Best Western Westwood Inn Edmonton

Myself and the kiwi head to a tree farm to work for a month and wait for the snow. Time to experience a different side of Canada. Oh boy it's different. I am in cowboy land, red neck country! It’s great!

An 11 hour overnight bus ride sees us standing bleary eyed at a roadhouse in the middle of nowhere waiting for our new family to collect us. Up pulls a big red truck and out ...

We've arrived in Edmonton. We're now heading to West Edmonton Mall. Amanda's excited!

.....back from the mall. Like everyone says its just a big mall with a few extras. Fun though. After we went and found where the Oilers play.

... including missing my best friend's birthday party!). But then we also have 46 hours on the Amtrak Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle to relax and reconnect. And as of this afternoon, it is all booked: 3 Airplane tickets 4 Hotels 4 Train tickets 2 Ferry tickets 2 Bus tickets and 1 Car rental! Now all I have to do is pack...

... their coat collar tighter and walk a little quicker to wherever. I've always been fascinated by how things can appear one way but feel completely different. I guess looks can be deceiving and it's a lesson I have been realizing more and more lately. Over the past year, I have tasted the bitterness of truth. Along with that, though, comes deeper understanding which keeps me coming back for more. "It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell ...

... while speaking with the woman who gave the Hostelling International talk. She's been working for them for 15 years, I believe, and has tonnes of personal experience backpacking around the world. While speaking with her I referenced a few things I've come across in my research, such as the Let's Go podtours and RailSaver, and ...

... and started to get ready to head to the Rockies. This was the main reason that we were there and to see Neil of course! Edmonton has the biggest shopping mall in the world, it was over my wildest dreams. there was a life size ship there, film crews go there to film, there is an indoor beach there with waves, white sand and so... roller coaster, whatever you can think of you will find it there, and you can shop till you drop.

... There are also at least several paths that appear to be novice in nature, but suddenly turn into super-extreme-hell-death trails after going through a patch of brush that hides your view. The trails are well built and have many bridges and stairs. The stairs even have bike ramps that are so well built, that they give the illusion that you could ride down them. This is not what they ...

... I sometimes sabotage random elderly types into conversation and pretend they are my own. Most of the time, they play along, if only for the short (or longer depending on the state of their memory) time it took them to realize the didn't actually know me. At the end of the convo there is usually a "You know you remind me of my granddaughter" or "great neice". I like it when they say that ...

... Puerto Vallarta. Tried to get bumped up to Business Class but got a lecture on how I couldīve paid a premium for Business Class. On an A320, it is NOT worth it. 5.5 hour flight OK even had a good meal! Seat I was assigned I could not see the movie very well - The Illusionist. Next movie - Little Miss Sunshine - I could see better and it was a cute show. Arrived PV 3:30 PM their ...