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Family Catch Up
  • Simon Hillman
  • Annette Eyre

Family Catch Up

LA to Banff to Toronto Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 1, 2025
  • Family Catch Up

    Day 2

    June 3 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Morning coffee walk with the gang, proceeded to knock my full cup over, all over the table and my new socks....Had a great take away lunch at a italian sandwich shop a 10min walk away. Took my sons ebikes for a 21 klm ride along the beach past Santa Monica to the start of the fire area.Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 3

    June 3 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    My missing bag finally arrived from Brisbane at rhe crack of dawn. Air NZ dropped it off.
    Booked a waymo driverless taxi to take us to The Broad a huge newish arty gallery then a walk to Union Stn the location of many famous films, there is a great history walk thereRead more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 4 monster day

    June 3 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Where to start....waymo driverless taxi to LA Union Stn heaps of history used in lots of famous films fabulous architecture . ... Waymo wow it's a must do and alot cheaper than Uber. Then off to The Broad a huge avant garde art gallery, many famous exhibitors one being Andy Warhol. Next grand central market for lunch filled with cuisines from around the world, we had a wood fired pizza. Then off to angels flight train old box cars up a very steep hill where one carriage pulls the other up as it goes down. A very short ride but historic.
    What was next.... MOCA the museum of contemporary arts, some interesting works there.
    Then 90min trying to get another Waymo or Uber home.... Long dark story for another time    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 5

    June 4 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Santa Barbara trip today, booked a Hertz car for a few days, will pick it up this morning, the place is 4 miles away. Dailed up waymo, arrived in 2mins brilliant, as they only have 100 cars in LA. $14.65 fare. Hertz gave me a Jeep SUV

    SB drive is approx 2hrs mainly freeway along the coast nice views. Have to drive through the burnt to the ground beach area after the fire like a bomb had gone off, terrible. Walked the jetty and marina area, full of mega bucks boats. There was a gorgeous very old boat in the harbour, a famous local boat now gifted to the Maritime Museum

    Had some lunch in the main shopping street. SB is a small coastal town like Yamba, overlooked by a mountain range. Harry and Megan live up there, fab views out to the coast and the Channel Islands.

    Went and drove The Gib a famous bicycle hill climb only for the very fit. 9klm 1080m non stop switch backs. Busy drive home, got home at 7.30pm to have to go and help Rhys wife Leigh change the tyre on her car parked in Santa Monica.    Read more

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    Day 7 what a week

    June 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    A city of huge contrast, near the cnr cafe ,(BW walled pic) there is a guy living in what not long ago was a performance V8 Mercedes sedan, with his life's possessions on the roof. This is very common here and with huge numbers of people living in cars, motor homes or tents on the streets.

    Hired the car for another day and went to the African American Museum which is next to the LA Coliseum, Science Centre, which we had visited on our last trip over here. Was disappointing unfortunately, so much that they could have covered but didn't. Checked out the Rose Garden next to it, in full bloom and wonderful fragrances.

    Annies navigation then took us through a very rough area, definitely to be avoided at night. Route took us to a large very flash expensive shopping centre called The Grove. This had been built to look like a Disney World with winding roads and a free train running through it. Made Robina SC look very average. Had some lunch and cocktails next to the big fountain. Then Annie went shopping in a 3 storey Nike Shop for some new running gear. The centre was being used for a Nike international marketing event called Nike After Dark Tour. A night time 21.klm running event only for women thats on Sat night with an after event party and band for the runners. Apparently there are 0,000s entered, Sydney had this event in April.

    Rhys guided us to a great street pizza set up in a church car park for dinner. Only one size ..party size and they were yummy    Read more

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    Day 6 culture day.....

    June 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Hire car drive with my expert navigator carefully avoiding all the freeways...much less stressful to the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art. A really great mega buck complex with a stunning collection of art. Got there a bit early so had a bite in their cafe. After a cool drink we then walked across to the Ress Nick collection in the adjoining building, great display of Mexican Art amongst others and a big section on digital art.

