Our home at Dingo Beach is in the process of having some extensions and renovations, so with our next trip looming what would we do? We decided to leave the house as is, and set out to begin our next overseas adventure. As Pat says "it will still be there when we come home."
Prior to our departure, my Mum celebrated her 80th birthday over the Easter weekend and what a celebration it was. Our family came from everywhere and met up at the Gold Coast, where our celebrations and get togethers lasted for many days. That girl of ours is full of surprises! She kicked up her heels at her party and together with her friends she gave a great rendition of Irish Dancing. A friend of ours, Col, asked Mum if she would like to go on a spin on a motorbike? "Of course, I'd be delighted" was her reply - so she had a great trip - firstly on a BMW and secondly on a Ducati! She even made the statement that she now prefers a BMW!!
Pat and I spent a couple of days in Sydney with my brother Patrick and the Kings. I reminded Anne and Pat that they were the ones who saw me off to Canada on my first trip back in 1968 - so here we were 41 years later with history repeating itself.
We decided to take a 14 hour direct flight from Sydney to Vancouver. Uncle Joe met us at the airport and then it was home to Auntie Angela and their little dog Lily. It is great getting together with all my family over here in Canada - it is so important to keep the generations in touch with each other and ensure the family group remains connected. That night my cousins and their children came over for dinner and I did stay awake for as long as I could. Antoinette and Tony had a barbeque at their home the following night and this began our wonderful introduction to Salmon dinners. Andrea and Kory set us up with winter coats for our Cruise to Alaska - we were now ready to head off.
We met up with our Australian mates Robert and Rose the following day and began our lengthy process of booking onto the Diamond Princess in readiness for our 7 day Cruise up the coast from Vancouver to Whittier in Alaska.
The cruise was very relaxing and enjoyable with sights along the way quite spectacular, particularly Glacier Bay where we were able to moor in very close to the Glaciers and watch the glacier in the process of large clumps of ice breaking away, which is called calving. The Captain said we were very fortunate as normally the large ships could not get as close as we were able to on this particular day. It was very cold but we were well rugged up in our jackets, hats, gloves and scarves.
We did have an unusual group of people on board. There were 25 Santa Claus on a Santa Claus Convention - they were on their way to Santa's home at the town of North Pole in Alaska. They were accompanied by their wives and partners and they wore red clothing most of the time.
One of the pleasures of Ocean Cruising is visiting the ports of call, where we can see firsthand how people in the various regions live – in this case see how they used to live back in the old gold rush days. A summary of our ports of call follow.
25th May
Ketchikan is a great little city on the Alaskan Panhandle and was once known as the Canned Salmon Capital of the World. It is the wettest of the North West cities with an annual rainfall of 162 inches. A tour of Ketchikan is not complete without visiting famous Creek Street reknown for its many brothels from the bygone gold rush days. Commercial fishing comprises 30% of today’s local economy with the majority of their income stream coming from tourism. Ketchikan is a cruise ship capital with up to ten ships visiting per day in the season from May to October. Logging was also an important industry here up until the pulp mill closed in 1997.
Ketchikan is a great little city on the Alaskan Panhandle and was once known as the Canned Salmon Capital of the World. It is the wettest of the North West cities with an annual rainfall of 162 inches. A tour of Ketchikan is not complete without visiting famous Creek Street reknown for its many brothels from the bygone gold rush days. Commercial fishing comprises 30% of today’s local economy with the majority of their income stream coming from tourism. Ketchikan is a cruise ship capital with up to ten ships visiting per day in the season from May to October. Logging was also an important industry here up until the pulp mill closed in 1997.
26th May
Juneau is known as the most beautiful city in Alaska and is also the most geographically secluded state capital in the US. There are no roads into Juneau, so access is only available by boat or plane. The current Governor of Alaska is Sarah Palin who has just tendered her resignation as at the end of July. Juneau was the site of the State’s first major gold strike and the first town to be founded following Alaska’s purchase from Russia. The city centre is long and narrow and hugs the side of Mt Roberts.
Juneau is known as the most beautiful city in Alaska and is also the most geographically secluded state capital in the US. There are no roads into Juneau, so access is only available by boat or plane. The current Governor of Alaska is Sarah Palin who has just tendered her resignation as at the end of July. Juneau was the site of the State’s first major gold strike and the first town to be founded following Alaska’s purchase from Russia. The city centre is long and narrow and hugs the side of Mt Roberts.
27th May
Skagway is the home of the White Pass and Yukon Railway line which heads out of Skagway up and over the mountain and down into Whitehorse in the Yukon. We booked our tickets on the railway and headed out of Skagway, but about 2/3 of the way up to the top of the mountains, the train came to a sudden halt. There had been an avalanche ahead and part of the rail line had been destroyed. Unfortunately we headed back into Skagway with the Railway Company refunding all fares and giving us all a complimentary DVD. We toured the old town and visited the famous Red Onion Saloon. The annual rainfall here is only 26 inches so Skagway is one of the driest places in an otherwise soggy part of Alaska. Back on board ship we received an invitation to attend the Captain’s Cocktail Party so had to get out the glad rags and glam up for the night.
