VANCOUVER, SEATTLE AND ALASKA

We arrived in Vancouver after a 4 hour bus ride to the HI Central hostel, it was rubbish. We put our bags in and went for a couple of beers to try and digest this crap place we were paying to stay at! So we get some food to cook and then we realise that there's only a microwave between everyone and the extractor fans were there for show!! We immediately looked for somewhere else to stay and booked in for the next night. If there were any doubts that we were doing the wrong thing were quickly gone when at 8am the room maid came in and started changing beds in the room where we were still sleeping, not happy!!!! Then we moved to Jericho Beach that was out of town but on a gorgeous beach where we monged for the day!! Next day we went to Stanley Park, we walked around and there were loads of things to look at and we met a pair of very tame racoons. For the next day we signed up for a city walk and lynn canyon day, a guy called Eric took us round all of Vancouver, even the dodgy Hastings area where all the homeless and drug addicts hang out. It was an amazing tour for the money and we went over a suspension bridge in a forest, that was cool. It took all day and we used a sea bus too which was cool. We were knackered but had agreed to meet some people for a comedy club night, when we were walking there Leannes flip flop snapped so she had a nightmare, and we were soooo late we just got in!! Had too much vino as usual!! Next day didn't feel like doing much so went and looked round town got some hangover food and chilled, that night we went for a greek meal with some people we met. Next day was our last day in Vancouver so checked out some stuff we missed like the sky harbour view tower and the library which is mental. We left for Vancouver Island on a sea plane, that was awesome and really want my PPL now!!!! Got to Manaimo and checked out the town then went for a few beers, didn't have long there, next morning we were off again on a Greyhound to Seattle.

First thing we noticed about Seattle was how much cheaper than Canada it was. We arrived quite late so most things were closed. Next day we had the mission of doing Seattle in a day, its impossible!! We started at the Space Centre where the Sky Needle tower is, looked at that but a guy told us to go to the Columbia Tower instead much cheaper and better views. After the space centre we went to find the troll under the bridge, it took us about an hour in the rain and flip flops and eventually found it. We got a bus back and went in search of Kurt Cobains memorial bench and house, we were soaking wet by the time we got there and had still loads to do. We headed for the Columbia tower only to find its not open on weekends ARGH!!!! So we thought we'd end the day with a cup of coffee from the very first Starbucks and of course lots of Buds!!!! Next day we headed for the airport for Alaska baby!!

We arrived at Juneau to freezing cold weather!! We got to our very weird hostel but couldn't get in til 5pm so we mooched about town. When we checked in the hostel the people were really weird, they had loads of rules and a curfew of half 10, so we realised then this wasn't the place for us. So we got our heads down the first night and next day did Mount Roberts and tried ro make it to the summit, but we got to about 3200ft and all we could see was nothing but clouds, so we abandoned that and went to the pub. While in the pub we met loads of people off the cruise ship and a local couple called Adelle and Floyd, they said the next day they would take us to the glacier to see bears for free, much to this businessmans disgust cause he was in the process of conning us!!!! So as we get talking to this couple they end up agreeing to foster us for the rest of our time in Juneau. Next day when the hangover had set in we mooched about town and then phoned the couple to see if their offer was still on, and it was. Within 5 mins they'd collected us and took us to the glacier where we saw a 3 yr old bear scratching his bum on some wooden fence, we were so close it was scary!! So they took us back to their place and we settled in and had wine and beers with them, and they even took us out for dinner!! Next day we did the perserverance trail, and was approx 8 miles then again went to the house to drink more beer and teach them shithead!! On our last day in Juneau we decided to do the glacier trail, it was really nice and walked about 5 miles, we were walking back to Adeles and Floyds house and just outside the park with the glacier I said to Leanne is that a bear over there? It shook its body and was across the road from us, so typical tourists reached straight for the camera, as we did it walked over towards us and this other couple were standing with us, so we went to walk off and I looked over and it was walking at the side of me and I looked round and the other 3 had stopped walking, I poohed my pants and panicked, luckily I stopped walking and moved slowly away and it went back over the other side of the road. Thats when we did our sharp exit. I had been moaning that I hadn't seen a bear in the whole 6 weeks we'd been away, but I didn't want to see the snot in its nose!!!!!! Next day New York bound...........................