Liam - Prarie madness

We got up in the morning at the dinosaur provincial park, and decided to stay another day. We started looking for a different camp site to move to, because we had no shade, while we were looking we decided not to stay another day, so we went back to our camp site.
Before we left,  we went on some trails through the provincial park. It was hot, and there wasn’t anything to do with dinosaurs, it was kind of weird.

On our way out we stopped at a visitor center. Inside there were skeletons of dinosaurs, and it was the first time I’ve ever seen a sign that said, please touch.

We weren’t shore if we were going to make it too a gas station, because we were really low on fuel, but a nice gentlemen gave us fifty dollars worth of fuel, so we were all good.
The only highlight of the trip was crossing the border into Saskatchewan. There wasn’t anything else exciting, When we got there it was late so we quickly got the tents up.
We were pretty much getting eaten alive, there were mosquitoes everywhere, so we went to ask for some mosquito spray.

After that we had dinner, we had hot dogs, and it was gross, it was covered in bugs.

After that we went to bed, and then THE END.

Liam

Kai - Two day blog

2011-08-29

The next morning, we all woke up, packed our bags, and then headed out of Blanket Creek Park. We went straight to Revelstoke which wasn’t very far of, to buy some groceries. It took us quite a while to find parking because the Saturday market was on, which Liam and I just walked through quickly.
Once we started driving away, we quickly reached the Rocky Mountains. They were massive, and we had to go up and through them, even though the car wasn’t working too well. So about five minutes later, we began up the steep highway, going only about sixty kilometres per hour.
 Right about when the road started getting flat again, we saw this black shape walking down a hill next to the highway so we kept our eye on it, but when we got a little closer, we realized that it was a Bear! A Black Bear! It was the first time Liam and I had ever seen a bear in the wild! Liam tried to get a picture but he didn’t have enough time. A little while later, we saw some mountain goats! Even some baby ones! It was amazing.
 After our encounter with the wildlife, we reached Golden. We only made one quick stop at the visitor centre to go to the washroom and for Liam to get this sticker that he collects.

 Our next stop was at the famous Roger’s Pass. We learned about the glaciers up on the mountains, and that an avalanche came down and killed a ton of people back when they were building the train tracks across Canada. It was a really great view!
 After that, we started going down, down, down, and when we got to the bottom, the car stopped. We didn’t really have anything to do, so our dad just made sandwiches. Once we were done eating, the car started up again. We drove to Yoho for Liam to stop and get one of his stickers and then kept going, but of course, the engine stopped again, so we just sat there until it started up again.
 The car didn’t stop at all again on our way to the camp site by Lake Louis, which was still quite a ways. Once we got to the check in, there was a big line up, but thankfully, there was still room inside.
 Once in, we made our tents and then went to see this little play talking about the 100th year anniversary of Canadian provincial parks. Once that was over, we went back and had a fire with hot chocolate because it was starting to get chilly out. 
 When were all done everything, Liam and I got in the tent and went to sleep.


 All night I was freezing, and in the morning, I realized it was below zero Celsius. We were all freezing cold, but my dad had decided the night before to unhitch the trailer early in the morning and then go up to Lake Louis. So that’s what we did.
 When we got up to the lake, there was barely anybody there, and the scenery was amazing. It looked just like the pictures with the blue water and the snowy mountain at the end. We took a few pictures and then walked along the path next to the lake, and every time I had a chance, I would take a handful of the refreshing, but freezing cold lake water. On our way back I went into the Royal Chateau Louis  and looked around.
  After that, we went back to the campsite, put away the tents, had a shower, and then started driving towards Banf. Nothing really happened on the way to Banff, except the great view of the rocky mountains.
 After a bit of a drive we finally reached the famous Banf. We got out of the car and walked up and down the streets while taking pictures and looking into a few of the stores. We didn’t spend too long doing that, but right after we visited the Banf Springs Hotel and got some pictures.
 Once we were out of Banf, the rocky mountains pretty much just ended and it all became prairies.
 We kept driving for an hour or so until we came to big Calgary. We found a place to park and then walked around downtown for an hour. The main reason was to visit the fifth tallest building in Canada. The Bow. It was really nice. After a lot of pictures, we went back to the car and started driving to our camp site. The fairly famous Dinosaur Provincial Park. On the way we stopped for groceries and went to Subway for dinner. After that we kept driving but it was  getting dark and we were running low on fuel, but after getting lost once, we finally reached our destination.
 Although it was dark, we put up the tents and then went to bed.
 At last!