Skagway is the home of the White Pass and Yukon Railway line which heads out of Skagway up and over the mountain and down into Whitehorse in the Yukon. We booked our tickets on the railway and headed out of Skagway, but about 2/3 of the way up to the top of the mountains, the train came to a sudden halt. There had been an avalanche ahead and part of the rail line had been destroyed. Unfortunately we headed back into Skagway with the Railway Company refunding all fares and giving us all a complimentary DVD. We toured the old town and visited the famous Red Onion Saloon. The annual rainfall here is only 26 inches so Skagway is one of the driest places in an otherwise soggy part of Alaska. Back on board ship we received an invitation to attend the Captain’s Cocktail Party so had to get out the glad rags and glam up for the night.
28th May
The trip into Glacier Bay is a magnificent experience. It is an amazing sight to be moored quite close to a major glacier and see the glacier “calving”, which is the process whereby large chunks of ice break away from the Glacier. The Captain told us we certainly had luck on our side, as conditions were the most favourable he had ever experienced here, thus enabling him to manoeuvre the ship into as close to the glacier as is allowable. Truly magnificent. We were fortunate to be able to see seals, brown bears and long haired white goats. The following morning we cruised out of Glacier Bay and headed to the beautiful College Fiord.
The trip into Glacier Bay is a magnificent experience. It is an amazing sight to be moored quite close to a major glacier and see the glacier “calving”, which is the process whereby large chunks of ice break away from the Glacier. The Captain told us we certainly had luck on our side, as conditions were the most favourable he had ever experienced here, thus enabling him to manoeuvre the ship into as close to the glacier as is allowable. Truly magnificent. We were fortunate to be able to see seals, brown bears and long haired white goats. The following morning we cruised out of Glacier Bay and headed to the beautiful College Fiord.
30th May
The ship docked at Whittier where we said goodbye to the Diamond Princess and our seven day Alaska cruise. Together with our good friends Robert and Rose, we boarded a bus and headed into Anchorage through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel at Whittier and on into Anchorage – this highway is considered to be one of the top 10 drives in the US. In Anchorage we visited the markets and also went to an Ulu knife factory. The Ulu is the traditional knife of the Eskimo although today it seems to be used by most Alaskans. Our first night’s check in to our accommodation was quite disastrous but thankfully the rest of the trip was smooth going.
The ship docked at Whittier where we said goodbye to the Diamond Princess and our seven day Alaska cruise. Together with our good friends Robert and Rose, we boarded a bus and headed into Anchorage through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel at Whittier and on into Anchorage – this highway is considered to be one of the top 10 drives in the US. In Anchorage we visited the markets and also went to an Ulu knife factory. The Ulu is the traditional knife of the Eskimo although today it seems to be used by most Alaskans. Our first night’s check in to our accommodation was quite disastrous but thankfully the rest of the trip was smooth going.
31st May
The next morning we hired a station wagon for a week and set off north out of Anchorage to explore Alaska. We had all commented on how helpful and friendly the Alaskans are. A short while later we pulled into a shopping centre in Palmer to stock up on some groceries for our travels. While we were in the Supermarket Robert was having a great chat with a bloke about the local beers. A little later on when we were packing up our car the same bloke pulled in beside us and handed Robert two cans of local beer for him to try! He had rushed home from the Supermarket especially to pick them up for Robert!
On our first evening on the road we checked into a fantastic log cabin in a beautiful and quaint little town called Talkeetna. I have been having a love affair with salmon since coming to Canada and Alaska. Most nights I have been ordering wild sockeye salmon for dinner – it is superb. I figure I won’t get this back home so I might as well enjoy it now. The scenery in Alaska is beautiful although we have noticed there seems to be a lack of wildlife. This is probably attributed to the fact that wild animals in Alaska are still able to hunted.
The next morning we hired a station wagon for a week and set off north out of Anchorage to explore Alaska. We had all commented on how helpful and friendly the Alaskans are. A short while later we pulled into a shopping centre in Palmer to stock up on some groceries for our travels. While we were in the Supermarket Robert was having a great chat with a bloke about the local beers. A little later on when we were packing up our car the same bloke pulled in beside us and handed Robert two cans of local beer for him to try! He had rushed home from the Supermarket especially to pick them up for Robert!
On our first evening on the road we checked into a fantastic log cabin in a beautiful and quaint little town called Talkeetna. I have been having a love affair with salmon since coming to Canada and Alaska. Most nights I have been ordering wild sockeye salmon for dinner – it is superb. I figure I won’t get this back home so I might as well enjoy it now. The scenery in Alaska is beautiful although we have noticed there seems to be a lack of wildlife. This is probably attributed to the fact that wild animals in Alaska are still able to hunted.
June 1st
We checked into the Princess Lodge for 2 nights in Denali National Park and the next day we took an 8 hour bus trip into Denali to Mt McKinlay, the highest mountain in North America. We travelled in an old school bus on a winding dusty road. Fortunately we did see some Dall Sheep, a Grizzly Bear from about 500 metres and some moose. Pat suggested to Robert that they visit the local Fur Shop at the Princess Lodge, where they'd be sure to see Alaskan wildlife!
At the Mt McKinlay Visitors’ Centre there was a beautiful big bear skin on display which had a sad story. This bear was very friendly and would come up to humans who were visiting the park and of course scare the wits out of most of them. The rangers then decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to relocate the bear to an area about 60 miles away over the mountains. After a period of time, the same bear returned to the Visitors Centre – but this time the bear had gained an unacceptable tolerance of humans – the decision was then made to put the bear down.
