Our first taste of real Canadian Winters.

Lake Louise was beautiful. Despite there only being one run open we still managed to squeeze in some good boarding and soak up the atmosphere.
We have had electric hook-ups everywhere except the first night so keeping warm hasn't been to much of a problem. Our down sleeping bags have also worked a treat. Unfortunately Cynthia is having a few problems with her tubes as they all seem to be freezing up. Our next task today is to hit Wall Mart and buy a few gallons of anti freeze to flush down our loo! Failing that, we will have to get the hairdryer to do its worst on the dumping valve - I've assigned that job to Patrick. Anyway once we have solved that problem we are going to the Banff Hot Springs to wash...err sorry i mean relax and soak up the minerals. Mmmmm.
So we have two more nights in Banff and then we will make our way to the RV park in Fernie. Apparently there is probably going to be a lack of snow for most of December but January will hopefully improve. For the next few weeks then, we can work on our snowshoeing, snow-hole building, flapjack making and hot tub soaking skills. I'm sure we will manage to squeeze in lots of boarding too. Can't wait!

So far still no bears!

Yeee Haaaa!

After two weeks of comparative comfort staying with Kelly, Sydney and Todd we're about to be cast adrift in Cynthia for real. We're off to lake Louise to get our first snowboarding in for the year. Our route takes us up the west coast of Canada past the world famous ski resort of Whistler. We're heading for Lilloet tonight where we will stay overnight. Then it's on to Lake Louise ski resort, dubbed 'the most scenic skiing in Canada'. The route to Lake lousie takes us over our first high pass (1600m+) which will be fun, a good dose of cautious driving and as ever pole pole. At the beginning of December, after a week or so of boarding, we move on to Fernie to move into the RV park. At this point comparative luxury will be ours, free electricity, showers and best of all hot tubs!
We have limited internet access until Fernie at which point there's a good internet cafe. Try Hannah's other e-mail account if your getting returned/delayed e-mail.
hannahmaiataylor@hotmail.com

All the best from Cynthia and the gang!

Mum's new number

...is 01480 810250.
I'm putting it here so you cannot lose it! Or at least not without starting World War 3 and obliterating the Internet.

Ah...this looks interesting..

Just experimenting... I see that we can create posts as well.
So we can keep you up to date with all our interesting lives. I would put up some pictures of Mums new place but someone has my digital camera. Can't think who.

Meet Cynthia...

... & house guests.

Pole Pole.

We've been very busy for the last few days looking for a van. We realised we had to hire a car to get around to enable us to find what we were looking for. We hired the cheapest thing we could find and when picking up the motor we were asked would we be ok with such a small car. Small car! It turned out to be as large as most cars at home. Driving down the highway we found ourselves looking into the wheel arches of the SUV's and truck's a lot of Canadians are driving aorund! We drove down to a place called Langley where they had a lot of dealerships. We weren't exactly in their price range but we did learn lots about campers. We've seen some very expensive (mortgage style) and we've seen some very cheap (herse style) vans. Interestingly the very first van we saw turned out to be the best! It's been winter modernised which means it has extra insulation throughout the van, a really good heater, double glazed windows, insulated water tank etc. There's loads of room for the two of us with plenty of storage! To drive it's a very different deal to a normal car, to say it's slow and steady would be an understatement. It has the handling of a beached whale and to stop is an exercise in looking ahead. Saying all that, it's solid and safe with all new tyres, batteries, hoses, belts on the engine. The transmission was replaced three years ago and it's only done 5000km since then. We're not going to be breaking any land speed records but time we got so no problem there. We had fun driving it back from the owners house, Hannah had to drive it as she couldn't drive the hire car, too young! Hannah's never driven a left hand drive or anyting larger than a regular car. so with radios in hand H in Cynthia and me inthe hire car we set of onthe hour long drive back to vancouver. We took it slow and steady and arrived safely. We've had fun filling her with our junk over the last few days and have plenty of junk to go. We're heading out of Vancouver on the 20th to head to the snow. Wish us luck... Oh and Pole, Pole, is swahili for slowly slowly, well we have 9 months!

'Home Sweet Home'

We saw her, we bought her and we named her Cynthia. She is gorgeous! She has a frige/freezer, oven, hob, toilet, shower, air conditioning, heating, double glazing, bunkbeds & one of those bed things over the drivers seat. Handyman Jim who sold her to us even threw in a mini heater, genarator & TV/video. She's older than me so is a little delicate but definately a step up from anything we were expecting within our price range. Finger crossed she'll last the 9 months. She will face her first test when we drive her to the Rockies at the end of the week - have to purchase some snow chains first.

Patrick & I try snowshoeing

Todd & Patrick. Day two and we have already been snow shoeing. This place rules!

There are Bears in the Garbage!

No really, there are! I haven't seen it but the letter from the local council tells you not to put out your garbage overnight because it'll be trashed by the bears. Needless to say we're supremely over excited about being here. It is taking time to get over the jet lag, when we are up at 7:00pm here it's about 3:00am at home. The adjustment is slow but gradual, it's hard to think we aren't coming home in two weeks! We had a bad scare about the possability of buying a van but it was a moments abberation casued by some bad information. We're now scouring the papers for our future home and will be looking at some vans in the next day or so. Todd picked us up from the airport and took our jet lagged bodies to Kelly and Syd's house. Kelly and Syd have been great letting us stay. Syd's two years old, can hold a conversation, tell the best story in the world and is as cute as a button. Kelly, Syd's mom, puts up with Todd, perhaps because he's a good hose husband and does the washing up. They've all been great helping us out and letting us crash in their basement. Hopefully we will be out of their hair soon so they can get on with their lives...

Wonderfully Red Maple Leaves!

We have finally arrived in Vancouver - and just to prove it here's our first Maple Leaf!

The Slush and Rubble gang + lovely girlfriend and David (don't know how he got in this one!) 

Oh, the Scottish sensibilities. David leading the way. 

My present from the guys at work, Snowshoes, get in! 

Oops, i think the beer is getting to me... 

Some of the hard working staff from Covent Garden Slush and Rubble 

Scary Mark, fits in well with scary Jim in the basement. 

Me, Helen and Ralph enjoying a few beers not on a Prima. 

Gary, my old boss, now engaged.  

This was the format for the evening, beer with Vodka chasers. Ouch! 

Ric looking a little confused perhaps. 

Oh Jim, you're still scary! 

Hannah and Friends well on the way... 

Leaving do 

Oh my head...

It hurt is all I can really remember in the morning. Had a great night though, it was great to see so many of Hannah's and my friends out to say good bye/good riddance . Here are some of the photo's for you to look at...