    Big surprise in that complex was the biggest working display of a mattel 1100 hot wheels car sand train city track, runs every 60min for 30min guy that built it is a genius watch the videos.

    Then off to lunch at the Pie Shop a Curtis Stone venture in Beverley Hills, $35 aud a single serve pie.
    Then did a walk along Rodeo Drive allegedly the most expensive shopping strip in the world. Every shop has security and a locked front door...guess if they reckon u can't afford anything they wont let u in

    Caught Annie swooning over a silver necklace earrings and rings in one of the shop windows, security had to ask her to move on as my Air NZ $100 bucks wouldn't cover it    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 8 last day in Venice

    June 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Last day here before we return at the end of June for the twins 3rd birthday. Followed Rhys to drop his 911 off to get it ceramic coated, then i dropped my Jeep off at Hertz. Walked to The Great White a lovely cafe owned by an Aussie near the beach for brunch.

    Took the lads to the skate park on the beach and rhys continued his skateboard training with the boys. Then continued our walk to the marina, there is a beach there and a huge 6 person outrigger canoe regatta was on, over 50 boats and a produce market in the car park.

    Walked home and sat in the front garden with some refreshments and listened to a big party across the road with some solid local beats. Packed all ready to head off in the morning. Read the Nat Guards are being deployed to the ICE raid trouble not that far away. Trump is crazy the mexicans do all the work here that Americans refuse to do.    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Up up and away

    June 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Early morning family walk for a coffee, then rhys dropped us off at the airport, approx 25min from his place. We left from LAX domestic terminal, but it also does international flights like Canada, Mexico the Philippines. Huge line up took 45min to get through xray, glad we allowed plenty of time. All travellers had to take off shoes, belts, coats, annies bag got x-rayed twice.

    Annie lashed out and had bought premium economy seats numbers 1A and 1B, it's a 3hr flight. Our very first trip in PE... Very nice roomy comfy seats hot face flannel champers and GTs. Meal was very tasty with a big glass of wine to wash it down. Would be very easy to get used to this but I would need to get a full time job..

    Clear skies after take off, flying over a vast market gardening area as far as the eye could see, then snow capped mountains. Getting worried about my shorts and teen shirts might not cut it, where we are heading.
    Stunning views out of the plane, snow capped mountains, Crystal clear sky. Calgary airport was very very nice large new heaps of passport screens and cameras. So nice getting off the plane first and even nicer...my bag and annies were the very first to come onto the pick up escalator.

    Annies daughter met us in the terminal with a lovely huge welcome card she had made. Very sweet of her. Was then a 2hr drive to Banff and our hotel room for 2 nights. The scenery along the way was breath taking. It was 26c and lovely. Room was large with a fire place and logs and paper all ready to go. The view from rear veranda took our breath away think its Mt Rundle 3200ft tall    Read more

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    Day 10

    June 9 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Been so busy getting out and about i think i am falling behind with my posts, sorry folks i know how much I used to fret when Brett and Jenny got behind.

    Annie's daughter picked us up from Calgary Airport and drove us to Banff approx 180klm away, where we have a 2 night stay in Banff. Her daughter and partner work in a resort there with a min room cost $1,000 a night. Her daughter couldn't get us a staff room discount as it was booked out, so we stayed in a hotel close to the centre of Banff with a fabulous view from its back veranda of a huge snow covered mountain.