On this bus trip we met a wonderful retired couple from Colorado, Jane and Hank. I was engrossed in their stories and hearing about their wonderful family. In the 70’s Jane had been working in Vietnam caring for disadvantaged children. She nursed one particular Vietnamese baby boy who she eventually adopted and brought home to the US. She married Hank and they then went on to have 5 more children of their own, with their Vietnamese son heading the family. Hank was an Engineer and he actually did some work in the 70's for Australia's Snowy Mountain Scheme. I was disappointed when they left the bus as I could have listened to more of their interesting stories.
3rd June
This morning we called into a small town for morning tea. Rose and I walked up the street checking out the local sights. The local Trooper’s car was parked on a side street so we took some photos alongside his vehicle. A tall muscular and good looking young man came outside to see just who was interested in his vehicle! Trooper Dave was delightful to meet and very easy on the eyes. He was extremely hesitant about having his photo taken with us as the last time he had his photo taken with a couple of Aussie ladies their hands strayed southwards and they goosed him!! We assured him he would be very safe with a couple of Grannies from Down Under – and we remained true to our word.
We were noticing the number of motor homes cruising through town and who should we see in one but Jane and Hank from Denali. It was great to meet up with them again and exchange emails and addresses. We extended an invitation to them to visit us at Dingo Beach if ever they come to Australia. We’ll definitely be putting Colorado on our future itinerary.
Fairbanks is a lovely little City. We enjoyed sitting on the open air deck at our Hotel overlooking the river. It had been a little while since our skin had been in the warm sunshine. The longer hours of daylight in the north take some getting used to. One particular evening we called home when the sun was still shining and it was 10 minutes past midnight! I don’t recall seeing darkness the whole time we were in northern Alaska and the Yukon.
We visited Santa’s Village in the town of North Pole in Alaska and organised special Christmas Cards for our Grandchildren Flynn, Liam and Ayla and our little nieces Riley and Charli to be delivered just before Christmas. Rose especially enjoyed organising her special Christmas Cards for her gorgeous newly born twin Grandsons, Finn and Byron. They have a very special birthday as they arrived on my Mother’s 80th birthday 2nd April 2009.
4th June
We travelled through to Tok and booked our trip onward to Dawson City in the Yukon. The following morning, after a great couple of weeks we said goodbye to Robert & Rose who took the hire car back to Anchorage before continuing on with the remainder of their Canadian holiday.
Our Alaska Yukon Trails 10 seater van had only 4 passengers so we travelled very comfortably over the Top of the World Highway and through a little township called Chicken. Apparently in the early days the township was rampant with a chicken-like bird and the town was going to be called Ptarmigan but because nobody could spell it, they decided Chicken would be okay and left it at that. We drove through areas with snow still on the ground and went up to and over Mt Fairplay, Polly Summit and American Summit, all over 3,500 ft. We crossed the border from Alaska into the Yukon Territory at Little Gold Creek, which was manned by a female Customs Officer. We travelled on to the Yukon River where we crossed over in a vehicular ferry to Dawson City. What an amazing highway and what a wonderful trip that was.
Dawson City is a great place to visit – all the roadways are dirt – the footpaths are timber and the place is overflowing with atmosphere and history. In keeping with the City’s bylaws, any new building or dwelling has to be designed and built in keeping with the theme and look of the gold rush days. Dome Hill towers over the town and reaches an elevation of 2,911 feet offering beautiful views of the town and area. We headed out for the evening and visited Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino, where we had dinner and watched the infamous Can Can dancing and entertainment.
At the North West Territories Visitors’ Centre we met a great young lady who worked there – she helped us track down a hire car which was available for one way transport across the 520 klm Klondike Highway to Whitehorse. Apparently this was the only one way car hire available for rental over the past three years so we very lucky indeed.
At Whitehorse we reviewed our various options for transport to Vancouver – hire car/ bus/ train/ ferry/ plane – we eventually decided to buy a little car which gave us more options for the best value. We bought a ’97 Pontiac Sunbird for $1,500 + $270 insurance + $49 for Yukon plates and then sold the car just before we left Vancouver for $1,000 - after 3,000 klms of trouble free motoring.
Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon and has a great atmosphere – it is surrounded by magnificent mountains and clear mountain lakes. Its name comes from the rapids on the Yukon River which resembles the flowing manes of charging white horses. I had often wondered where that name came from. The history here is captivating and well worth reading about – there’s no doubt about the strength of those early pioneers in the Gold Rush days.
Perhaps a winter visit to this part of the world would be worth thinking about down the track – to see the snow sports, Dog Sledding and the Northern Lights. Hmmmm on second thoughts I might just give that cold weather a miss!
Outside Whitehorse we travelled through scenic countryside along beautiful Bennett Lake to a little township called Carcross, where the White Pass and Yukon Route railway heads up over the mountains to Skagway. We headed out along the Alaska Highway to Watsons Lake back in British Columbia. We were told that as soon as we cross the border into BC and hit the Provincial Parks we’ll notice an increase in wildlife. No sooner had we crossed the border, than as promised, bears appeared along the roadsides. On our first day back in BC we saw 8 black and brown bears, moose, elk, long horn sheep, deer, wolves, squirrels and chipmunks.
We had an overnight stop in Fort Nelson which is a very industrial town. This is a work centre for the oil and gas fields. I was surprised to hear that mining is carried out here in the winter months because the areas are not accessible during the summer. They have to wait for the marshlands to freeze over so trucks and vehicles can be taken out to the fields in order for the work to begin.
