Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Fort Fright
This year is our first reall Halloween and we plan to make the most of it. The kids cant wait to go Trick or treating next saturday night!
Girls Night In
After dinner we settled around the table for gift sharing and stealing amidst general frivolity. Before we knew it, 2.00am had come around and we wearliy tumbled into bed.
Kingston has become almost our second home and we will miss everyone when we leave in a few short weeks. We are all trying to make the most of the time we have left in Canada. Our whole family has loved this experience and the memories we take home with us are precious!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
John's September Post
We have now been in Canada for nine months and cannot believe that we only have three months left before we return to Australia. As you complete your last week of Term Three and look forward to two weeks of holiday, we in Canada are back at school and working hard.
We have been back at school now for four weeks after a nine week break over summer. During that time we hired a pop-up caravan and headed east towards the Atlantic Ocean. During a seven week trip, camping out each night, we visited the Canadian Provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. We saw moose, icebergs, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks and bears. We visited the thousand year old Viking settlements in Newfoundland and saw many old forts and historical buildings. In the Bay of Fundy we experienced the greatest change in tides in the world. We feasted on local foods such as moose burgers, cod tongues and beaver tails, and met some wonderful people who told us stories of Canadian history.
We then ventured into the United States to visit Boston, Salem and Washington DC before returning home through Niagara Falls. In all, we travelled through nine states of the US and drove over 10 000 km. The final weekend of our holiday was spent waterskiing and fishing at a cottage on a beautiful lake in the area known as The Muskokas north of Toronto.
Everyone returned to school in the first week of September (except for me), and in the third week of school, Max, who is now in Year Eight, was elected School Captain of Mother Teresa Elementary School. Nicholas has moved into Year Five and is impressing all at his school swimming lessons, which take place each Thursday. Emily, in Year Ten, has just found out that she has been selected as a cast member for her school’s production of ‘Westside Story’.
Veronica has thrown herself back into her teaching and I am beginning to get some supply teaching work as the school year starts to get busy.
The seasons are changing rapidly as we move into autumn. It is called ‘Fall’ in North America, because all the leaves begin to fall from the trees, so there will be much raking to be done in the coming weeks. We are hoping for some more snow as the weather gets colder so that we will be able to go skiing and snowboarding again.
We have found a television channel here that shows NRL matches, so next Sunday we will be sitting down to watch the Grand Final between Parramatta and Melbourne. On Saturday, Max listened to his favourite team, St Kilda, get beaten in the AFL Grand Final (it finished here at 3.30am!)
All the children have grown and Max and Nicholas are developing Canadian accents. They continue to swim each afternoon, and Emily is dancing four days a week. Our life is busy, but never boring. We have made some wonderful friends, and will be sad to leave them at the end of the year.
We hope everyone is well back in Australia. We think of you often and look forward to seeing you all again. Have a great holiday.
We have been back at school now for four weeks after a nine week break over summer. During that time we hired a pop-up caravan and headed east towards the Atlantic Ocean. During a seven week trip, camping out each night, we visited the Canadian Provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. We saw moose, icebergs, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks and bears. We visited the thousand year old Viking settlements in Newfoundland and saw many old forts and historical buildings. In the Bay of Fundy we experienced the greatest change in tides in the world. We feasted on local foods such as moose burgers, cod tongues and beaver tails, and met some wonderful people who told us stories of Canadian history.
We then ventured into the United States to visit Boston, Salem and Washington DC before returning home through Niagara Falls. In all, we travelled through nine states of the US and drove over 10 000 km. The final weekend of our holiday was spent waterskiing and fishing at a cottage on a beautiful lake in the area known as The Muskokas north of Toronto.
Everyone returned to school in the first week of September (except for me), and in the third week of school, Max, who is now in Year Eight, was elected School Captain of Mother Teresa Elementary School. Nicholas has moved into Year Five and is impressing all at his school swimming lessons, which take place each Thursday. Emily, in Year Ten, has just found out that she has been selected as a cast member for her school’s production of ‘Westside Story’.
Veronica has thrown herself back into her teaching and I am beginning to get some supply teaching work as the school year starts to get busy.
The seasons are changing rapidly as we move into autumn. It is called ‘Fall’ in North America, because all the leaves begin to fall from the trees, so there will be much raking to be done in the coming weeks. We are hoping for some more snow as the weather gets colder so that we will be able to go skiing and snowboarding again.
