Niagara falls

We couldn't come to this part of the world and not have a wee look at the falls here in Niagara. They are very impressive and it's amazing how long you can just stand and watch water flow.























Yeah, the maid of the mist had to be done.








The bad side is how tourism has taken over this area. You are herded like cattle.

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Meeting G

We met a nice guy from argentina called G. I just couldn't pronounce his name so G it was! He is a graphic artist and always carries a sketchbook with him. I do wish I was as dedicated as that, at one point I may have been but these days I enjoy doing my work then relaxing at home not thinking about art. Anyway, we were in the pub at the hostel here, getting fairly merry when we joined a table of guys and girls playing cards. I'm so relaxed this holiday but this one American girl was so brass and aggressive and I asked why be like that... She Just just went off on one! G caught the moment in a pic






I wasn't really that angry.

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Meeting Melanie again

I met Melanie again here in Toronto :) and had a great morning at the beach downtown and i didnt want to leaveI! Toronto is baking hot, Oh and Laura burnt her face, but she was wearing sun glasses so kinda looks like this guy:


















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Covert affair

First day in Toronto and we stumble on a film set for a tv show called covert affairs :/






It was Pretty cool watching the cars and bikes all lined up ready to go, then someone shouts " background" and everything starts moving. A couple of gun shots later and it all stops. It was all quite cool and they didn't mind us just walking about the set.

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Toronto

Goodbye Vancouver hello Toronto!!!











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I miss wicked

Yeah I miss the freedom of the van :( there was something so cool about driving that van with my arm out the window and iron maiden blasting out the stereo! To the dismay of Laura.









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Stuck in cache creek

Well, the van is dead but we arnt! Cache creek IS the town from pixars cars. A local told us a bigger higeway was built and cut the town off. Alot of the businesses in town folded. They even have cars just out of the film!






We found the only pub in town to have a few beers tonight. Good but kinda scary night. All the folk in the pub were really nice to us and it was great talking to them. All the guys around here are diamond drillers. 20,000 a month they rake in! They are proper, hard working men but with a hint of red neck about them :/





We are all shouting "rad!" as that's what they all say around here.





Thats a guy called whitey pulling my chest hairs...What a crazy but awesome road trip!
We slept in the van outside the garage last night, I can't remember much about it as i got fairly drunk with driller men!

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I broke the van!

Yup, the van is toast. That is the exact words the mechanic said this morning. The bill is around 4000 dollars so far :/ The transmission is gone and the power steering is out. To be honest, we saw what we wanted in terms of the Rockies and we were on our way back to Vancouver. We stopped for a coffee at a little diner and when I tried to reverse out the car park... no reverse gear, soon after the power steering went! That made for some interesting driving. We are desperately trying to get back to Kamploops so we can hire a car to Vancouver... This is all on wicked campers bill, I might add. It's hard to be mad at wicked campers as we had an amazing time with the van, it's just the last stretch and they were not very organised when it comes to sorting this mess out. If we were in the middle of nowhere we would be fooked right now, so it's good we broke down in a town.




Goodbye van :( we did have a great time in it but we gotta leave it behind in cache creek. We got a lift to kamploops from a nice lady called darlene.



So, it's a greyhound bus back to Vancouver. Fun!

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The lost shoe

I totally outdid my stupidness the last couple of days, maybe I'm just tired... Or maybe its just me :) anyway, last night in the campground I tried to get to the showers and thought I saw a short cut across a small wee stream. The first log was fairly steady which gave me confidence that the bigger log beside it was fine. It wasn't. Straight in the drink up to my knees. Apparently it was funny watching me try and get my balance back. My new blue trainers where soaked through... So the next day I tried to dry them out by putting them on top of the van while we were parked. Why would you do such a thing?! and I even said "don't let me forget them" :/
We drove for about 40 minutes until I realised. One shoe was still on the roof but the other was gone
:(
But... Driving back the full 40 minutes and guess what I see in the middle of the road. My blue shoe!






Happy boyd! But if I hadn't fallen in the river we would never have seen this lazy little black bear slowly gander across the road on the way back. Priceless :)






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Fires

I think this is our last fire here in wells grey. We have had one almost every night on our road trip and I totally love doing it. I got much better at starting the fire, it took me ages the first night but now only a few short minutes and I'm away! I love sitting here in the dark woods, the fire crackling, bats whipping above me with the river running right next door. I don't want to come home :(



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Wells Grey

On our way to wells grey we stopped to look at the highest peak in the rockies. Mount Robson. Awesome.



What a location! If your ever in the area I would recommend wells grey. It's far cheaper than Banff and Jasper and the scenery seems much greener. It has less peaks than the other parks but still just as impressive in other ways.


I pose like a tourist. Laura does not. It was a long way down!



Oh, our van almost spluttered to a halt, but all it needed was a rest and it was fine!... More was to come though :(



There is a stretch of water called Clearwater. Feels like you are in the middle of nowhere with such relaxing scenery... I even went for a wee dip in the river next to our camp...


I couldn't talk it was that cold! But ya gotta do it!

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Drive to jasper

We are planning this trip as we go, so I didn't think I would be in jasper tonight! It's a great wee town, alot smaller than Banff but great scenery.
We started the day with a trip to peyto lake, I'm not sure if the colour will come out in the pics but the water was an amazing aqua blue. Also, we met kiwi (willis) again! He was a guy we met in Vancouver, it was a great random meet in the middle of nowhere and hopefully we will see him again in Toronto.



Driving these roads is so much fun that they deserved a thumbs up... Even if Laura was freaking out beside me about driving and taking photos at the same time! Shes probably right, but... Meh!









I'm gona have to get more on top of van shots.
Oh, and I saw some mountain goats from the side of the road



And a bear trap!



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Banff day 2

Stunning day today, we started with a great gondola ride up a mountain at the heart of Banff, sulphur mountain I think. Pictures just don't do the view justice, it's the most impressive 360 view I have ever seen! Laura didnt get on well with the gondolas though :/
Going up, all smiles...



Half way up and, well, the expression says it all...






















We then headed to the outside pool which is heated from Natural springs. Man it was warm! Great views looking out the pool.


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Meeting Neil

Another random night. We met a guy called Neil from Edinburgh at our campsite in Banff. He is cycling from Victoria right over the st johns in Halifax... That's the whole length of Canada in 3 epic months! Got to hand it to the guy. The reason he came over to say hi is that we passed him in the van in golden, over 100km away, and the van made him laugh! Awesome. We got pretty drunk and made a massive fire. It was another great night.










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Banff. Nice wee town.

I like Banff. It's such a nice little village to walk about in. We camped at a place just out side town. Cougars were spotted in the area around our camp site so we gotta be careful. Oh, I spotted a mountain goat family and an elk today. Go me!







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Wicked!

Just thought I should share the van with everyone. Some people love it and some hate it. But, it usually puts a smile on people's faces, which I like :)









It's called the "just buried" van






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