Yee Haw!!

As you can see from our new profile pic we had great fun at the Cloverdale Rodeo last weekend! The weather was fab…really hot and sunny. The rodeo is the 2nd largest in Canada and there was a country fair, fairground and the rodeo shows themselves. We had to buy a couple of cowboy hats as the sun was so strong, everyone was wearing them and come who doesn’t secretly want to be a cowboy/girl!!

Well after the motorbike show a few months back Martyn decided we were going to go to the Classic and Custom Car show! Oh well, I suppose it keeps him happy when I want to do things scrapbook related!! There were some really cool cars and not that many car babes much to Martyn’s disappointment!! I don’t know much about cars so here are some pics instead!!

Last time we mentioned we had some tickets to an ice hockey game – it was our first game and it was great! The Vancouver Giants won 6-3 (I think that was the final result!) The atmosphere at ice hockey games are great, it’s really family orientated and there’s so much going on in the intervals – mascots running around giving out freebies, mini blimps flying about dropping vouchers down into the audience!! The Giants are in a lower league to the Vancouver Canucks, the Cunucks are in the NHL which is the equivalent of the English premier league of football. The Cunucks had been doing really well and got to the playoffs! So it was hockey fever here for awhile! We even bought some jerseys to wear whilst cheering them on! Unfortunately they didn’t get past the 2nd round but hey ho there’s always next year! As you can see from the pic below, we enjoyed the games in true Canadian style, beer, BBQ and wearing our shirts!!

We have been getting our apartment ready for summer; we have plants and a BBQ now on the balcony ready for the hot weather! We have decided to rent here for another year as it’s really handy for transit and our apartment is nice, big and quiet!! Its coming up to the one year mark and we both can’t believe just how the time has flown! We are still loving it here and can’t see us moving back to Blighty, of course we really miss our family and friends but by what we have heard from people and the news we have seen we moved at the right time. Canada has been hit by the economy problems too but not to the extent that the US or UK has as Canada has a different banking and credit system…basically you can’t get it!! Let’s just hope things start to get better soon.

We are still finding our feet but are starting to get used to the little differences that totally threw us at the start! Still can’t get decent bacon, fruit squash or bisto gravy but we have family coming over soon so hopefully will get some supplies!! We have just bought some inline skates (!) so watch out for some pics next time of us probably falling over or smacking into trees!!!

Take care
Hayley & Martyn xxx

Finally an update!

Hi Everyone! Sorry it’s been too long since we updated the blog – have been busy working and just getting to grips with life as Canadians!

Well as you know we had snow over Christmas and in the New Year…a lot of snow!!! We took full advantage of it and as being new residents and it being a bit of a novelty we bought a sledge! It was really good fun and this picture of Martyn has to be one of my finest action shots ever!!

We heard about the snow back in England a few weeks back…hope you enjoyed our second hand white stuff!! Tee hee!!

At the end of January we went to a local motorbike show…I initially thought I would rather stick pins in my eyes than walk round ohhing and ahhing at a load of bikes but I have to be honest I really enjoyed it as they let you sit on the beasts!! I have to say I think I suit a big chopper!! Ha ha!! Martyn has fallen in love with some of the 2 wheeled machines and is now planning on taking his test so he can ride us around British Columbia in true easy rider style!

I also want to take this opportunity to introduce you all to a new member of our family…Martyn’s new goatee beard! He thought by growing some facial hair would help him integrate into the local community!?! What with drinking beer and watching ice hockey it won’t take him the normal 3 years to become a Canadian citizen!!

Well we finally got round to going skiing! We have even bought our own gear (thanks to the UK’s Inland Revenue – we got a tax rebate!!) We did try and go a few weeks back but got turned away at the bottom of the mountain as we didn’t have any snow chains for the car – well we’ve got some now! So this last Wednesday we donned our thermals and headed up Mount Seymour. Now not to rub it in or anything but within about half an hour from home we were pulling into the car park! After paying about £25 for a full days lift pass (that’s about 2 hours at xscape!) we got down to some serious whoosh whooshing down the mountain – well Martyn did…I took my time!! After lunch Martyn started on some of the more difficult runs and tried out a few jumps (and wiping out too!) We called it a day once my knees gave out but we had a good 5 hours and we loved it! This isn’t going to be our one and only trip!!

Martyn in action!

Have just got some free tickets to watch an ice hockey game next month so that will be another “Canadian” thing to do struck off our list – will let you know how that goes next time.