Watsons Lake has a very interesting Sign Forest at the Visitors’ Centre with signposts from places all over the world. It began in WW2 with an US Army Engineer placing his home town sign on a post – today there are in excess of 24,000 signs from all over the world. A lady in the centre asked if we would like to send one from our home and she’ll place it out on a post among the rest. We stayed in a lovely little farmhouse B&B here and had the whole top floor to ourselves.
11th June
We travelled through Fort St John, another major centre for the oil and gas fields, to Dawson Creek which is Mile 0 on the Alaska Highway. We had now travelled the full length of the Alaska Highway from Fairbanks Alaska to Dawson Creek BC a total distance of 2,450.5 klms. This Alaska Highway was originally built by US troops in 1942 as a supply route for military installations and was then opened to unrestricted traffic in 1947. The continuous stream of huge motor homes and campers heading from the US north to Alaska for the summer months was mind boggling.
We travelled on through Prince George and Quesnel to Kamloops where we met up with Tony & Anna. Pat knew Tony back home and it was great to sit out on their deck and enjoy the magnificent view of the lake and the city below. Our room also had a great view – actually it was more like a suite than a room – it could put a five star resort to shame! We headed into town for dinner and had a great night out.
Our next port of call was Penticton on the lake. Our room was right at the front of the building so we looked off our balcony straight up the lake – so beautiful. There’s a famous restaurant here called Salty’s – lots of atmosphere and also with views over the lake.
We were now on the final leg into Vancouver so we stopped at the markets in the valley and stocked up on freshly picked vegetables to take home to Auntie Angela and Uncle Joe. Our trip took us through beautiful scenery into Princeton and Hope and back home. Arriving back was great – not only Auntie Angela and Uncle Joe, but also Lily the dog gave us a great welcome.
The next two weeks was spent with family – magnificent dinners and barbeques – oooohhh that salmon – something I’ll never forget. To all my family members Auntie Angela & Uncle Joe, Rory & Debbie, Chrissy & Justin, Antoinette & Tony, Connor, Bronagh & Pearse, Andrea & Kory, Nolan & Declan, Nicky, Rorie & Sinead, Una, Tara & Tamara, Danny & Gwenda, Auntie Marie & Uncle Desmond, Auntie Magdalene & Uncle Edmond, Uncle Frankie & Auntie Patsy, thank you to everyone for making our visit so very special. Not everyone’s name is here (due to lack of space) - but they are all one helluva bunch! I’ll never forget the great barbeques at Antoinette’s & Tony’s. We have given all the rellies an open invitation to visit us at Dingo Beach and it looks like we might have some ready to visit in 2010.
Uncle Joe’s sister Toni, who lives in Australia, arrived for the Wedding Anniversary celebrations. We got to know Toni quite well and we look forward to meeting up with her in Australia later on. Toni has a farm outside of Melbourne and has lived in Victoria since coming to Australia from Austria in 1951, the same year as my family came to Australia with me as a baby.
We checked into the Princess Lodge for 2 nights in Denali National Park and the next day we took an 8 hour bus trip into Denali to Mt McKinlay, the highest mountain in North America. We travelled in an old school bus on a winding dusty road. Fortunately we did see some Dall Sheep, a Grizzly Bear from about 500 metres and some moose. Pat suggested to Robert that they visit the local Fur Shop at the Princess Lodge, where they'd be sure to see Alaskan wildlife!
At the Mt McKinlay Visitors’ Centre there was a beautiful big bear skin on display which had a sad story. This bear was very friendly and would come up to humans who were visiting the park and of course scare the wits out of most of them. The rangers then decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to relocate the bear to an area about 60 miles away over the mountains. After a period of time, the same bear returned to the Visitors Centre – but this time the bear had gained an unacceptable tolerance of humans – the decision was then made to put the bear down.
On this bus trip we met a wonderful retired couple from Colorado, Jane and Hank. I was engrossed in their stories and hearing about their wonderful family. In the 70’s Jane had been working in Vietnam caring for disadvantaged children. She nursed one particular Vietnamese baby boy who she eventually adopted and brought home to the US. She married Hank and they then went on to have 5 more children of their own, with their Vietnamese son heading the family. Hank was an Engineer and he actually did some work in the 70's for Australia's Snowy Mountain Scheme. I was disappointed when they left the bus as I could have listened to more of their interesting stories.
3rd June
This morning we called into a small town for morning tea. Rose and I walked up the street checking out the local sights. The local Trooper’s car was parked on a side street so we took some photos alongside his vehicle. A tall muscular and good looking young man came outside to see just who was interested in his vehicle! Trooper Dave was delightful to meet and very easy on the eyes. He was extremely hesitant about having his photo taken with us as the last time he had his photo taken with a couple of Aussie ladies their hands strayed southwards and they goosed him!! We assured him he would be very safe with a couple of Grannies from Down Under – and we remained true to our word.
We were noticing the number of motor homes cruising through town and who should we see in one but Jane and Hank from Denali. It was great to meet up with them again and exchange emails and addresses. We extended an invitation to them to visit us at Dingo Beach if ever they come to Australia. We’ll definitely be putting Colorado on our future itinerary.
Fairbanks is a lovely little City. We enjoyed sitting on the open air deck at our Hotel overlooking the river. It had been a little while since our skin had been in the warm sunshine. The longer hours of daylight in the north take some getting used to. One particular evening we called home when the sun was still shining and it was 10 minutes past midnight! I don’t recall seeing darkness the whole time we were in northern Alaska and the Yukon.
