Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Winners!
Canada win the World Cup Of Hockey
http://www.wch2004.com/ and http://www.wch04.com/scores/recaps/119_6_recap.html
Cork win the All Ireland Hurling Final
http://www.hoganstand.com/cork/04/091204.htm
No need to say anything else!!!
http://www.wch2004.com/ and http://www.wch04.com/scores/recaps/119_6_recap.html
Cork win the All Ireland Hurling Final
http://www.hoganstand.com/cork/04/091204.htm
No need to say anything else!!!
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
One week down.....
Well, one week after returning home, the time is already catching up with us. I don't think we have fully recovered from jet lag yet.....well, that's my excuse anyway, and I'm sticking to it !!!
Our "lucky charm" seems to be working here too, as the Cork Hurlers won the All-Ireland Final on Sunday. All we need now is for Canada to beat Finland tonight in the World Cup of Hockey, to complete the sequence...Yes, we have been keeping an eye on it (our adopted sport!!), but don't think there will be anywhere showing the final here, unfortunately.
Great to see that Erin is Blogging again! Great to hear all the news. And yes, if we have anything to say about it, this is only a temporary vacation for us!! Hope you got the email, via Ryan!
That's it for now for the mo,
Take it easy
David
Our "lucky charm" seems to be working here too, as the Cork Hurlers won the All-Ireland Final on Sunday. All we need now is for Canada to beat Finland tonight in the World Cup of Hockey, to complete the sequence...Yes, we have been keeping an eye on it (our adopted sport!!), but don't think there will be anywhere showing the final here, unfortunately.
Great to see that Erin is Blogging again! Great to hear all the news. And yes, if we have anything to say about it, this is only a temporary vacation for us!! Hope you got the email, via Ryan!
That's it for now for the mo,
Take it easy
David
Friday, September 10, 2004
Home Sweet Home!
Hey there,
Well, after we left the SWAP office we went on a bit of a walk-about in Toronto. Went for a quick look in the Eaton Centre, but nothing we hadn't seen before...shops, shops and more shops, and thankfully, at this stage, Sinead's bag was too full to do any more shopping!!!
We went down then and went in to do the tour of the Hockey Hall of Fame and got our picture taken with the Stanley Cup! It was great to see it all. We booked our tour then for Niagara falls for the following day.
The following morning we were waiting to be picked up outside a hostel downtown and this multi-coloured rainbow bus pulls up with the name "The Magic Bus" on it!! We certainly didn't have to worry about losing that bus anywhere along the route. It got about as many stares as Ryan's Valiant does....but for totally different reasons!!
The first stop on the tour was a vineyard for a tasting tour, and it's there that we spotted that one of the girls on the bus with us, had actually been on the caving tour with us too in Canmore. Crazy small world, eh?!?! We had lunch there and from there went onto the Falls where we had about 3 hours free time to look around. We had paid for the Maid of the Mist tour with the bus driver so we went down and were suited up in our rain ponchos and went on the 20 minute ferry trip right underneath the falls. I couldn't believe how far they go under the falls. The Canadian Falls are just around the corner from the American falls, and make a mockery of the American falls really. There have been many well documented attempts at trying to clear the falls, in canoes, barrels, swimming etc., but you get fined if you make such an attempt.............if you happen to survive!!
Based on all you hear and read about the Falls, it can be a small bit of a disappointment, but the sheer force of the water and the scenery created by it is pretty awesome, and we were both glad to have finally seen the Falls, and it was a good way to spend our last 'non-airport' day in Canada.
We arrived in the airport a bit early and were actually first to check in, and we asked for an aisle seat, but we actually ended up at one of the emergency exit rows, and had loads of room - one of the best seats in the house (or plane!) Well, after pretty much a full day of airports and travel we arrived in Cork, after a slight delay, at about 11:45am on Monday.
