29TH SEPTEMBER - 12TH OCTOBER

We were up nice and early and off to the airport to meet Russ and Ruth and kids. After a little trouble determining which gate they were due to arrive at we were greeted by a very dopey looking Chapman family. (Well they had had a 6 hour flight!!). After a big round of “not seen each other for ages” hellos, including two from a couple of young children who we hardly recognised from the last time we met, we went off to find their luggage. Travelling with kids obviously adds to your load quite considerably we thought as the suitcases and pushchairs mounted up!! We had booked RVs with different companies so we arranged to meet up at the Olympic Park as it was out of the city on the road to Banff. We had a little trouble getting our van as it was out at the garage having new tyres fitted, but eventually we were on the road heading through a busy city in our very big new home. After our travels in Bongo in New Zealand this van felt enormous. Thankfully Hel did the

driving as usual so I was on “How close am I to the edge?” duty!! By the time we arrived at the Olympic park the only RV big enough to hold a family had a note pinned to the window saying that they were hungry and had gone to get some food in the visitor centre, so after a quick lunch we were on the road heading towards the Rockies!!

The Road to Banff was pretty flat but stunningly scenic due to the distant mountains becoming ever less distant, until we finally started climbing and found that we were in the middle of, rather than approaching the Rockies. We found the campsite and checked ourselves in for a couple of nights. It was a pretty basic affair after our wonderful sites in the US, you basically parked your van in a car park with lots of others, but the view more than made up for it. First jobs were to get the kids to bed, and sort out some food for tea, so Russ came with us to the