    The scenery around Banff is stunning everywhere u look and the town is packed with tourists and i have never seen so many big RVs before. There is no household rubbish collection here, no one has ANY bins. In its place are strategically placed very large metal bins. So everyone has to take all their rubbish to these, must be a real pain. The town has had to do this due to the wild bear problem. There was a free bus service to take us down into town which was about 2 klm away. The weather has been great 25c clear skies so far no need for all those warm clothes we brought. The days here are very long as it doesn't get dark till 10pm    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 11

    June 9 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Mariah took us on a Nice morning drive 120klm to Takakkaw Falls in the Yoyo National Park which are fed from the Daly Glacier, well worth the drive. Next stop arranged by Mariah was the Kicking House wild bear refuge approx 20 acres of high fenced wilderness on the side of a mountain. We had to take a ski lift to get 3/4 of the way up the mountain to the refuge.

    Mariah also booked us to participate in filling Bo special feeding toys. They only have Bo at the moment he was orphaned at 5 mths after some low life killed his mum. Later got fined $9000 for his troubles. Bo is 20yrs old. Unfortunately Bo was too busy snoozing and didn't come out of the bush. The 2 staff there gave us a great talk about bears and answered any questions. Then they showed the ladies how to fill his big feeding toys with carrots grapes sweet potato jam and peanut butter.

    Next stop was Emerald Lake, a freshwater lake in Yoho National Park, is known for its striking emerald green color. The lake's colour comes from glacial flour, a fine rock substance created by melting glaciers that disperses sunlight in the water. The effect is most visible in the summer when the light reflects off the suspended rock flour and glacial silt.

    There was a lovely lake side lodge there and we just got our dinner order in before the 6.40pm cut off. On the way home about 800m from Banff we spotted a brown bear eating grass only 30m away from Annies half marathon course, what a treat and made up for not getting to see Bo    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 12 off to Canmore

    June 10 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Have to change locations today, move from Banff to Canmore and share an Air bnb with Mariah's partners parents from the UK. Canmore is approx 25klms from Banff. But before we move, we go and visit the Banff museum which has an excellent exhibition of Indian Art & Heritage, really enjoyed it.

    Next stop was to hire 2 pedal power mountain bikes to recon the half marathon course Annie will do on Sunday. $35 per bike for 3hrs and we did 22klm. Very pretty course but it did have some hilly sections.. puff puff. Then we headed off to our Canmore Air BnN.

    Very nice apartment 2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms very new and tiny. Has a heated outdoor pool and a hot tub pool. The apartment is in a complex of 50 or more others. Early to bed

    Forgot to say we decided to hire a car for the rest of the week a Toyota Camry.    Read more

  • Family Catch Up
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    Day 13 out and about

    June 11 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Bears and bins, naughty creatures.
    Drive then bus trip today to Lake Moraine and Lake Louise. Two very very popular tourist locations, but well worth putting up with the crowd.

    We went on a backwoods dirt drive to see this area. Unfortunately we werent awhere the Govt have shut down access on heaps of roads for the forth coming G7 Leaders Summit at Kananaski. In the absolute backwoods dirt road we came across a 4 policemen road block who turned us around. Seems Trump is going to attend so security has been ramped up. We across a aheep family on the drive, however Canadians insist these GOATS are really sheep

    Words can't describe how beautiful both lakes are, spell bound . So many stunning places in Canada, going to have to come back    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 14 off to Radium Thermal Springs

    June 12 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Time to give the Toyota a bit of a blast so we drove to Radium to try their thermal spring which was approx 140klm away. It was first discovered in 1887 then gradually developed into a modern bathing facility. The main pool temp is 40C all year around and they also have a 25m laned pool which a bit cooler at 32C. Must be brilliant to use in the winter sitting there with snow all around th⁹e area.

    Got a big wild life treat on the way there with a big black bear digging up some plants to eat. He or she was just off the side of the road about 20m away and we were able to stop and Annie filmed as he wandered off into the pine forest.

    We had a good 70min in the main pool and there were only 10 others with us. They had an ice cold plunge pool which Annie braved up to her neck, pussy me could only manage to my arse, far too cold for me. The lady life guard there said some guy set a new record of 10 min up to his neck last week.

