South Africa Celebrate the light

So here are a few pics I snapped and video I took just with my little camera. Not super quality but a reminder of a great display.

Fun before the Fireworks

Once again Caroline & Geoff very kindly ask us to join them on Geoff's yacht to watch the fireworks. Adrian stayed home to puppy sit (shame!) but I went along happily.

Only the second time on a Sailing yacht and once safely out of the tiny dingy he picked me up in from Kits beach I really enjoyed myself. Completely un-forecast or expected we jollied through a terrific thunder storm with a fantastic light show in itself. More fork and ball lightening than I have ever seen. This continued with only a little rain through the fabulous sunset and into the night. Yes the sky really was this colour and the sea looked like liquid gold. Just fantastic!!!

Nikki & Bob Also aboard. Deb out of sight below as she is terrified of lightning. Neil was probably checking his crab trap?!

And yes believe it or not Taylor, Tabby, Sawyer & Geoff all go swimming in the thunderstorm. Obviously I would have joined them if it weren't for my injured shoulder!
Here is some basic footage of the afternoon though as ever does not do any justice to the magnificent storm with fork lightning that spanned the sky, from horizon to horizon but I couldn't capture on my quicksnap camera. Accompanied by the chatter & the radio on the boat.

This picture of the same storm taken by a much better photographer, Uncle Buddha, that does the storm much more justice.Fabulous!

Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Tinling

I was very fortunate recently to witness and celebrate the marriage of friends Heather & Craig. A beautiful Setting.....a private forest & mountain encircled haven near Whistler.
A beautiful day.....Hot & Sunny.

And a beautiful couple......We wish them all the happiness possible.

The great Tennis Ball & Paddling Pool dilema

It is one of those great unanswered questions for a dog.....how DO you get a giant tennis ball out of a half filled paddling pool ?

Unfortunately Mojo didn't find the solution on this particular occasion, preferring instead to take a quick drink and chew his stick.

Visit to the dog beach

These are photos from a recent visit to the doggy beach at Ambleside.


Prospect Point in Stanley Park and the edge of Lionsgate Bridge

The newly completed viewing deck at Prospect Point.

While we were at the beach a cruise ship exited the harbour on its way to Alaska

Sue Flys Home

After what seemed an incredibly short 3 weeks with Sue visiting we had to bid her farewell as she headed back to the UK.

We had an excellent few weeks with her here and are already planning our next return trips to the UK and look forward to welcoming her to our home again next year.

Banff, 2009

Our second longer day-out from our base in Golden was to the town of Banff. We had, perhaps a little misguidedly, followed the weather forecast the day before which had indicated it would be raining in Golden but a 'mix of sun & clouds' in Banff. Lets say there was a little more widespread rain than was forecast and the 'mix of sun & clouds' didn't really appear until later in the afternoon, once we'd done most of the sightseeing.

Nonetheless we enjoyed showing Sue the mountain town.

The quickest route to Banff from Golden is via Kicking Horse Pass and Lake Louise and is just over a 2hr drive. However, we decided to take the slightly longer route via Radium Hot Springs as this would give us a different crossing of the mountain passes to Kicking Horsethat we had taken the day before.

Here are a couple of 'roadtrip' pics.

Large swathes of burned forest

The journey to Banff was a very wet one - at times heavy rain

However as we join the Bow Valley Parkway and head south towards Banff it appears to be brightening up a little.


However as we approach Banff we can see the weather is turning again and more & more of the mountain peaks are disappearing into cloud. We decided to quickly take the gondola up Sulphar Mountain while we would still get the views because it looked like this poor weather was wanting to stay the rest of the day.

Sue in the gondala, a long, long way up

At the top of Sulphar Mountain we met this quite friendly Groundhog. At least, we think it's a groundhog, but it could be a beaver ?



David and I at the top of the mountain

Looking at the gondolas coming up the side of Sulphar Mountain

Views down to the town of Banff

Sue attempting to keep warm & dry, and failing on both counts.

After having lunch at the top of the mountain and waiting an hour or so to see if the weather would clear (it actually just got worse) we headed down and into Banff. When we arrived in town it was raining a little, but at least warmer than the top of Sulphar Mountain.

Suddenly however, in the space of just a few minutes it started to brighten up

By the time David and Sue were ready to pose for a photo on the main street it was positively bright & sunny

More views around the town

David and Mojo




After visiting the town David and Sue checked out the hot springs while I walked Mojo.

We then headed home, along the Bow Valley Parkway to Lake Louise and then back through Kicking Horse Pass.

Here, a few roadtrip pics from the journey home



Castle Mountain