Expedition Canada

Quiet Day  Sunday April 25 A local walk this morning around the trails north of the house.  It was quiet as we left but Vancouver had woken up as we made our way back. There are a number of good Apps for mobiles that hold maps and trail information, tracking you as you walk.  They are definitely a handy tool and avoid wet maps.   More importantly they show your location  when it would probably have been more difficult working out where you are when there are fewer visible reference points if you were using a map and compass . On recommendation from the younger branch Fred has acquired a set of hiking poles, which makes the uphill and downhill easier.  I've yet to convert from grabbing rocks and trees! This is our last week in North Van as we head across to the Sunshine Coast next Sunday.  Fortunately it is part of the same 'Coast" health region, so we aren't anticipating any major issues being stopped on route.   At the moment non-essent...

Three weeks already New From Old Friday April 23rd  It's hard to believe how quickly time has flown by.  Tomorrow will be three weeks since we arrived in Canada.  It feels very normal.  We're not getting used to north American TV and are rather glad we brought our Apple TV box.  The BBC's Sounds app works well; so we go to bed with the Today programme and wake to the World at One.  The Covid Pandemic continues to have a constraining effect on Canadian life. The vaccination programme is well behind that of the UK and USA and cases have started to rise again.  Travel restrictions have been put in place across Canada; no direct flights from S Asia, only essential  inter-state travel.  In BC  all but essential travel limited to your current health region.  Fortunately our next rental on The Sunshine Coast is the same as our current health region and Nick and Lizzie's. The weather since we have been in Vancouver quarantine and over the l...

Cars and More Cars Thu 22 April Today was about cars, all day.  After coffee in Kitsilano, it was off to Richmond, out near the Airport, to another car retail park.  A few more test drives and the list narrows.  Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Discovery Sport and Jeep Grand Cherokee.  We don't anticipate doing a lot of town driving and want something that will tow and be safe on the trails.  The last two made the final shortlist and the evening was spent reviewing specs for a decision Friday morning. Lunch back in Kits was followed by a quick trip to the bank to see if we could open a joint  account with Nick.  Not possible until we have something other than visitor status.  So getting local debit cards and cash management is at least five months away.   Back to North Van via the Lion's Gate Bridge.  Whether viewed from Stanley Park below where it's possible to admire the bridge structure and architecture, or from the bridge ...

Quieter Pace Wed 21st April After the early morning dog walk it was a b oys shopping trip .... for a car! With gas (sorry petrol) at 97p per litre should I go the petrol-head route, or something more modest?  Vancouver has car dealership malls - a bit like regular shopping malls, but cars.  A very convenient way of buying a set of wheels.  Yesterday we test drove a VW Atlas.  Nice car, solid ride but not great on reliability.  Also went looking for a Toyota 4Runner, but it had been sold before we got there.  It's amazing how long it takes to shop for cars! After a late lunch we went for a walk up Lynn Creek a five minute car ride away. In the UK, my greatest fear when taking Jack out picking up on a shoot, or alongside me as a peg-dog, was him running in to Charlie Rowland's cover crop at Bowden Farm before the drive had been through it.  Jack has an amazing nose and can smell game birds from 100 yards and will sniff them out.  Gun dogs dashing in...

  Phew! Rock Climbing Centre Tuesday 20th The pace has not slowed.  Our day was spent in and around Squamish, a town midway between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea to Sky Highway (Route 99).  The highway goes on to Pemberton and then  the northern interior of BC.  It has some amazing views as you drive the various dual and single carriage sections.  First stop was Britannia Beach, and specifically Watts Point. An area popular with rock climbers, and Nick, who can be found up there at least once a week scaling the granite outcrops. "The first bit is step then it's OK" says Nick.  We have been lulled into a false sense of security before!   We did not get to the top.  I'd prefer to be upside down in a plane at 3,000' that halfway up tracks hewn out of the rock, where I have to look down  where I have been.  Coupled with that a spaniel has no sense of danger and at one point fell down a 10' drop when curiosity got the better of ...

Nick is in charge of activities!!! Monday 19th Jan  So it has been full on!   He has a week off and is determined we squeeze in as many physical activities this week as possible!!!! We are starting to lose track of time, so that's got be a good thing, right? The early morning walk was up the Baden Powell trail from where it meets the Hyannis trail.  Very uphill with lots of board walks.  Stunning scenery, no bears, which is just as well as I forgot to buy my bear deterrent products at MEC yesterday! Back from the walk, I was behind a computer screen booking an appointment with ICBC, who issue BC driving licences.  The advantage is that we could  benefit from reduced monopoly insurance rates ($5,000)!   It seems that as we don't have any form of status in Canada beyond 'visitor' we aren't eligible until we apply for an extension to our six months visitor stay; our super-visa comes through, or our application for residency invita...

Freedom Sunday 18th April Busy day today after a late evening when Nick and Lizzie joined us for supper outside. Great to see them properly now that we were out of quarantine and have a decent catch up.  Jack was chasing a ball until about 9.00pm and slept until I got up this morning - and that was late! The day started with a walk up in to the Hyannis Trail with Jack to get my bearings.  Just 10 mins from the house.  The bikers and hikers were just getting started as I returned. It was then out and about.  The weather meant everybody in Vancouver was also out and about!   After a quick trip to MEC (originally the Mountain Equipment Centre I think - a mecca for those into outdoor pursuits), and some maps and backpack we set off to meet Nick for lunch at Lighthouse Park.   Too many people and queues for the car park so we abandoned that plan and headed over to Kitsilano, where Nick and Lizzie are based via Marine Drive.  This runs al...

Escape from Alcatraz Baden Powell Trail Saturday 17th April It makes a catchy title, but it's not true; though we are out!   We have been very fortunate to be staying in a delightful gardened lower floor suite in North Vancouver, with some incredibly welcoming hosts.  But it's still great to be able to get out and about. Late Saturday morning and no covid test results had arrived; we feared the worse.  Just as we wound up lunch the email that we had been waiting for arrived.  Negative tests results! Actually we discovered, that our day of arrival was day one, so we could have done our ten day test a day earlier and been allowed out  at midnight last night if clear test results had arrived yesterday.  So we lost a few hours.   Today was sorting out car hire, shopping and going for a walk with Jack on the Baden Powell trail, which is a ten minute walk from where we are staying.   Only we took a wrong turn and it took us 20 m...