Kai

Liam - The Marmot

2011-08-26

The highlight of the day was seeing a marmot on the way back from swimming in the lake. It was super cute, it was small and fluffy, I wanted to go pick it up, and cuddle with it.

 I usually feel bad for all the trucks that we see that have to slow up the mountains because there so big , it must take them hours to get up the rocky mountains.

Early the next morning we left to go to Banf Alberta, but we ended up in a place called Revelstoke.

We went to the visitor center to see where to camp, and we went to a camp site called blanket creek with a bear warning.

We drove to the campsite, but to get there, you have swerve back and forth  two kilometres down a mountain to get to the campsite.

After  we chose our spot, we  went down to a little lake to see what it was like, and it was tiny, but it was nice. Then we came back to have lunch and get bug spray on.

Later we went to an old abandoned house to explore and then we went to the beach.

In the water there were little salamanders so I would catch them and put them in holes in the ground.

Before we left we let the salamanders go, and we played some soccer for a bit, and then we left. On the way back we saw two great horned owls flying from tree to tree, that was my highlight of the day. Then we went back to our camp sight, and then I started this blog.

That’s the end, so good bye till another day.

Kai - Thursday

Thursday 25

      The next day of our road trip began with a sunny morning in Osoyoos at about eight o’clock. We heaved ourselves up, then ate breakfast, put away the tents, and then set out for another long day.

      We stopped at the information center to ask about where we could go fruit picking, because we didn't want to get out of the Okanogan valley without having picked any fruits. The information women wasn't much help, but she did give us a map with some camping spots, which we took and then headed off. Not long after we'd departed, we found a "U PICK" fruit and vegetable orchard, so we pulled in.

      Once there, we got a bucket and picked Plums, Nectarines, Apples, Sweet peppers, Tomatoes, and Green beans. Some of the plums were incredibly sweet and juicy, so we took about nine of those. One thing I learned about Peppers is that all the red and green and purple peppers eventually turn orange, so they're all the same kind. After we were done our picking we went to pay. It came to about ten dollars for a big box. It was all delicious.

      After our picking, we drove until we came to a small town called Oliver. It was a nice little area, but we drove through it pretty quickly.

      After Oliver, we came to Penticton. On our way into town, we saw a go cart track, so we decided to stop. We got out to check the prices, and our dad said we could do it. Liam and I were both tall enough so we headed out to the track. The guy explained it all and before we knew it, we were slamming down on the gas pedal.

      It was soooo much fun. Liam and I were the only ones doing it, so we had the whole track to ourselves. Our dad was taking pictures, but we were flying past him. We got twelve laps which was about five minutes, and after those five minutes was up, Liam and I both had a big smile on our faces. It was great.

      After that event, we started driving to Kelowna, but while we were somewhere in between, the engine stopped. AGAIN, and since we were on the highway, we didn't have much room to pull over. So we ended up just sitting there for about twenty minutes until the car suddenly started working again, so we decided to go to a Dodge dealership to see what they could do. Once we got into their parking lot, the engine stopped again! So we went inside and asked the guy if he knew what was wrong, and he said if we brought it in tomorrow, they could check it out, but it would be pricy. Once we were in the car (it turned on fine) we thought we'd just go to the next camping spot.

      So we drove for about an hour until we found the next camping spot, and when we did, we turned in for the night.

