Hi, just a really quick update on what we've been doing since Vancouver...we went to Whistler for a couple of days and unfortunately it rained the whole time! Didn't make for the best views but we still got the cable car up to the top of Whistler Mountain and did a bit of hiking. Warnings everywhere about seeing bears but of all the walking around we did we didn't bump into any!

We then headed to Jasper and Banff National Parks via Vancouver and hired a car for a few days to get around. The weather was excellent throughout and the parks are beautiful. Rocky Mountains all around with glacial lakes, glaciers, alpine meadows ... just like the picture that should be with this entry. Did a few hikes around the parks (but only in the safe parts as people had been killed by grizzly bears the days before we got there so there was no way i waas going hiking into the wilderness by ourselves!!) We did however see 2 black bears while we were there, one from the bus as we were coming into the park but the other when we were in our hire car and i spotted it by the side of the road eating berries, We were able to pull up alongside and have a good look so it was really good. Also saw elk and a big horned sheep while we were there but no moose unfortunately!

Since then we have been making our way gradually east in Canada to where we are now (Winnipeg) as this is the only place after Vancouver where you can actually cross the border back into America. Quite annoying but the Greyhound journeys haven't been too bad i suppose. And we did get to go to the biggest mall in the world the other day and picked up quite a few bargains so not all bad!!

So we will be crossing back into America tomorrow and going to Minnesota to visit the biggest mall in America - luckily Michael has now been converted into enjoying shopping so i don't have any problems spending hours at these places!! Then onto Chicago and Michael is currently making plans of our next few moves after that to take us to our final destination of New York....Will be planning it around visiting his family in Florida which we are both looking forward to.

xxxXXXxxx