We have found a television channel here that shows NRL matches, so next Sunday we will be sitting down to watch the Grand Final between Parramatta and Melbourne. On Saturday, Max listened to his favourite team, St Kilda, get beaten in the AFL Grand Final (it finished here at 3.30am!)
All the children have grown and Max and Nicholas are developing Canadian accents. They continue to swim each afternoon, and Emily is dancing four days a week. Our life is busy, but never boring. We have made some wonderful friends, and will be sad to leave them at the end of the year.
We hope everyone is well back in Australia. We think of you often and look forward to seeing you all again. Have a great holiday.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Little Clipper
During our time in Canada, Nick and Max signed up for a season of soccer with the Cataraqui Clippers Club. The season of soccer runs through the summer so unfortunately, the boys missed quite a few games whilst we were travelling.
Nick played in an Under 9's team and made a few new friends. Last Saturday saw him playing in a tournament consisting of three games. The Maroons won one and lost two games. Nick scored a total of four goals on the day and came home with a trophy. Naturally, this made him quite happy.
On sunday we turned out for Holy Cross to participate in the annual Terry Fox Run. Max ran with his friends whilst Nick jogged the course with me. We finished feeling quite proud of ourselves. We completed the six kilometer course in less than 40 minutes - no mean feat for a nine year old! Em and John took things a little easier and walked the course. John and I agreed that it was a good day and worth coming out to support a worthy cause!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Back to School
September 1st saw us all heading back to school for a new year. Nick is in Grade 5, max in grade 8 and Em is completing a combination of Grade 10 and 11 Courses!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
In Retrospect!
46 days, 10000 kilometres, 6 Canadian Provinces, 9 US States, 4 ferries, 3 kids and one trusty campervan!
We did it all and survived!
Our Vacation comes to an End!
Day 47: 26.08.09
Today we head for Kingston and of course, in true Canadian style, pack up in the rain and head towards Toronto. The traffic through this city was quite slow and we were a little behind our anticipated schedule. We made a short detour to Aurora and had lunch with our friends, Murray & Margaret Bissett. The Bissetts are the couple who billeted us back in January and it was great to catch up with them again.
The drive from Aurora to Kingston seemed endless and it was with relief that we finally pulled into our driveway at 6.30pm. Everyone pitched in to unpack and it wasn’t long before our beds called us.
I totalled up the kilometres travelled. To my surprise, we did almost 10000! No mean feat with a van and three kids in tow!
With school starting on Tuesday, the countdown to Christmas and the end of our time here has begun. The next few months will be a special time for us and we will try and savour every moment!
Today we head for Kingston and of course, in true Canadian style, pack up in the rain and head towards Toronto. The traffic through this city was quite slow and we were a little behind our anticipated schedule. We made a short detour to Aurora and had lunch with our friends, Murray & Margaret Bissett. The Bissetts are the couple who billeted us back in January and it was great to catch up with them again.
The drive from Aurora to Kingston seemed endless and it was with relief that we finally pulled into our driveway at 6.30pm. Everyone pitched in to unpack and it wasn’t long before our beds called us.
I totalled up the kilometres travelled. To my surprise, we did almost 10000! No mean feat with a van and three kids in tow!
With school starting on Tuesday, the countdown to Christmas and the end of our time here has begun. The next few months will be a special time for us and we will try and savour every moment!
Day 46: 25.08.09
Our last day! Today we took the kids back to Marineland for some last rides. Max of course, repeated his acts of adrenalin inducing fun by going on the upside down roller coaster and the Sky Screamer for one last time.
For dinner we made our way back into town for an all you can eat buffet next to the falls. We welcomed the opportunity to see the Falls at night. The light show was pretty special. We are all quite tired and will welcome our own beds tomorrow night!
Our last day! Today we took the kids back to Marineland for some last rides. Max of course, repeated his acts of adrenalin inducing fun by going on the upside down roller coaster and the Sky Screamer for one last time.
For dinner we made our way back into town for an all you can eat buffet next to the falls. We welcomed the opportunity to see the Falls at night. The light show was pretty special. We are all quite tired and will welcome our own beds tomorrow night!
Monday, August 24, 2009
More Niagara Falls
Day 45: 24.08.09
Since the weather yesterday consisted of rain, rain and more rain, at times bordering on torrential, we decided to cut our losses and head to the retail outlets over the border on the US side of Niagara Falls. We spent most of the day there cruising for bargains and snagging one or two before returning to the van to settle for the evening.