It's kind of strange to be back, but equally good too. We're enjoying the attention!! It will be tough to adjust back into the old routine though, so just keeping a quick eye out for ticket prices to Australia!!!!
Finally, a huge Thank You to everyone we met on our travels in Canada, especially in Calgary, Ryan and Erin, The Fitzpatricks (for the farewell bar-b-q, and being our home away from home), The Lysters for furnishing our apartment and everything in-between, and for all of the great people we met - Allison, Crystal and the Greens, Leanne, Michelle, Curtis and Erin, Natalie and Drahos...the list goes on. We're sorry that we didn't get to say a proper goodbye to many of you, but we really appreciate your friendship over the last year. And you're welcome over anytime....Ah, go on, you will!!
Well, take it easy and keep in touch, and for everyone in Ireland....We're home!!!!
And this is just for Erin............ VOODOO!!!!
All the best
David
Well, after we left the SWAP office we went on a bit of a walk-about in Toronto. Went for a quick look in the Eaton Centre, but nothing we hadn't seen before...shops, shops and more shops, and thankfully, at this stage, Sinead's bag was too full to do any more shopping!!!
We went down then and went in to do the tour of the Hockey Hall of Fame and got our picture taken with the Stanley Cup! It was great to see it all. We booked our tour then for Niagara falls for the following day.
The following morning we were waiting to be picked up outside a hostel downtown and this multi-coloured rainbow bus pulls up with the name "The Magic Bus" on it!! We certainly didn't have to worry about losing that bus anywhere along the route. It got about as many stares as Ryan's Valiant does....but for totally different reasons!!
The first stop on the tour was a vineyard for a tasting tour, and it's there that we spotted that one of the girls on the bus with us, had actually been on the caving tour with us too in Canmore. Crazy small world, eh?!?! We had lunch there and from there went onto the Falls where we had about 3 hours free time to look around. We had paid for the Maid of the Mist tour with the bus driver so we went down and were suited up in our rain ponchos and went on the 20 minute ferry trip right underneath the falls. I couldn't believe how far they go under the falls. The Canadian Falls are just around the corner from the American falls, and make a mockery of the American falls really. There have been many well documented attempts at trying to clear the falls, in canoes, barrels, swimming etc., but you get fined if you make such an attempt.............if you happen to survive!!
Based on all you hear and read about the Falls, it can be a small bit of a disappointment, but the sheer force of the water and the scenery created by it is pretty awesome, and we were both glad to have finally seen the Falls, and it was a good way to spend our last 'non-airport' day in Canada.
We arrived in the airport a bit early and were actually first to check in, and we asked for an aisle seat, but we actually ended up at one of the emergency exit rows, and had loads of room - one of the best seats in the house (or plane!) Well, after pretty much a full day of airports and travel we arrived in Cork, after a slight delay, at about 11:45am on Monday.
It's kind of strange to be back, but equally good too. We're enjoying the attention!! It will be tough to adjust back into the old routine though, so just keeping a quick eye out for ticket prices to Australia!!!!
Finally, a huge Thank You to everyone we met on our travels in Canada, especially in Calgary, Ryan and Erin, The Fitzpatricks (for the farewell bar-b-q, and being our home away from home), The Lysters for furnishing our apartment and everything in-between, and for all of the great people we met - Allison, Crystal and the Greens, Leanne, Michelle, Curtis and Erin, Natalie and Drahos...the list goes on. We're sorry that we didn't get to say a proper goodbye to many of you, but we really appreciate your friendship over the last year. And you're welcome over anytime....Ah, go on, you will!!
Well, take it easy and keep in touch, and for everyone in Ireland....We're home!!!!
And this is just for Erin............ VOODOO!!!!
All the best
David
Friday, September 03, 2004
Another few thousand kilometres later!!!