Take Care
Hayley & Martyn xxx

Our Christmas Message...

... well if it’s good enough for the Queen and the Osbournes it's good enough for us!!

It’s been a busy few weeks since our last post and have done some great Christmassy things!! And on top of that we have had tonnes of snow!!

First of all was the Santa Clause parade – it took place on a cold and windy Sunday and went on for ages! Here are a few of the (many) pics:

The obligatory Christmas Work Do’s to go to and Martyn’s was all free! Mine was a cash bar in a downtown hotel so for the Yorkshire in Martyn it was quite painful!! We stayed over at the hotel and it snowed overnight – it made my weekend!! On the Sunday after my do we went up to Grouse Mountain for some sightseeing in the snow…it was cold! We didn’t do any skiing but we will probably go up again during the coming season. More pics:

Then there were the bright lights of Stanley Park. Stanley Park is a large park in the middle of downtown Vancouver and at Christmas time they cover it in lights and run a small train through it. It was fab!! The train ride was pretty long for the money and the amount of lights that were used was huge! Again plenty of pics but here are a couple:

In the last week we have had unprecedented snow and cold weather – must have had about a foot already! And there’s more on the way…dare I say Christmas Day!!! We are going to have a white Christmas!!! I’m soooo excited!! We’ve even bought a sled but not managed to get out on it yet! Here are a few snowy pictures…it’s so Christmassy!

We want to take this time to wish you all a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Keep in touch
H&M xxx

Do you like our festive new look? Thought we would spruce up the blog for the season! Rights lets update you on how we have been getting on – Martyn has written the following update (he is really getting into this blogging lark!)

Things have been busy since our last post. I’m settling into my new job okay although working Saturdays now with a day off during the week which comes in handy (he also likes a day off from me! – Hayley)

We had our first dive the other week at Belcarra National Park in a body of water called Indian Arm.

The Canadian Branch of the Rothwell & Stanley SAA!!

The entry was by shore which wasn’t as easy as it sounds as to get to the small beach I more or less had to abseil down the embankment with our dive gear whilst Hayley watched on (with the camera! – Hayley).

Never mind SAA - its the SAS!!

About 200m off the shore is the wreck of the VT 100 which was an old mine sweeper and gunship. After the war it was converted into a woodchip barge but vandals set fire to it and it sunk. After kitting up we took the bearing and set off, there were plenty of large crabs, star fish and a few large plumose anemones dotted around. We didn’t find the wreck on this dive so we made our way back to the shore. During the surface interval we enjoyed a picnic whilst watching otters playing on a nearby pontoon.

Hayley posing for her glamour shot!!

Unfortunately conditions weren’t good enough to take pictures underwater. With the tide out we had a bit more beach to kit up on so again we headed out again this time coming across the wreck. It’s a large wreck and harbours a lot of life with crabs, langoustines and rock fish. Also came across a toilet – handy if you get caught short! Taking a bearing for shore we returned back to the beach and enjoyed a flask of coffee before heading back up the embankment and home – really miss the obligatory bacon butties though!

Belcarra National Park - the view from the beach

Now with Christmas looming we bought our tree last week. An artificial one this year but there are places where you hire a saw, pick the tree you want and then go and cut it down – awesome! We decorated it and the living room last Saturday (and had the annual argument! – Hayley). Decorations seem to go up a lot earlier over here.

We have seen snow returning to the mountains tops but haven’t had any down here yet. Getting into the season we went ice skating a few weeks ago, which we haven’t done for years – really cool and a really cheap thing to do here! Looking into ice skating on top of Grouse Mountain soon as well as trying to get some skiing in.

Enjoy the season and we will try and get another post done before Christmas!

Take Care
Hayley & Martyn xxx

Martyn's Talking!

Well I thought it was about time I put my thoughts down about the whole moving experience. Overall I think it’s the best thing we have ever done, Vancouver is an awesome city as there is so much to do, from walking in one of the hundreds of parks or strolling along the coast taking in the mountain or Pacific ocean view watching eagles circling above. Taking the skytrain into downtown and then the sea bus over to the north shore is pretty cool too and for just $9 (£4.50) you can use the public transport all day – bargain.

Mundy Park - one of hundreds of parks we have yet to visit!

