Spent another two days exploring Stanley Park. Kept finding new lagoons, new trails, new parks and new playgrounds that we hadn't seen already. Also laid eyes on our very first RACCOON just walking through the kiosk eating area! Jackson (the squirrel hunter) was a bit 'stand off..ish' with the Raccoon at first. He couldn't quite work out it's temperament. The Raccoon's are about the size of a small koala and appear quite sleepy and slow moving but I think if approached they could attack like a skunk!
Drove out to North Vancouver to find some really nice beaches (actually found some real Canadians over there)! Spent the day in the skate parks, ovals and watching some of the school kids playing ice hockey (on a basketball court - as it is the off season) on roller blades and tennis balls instead of pucks.
Also walked along the main Waterfront of Vancouver City. A total of about 8kms we walked for the day. Ended up in Stanley Park yet again.
Friday - Time to go back to the USA (thank goodness)! Where the food & beverages are cheaper!! Left Vancouver in a massive thunderstorm, glad to be heading out. Arrived at the border crossing at 10.15am and joined the queue of approx' 7 lanes of close to 80 cars each lane! We finally made it back on home turf at 12.30pm. 2 hours and 15 minutes!
Our main objective for visiting Canada was to have our Visa extended to accommodate our returning flight back to Australia. Had been told by LAX Customs and the American embassy in Australia this was what we 'had to do' to be able to stay longer than 6 months.
The American Border Control now advised that they "do not do this without a $300 fee per passport and applications to the American Consulate which can take up to 3 months to do".
We now have to be out of the USA by 13th of November.
Off down to Seattle. Wow - have never seen traffic like this in the middle of the day 'grid locked' everywhere. Apparently this is the 'norm' for this city. Are here for 4 days doing the catch up, laundry, groceries etc.
Our biggest news now is this........We say goodbye to the ever faithful "Rodger the Dodge". We had to drop him back to the Seattle Airport as our time was up. After 6,500kms of majestical scenery (and wildly squeaky front brakes towards the end and needing an oil change)! We would now like to introduce you to.....
Neville the Nissan!
Neville will be accompanying us on the next fase of the journey - from Seattle to Chicago, in witch we have 28 days to do it, taking in Yellowstone National Park and Mt. Rushmore etc. Neville is 3 months old and only has 2500 miles on the clock, he also still has a new car smell!
Love to all.
Team Connor USA
You may not be happy about having to return home earlier but I'm sure I speak for the fam when I say that we are!!
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