Hey there
How are things? Well, since I last wrote in the blog we have been to Dinosaur Provincial Park and the Badlands in Drumheller, and also went caving in Canmore - a really crazy and pretty scary experience but really well worth it. We were underground for 6 hours in the cave called "Rats Nest cave" - not exactly too welcoming but we weren't greeted by any of the rats so it was ok. The trip involved a repel (abseiling down into the cave), and squeezing through passages called the laundry chute and the box which were as narrow as ourselves. As we struugled our way out of the cave after the 6 hours I was looking down into the cave, really not knowing how the hell I had done it!! Our guide was really good though and took it nice and easy. Check it out here too (STole some pics offf some other website just to give you an idea, but have pictures that Ryan gave us so can show you them when we get home.
http://community.webshots.com/album/102480297cLYuSv
We went to the Trap and Gill then that night for a few drinks. It's that Newfie bar, playing "Irish music on crack!"
Drumheller and the Badlands, where the Dinosaur provincial park was, was spectacular, and seemed to just appear out of nowhere along the highway. The photos of that should be cool too. Check it out here - http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alberta/parks/featured/dinosaur/flashindex.asp
We stayed with Ryan for a few nights then after moving out of the apartment and he dropped us to the airport yesterday with Erin at 5:45am. It takes about a half an hour from his place to the airport and we were so glad to get a lift because the taxi would have cost us over 60 dollars!! So we arrived in Toronto last night and got a taxi to the hostel. We did the wise thing and put all our big bags in storage in the airport. It saves so much hassle.
We are back at the SWAP office where we first began our trip in November of last year and it looks a bit nicer without snow!!! It's actually in the 30's today so quite a bit different. Going to try to figure out what we will do now til Sunday morning. We are leaving Toronto at 6pm Sunday and arriving in London at about 6:20am Monday morning. Our flight to Cork isn't til 9:55am and we will be home in Cork around 11:15am. The time has flown and it seems a bit unreal to be going home but we are looking forward to it too. You better have nice weather for us when we get home!!!
Can't wait to see you all
David
How are things? Well, since I last wrote in the blog we have been to Dinosaur Provincial Park and the Badlands in Drumheller, and also went caving in Canmore - a really crazy and pretty scary experience but really well worth it. We were underground for 6 hours in the cave called "Rats Nest cave" - not exactly too welcoming but we weren't greeted by any of the rats so it was ok. The trip involved a repel (abseiling down into the cave), and squeezing through passages called the laundry chute and the box which were as narrow as ourselves. As we struugled our way out of the cave after the 6 hours I was looking down into the cave, really not knowing how the hell I had done it!! Our guide was really good though and took it nice and easy. Check it out here too (STole some pics offf some other website just to give you an idea, but have pictures that Ryan gave us so can show you them when we get home.
http://community.webshots.com/album/102480297cLYuSv
We went to the Trap and Gill then that night for a few drinks. It's that Newfie bar, playing "Irish music on crack!"
Drumheller and the Badlands, where the Dinosaur provincial park was, was spectacular, and seemed to just appear out of nowhere along the highway. The photos of that should be cool too. Check it out here - http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alberta/parks/featured/dinosaur/flashindex.asp
We stayed with Ryan for a few nights then after moving out of the apartment and he dropped us to the airport yesterday with Erin at 5:45am. It takes about a half an hour from his place to the airport and we were so glad to get a lift because the taxi would have cost us over 60 dollars!! So we arrived in Toronto last night and got a taxi to the hostel. We did the wise thing and put all our big bags in storage in the airport. It saves so much hassle.
We are back at the SWAP office where we first began our trip in November of last year and it looks a bit nicer without snow!!! It's actually in the 30's today so quite a bit different. Going to try to figure out what we will do now til Sunday morning. We are leaving Toronto at 6pm Sunday and arriving in London at about 6:20am Monday morning. Our flight to Cork isn't til 9:55am and we will be home in Cork around 11:15am. The time has flown and it seems a bit unreal to be going home but we are looking forward to it too. You better have nice weather for us when we get home!!!
Can't wait to see you all
David
