Last night and for most of yesterday afternoon i was so tired i cant really remember going to bed! The bus journey over form Winnipeg was a good one though. i left Winnipeg at 7pm and arrived here in Edmonton at 1pm (local time!) I am now on 'mountain time' so thats another hour behind Winnipeg, 2 hours behind Toronto and the rest of Ontario! So it was like i had been up an extra hour too! The coach i came to Edmonton on was one of the 'new' greyhound coaches! They are not that different - just 2 big differences - the seats are a bit wider and they recline much further (hmnice) and - they are manual transmission. It is pretty funny because the old buses were automatic and most of the cars over here are too. So the drivers are cursing the new buses all the time because the have to use clutch control and so they have all been saying its great on the highway and they drive really nice but in the city stop starting is hard work!! Its funny - we seem to bounce to a stop and bounce to take off!! Driver change over conversations are all the same - they just laugh at each other driving the new coaches!!

I saw yet another example of the laid back no worries friendly approach to life of the canadians too! On the coach to Edmonton we were running about 20-30 minutes late, one of the ladies on the coach had a connection to make in Edmonton and so she asked the driver if she would make it in time. The driver called up his buddy (the other driver) and after a short conversation he yelled to the back of the bus "where is the lady worried about her connection....dont you worry my dear - you'll make it - the driver is going to wait for you". when we arrived into Edmonton bus terminal there was 2 staff waiting for the lady and then 2 more baggage staff waiting to get her bags out from under the bus. They took her and her luggage to the other coach and checked her ticket and were more than happy to help her out!! I thought it was great - no one got upset and no one had a problem!

When i arrived into Edmonton i noticed the temperature had dropped - there was a definite chill in the air. I had once again forgotten to get the directions from the bus station to the hostel i was staying; but there is only one hostel in edmonton so i thought id just ask someone. I headed out of the station towards town to maybe find a tourist information or maybe even stumble across the hostel! I came across a YMCA building so i called in there - they are supposed to help people out and i thought they would probably know the area well. The girl at the reception desk wasnt sure but insisted that i wait while she looked it up on the net and then she could direct me!! She found it but wasnt sure of the best way to get there so she shouted her colleague over. The YMCA now have fantastic leisure facilities and run a lot of activity programs for children and also the elderly - to get/keep then physically fir and active. I noticed a very nice looking swimming pool and while they were sorting out my directions i asked if it was possible for non-members to come in use the facilities "yes". They continued on with my directions and explained where i needed to go - they checked i knew where i was going again too!! then as i was about to leave the girl gave me a free 2 week guest pass to use any YMCA leisure facilities in Edmonton!!! How nice! I have since learnt that YMCA has family and single meberships and their facilities include swimming pools gyms, sports, halls/courts and studio classes too!

The hostel here is nice - proper hostel though, quite big and again not as homely as the 'Planet traveler, Toronto". It is a HI hostel. They are good hostels but they seem expensive, The internet is expensive and its on a timer card so i can get half way through a message and it goes off!! So frustrating. Also there is a usb connection but there is no program on the computer that recognises cameras to get photos off! So i still havent put up any pictures of the last month!! It is warm and friendly though. I am staying in an 8 bed dorm here and its full!! The room is pretty small too!

I am excited about being here because i am meeting up with Celeste - a girl i met when i was island hopping in Greece a few years ago. Im not sure what we're doing this week but she is going to take me out and show me around - it'll be nice to have someone who knows the area. Celeste is a firefighter so getting hold of her is difficult as she is working nights at the moment. It worked out well though because she comes off nights on sunday and then has 2 weeks off.

The weather is getting worse and now they have issued travel warnings for people not to travel if they dont have to! Where has the spring gone??!!!

I have spoken to mum and dad today - its only 5 weeks til they come out to Vancouver; it feels mad that they are coming to see me here! Im excited though. Dad has just come back from his cycling holiday in Majorca - i think he enjoyed it! I hope im that fit when im 60!