We visited Santa’s Village in the town of North Pole in Alaska and organised special Christmas Cards for our Grandchildren Flynn, Liam and Ayla and our little nieces Riley and Charli to be delivered just before Christmas. Rose especially enjoyed organising her special Christmas Cards for her gorgeous newly born twin Grandsons, Finn and Byron. They have a very special birthday as they arrived on my Mother’s 80th birthday 2nd April 2009.
4th June
We travelled through to Tok and booked our trip onward to Dawson City in the Yukon. The following morning, after a great couple of weeks we said goodbye to Robert & Rose who took the hire car back to Anchorage before continuing on with the remainder of their Canadian holiday.
Our Alaska Yukon Trails 10 seater van had only 4 passengers so we travelled very comfortably over the Top of the World Highway and through a little township called Chicken. Apparently in the early days the township was rampant with a chicken-like bird and the town was going to be called Ptarmigan but because nobody could spell it, they decided Chicken would be okay and left it at that. We drove through areas with snow still on the ground and went up to and over Mt Fairplay, Polly Summit and American Summit, all over 3,500 ft. We crossed the border from Alaska into the Yukon Territory at Little Gold Creek, which was manned by a female Customs Officer. We travelled on to the Yukon River where we crossed over in a vehicular ferry to Dawson City. What an amazing highway and what a wonderful trip that was.
Dawson City is a great place to visit – all the roadways are dirt – the footpaths are timber and the place is overflowing with atmosphere and history. In keeping with the City’s bylaws, any new building or dwelling has to be designed and built in keeping with the theme and look of the gold rush days. Dome Hill towers over the town and reaches an elevation of 2,911 feet offering beautiful views of the town and area. We headed out for the evening and visited Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino, where we had dinner and watched the infamous Can Can dancing and entertainment.
At the North West Territories Visitors’ Centre we met a great young lady who worked there – she helped us track down a hire car which was available for one way transport across the 520 klm Klondike Highway to Whitehorse. Apparently this was the only one way car hire available for rental over the past three years so we very lucky indeed.
At Whitehorse we reviewed our various options for transport to Vancouver – hire car/ bus/ train/ ferry/ plane – we eventually decided to buy a little car which gave us more options for the best value. We bought a ’97 Pontiac Sunbird for $1,500 + $270 insurance + $49 for Yukon plates and then sold the car just before we left Vancouver for $1,000 - after 3,000 klms of trouble free motoring.
Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon and has a great atmosphere – it is surrounded by magnificent mountains and clear mountain lakes. Its name comes from the rapids on the Yukon River which resembles the flowing manes of charging white horses. I had often wondered where that name came from. The history here is captivating and well worth reading about – there’s no doubt about the strength of those early pioneers in the Gold Rush days.
Perhaps a winter visit to this part of the world would be worth thinking about down the track – to see the snow sports, Dog Sledding and the Northern Lights. Hmmmm on second thoughts I might just give that cold weather a miss!
Outside Whitehorse we travelled through scenic countryside along beautiful Bennett Lake to a little township called Carcross, where the White Pass and Yukon Route railway heads up over the mountains to Skagway. We headed out along the Alaska Highway to Watsons Lake back in British Columbia. We were told that as soon as we cross the border into BC and hit the Provincial Parks we’ll notice an increase in wildlife. No sooner had we crossed the border, than as promised, bears appeared along the roadsides. On our first day back in BC we saw 8 black and brown bears, moose, elk, long horn sheep, deer, wolves, squirrels and chipmunks.
We had an overnight stop in Fort Nelson which is a very industrial town. This is a work centre for the oil and gas fields. I was surprised to hear that mining is carried out here in the winter months because the areas are not accessible during the summer. They have to wait for the marshlands to freeze over so trucks and vehicles can be taken out to the fields in order for the work to begin.
Watsons Lake has a very interesting Sign Forest at the Visitors’ Centre with signposts from places all over the world. It began in WW2 with an US Army Engineer placing his home town sign on a post – today there are in excess of 24,000 signs from all over the world. A lady in the centre asked if we would like to send one from our home and she’ll place it out on a post among the rest. We stayed in a lovely little farmhouse B&B here and had the whole top floor to ourselves.
11th June
We travelled through Fort St John, another major centre for the oil and gas fields, to Dawson Creek which is Mile 0 on the Alaska Highway. We had now travelled the full length of the Alaska Highway from Fairbanks Alaska to Dawson Creek BC a total distance of 2,450.5 klms. This Alaska Highway was originally built by US troops in 1942 as a supply route for military installations and was then opened to unrestricted traffic in 1947. The continuous stream of huge motor homes and campers heading from the US north to Alaska for the summer months was mind boggling.
We travelled on through Prince George and Quesnel to Kamloops where we met up with Tony & Anna. Pat knew Tony back home and it was great to sit out on their deck and enjoy the magnificent view of the lake and the city below. Our room also had a great view – actually it was more like a suite than a room – it could put a five star resort to shame! We headed into town for dinner and had a great night out.
Our next port of call was Penticton on the lake. Our room was right at the front of the building so we looked off our balcony straight up the lake – so beautiful. There’s a famous restaurant here called Salty’s – lots of atmosphere and also with views over the lake.