Today was a better day and we took the scenic route into town to do the famous “Maid of the Mist” Tour. This was everything it promised to be. We boarded a vessel which took us right up to and under the Falls. The roar of the water catapulting over the edge was incredible. Fortunately we were wearing beautiful blue plastic ponchos so we were shielded from most of the water. It was a very unique way to Experience the majesty of Niagara Falls.
When we got back we headed up to Clifton Hill for lunch at a Tim Horton’s. Clifton Hill is everything Niagara Falls is not – its’ rampant commercialism provides a stark contrast to what is one of the natural wonders of the world. It is designed to capture the dollar and lure unsuspecting tourists into staying in town a little longer. From massive indoor water parks, to haunted houses, 4D rides, the regulation Wax Works and Ripley’s, this place serves only to attract the attention of kids and zap parent's wallets. Of course, John and I are very adept at deflecting the forces of “pester power” and whilst we were happy to wander up and down the street, it was strictly a look but dont touch policy along here.
After lunch, we took the pedestrian path across the Rainbow Bridge (the views from here were incredible) into the US to have a look at the Falls from the American side. I must admit, I actually preferred this side. The American Falls is in a State Park and the many vantage points are accessed along well signed paths and tranquil gardens. It really was quite refreshing compared to the Canadian side of the Falls. Unfortunately, the kids were quite tired and tetchy with one another and possibly didn’t enjoy the experience as much as John & I did. We have been travelling for almost seven weeks now and I guess they are longing to be home.
With only one day left before returning to Kingston, we have travelled over 8000 kilometres, seen many incredible sights, enjoyed some unique experiences and hopefully, created lasting memories for the whole family. Coming home will seem strange but it will be great to see everine at school as well as all our canadian friends. Coming home also serves as a stark reminder that our time in Canada is is rapidly drawing to a close.
Since the weather yesterday consisted of rain, rain and more rain, at times bordering on torrential, we decided to cut our losses and head to the retail outlets over the border on the US side of Niagara Falls. We spent most of the day there cruising for bargains and snagging one or two before returning to the van to settle for the evening.
Today was a better day and we took the scenic route into town to do the famous “Maid of the Mist” Tour. This was everything it promised to be. We boarded a vessel which took us right up to and under the Falls. The roar of the water catapulting over the edge was incredible. Fortunately we were wearing beautiful blue plastic ponchos so we were shielded from most of the water. It was a very unique way to Experience the majesty of Niagara Falls.
When we got back we headed up to Clifton Hill for lunch at a Tim Horton’s. Clifton Hill is everything Niagara Falls is not – its’ rampant commercialism provides a stark contrast to what is one of the natural wonders of the world. It is designed to capture the dollar and lure unsuspecting tourists into staying in town a little longer. From massive indoor water parks, to haunted houses, 4D rides, the regulation Wax Works and Ripley’s, this place serves only to attract the attention of kids and zap parent's wallets. Of course, John and I are very adept at deflecting the forces of “pester power” and whilst we were happy to wander up and down the street, it was strictly a look but dont touch policy along here.
After lunch, we took the pedestrian path across the Rainbow Bridge (the views from here were incredible) into the US to have a look at the Falls from the American side. I must admit, I actually preferred this side. The American Falls is in a State Park and the many vantage points are accessed along well signed paths and tranquil gardens. It really was quite refreshing compared to the Canadian side of the Falls. Unfortunately, the kids were quite tired and tetchy with one another and possibly didn’t enjoy the experience as much as John & I did. We have been travelling for almost seven weeks now and I guess they are longing to be home.
With only one day left before returning to Kingston, we have travelled over 8000 kilometres, seen many incredible sights, enjoyed some unique experiences and hopefully, created lasting memories for the whole family. Coming home will seem strange but it will be great to see everine at school as well as all our canadian friends. Coming home also serves as a stark reminder that our time in Canada is is rapidly drawing to a close.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Marineland
Day 43: 22.08.09
August 22 will be synonymous with Marineland, Niagara Falls. It was kid’s day today and so we decided to take them to Marineland. This is a theme park with something for everyone. From a plethora of thrill seeking carnival rides to black bears and beluga whales there was something to keep everyone in the family amused. Upon arrival at the park, we decided to purchase a season pass – this was only five dollars more and enables us to return whenever we like until the end of the season. John was a bit shocked when he was asked if he was a senior – nonplussed, he replied in the affirmative – all to save a few dollars. I reluctantly went along with this, if only for the financial advantage. Needless to say, the kids were highly amused! To be honest, I dont exactly see myself as a senior yet!