      This campsite had much more room then yesterdays, and we had lots of shade. Once there my dad disconnected the U-Haul and went into town to get food while Liam and I made the tents. Once he got back we went for a swim in Lake Okanogan and then had hamburgers for dinner.

      Now we are going to bed and we will be waking up at seven tomorrow, hoping to reach Alberta.

     

      Good Night

      Kai      

         

   

Liam - The begining

Our adventure across Canada started by leaving Saltspring Island.
We drove to the ferry terminal for our last minutes on the island. then got on the ferry.

It was  a normal ride on the ferry, nothing special. We just got some food, and then sat down for the rest of the ride.

When we got to Vancouver we drove for three hours to a town called Hope. It was a nice drive next to the mountains, there was nice scenery.

When we got there it was too late to set our tents up, so we had to sleep in a motel.

We left pretty early the next morning. We drove for around  twenty minutes, and then saw an avalanche lookout, to look at an avalanche that destroyed a lot of land around 50 years ago.

Just as we were turning in, the car stopped, so we got out and looked at the engine. We thought it might have over heated from going up the hill with the u-haul, so we left it there and then looked at the avalanche, there was a lot of rocks everywhere, it was pretty cool.

When we came back to the car, we tried turning it on, but it didn’t work. We thought the car was broken, and it would be the end of the trip.

My dad changed one of the fuse’s, and then it started. We were able to drive for around twenty minutes again before it broke down. This time it wasn’t very long before the engine started again. Of course, it stopped twenty minutes later again for the third time, but this time, it was stopped for a really long time. A guy pulled off from the highway to help, so then finally it worked.

We stopped at a little place in the middle of nowhere for travelers, we got a sandwiches and then left.

It was really cool driving through the forest, and then into the desert.

We stopped at  a place called Princeton, to get the car checked, but they weren’t able to figure out what was wrong, so we kept on driving to a place called Osoyoos in the Okanagan valley, it was really nice there. We went to check out a really nice resort, but it was full, so we had to go to another resort.

When we got to the camp site we set up the tents, and we went for a swim. After that we had dinner, and then we went to bed.

The next morning we got up and decided to stay another day.

We went for a hike to a visitor center up in the desert, but it cost money to go any further, so we came back down and went for a swim.

After that we cleaned out our car, had dinner, and then went to the beach again.

When we came back I started on this blog, and then went to bed.

So that’s all, it’s over, you may as well go do your typical day again.

Liam

Kai - Back to Toronto

Hi


Sorry it's been so long since we did a post. For the last week or so we've been getting the boat ready to go back up Toronto. We had to get it all ready in a marina in La Paz. It's a bit tricky because it can get really shallow. Our keel is six feet deep and the depth sounder said it was eleven feet there. It is also very narrow so if you go outside of the markers you can run aground. We made it safely and docked.

We got off the boat and went to a nearby Walmart. We got some cold pizza for dinner, a pepperoni stick for the walk back, a drink, and three luggage bags for the flight.

It was really hot on the way back and we put the groceries in the bag so it was really heavy.

We finally got back and made the pizzas. They were really good. That night we also watched Monty Python, and it was really good. The next morning we woke up and started getting the boat ready. I started getting my bunk ready and packing my clothes and all the things that I was bringing back. At first it was okay but the temperature started rising and it got a bit hot.

Later on that day Liam and I went up to the pool with our water guns and had a water fight. The water in the pool was really cold but refreshing. Then we went back to the boat to have the pizza. It was super hot inside the boat, and the oven was not working so we had cold pizza. I thought it was okay.

The next day we went to a place to rent cars. The one we got was pretty nice. After we headed over to a place that has storage lockers. We got one and started putting all the stuff we had packed so far inside. Then we went back to the boat and kept working. It was getting hotter and hotter every day so it started getting harder to do stuff. That day we were mostly cleaning inside. We also had to move the boat to a different slip. It was kind of hard because we had to get really close to the rocks. But we made it. Liam and I went swimming too and played with my Lego boats. It was pretty fun. Although eventually we had to go back and work some more.