It’s not all been plain sailing though, the last few weeks have been tough thinking about the family and friends we have left behind. After living with my parents for 2½ years we are enjoying our own space now but it’s not so simple to pop in for a chat and a coffee, we do talk every weekend and when we can it’s nice to see them on the webcam through skype. I miss the friends I made at Union Industries, always enjoyed talking to the account’s girls and Kath, Lisa and Nancy (also missing the Flying Pizza too, good food and hospitality – nice little plug for you there!!!), even miss the daily ranting and ravings of Richard and the latest screw up Ian had done!!!

A big part of our life in the UK over the last few years was scuba diving, we’d meet up with the club every Tuesday night for possibly some training or giving a lecture to new recruits or simply chewing the fat over previous dive trips which more often than not ended in a tale of how Kenny had got into some scrape or other (usually ending with the story of him falling off the pier at Oban while trying to jump onto the boat intoxicated) – in fact thinking about it most of the stories were more about drinking habits and scrapes that people (usually Kenny or Tony) had got into than actual diving!!! We both certainly miss the dive trips, especially St. Abbs with the obligatory BBQ on the Saturday night whether it’s raining and blowing a gale or not – good times.

The last few weeks have been busy for me as I started a new job (service advising was okay to a point but 70% of the time felt more like a social worker with people and their cars problems!), the owner was a bit intense too, I think I was about the 6th service advisor he’d had in as many months. In fact my replacement, an experienced service advisor with 10 years experience, only lasted 3 days so I’m quite pleased I managed 4 months! The owner did look after me though and helped in securing a new job in a parts environment role, which I am now really enjoying.

Just recently I also took my driving test, coming from the UK you have to take a knowledge and practical road test to get your British Columbia driving licence. Coming from South Korea, Germany, Switzerland, Austria or Japan you can simply exchange your licence for a BC licence but from Britain you’ve got to take the whole test – may have something to with driving on the wrong side of the road, I don’t know but hey I passed first time.

A big sport over here is ice hockey and the new season started this week, we went across to our local drinking place (not too many pubs around, unlike UK, tend to be restaurants with bars attached) to watch the Vancouver Canucks first game against the Calgary Flames. Just one word sums it up – AWESOME – this is a really fast game and takes some watching to keep your eye on the puck. In fact you don’t really see what took place in order for a team to score until you watch the slow action replay, I also thought before the fighting was an occasional thing but it’s part of the game, to the extent that some of the players are drafted in because of their fighting skills – even the officials just stand and watch while a fight takes place and when it looks like someone’s taking a pasting then they’ll go in and break it up – AWESOME - we’re hoping to go and see a game live soon. They started off well too beating the flames 6-0, the replay last night also saw them win 5-4 – GO CANUCKS.

At the moment, as I’m writing this, it’s the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. With just the 2 of us we opted to get a small turkey breast joint as a full turkey would have probably seen us through to Christmas for sure. Also looking forward to Halloween as this is a big occasion out here for adults as well as the kids.

All in all I think the initial ‘honeymoon period’ is over and our feet have touched back down, we’re now dealing with the everyday commute to work and then home, getting the weekly shop, paying the bills etc. but were doing all this in the most amazing surroundings, yes there are things we miss but we’re looking towards the future, getting on with it and living the life we dreamed.

Note from Hayley – Just wanted to add that one of my LPD friends, Susy, is having a really bad time at the moment and just wanted to let her know that we are thinking of her and her family at this sad time.

Bye for Now
Martyn

Hangs head in shame...

Hello! It’s been ages…we know! Sorry! But have been busy settling in and getting to grips with working!!

I started my training on July 14th. The first week was pretty intensive – studying for my insurance license. After 6 weeks of not working it was a bit of a shock to the system! I got my licence and then it was product knowledge training!! We took our final exam Aug 18th (got 91%, get me!!!) and have been allowed to speak to real live customers!! Some have been the calls from hell, typical!! But overall it’s been ok.

Since our last post we have been buying stuff for the apartment and making it look a bit more like home. It’s still a work in progress but we’re getting there!!! Will post some pics when I’ve tidied up!!

Each year there is a fireworks competition with teams from Canada, China and USA. Each country puts on a display over a couple of weeks and then there is a final display (Saturday Aug 2) when all 3 do a display and the winning team is announced. It’s a really popular thing over here so we decided to make the trip downtown to watch the finale. It was absolutely packed – I’ve never seen so many people walking in the same direction to the harbour where the display was to start!! The fireworks were amazing – I have never seen fireworks like it! Some were so big you could feel the bang through your body!! Unfortunately we forgot to take our camera (doh!) so here is a link to some video from the web http://strutta.com/fireworks !!

