Janet & Ali's Big Adventure April 2008 - the end!!

We had a long trip home. We flew from Detroit to Toronto, Toronto to Vancouver, where we stayed overnight and flew out to LA the next afternoon, to Auckland, then to Brisbane.



On the way, we left our luggage in Toronto and had a last minute wait for it before we left Vancouver.



Whilst in Vancouver we savoured our last taste of Tim Hortons, and our last slices of Vancouver Pizza.

Janet & Ali's Big Adventure Day 7 - Time to do the Laundry.

Yes, it was time to find the laundromat. We walked up here and spent an hour or so doing the washing. Then we walked back to the hotel in the cold, pouring rain. Then it was back out in the rain to do some shopping. We bought a warm jacket for me, which has successfully kept me warm and dry for the rest of today. We basically spent the rest of the day wandering around Vancouver and trying to stay out of the rain. An early start tomorrow as we head to Quebec.



Oh, and i had my first ever hot chocolate today - so I got to walk down the street drinking from a Starbucks cup, just like everyone else around here!

Janet & Ali's Big Adventure Day 6 - SNOW!!

We got back on the trolley bus today and stayed on for almost a full circuit. It was the drivers first day, so he kind of went a different way to the others we had yesterday. We got off at the Seabus terminal and caught the boat across to north Vancouver where we caught the 236 bus to Grouse Mountain. (we just followed the snowboard & ski carrying people). We rode in a crowded gondola up to the mountain top. As we went up, the pouring rain became falling snow and the green trees became white and snow covered.




At the top, we stepped out into a winter wonderland! Snow everywhere and I got to stand in falling snow, pick up freshly fallen snow and walk through it!!! Amazing!!!! It was much softer and lighter than I had imagined.

We had lunch up here and also watched a couple of Imax films before spending a little more time standing out in the snow. Then it was back on the gondola and back down to the rain. It really is amazing how close to the city the snowy mountain is - so quick and easy to get to.

We caught the Seabus back to downtown and then the trolley bus to Robson St to check out the giant HMV, then we walked back to our hotel for a rest before heading out in search of Pizza-free dinner :-) We ended up at a thai place for a delicious vegtabley meal in a warm, fire side spot.

Janet & Ali's Big Adventure Day 5 - Vancouver on the Trolley

Breakfast is in the Irish pub under our hotel - they have waffle irons and you can make your own waffle!!! So I did. Yummo!!

We bought tickets & caught the "bus" around to various atractions..

First stop, Stanley Park - very green. We walked around and saw some squirrels who didn't want to pose for a photo. We did manage to decipher the map and made it to the totem poles. Then back on the bus to Prospect Point, after a quick photo stop at the Lions Gate Bridge, which was designed by the same guy who did the Golden Gate.

Next stop was Granville Island. It was crowded in the market, but fun to wander around all the fruit, vegie, flower and fish stalls. We had lunch here too (inside in the warm)

Next stop China Town - we got a couple of cheap t shorts and checked out the garden.

It was great to have the on-off bus as it meant we got around to a lot of places. We ended up in Davies St and walked around the gay area before making our way back to the hotel for a relax before heading out for dinner of....................Pizza!!! I tried the ranch sauce on mine this time. Yum!!

Janet & Ali's Big Adventure April 2008 Day 4 - off to vancouver -

We had to get up early to catch the scarily driven shuttle bus to the airport. An uneventful flight - it went quickly - we had a healthy inflight breakfast of Cadbury Dairy Milk (you had to buy food, so it was chips, chocolate or a beef sandwich).


We arrived in Vancouver to a grey rainy day. We got directions at the airport and caught 2 busses downtown to our hotel - The Comfort Inn. We had to walk a few blocks in the rain. (We love this hotel, it has alovely shower!). We left our bags at the fron desk and wandered around for about 4 hours till our room was ready - we found an underground shopping mall, which kept us out of the rain for a while. We also discovered that every second store seemed to be selling pizza by the slice. So this was lunch. $1.43 a slice. And DELICIOUS!


When our room was ready we went to it and had a warm dry rest. We headed off to the foodcourt in the underground mall for some chinese food for dinner. I am impressed witrh the number of vegetarian options at all the food places - I have a fantastic range of choices!!.