That night we went to a restaurant called La Fonda. We had been there before and it is pretty good. I had Sopes and Liam had tostadas, but I can't remember what my dad had. They were really good and big!

After we were done we went down to the plaza and had ice cream with Watcha Gonna Do. I could not finish mine because I was to full. Then we all started playing soccer with the locals. It was really fun but that same night Liam also lost one of his little soccer balls. Then we gave Watcha Gonna Do a ride back to their boat and said bye for good. Then we went back to our boat.

The next morning, and the last we started doing the deck. My dad took the jib down while Liam and I washed the deck. It had reached forty degrees but we had to keep working. At one point Liam and went up to a little restaurant at the marina and watched the TV for a couple hours. We had to do a few more trips to the storage lockers and dump some stuff of.

We finally finished and went out to a restaurant and ate out for the last time in mexico. I had two beef tacos. Liam could not even finish half of one. Then we went back to the boat a went to sleep.

We woke up really early and said bye to the boat and also got the blankets in the car and took them to the storage lockers. Then we went to the bus depot and got the tickets, and then my dad returned the car. We got on the bus and I sat at the front. The seats were really nice and it was air conditioned. They also played a movie. The trip was three hours and we finally got off in Cabo San Josa. We went inside and deposited our bags and then we had to go through immigration. After we went to security and then we waited about ten minutes until we got on the flight. So the flight is from Cabo to North Carolina. Then we will be catching a plane from there to Toronto. So I am writing this on the plane right now.

I don't think I'll ever forget the last few days of getting the boat. It was probably the most work I had ever done.


Well, see' ya!
Kai

Liam-Leaving Friends

When we went to Watcha Gunna Do we played Lego the hole time. We built a
really cool marina with a dock, and it had a fuel dock, Mini Tienda, and a
Restaurant with Bathroom.

It was really cool.

Then we went to collect would for a bonfire while some of the kids went up
for a hike.

There was a an eight year old girl named Elstasha on a boat called Theopolis
and Harrison and Daniel on Watcha Gunna Do, and a girl from Madrid Spain, so
all the kids were there.

Then we went back to our boat for dinner.

After dinner we went to the beach, we were the first people there. Then
Rocinante came, then Watcha Gunna Do, then Theopolis and then the Spanish
girl. We lit the bonfire.

We had a great time, we went exploring around the rocks while the Grownups
sat around the fire singing and playing the guitar.

Then we were playing around the fire eating stuff like Cheezies and
Pretzels. We had our own little fires on the side that we would try to
light.

We had a great time.

The next day we got up, had breakfast and then went fishing. Harrison and
Elstasha were in one dingy with Harrison's dad while my brother Kai and I
went with our dad in our dingy.

They caught one skip jack and one Snapper. We didn't catch anything.

After that we left. We went fishing but didn't catch anything on the way to
La Paz either.

We saw a ton of dolphins.

It was a four hour passage, so by the time we got there we were all up for
Tacos.

We all got tacos and then we went for a walk on the Malaccan. There was a
little soccer match that they put gates around and then people that signed
up for the soccer played. Then I went to play soccer with Mexicans, while we
were playing there were fireworks in the distance, it wasn't for anything
special, they just do stuff every Saturday.

Then we walked back.

The next day I got ready for the World Cup final, Spain Vs. Holland. I was
cheering for Holland because my aunt is from Holland.

I cleaned my Holland shirt and painted the flag on my face.

We got to the place we were supposed to watch the match but there was only
like four people so we went somewhere else.

When we got there we sat down and ordered.

When the game started in was really exciting but there was only one goal in
the whole game, and it was to Spain. I guy called Iniesta scored it.

Then I played some soccer. And then we left to another spot in La Paz.

Now Shoo