Toronto: 15 – 18 December

Stayed with Caro’s sister, Vicky, in Toronto. We met Vicky’s son, Jack, and his girlfriend, April, for lunch. Unfortunately the weather was less than festive so it was followed by a walk in the rain.

Jack, April, Caro and Vicky.
Turtles – a Canadian speciality
Alan about to tuck into another Canadian speciality – a Nanaimo Bar.

Edmonton: 11 – 15 December

Our kind and generous friends, Paul and Vicki Stenerson collected us from Edmonton airport and put us up in their lovely home and shared some amazing food with us. We met Dixie their wonderfully trained and affectionate Australian Shepherd.

We had a couple of runs with Paul around the neighbouring (large) park, and Caro walked with Vicki and Dixie. The going was a bit slippery in road running shoes!

We visited Elk Island National Park to view Bison but despite grand efforts within the park we failed to see any. However, as we were leaving the Park, we spotted a couple of groups of Bison quite near the main road!

Paul and Vicki served Albertan beef – easily the best beef we have ever tasted!

Paul with his delicious “Stenerson” Sourdough bread
The five amigos beside one of the frozen ponds/lakes at Elk Island National Park. L-R: Alan, Caro, Vicks, Paul and front row – Dixie.
Lounging about on Adirondack chairs in Elk Island National Park
Friends.
Well dressed for a sub-zero run in the Terwillegar Park next to Paul and Vicki’s house.
With the fourth member of the running team – Dixie.
Caught in the act of setting a wild-life camera in a local park.
Tricky descent!

The Reynolds-Alberta Museum:

Paul with a 1600 Beetle – the model he used to own.

On 11th December we left Canyon County, California at 05:00 and headed to Burbank airport near Los Angeles for the flight to San Francisco. Total confusion at the United Airlines check-in counter – our names were on the flight manifest but our ticket information “was not synch’d on their system”. They told us to contact the ticket booking company (Trailfinders) as only they could sort it out. Frantic calls to Trailfinders in the UK resulted in them contacting the airline who said there was nothing wrong with the ticket! After a bit of searching we found a United Airways check-in person who had a modicum of customer service and brain. They called the airline ticket service and the problem was resolved in about 5 minutes – 2 minutes after the deadline for checking in bags! The helpful staff member got our bags on the flight and we got on with minutes to spare.