    On the way back we had another wildlife treat with a brown bear this time just off the road lying down so we pulled over and watched him/her eating the abundant dandelions. Next stop was Marble Canyon and a short 2k return walk which has 6 bridges that criss cross the river and it's ever deeping chasm cut into the rock over 11,000 yrs    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 15

    June 13 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    At the entrance road to each of the Nat Parks they have what look like cattle grids to keep that areas wildlife off the main roads. However their grids have been high power electrified and there are signs warning people not to walk across. The parking areas quickly fill up with these often huge RVs which seem to be so popular in Canada and the US.

    Today's walk was to Johnstons Canyon, yet another gorgeous run of a wild river. Big stretches of the walk is on a steel walkway that somehow has been fixed to rock and u are perched directly over the raging river not far below    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 16

    June 14 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    A few pics of our lodgings in Canmore about 21 klm from Banff and a lot cheaper there. Met Mariah in Banff and had a nice walk around town then along the river to a place called Waldhaus a bavarian style restaurant part of the Fairmont Banff Springs complex. Its perched on the hillside overlooking Banff Springs and the golf course with a great outside deck, perfect for our lunch.

    Then, being an employee of the Fairmount Group we got an extensive tour of this magnificent very old hotel like something out of Harry Potter. It was first built in 1886 then added to over the years beautiful stone work 800 rooms if u are wealthy enough. There was a big wedding ceremony going on whilst we were there with cello and violin accompaniment ahead of lunch in the main hall area with stunning table settings with flowers    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 17 6 mths in the making

    June 15 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    And a big surprise to end the day....
    Annie has spent 6 mths training to compete with her daughter in the Banff Half Marathon, unfortunately Mariah did her ACL snowboarding so she could only watch her mum. There were 3300 entries with people from 25 countries entered. Chilly start at 6 C with the start delayed 38 min so that 2 huge freight trains could clear a crossing on the course. Not an ideal start standing in the cold, but the day warmed up later on the 20s

    We had completed a reconnaissance on bikes of the 21 klm course and it had a number of hills which in the thin air here at 1400m above see level would make it challenging for non locals. Annie found it hard going but completed the course in 2hrs 54min and was so proud of having completed it. The winning lady was 36 yrs old and she set a new record of 1hr 17 min and her time was only 2min more than the male winner a 20yr old.

    Annie said the competitors and officals were super friendly and very encouraging along the way. The winning lady on her return leg was giving all the runners going the other way words of encouragement

    We headed back to our our apartment for a glass of champagne and a jump in the exterior hot tub. We all then headed out for an evening picnic near a lake. Some friends of Mariah and Chris also turned up. Chris had pre warmed us about what was going to happen and told us there was going to be group shot. Then the photographer was going to say 1, 2, 3 at which time we were all going to move apart leaving Chris on his knee holding a ring and asking Mariah for her hand.

    A lovely scene and she duly said yes......    Read more

  • Family Catch Up
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    Day 18

    June 16 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Off to Lake Peyto first and in the distance u can see the massive Athabasca Glacier, which is part of the Columbia Icefield. It was quite a steep walk up to the lake but the view was well worth it.

    Next we drove to the foot of the glacier and we have never ever seen one. The valley of the glacier was like a moon scape and another hilly walk to get as close as we could to see it. Along the way there were year markers where the glacier once was, the most recent being 2006. Amazing how quickly this massive block of ice was retreating, climate deniers should come and see its a real thing not bull shit.

    There is a decent sized river of melted ice pouring out from under the glacier which prevented us getting up to the edge of the glacier. We stuck our hands into it and boy it was it bloody cold, should have brought a 6 pack up here. There were some patches of snow and Annie got to make her first ever snow ball.

