In 1993 I had an invitation to go to Botswana with my oldest two children, Andrew and Alex.  We went. It was wonderful, especially as we hit the road and went to Zimbabwe and Zambia too. Victoria Falls has got to be one of the great places in the world and the raft run down the Zambesi is incredible (oh yes I've swum with the crocs)

Two years later, I was sent to Minneapolis from work. This was for two weeks but I stayed on for an extra week and number 3 child, Adam, flew out to join me for the final week. We went off to South Dakota and did the Badlands, the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore. Again the trip was really brilliant.

There were two people dissatisfied by this. Number 4 child, Amy, started asking when she was going "on my big holiday". As Alex and Adam had both been thirteen when they went, I said she'd have to wait until then. The other was Beryl whom I only met after the arrangements for the Minneapolis trip were finalised although we were an item by the time I actually went. So Amy was thirteen this year and started calling in the promises well beforehand. We suggested going to Portugal but I was roundly told by the others that I was short-changing her (little snots) and we ended up in Canada.

The itinery was as follows: click on the day for a more detailed account

15 August: fly from Manchester to Calgary.

16 August drive Calgary to Banff

17 August Banff. Sulphur Mountain and Vemillion Lakes

18 August: Banff. Lake Minnewanka (yes; it really is called that, much tittering by Amy!)

19 August: Banff: Cave and Basin. Banff Springs Hotel

20 August: Drive from Banff to Lake Louise with long stop to walk up Johnston Canyon

21 August: Lake Louise. Whitehorn Mountain, Moraine Lake and Consolation Lake

22 August: Drive up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper

23 August: Jasper. Whistlers Mountain and Patricia Lake

24 August: Jasper. White water rafting and the Five Lakes

25 August: Jasper. Maligne Canyon

26 August: drive to Edmonton. Stay at West Edmonton Mall

27-29 August:  Still at the Mall; fly home from Edmonton to Manchester

Some Links

There are lots of links built into the daily text but here are some general ones straddling several days.

Parks Canada

Banff National Park or alternatively, try here

Paintings of Banff

Friends of Jasper National Park

Canadian Pacific Hotels: you can see Banff Springs and the Lake Louise Chateau