We were now on the final leg into Vancouver so we stopped at the markets in the valley and stocked up on freshly picked vegetables to take home to Auntie Angela and Uncle Joe. Our trip took us through beautiful scenery into Princeton and Hope and back home. Arriving back was great – not only Auntie Angela and Uncle Joe, but also Lily the dog gave us a great welcome.
The next two weeks was spent with family – magnificent dinners and barbeques – oooohhh that salmon – something I’ll never forget. To all my family members Auntie Angela & Uncle Joe, Rory & Debbie, Chrissy & Justin, Antoinette & Tony, Connor, Bronagh & Pearse, Andrea & Kory, Nolan & Declan, Nicky, Rorie & Sinead, Una, Tara & Tamara, Danny & Gwenda, Auntie Marie & Uncle Desmond, Auntie Magdalene & Uncle Edmond, Uncle Frankie & Auntie Patsy, thank you to everyone for making our visit so very special. Not everyone’s name is here (due to lack of space) - but they are all one helluva bunch! I’ll never forget the great barbeques at Antoinette’s & Tony’s. We have given all the rellies an open invitation to visit us at Dingo Beach and it looks like we might have some ready to visit in 2010.
Uncle Joe’s sister Toni, who lives in Australia, arrived for the Wedding Anniversary celebrations. We got to know Toni quite well and we look forward to meeting up with her in Australia later on. Toni has a farm outside of Melbourne and has lived in Victoria since coming to Australia from Austria in 1951, the same year as my family came to Australia with me as a baby.
23rd June
Today we headed out of Vancouver on the Whistler Mountaineer train to Whistler. Whistler is home to Blackcomb Mountain which is North America’s only Mile High Mountain. It is consistently ranked among the top ski resorts in North America and is a world class destination. Vancouver and Whistler were awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics Games so preparations are underway for this major upcoming event.
26th June
50 years ago today, Auntie Angela and Uncle Joe married in Townsville, Qld, Australia so we all gathered to celebrate this great occasion. Firstly they renewed their Wedding Vows at their local Church and then headed out to the Old Mill at Port Moody to celebrate in style with their friends and family. It was a great night – certainly one we’ll always remember.
One evening we went to Anne & Ed’s for dinner. Salmon cooked on cedar boards once again – just magnificent - yummo! They made the mistake of mentioning their cherry tree was full of ripe cherries ready to be picked – so the next day was day 1 of cherry picking – then followed day 2! Pat made a great dessert we called Cherries Jubilee and then he made Cherry Jam. Thanks Anne & Ed for the great cherries. Pat says we’ll plan our next trip to Canada around the cherry picking season!
When my cousin Rory was a teenager he would delight in calling in to visit us in Nelson, BC to sample some of Pat's home brew which we named Pat's Pale Ale. He called over one morning and took great pleasure in presenting Pat with four cartons of his very own Home Brew! Rory & Debbie then surprised us one night with a dinner cruise on the Fraser River onboard the paddle steamer Native - we had a wonderful night – total passengers were 11 and total crew was 4. It is so relaxing and peaceful to cruise along the waterways – it gives a different and interesting perspective of the land.
30th June
When Pat and I met in Vancouver in 1970 he had a roommate Barrie, so we thought it would be great to catch up with him and spend a day together. What a day we had – a real walk down Memory Lane! We walked around the West End where we had all lived – we went to my apartment block then to Pat & Barrie’s and checked out other places we frequented. At lunch time we called into the Blue Horizon Hotel where Pat and I had first met and had lunch. Although Barrie lives in Vancouver he hasn’t been into the West End and he also thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgic day out. In 1970 we were 20, 21 and 23 now we’re just a little bit older and we’d like to think, a little bit wiser!!
1st July
This is the sad day I dreaded as I had to say goodbye to my Aunt and Uncle – it’s not easy – they’ve been like second parents to me for my whole life. The best part is that they are planning to visit Australia next year in October and November with Rory and Debbie, which will be great. Rory’s sisters and Debbie don’t think Rory will make the trip as he is such a homebody – he assures me he will make it and I think he will!!! Let’s see …..
Our Rocky Mountaineer train trip from Vancouver to Jasper included a night at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel the night before departure - what a bonus – today is Canada Day and the City is alive with people and activities. Danny & Gwenda, Antoinette & Tony, Andrea & Kory decided a night out in the City would be great idea so we all met up for dinner at Steamworks in the brewery and then headed out to watch the fireworks. I thanked my cousins for the great send off they had organized for us and we now look forward to our next get-together – perhaps in Canada – perhaps in Australia.
2nd July
The 2 day Rocky Mountaineer train trip from Vancouver to Jasper is spectacular and is one of the World’s Great Train Trips - a once in a lifetime treat. Our journey took us through Kamloops where we had an overnight stop and then onto Jasper, Alberta. After our dinner in Kamploops, Pat's friend Tony picked us up from our Hotel and brought us back up to his home to enjoy the magnificent sunset from his deck on the top of the hill and to meet Anna's parents who were visiting from Denmark.
Today we headed out of Vancouver on the Whistler Mountaineer train to Whistler. Whistler is home to Blackcomb Mountain which is North America’s only Mile High Mountain. It is consistently ranked among the top ski resorts in North America and is a world class destination. Vancouver and Whistler were awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics Games so preparations are underway for this major upcoming event.
26th June
50 years ago today, Auntie Angela and Uncle Joe married in Townsville, Qld, Australia so we all gathered to celebrate this great occasion. Firstly they renewed their Wedding Vows at their local Church and then headed out to the Old Mill at Port Moody to celebrate in style with their friends and family. It was a great night – certainly one we’ll always remember.
