Canadian visit home...Vancouver, Kelowna and the Island

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So here goes...having postponed putting this site together for the last 5 months, I've finally got my act together. Ironically, I am no longer in Vancouver (sitting in a Cairo internet cafe) but it's best to start this site properly, with the amazing couple of months that I spent at home. This was the first visit in 8 years to be more than 2 weeks, which meant a proper catch up with friends and family all over the place. But as I want to crack on to where I am now, I'll try my best to keep this short and sweet!

My first couple of weeks were quiet, but I soon set off on foot around the city I've missed so over the years. What amazing weather, I know I know, I was extremely lucky, as rain is what Vancouverites know most about. But having been away there were a lot of other things that I noticed about Vancouver. The cars are very big, the cherry blossoms are everywhere and it simply smells good. The outdoor lifestyle is prevelant on every corner, the streets are clean and people seem to smile at you! The 'city of glass' is a very accurate description for Yaletown. And then of coarse there's North Van. I really do appreciate the fact that it's just the same. Comforting.

I then rented a car for a drive up to Kelowna to see my dearest friend Kathy and her family. What a reminder of how everybody's life really does move along when you live abroad. I want to post photos of everybody, but I think Kath might think otherwise! We very nearly pissed ourselves laughing at the high school notes written to one another! Then I spent some time learning how to use mom's old camera on the drive back from a day skiing at Big White.

The next trip was a couple of weeks over on the Island. Stayed in Tofino and took in what I could of the whale festival. Visited the hot springs, bike riding to Long Beach (wow-what sunsets there!) hiking on Meares Island even watching a native totem pole being raised. Then it was off to Courtenay to visit Doug and Christine and my niece Evy. Fab house guys, and it seems like such a wise move! Finally, a train journey down to Victoria. Couldn't help laughing outloud as I sat on the train and was waved at by all the children. Trains are certainly different in the UK! Victoria was a great visit too, saw my friend Jen stylin in her new pad and just chilled out at the coffee shops before catching a 45 minute sea plane back to downtown Vancouver harbour. I'd done this flight before, and it was just as excillerating the second time around!!

Back in Vancouver and I'm really starting to cram in the visits with friends and family. Lunch with Debbie in New West, poker with Michelle in North Van, drinks with Sara downtown (great friends of too!) coffee with Tash, sushis with dad, snowshoeing with mom...I did it all but I now have to go!!!

It was an amazing visit that photos can only partly justify. I've figured out how to get them on here, but I'm going to have to do another entry for the second CD. It's late and I must get some sleep!! Well, tomorrow I'll add more and fill you in on my last few weeks in the UK packing up to where I am now....HOT IN CAIRO!!

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