went halves, she was right!  It was served with saukraut which was almost a little sweet and egg noodles which we couldnt decide if it was calmari or I thought maybe cheese. Waitress set us straight, but said it was a hush hush recipe. It was a delightful meal.

Jasper

Its a small place with only two streets but there sure is a lot packed into those two streets. Our hotel is a fifteen minute walk, only hotels that can take group bookings like our bus tour are out here but its a  ery pleasant walk. Idid it twice today as well as walked further out.

Quite different buildings.

This is the old fire hall which is opposite the visitors information centre

The post office

One of the houses that we passed walking into town.

Most rooves have very steep slope to allow snow to fall to the ground, although looming around today thete seems as though snow wouldnt happen but it does. It was quite warm today and I had to take my cardigan off and therefore show my arms as I only had a singlet top on underneath, damn those tuck shop arms!

Banff to Jasper

A very early start today, lot to pack in although we werent travelling that far really.
Suitcases had to be out at 6.15 with us ready to go at 7.15, we pack the night before, having clean clothes and toiletries to go into our back backs which we take on the bus.

First stop was Lake Louise and we had an hour and a half there plenty of time to walk some way around the lake and have a hot chocolate to warm up.

We stopped at a couple of waterfalls

Then we went onto a glazier

Last port of call for the day was water rafting.

Rafting was a fun time and we all got wet to some degree.

The second raft got stuck, not the one we were on but we were on the bridge cheering them on, they had to bounce up and down to try to get off, two of the staff had to climb the rocks and then swim out to get them, fun for all except maybe the paddler guy, but noone was upset or cheesed off