One evening we went to Anne & Ed’s for dinner. Salmon cooked on cedar boards once again – just magnificent - yummo! They made the mistake of mentioning their cherry tree was full of ripe cherries ready to be picked – so the next day was day 1 of cherry picking – then followed day 2! Pat made a great dessert we called Cherries Jubilee and then he made Cherry Jam. Thanks Anne & Ed for the great cherries. Pat says we’ll plan our next trip to Canada around the cherry picking season!
When my cousin Rory was a teenager he would delight in calling in to visit us in Nelson, BC to sample some of Pat's home brew which we named Pat's Pale Ale. He called over one morning and took great pleasure in presenting Pat with four cartons of his very own Home Brew! Rory & Debbie then surprised us one night with a dinner cruise on the Fraser River onboard the paddle steamer Native - we had a wonderful night – total passengers were 11 and total crew was 4. It is so relaxing and peaceful to cruise along the waterways – it gives a different and interesting perspective of the land.
30th June
When Pat and I met in Vancouver in 1970 he had a roommate Barrie, so we thought it would be great to catch up with him and spend a day together. What a day we had – a real walk down Memory Lane! We walked around the West End where we had all lived – we went to my apartment block then to Pat & Barrie’s and checked out other places we frequented. At lunch time we called into the Blue Horizon Hotel where Pat and I had first met and had lunch. Although Barrie lives in Vancouver he hasn’t been into the West End and he also thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgic day out. In 1970 we were 20, 21 and 23 now we’re just a little bit older and we’d like to think, a little bit wiser!!
1st July
This is the sad day I dreaded as I had to say goodbye to my Aunt and Uncle – it’s not easy – they’ve been like second parents to me for my whole life. The best part is that they are planning to visit Australia next year in October and November with Rory and Debbie, which will be great. Rory’s sisters and Debbie don’t think Rory will make the trip as he is such a homebody – he assures me he will make it and I think he will!!! Let’s see …..
Our Rocky Mountaineer train trip from Vancouver to Jasper included a night at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel the night before departure - what a bonus – today is Canada Day and the City is alive with people and activities. Danny & Gwenda, Antoinette & Tony, Andrea & Kory decided a night out in the City would be great idea so we all met up for dinner at Steamworks in the brewery and then headed out to watch the fireworks. I thanked my cousins for the great send off they had organized for us and we now look forward to our next get-together – perhaps in Canada – perhaps in Australia.
2nd July
The 2 day Rocky Mountaineer train trip from Vancouver to Jasper is spectacular and is one of the World’s Great Train Trips - a once in a lifetime treat. Our journey took us through Kamloops where we had an overnight stop and then onto Jasper, Alberta. After our dinner in Kamploops, Pat's friend Tony picked us up from our Hotel and brought us back up to his home to enjoy the magnificent sunset from his deck on the top of the hill and to meet Anna's parents who were visiting from Denmark.
3rd July
On this day we passed by Mt Robson, the highest mountain in Canada and as luck would have it the sky was blue and the mountain top was crisp and clear - apparently it is rare to be able to see the mountain top so clearly and without cloud. Our glass domed, upper level rail car was perfect and the scenery out of this world. If I had any complaint at all, it would be that there was too much food – we had to get off the train to give our stomachs a rest!
4th July
We overnighted in Jasper and travelled on next day to Edmonton by bus. We met up with Barry & Margaret, Tessa (14) & Connor (16) and Dutchie a Bichon Shitzu cross. We first met the Lewis family on a train between the Netherlands and Germany in 2007 when they were on a 6 month back packing trip around the world. What an education those kids were getting! The last leg of their trip brought them into Australia and down the east coast - we invited them to visit Dingo Beach on their journey south. It was decided then that we would incorporate their part of the world into our next trip into Canada.
6th July
This morning I received very sad news from home, my Dad's brother, Uncle Tom (79) died today after a long illness, which followed a stroke – he has lived in a nursing home for the past 5 years. Uncle Tom emigrated from Ireland to Australia in the early 50's. He was a wonderful artist and we were always very close to him. God Bless him and may he rest in peace.
It was a cold wet day in Edmonton so conditions were perfect for visiting the world famous West Edmonton Mall. What a hoot! It’s a Dreamworld incorporated into the shopping mall – there’s even a giant beach complete with palm trees and a wave machine. What a great place to visit. Connor and Tessa were our guides today – they showcased it well - they did a great job.
7th July
We headed south out of Edmonton today to visit the Calgary Stampede – another great day out and a wonderful experience. I can’t believe the pounding those young men put their bodies through in the buck jumps and bull rides. One thing for sure – they were all loving what they were doing and having a ball.
9th July
Today we set off from Edmonton with the Lewis clan and headed to their family cabin at Loon Lake Saskatchewan. The countryside is beautiful with green fields and also many crops of canola. Alberta is an oil rich province and up here in the north the hillsides are dotted with many of the familiar cylindrical oil reservoirs, an indicator of the presence of the oil. We made our way to the Saskatchewan border and headed into the little township of Loon Lake. What a great place with cabins and campers all around the fringes of the lakes – there are 5 lakes in total in this area.