Once inside the gate we headed for the walrus feeding display. This was both amusing and interesting. Then, giving in to Max’s insistence, we headed for the rides. Most were pretty tame, however, we needed to challenge ourselves on the upside down rollercoaster (Dragon Mountain) and the Sky Screamer – a 174 meter high attraction that pulls you up and drops you down at speeds of 90km per hour! We all went on Dragon Mountain – Max and I twice! Nick bravely accepted the challenge and really enjoyed the experience. Emily needed a little persuasion and so, against her better judgement, finally had a go just before we went home. I dont know if she’ll do it again but at least she can be proud of what she did.
As for the Sky Screamer, only John, Max and I accepted this challenge. As I was strapped in and sitting on the ride, I asked myself what I was doing there. I continued to wonder as we were catapulted to the top at high speed. Needless to say, the view from the top was pretty amazing. My legs were like jelly when I alighted from this ride.
After the rides, we took in lunch and a show with performing dolphins, sea lions and a walrus.
At the end of the day we were pretty much exhausted and needed to fortify ourselves with pop and fudge sundaes from Maccas on the way home!
August 22 will be synonymous with Marineland, Niagara Falls. It was kid’s day today and so we decided to take them to Marineland. This is a theme park with something for everyone. From a plethora of thrill seeking carnival rides to black bears and beluga whales there was something to keep everyone in the family amused. Upon arrival at the park, we decided to purchase a season pass – this was only five dollars more and enables us to return whenever we like until the end of the season. John was a bit shocked when he was asked if he was a senior – nonplussed, he replied in the affirmative – all to save a few dollars. I reluctantly went along with this, if only for the financial advantage. Needless to say, the kids were highly amused! To be honest, I dont exactly see myself as a senior yet!
Once inside the gate we headed for the walrus feeding display. This was both amusing and interesting. Then, giving in to Max’s insistence, we headed for the rides. Most were pretty tame, however, we needed to challenge ourselves on the upside down rollercoaster (Dragon Mountain) and the Sky Screamer – a 174 meter high attraction that pulls you up and drops you down at speeds of 90km per hour! We all went on Dragon Mountain – Max and I twice! Nick bravely accepted the challenge and really enjoyed the experience. Emily needed a little persuasion and so, against her better judgement, finally had a go just before we went home. I dont know if she’ll do it again but at least she can be proud of what she did.
As for the Sky Screamer, only John, Max and I accepted this challenge. As I was strapped in and sitting on the ride, I asked myself what I was doing there. I continued to wonder as we were catapulted to the top at high speed. Needless to say, the view from the top was pretty amazing. My legs were like jelly when I alighted from this ride.
After the rides, we took in lunch and a show with performing dolphins, sea lions and a walrus.
At the end of the day we were pretty much exhausted and needed to fortify ourselves with pop and fudge sundaes from Maccas on the way home!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Niagara Falls
Day 42: 21.08.09
Having had a great night’s sleep, we awoke to make the final 300 kilometre trek to Niagara Falls. After the drama of yesterday, the car was running well until 65 kilometres into the journey, the ABS light came on again! This was very frustrating but we pushed on to Niagara and arrived there about 3,00pm. We have become extremely adept at setting up the van (today was our last time) and after doing so, made the short drive into town to see the Falls. The last time we were here was February and the area was in the throes of winter. Summer was very different. For a start, the crowds as well as the open attractions were very different. We took a walk along Table Rock for a spectacular view of the Falls. John bought us all ice creams in order to diffuse the heat and thirst that was beginning to overtake us. The kids checked out the souvenir shops and besieged us with request for various useless items.
Once we arrived back at our van we chilled out for a couple of hours before bed. We are trying to make the most of our holidays. It’s hard to believe that school will be back in less than two weeks and that our tome in Canada is rapidly drawing to a close.
Day 41: 20.08.09Another early start finds us on the road again, headed towards Niagara Falls. Because this is quite a long way we decide to break the trip. We are on the road by 7.00am but catch an accident on the freeway which slows us down for a short time. The day is largely uneventful except for some car troubles. The ABS light keeps on flicking on and despite our attempts at resetting it, does not go out. Once we arrive in Binghamton, John takes the car to a repair shop and comes away $680.00(US Dollars) poorer. We do hope the problem has been rectified. Dinner was at an all you can eat Chinese Buffet, so naturally we indulged.
Not much else to report. This was a day that we classify as: en route.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)