Soaking Up the Sun in Tahiti!

Well we have sadly said goodbye to the family in Edmonton and are still missing them VERY, VERY much!

To make the transition a little easier and for Shane and I to wind down before making our way back home we had a 3 night stopover in Tahiti!

What can I say - BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

We stayed at the Raddison Hotel which was just lovely and had the most beautiful views and wonderful bars and atmosphere!

We spent our first day roaming the streets and markets of Papeete then back to the Raddison hotel for a relaxing swim in the pool.

The following day we took the ferry to Moorea - another island - and hired a scooter which we drove around the island. It was so much fun! We were able to stop off at many little sites on our way around. The best part was going snorkeling in a one of the bays. It is exactly as you see it advertised - clear, blue water with the most AMAZING sealife you could possibly imagine! The water too was just so warm, it was like taking a bath!

That night Shane and I had dinner at the Hotel where we had the pleasure of listening to and watching some local performers put on a cultural show - truely AWESOME.

One of the highlights of this trip was visiting the Pearl Market! Tahiti is known for it's unique black pearls and this was something I was really keen to purchase!

The market was wonderful as we got to touch the pearls, choose the ones we wanted and then choose how we wanted them set! They are very EXPENSIVE but well worth the experience of going to the market to find the one you like! (The photos are just for show, I did not purchase the string of pearls, my budget could only stretch to being able to afford just one pearl).

So know we are back home and back into work mode! It's hard having to adjust to the COLD and it gettting dark so early, but hey it is good to be home and I of course am just loving being back at work with my kids!!!

Hope you enjoyed our blog! Thank-you to the many who added comments and kept us up to date with stuff.

Don't forget to add one last post to this blog so we know you all logged in.

Can't wait to catch up with you all in the next few weeks.

With all our love

Shane and Rak xxxxxxxx

Bye Bye from Canada!

Well I thought I would send one last post from Edmonton before we leave early in the morning to depart for Tahiti.

It is very very sad for us to leave and we are defiantly going to miss Lorna, Sanford, Tegan and Leah - it won't be the same without them.

Shane and I have thoroughly enjoyed our stay and have loved every moment we have spent with the family. Their hospitality, generosity and warmth have been over and beyond what we could ever have imagined and more. Our Canada experience would have been nothing without them! Thank-you Lorna, Sandford, Tegan and Leah for making us so welcome and going out of your way to make this one of if not the best holiday we have had!!!!!

Now extra things I thought I could add to end our Canada leg of our holiday - things I thought you might all be interested in.

Firstly, Caesars! I have mentioned this drink many times during my blogs but thought I would add some photos so you could all see what they are! Yummy!

Yes, West Edmonton Mall was fantastic and we did venture here many, many times over the 6 weeks we were here. World Water Park was AWESOME! Shane and I spent a whole day here going on the slides and swimming in the wave pool. This park is at the side of the Mall, so as you shop, you can look through windows to see the swimmers!

Shane and Sanford also spent a morning on the ice rink - this too is in the mall and is right in the middle so as you shop you can watch the skaters!

We also got to meet and hand feed a Marmot - Lumsden, can you find some infromation about this small animal for me please. We saw a Mum and her Baby at a local reserve. They both enjoyed eating carrots, and lettuce. We also brought them celery to eat but they didn't like that! Very cute and very friendly! Leah just loved him and Tegan did want to take him home!

We also spent some time at the Muttart. This is a beautiful reserve where 4 pyramids have been set up with different plant life within each. We enjoyed walking through each pyramid admiring the different plants. I wish my own garden could look just as pretty!!!!!

And finally, I have to add photos of one of my favourite places in Canada - yep I am addicted to Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons is a cafe and they are EVERYWHERE! They have the best Hot Chocolates and the BEST donuts!!! YUM YUM! I am really going to miss Tim!!!!!

Other things we will miss is the AWESOME weather, the long nights of sunlight, the Yummy food and drink, the sights we have seen and of course Lorna, Sandford, Tegan and Leah.

O.k, that's all from us in Canada. We are now off to the last leg of our holiday - Tahiti. Here we will relax and recuperate before heading home to NZ!

We look forward to hearing more from you all before we return.

Hope you have enjoyed reading our Blog and I hope to add something from Tahiti too!

Love to you all,

Rak and Shane xxx

Drumheller!

Hi Everyone,

Well I remembered that I had told you all that we were all going on an exciting adventure! Well it has happened! We went to Drumheller, and from the photos, I assume you can all see that it is the DINOSAUR capital of the world!!!! O.K so maybe not quite the capital but it is known for finding Dinosaur bones and fossils in the area and it has the most AMAZING Dinosaur museum ever!

We spent two nights here and had the most AMAZING time.

Firstly, we got to see the biggest Dinosaur structure in the world. This structure is HUGE and we even got to climb to the top so we were inside it's mouth.

We went to the museum where we got to see lots and lots of bones and fossils. We even got to see the paleontologists at work - I wonder Lumsden if you can remember what that is? Let me know who remembers.

We even found a little church. No everyone, we did not get hitched here either!!!!

The next day we went across a historic swinging bridge, saw the Hoo Doo's and Sanford, Shane and I had our first ever Helicopter ride over the Horseshoe Canyon - all AWESOME!

We stayed in a WONDERFUL and very BEAUTIFUL BnB where we had a lovely garden to sit in for a few quite coolers and Molsen Canadians. For breakfast each morning we had pancakes - yummy!

As Drumheller is known for the mueseum and finding Dinosaur bones around the area, the whole town has dinosaur statues EVERYWHERE. We managed to get a few pics with some of them!

Well as you know, our stay in Canada is coming to an end!!! Shane and I are very sad to be leaving, it feels like we have become one of the family and we are both going to miss Lorna, Sanford, Tegan and Leah very very much.

I will try to add a last blog from here before we leave!

Thanks once again to our supportive friends and family who have added comments and kept us up to date with whats happening in little old NZ, we have really appreciated it.

Aunty Amy and Uncle Sam, WOW, how wonderful to hear from you guys. It is nice to know our holiday is circling far and wide in both our families. Keep reading and adding posts, we love hearing from you.

Lovely to hear from you too Val - thought you were being a snob but GREAT to know you are actually logging in and now (finally) adding your bit - keep it up!

Marzie am really excited wee Kiara is doing well, can't wait to see her when we get back. Shane and I plan to come back for a weekend very soon after we get back so I will keep you posted. Thanks for adding your bit - you know I love hearing from you and I do appreciate all your 'Friendly' advice you give me - Damn, you know me too well! Will talk soon!

O.k everyone, as I mentioned, will hopefully add one more blog before we leave Edmonton so keep an eye out for it.

Thanks for the posts, we check everyday to see who has been reading and adding!

Until the next blog,

Lots of love,

Rak and Shane. xxxx