We've just spent a month or so in British Colombia and it seems like five minutes. Our time there was packed with doing stuff, seeing stuff and at times seeing absolutely nothing at all through the rain. As we expected it was pretty cold up North but it was worth it. We got there just that little bit too late to get as far North in Canada as we'd have liked but that's life. We just made the most of where we could get to.

After staying in Kalso (see last update) we rode over to Revelstoke for the annual Horizons Unlimited Canada Meeting. It was great to spend time with a bunch of like-minded semi-mad people from all over the world. Some we knew, most we didn't but 89 people all coming together with one thing in common makes for an interesting and fun weekend, which it was. An international pavilion seemed to spring up on the campsite made up of all the people who are currently on the road and each evening we'd huddle round the fire and talk in several languages simutainiously. My German and Japanese vocabulary of swear words has certainly come on. (Thanks!) Its surprising how quickly new friends are made at events like this when you all have something so profound in common like getting dirty and smelly everyday. By the end of the weekend Liz and I knew we had become very popular when we returned to our tent to find a bottle of wasps had been left for us with simple note: "Love Ramona, Uwe and Derek" Thanks, it was very touching!

From Revelstoke we acted on the advice given to us by people over the weekend by totally ignoring it and heading North. With heated jackets and winter gloves we made our way to Bella Coola on the mid coast of BC to catch the ferry to Prince Rupert. The theory was that if the weather was too bad to ride we'd hire a pickup, throw the bike in the back and drive South again. That way we'd at least get to see more of Canada. Having ridden 300 miles, most of it dirt roads, to the port we found that the ferry had stopped running for the winter six days before. We did manage to see the funny side of it but we were also disappointed. Nevertheless we made the most of it and turned right round to ride to Vancouver. Neither Liz or I are 'big city people' but we'd heard good things about the city so thought we'd give it a go. We got off to a good start when Liz booked us into a hostel right in the middle of Vancouver's red-light district. At any time of day there was everything on offer for every taste. Our room didn't have a TV but we soon found that one wasn't needed as we pulled the chairs up to the window and watched the prostitutes and punters across the road. Business did seem to be slow for the poor girls though.

There's two very different faces to Vancouver it seems. I don't think I've ever seen so many desperate people living on the streets of a city in the 'Western World' before. Everywhere you go there are people sleeping in doorways, looking for hand-outs and shooting up. Its sad to see. On the other hand Vancouver is very cosmopolitan, vibrant and captivating. Whether visiting or living there there's so much to do and see its outstanding. We took a bus ride to the Museum of Anthropology on the University campus which is well worth a visit. 170,000 exhibits of 'stuff' from native tribes from all over the world. We spent a full day there walking round, sitting and just taking in all there was to see.

The following day we visited Stanley Park which is lovely in itself but we went over to see the Vancouver Aquarium. We'd both been to the Blue Planet Aquarium in the UK and didn't expect that Vancouver could rival it. In some ways it doesn't as its older and a little less well designed but in terms of what's on show it surpasses. Top of the tree has to be the sea otters. I defy any seal-clubber not to melt and want to take one home with him (alive!) When we saw them they were just floating around on their backs holding paws and fast asleep. Occasionally one would open an eye, get a fix on where they were in the pool and push off the side with one lazy leg and float back in the direction they had come. Liz regressed to the age of 4 instantaneously and started jumping up and down pulling on my shirt while making odd noises akin to a child in a sweet shop. Other attractions were the seals and sea-lions, sharks and jelly-fish and the Amazonian fish. However, top of the 'ugly stakes' were the Beluga whales by a stubby nose. There were 8 of them and every one had the features only a mother could love. They were every cosmetic surgeons dream with rolls of blubber hanging off them all over the place. Unlike your average blue whale or orca these things had it hanging off them like off white curtains. As for their heads, they must be a very advanced species because that brain is dieing to push out straight through the centre of their foreheads. It makes them look like they've been sucking too hard on a air compressor. Having spent another full day at the Aquarium we went back to the hostel to watch the nightlife again before being up early the next morning to go whale watching. A fast boat ride out across the mouth of the Frazer River and we were amongst a big pod of transient Orcas. There were twenty or so of us on the boat and as soon as we cut the motor the boat started listing from side to side as we all ran around with cameras glued to our right eyes. Obviously Liz and I were above this sort of behavior - not. We had chosen an ethical tour operator so we kept a reasonable distance from the whales so as not to disturb them. Of course all those people on other boats who went with 'Mr Cheap and Cheerful Operator' ignored all the rules and got right up close and personal with them. Sometimes I question my ethics! In all we saw 3 pods amassing to 50 whales or so and even though we didn't get as close as others did it was fantastic to see these things just doing what they do and living as they should.

Vancouver was a surprise to us in that it was far better than we thought it would be and after 5 days there we left satisfied and headed south again for the US border - again. We've been back in the States for four days now and are zig-zaging our way down Highway 101 at a relaxed pace. There hasn't been much to report here yet other than on day 1 across the border we got rather lost and nearly ended up back in Canada. On day 2 we, well I got pulled over by the ever so lovely State Troopers for speeding. I was a little surprised to see the officers lights in our mirror at first but when he explained that I'd just overtaken the red pickup who he was following for speeding he thought he'd pull me instead. All was OK though when Liz showed a little leg and I got off with a Caution.