We checked into the Lewis family cabin and settled in for the next few days. It was quite cold and the gas heater in the cabin warmed us nicely. Connor climbed up into the loft to retrieve a couple of extra doonas for the Aussie visitors to make sure we were snug and warm. Pat cooked his Thai food specialty for dinner and then we settled in for some card games.
The next morning was brilliant sunshine so it was out onto the deck with a great cup of coffee and to soak in the crisp fresh air and hear the plan for the day’s activities which included 9 holes of golf and lunch at the clubhouse. In the afternoon we set off in the family’s speedboat and checked out all the lakes and beaches. Margaret asked if we ever compare the different places we visit to home. A good question – very thought provoking. We actually love most places we visit – we take in whatever each place has to offer. If we were always looking for a comparison we might as well not ever leave home. In the evening after dinner Barry & Margaret brought out a guitar and we then sat around the campfire and had a great little sing-along. We also have had an introduction to a game called Corn-holing, which is on Pat’s To-Do list when we get home.
I have made several attempts to complete my blog to date, so when the family headed out to golf for the second day, I sat down to do some much needed catch up. Today 11th July is the 60th Anniversary of my Mum and Dad’s Wedding in Belfast, Ireland and I’m sure Mum will be having a little celebration of her own today.
4th July
We overnighted in Jasper and travelled on next day to Edmonton by bus. We met up with Barry & Margaret, Tessa (14) & Connor (16) and Dutchie a Bichon Shitzu cross. We first met the Lewis family on a train between the Netherlands and Germany in 2007 when they were on a 6 month back packing trip around the world. What an education those kids were getting! The last leg of their trip brought them into Australia and down the east coast - we invited them to visit Dingo Beach on their journey south. It was decided then that we would incorporate their part of the world into our next trip into Canada.
6th July
This morning I received very sad news from home, my Dad's brother, Uncle Tom (79) died today after a long illness, which followed a stroke – he has lived in a nursing home for the past 5 years. Uncle Tom emigrated from Ireland to Australia in the early 50's. He was a wonderful artist and we were always very close to him. God Bless him and may he rest in peace.
It was a cold wet day in Edmonton so conditions were perfect for visiting the world famous West Edmonton Mall. What a hoot! It’s a Dreamworld incorporated into the shopping mall – there’s even a giant beach complete with palm trees and a wave machine. What a great place to visit. Connor and Tessa were our guides today – they showcased it well - they did a great job.
7th July
We headed south out of Edmonton today to visit the Calgary Stampede – another great day out and a wonderful experience. I can’t believe the pounding those young men put their bodies through in the buck jumps and bull rides. One thing for sure – they were all loving what they were doing and having a ball.
9th July
Today we set off from Edmonton with the Lewis clan and headed to their family cabin at Loon Lake Saskatchewan. The countryside is beautiful with green fields and also many crops of canola. Alberta is an oil rich province and up here in the north the hillsides are dotted with many of the familiar cylindrical oil reservoirs, an indicator of the presence of the oil. We made our way to the Saskatchewan border and headed into the little township of Loon Lake. What a great place with cabins and campers all around the fringes of the lakes – there are 5 lakes in total in this area.
We checked into the Lewis family cabin and settled in for the next few days. It was quite cold and the gas heater in the cabin warmed us nicely. Connor climbed up into the loft to retrieve a couple of extra doonas for the Aussie visitors to make sure we were snug and warm. Pat cooked his Thai food specialty for dinner and then we settled in for some card games.
The next morning was brilliant sunshine so it was out onto the deck with a great cup of coffee and to soak in the crisp fresh air and hear the plan for the day’s activities which included 9 holes of golf and lunch at the clubhouse. In the afternoon we set off in the family’s speedboat and checked out all the lakes and beaches. Margaret asked if we ever compare the different places we visit to home. A good question – very thought provoking. We actually love most places we visit – we take in whatever each place has to offer. If we were always looking for a comparison we might as well not ever leave home. In the evening after dinner Barry & Margaret brought out a guitar and we then sat around the campfire and had a great little sing-along. We also have had an introduction to a game called Corn-holing, which is on Pat’s To-Do list when we get home.
I have made several attempts to complete my blog to date, so when the family headed out to golf for the second day, I sat down to do some much needed catch up. Today 11th July is the 60th Anniversary of my Mum and Dad’s Wedding in Belfast, Ireland and I’m sure Mum will be having a little celebration of her own today.
12th July
We were up bright and early this morning in readiness for our bus trip from Loon Lake to Regina. Pat and Barry loaded our backpacks into the car and we said goodbye to the Lewis clan. We had a great time in Edmonton, Calgary and Loon Lake with them all and now look forward to their next visit to Dingo Beach.
The full day bus trip south to Saskatoon and Regina was great. The lush countryside is dotted with beautiful lakes and fields of golden canola crops. Once again there is an amazing amount of oil wells here in Saskatchewan one of the prairie provinces.
We arrived in Regina and were met at the bus station by Marilyn and Dave. Marilyn and I were both 18 years of age and worked together in Vancouver in 1968/69 at the Worker's Compensation Board and we were great friends - here we were in Regina and finally getting together again 40 years later. What a great reunion - we don't think we've changed at all!!!!!!
Dave gave us a full tour of the City of Regina and its beautiful gardens and man made Wascana Lake which was built around 1912 by men with shovels! We have also met all of Marilyn's family including their two handsome sons and their families. Tonight we're going to the Sunset Ceremony by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). This is the training centre for all RCMP officers and other police from all over the world.
