So, we've finally started out on our big adventure after A LOT of waiting!! We've been in Vancouver/Vancouver Island a week now but it feels like lot longer already, which is great! We're over the jetlag and are settled into Canadian time now, until next week when we go to Japan!

We arrived last Friday after a (relatively) smooth journey - I was a little nervous about the US immigration in Dallas, having heard that it was very strict, so of course Dave sailed on through and I got interrogated for 5 minutes! It probably didn't help that I found it extremely amusing everytime someone said "Howdy!" - I felt like shouting "There's a snake in my boots!" I was just recovering from my little ordeal when a voice boomed out over the airport tannoy calling me back! I nearly died of panic and so did Dave as he hit his head climbing under the queue barrier!! It was all fine though - I had just erm….. mislaid my green card which allows you into America! Whoops!

When we finally arrived in Vancouver, Dave's bag didn't turn up so after waiting and waiting at the carousel, we went to ask but thankfully it had been put in the wrong place! That would not have been a good start!

We are staying with Dave's second cousin Phil and his wife Barb, who are looking after us very well! We are definitely not slumming it or anywhere near just yet! They have an amazing condo right on the Harbour front, so the views are fantastic! I think next week will be a reality shock when we are properly on our own!

We took the ferry over to Vancouver Island, which is about the size of England on Sunday after chilling out and getting over the flight on Saturday. We went to Victoria on the way to Barb's Mom Jean's house in Duncan "City of totems". Victoria is really pretty and it was lovely to wander round.

We have both discovered new favourite foods - mine is Guinness Cheese and Dave's is basil jelly! Barb's mom has written the recipe down for us so we will have to give it a go when we get back home!

We went to Kinsol Trestle which is an old wooden railway line that is due to be reconstructed. You would never imagine all these little pieces of wood could hold up a whole train! We saw bear poo in the forest on the but thankfully no bears, apart from a whole stuffed one at Coombes, where the 'goats on the roof' were! They just live up on the roof and happily pose for all the tourists!!

We also stopped in at "Bear Mountain" - a golf complex that Jack Nicklaus is fronting, which Dave really enjoyed. I spent a good half an hour thinking that Jack Nicholson (as in 'The Shining') had set up a golf club! Lol!

We went to Cowichan Bay, which is really sweet with house boats, a cheese shop, maritime museum and beautiful scenery and also Maple and Genoa Bays. On Tuesday Phil and Barb took us wine tasting at Cherry Point and we had a tour of the vineyards. They make blackberry wine there, which is delicious!!

On our last day on the island we went to Tigh-na-mara beach.

Speeding up…..yesterday we went for a Greek meal with some of Phil and Barb's friends and then to see The Oyster Band from England. We hadn't heard of them but they were really good! They even had some crazy fanatical fans dancing at the front!!

Today, we've been canoeing (a first for me!) and it was really cool. So relaxing to be in the middle of water with mountains all around. We are out for dinner tonight with Phil and Barb and a couple of friends, one of whom is from Japan, so we should be able to get lots of tips and advice for the next leg of our trip!

Tomorrow is zip-wiring at Zip-Trek in Whistler, which looks amazing! The views look spectacular!

On that ominous note, we shall finish for now. More photos will be arriving shortly!

Missing everyone lots!

Love Claire & Dave

xxx