Last Sunday Aug 10th Martyn wanted to visit the Air Show in a town about half an hour away from us called Abbotsford (nr Chiliwack – what a great name?!?!?) I wasn’t too keen as I’m not really into planes but it was a great day! The fighter jets were awesome (see I’m starting to use some Canadian terms!) and I got my picture taken with a fully kitted out cop!!

For the plane fans out there here is a bit of a video of a jet - Click HERE It was a red hot day and we both got burned!!!

A couple of Saturday’s ago the local community association put on an open air movie showing of Grease. It was totally free and it was only round the corner so as we are trying to throw ourselves into everything we packed up our lawn chairs and went along. We had a great time, singing the songs (well I did, Martyn not so much!) eating burgers and generally having a good time!!

A few announcements!! Julia & Steve, congrats on your wedding, need a pic! Good luck Jane & Lecky, not long now!! I’ll keep my eye out for an email!! And last but def not least Hello to Baby Chloe Unsworth!! Well done Trina and Dave! We need more pictures of the little one!!

Hope everyone else is ok!
Take Care
H & M xxx

Working 9 to 5...

I have a job! Finally someone has taken the risk and employed me! After a second interview conducted in Starbucks(!) I was offered 2 jobs! The hiring manager wanted to hire me but felt that the job I had applied for would get boring after awhile as I would be able to do it with my eyes closed!! So he offered me a different role which would be more of a challenge and something that I could progress with. I thought about it and decided to go for the second role, Insurance Advisor, I will be selling insurance!! I was a bit apprehensive at first as I worked in a call centre a few years back and didn’t like it that much but let’s just say that previously I was answering around 120 calls a day this company only gets about 250 calls in total for all advisors!! Its much more laid back so lets see how it goes shall we?!?! I start on July 14th so I still have a bit of holiday to enjoy!

Since our last post we have been out and about checking out the local areas and activities. On Saturday June 21st a Dragon Boat festival took place downtown. Dragon boat racing is huge over here and there were hundreds of competitors!! There were races all day, lots of stalls and entertainment. But of course being English we sought out the beer tent first!!





The blue and yellow tent in the picture above is Cirque Du Soleil – it came to Vancouver a few weeks back and we have tickets for Sunday. Only ever seen a DVD of their performances so really looking forward to it. Speaking of Sunday – all the best Jane and Matt on Rachel’s welcoming day!! Don’t forget to send us some pictures!

This past weekend has been very busy! It was Canada Day on Tuesday and Martyn’s boss decided to keep closed on Monday so he had a nice long holiday weekend. The weather has been gorgeous too, really hot and sunny. Actually it’s been a bit too hot so we have had to get a fan for the apartment, will definitely look into air con when we buy a house!! Anyway back to the fun! We hired a kayak on Saturday and had a lovely 2 hours paddling around an area called Deep Cove. It really felt like we were on holiday, we had to keep reminding ourselves that it was only a 40 minute drive from our home!!



I’m glad we got a double kayak as it was hard work and I don’t think I would have got very far on my own!! A short video of our adventure can be seen HERE. More photos’ can be seen HERE.

Martyn’s boss threw a BBQ on Sunday for his staff as he has recruited quite a few new people lately. It was nice to meet Martyn’s co workers. I was the designated driver, which was fun! First time driving on the wrong side of the road in the dark!

Tuesday July 1st was Canada Day – Oh, Canada!


We jumped on the sky train to downtown and went to Canada Place where lots of festivities were happening! There were 3 stages with bands and singers we had never heard of, lots of stalls and an army exhibition with some very athletic young soldiers!


There was also a Mountie parade with bagpipes!!


More Canada Day photos HERE

Later that evening we drove over to the north shore to watch the fireworks. They would have been a bit bigger if we had gone downtown (the view in the photo is of Vancouver’s Downtown skyline) but we were told that trying to get parked would have been a nightmare!!

Some spectators started singing the national anthem, we really must learn that!! It was a great day, everyone was happy, the sun was shining and there were no drunken louts!

On a different note we are saddened to say that we have come across something that is not as good as it is in England…TV! Programs over here are pants! Its all really bad reality TV or reruns of old American sitcoms like Roseanne or Home Improvements!! We have put together a strategy to get over this – we have bought a Wii! Mario Cart is cool!

Just wanted to say a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Debbie and Rob on the birth, albeit a little early, of their daughter Lucy. We can’t wait to see some pictures!!

Right must go and plan what I’m going to do with myself until I start work!!

Take care and have a good day!!
H & M xxx