    We have seen many stunning locations on this trip but the Glacier left us speechless. The rocks underneath it have been left with deep gouges ground out of them over many years as the glacier grew then receded

    On the way home we were lucky enough to see another big black bear close to the road. Mariah's partner has big V Twin Kawasaki and he followed us today. Last pic shows u how crystal clear the Fairmont Jasper lake is, its fed by an underground spring    Read more

  • Family Catch Up
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    Day 19

    June 17 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The.fire damage in the National Parks is enormous, 81,000 acres of burnt trees with only the trunks of the trees standing. Being pine there is no regrowth so the land looks like an apocalypse has occurred. Believe they are still trying to decide what to do.

    Mariah showed us where her staff lodges got burnt to the ground. The staff lodges are 3 storey log cabins, amazing how the ones next to hers escaped with not even burn marks, the photos with security fencing were where her building used to be.

    We did a 2hr boat ride on Lake Maligne which is the Jasper Nat Parks largest glacier fed lake and they took us out to Spirit Island which is very small with only 23 trees on it. However its very significant to an Indian Tribe.

    The island is a spiritual place for the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, who believe mountains are physical representations of their ancestors. The fact that Spirit Island is surrounded on three sides by the same mountain range is very rare and makes it particularly significant to the Stoney. They still visit it to perform certain ceremonies.

    Like clock work, on the way home we got to see more Canadian Wildlife a big female moose, they look quite odd and i think big G should have given them a tail. Finished the day off with a nice swim in the hotel heated pool    Read more

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    Day 20

    June 18 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Hired some bikes today from the hotel......yes ..... electric pedal assist, pretty expensive $100 each for half a day. Annoyingly the damn seat post kept slipping when i went over bumps. They had too much graphite grease in the frame down tube.

    Anyway we did about 22 klm first into Jasper where u could see the hit and miss effects of the recent fire. Had a nice salad for lunch after pedaling around town. Then we peddled to Lake Annette where annie insisted on stripping off to her undies and had a swim in the cold lake there.

    To finish off our day Chris arranged with his mates at the hotel for us to borrow a 2 seat canoe and then a peddle cat and we explored the lake at the resort which like most of the lakes here is fed from underground springs.    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 21 what a day

    June 20 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Time to leave the resort and the Rockies today, the place is stunning and if it wasnt for Mariah's 50% staff discount we couldn't have afforded to stay there.

    We had a 410 klm drive today to Edmonton Airport to catch a flight to Toronto to see my sister. Then a near disaster struck, we had allowed time for the drive to the airport with 2hrs to spare. In shutting the boot on her Ford Explorer, Mariah got her finger caught in the number plate and nearly cut the top of her finger off..

    With the clock ticking we rushed into Jasper to the hospital hoping it wasn't busy at that time of the day. The finger had to be x-rayed, her nail cut off and stitched. All up this took 2hrs i.e. all the time we had allowed. Really looked like we would miss our flight.

    Mariah insisted on driving and sat on 120kph all the way. Parked her car and we all ran into the airport, there was no one at the gate and it turned out we were the last passengers to check in before they had to close. We then had to rush through the airport to board the plane.

    We flew with a mob called Porter Airlines, almost new jet nice food and wine and in glass not plastic. It was a 3hr 15min flight and there was a 2hr time diff so we didn't get to the hotel till 11.30 pm    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 22

    June 20 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Big sleep in, yet another lovely hotel The Fairmont Royal Oak, in the centre of Toronto opposite Union Stn. We are on the 12th floor and u can see Lake Ontario.

    Its a huge old hotel built in the 1920s with 1347 beds and it was totally booked out. Many famous people have stayed here over the yrs including the Queen and hubby. Another staff booking deal thanks to Mariah's employer, tell u what the Fairmont Group really provides fabulous staff incentives.

    Big brekkie then arranged to meet my sister in the foyer who i haven't seen in 4 yrs. We walked down to the harbour front and around a bit of the city. Very modern and where we are staying is the financial district, banks galore.. Great tram system and 3 huge sports stadiums close by, very much like Melbourne with a pop of 3 million.

    The hotel is a big supporter of the LGBTQ movement and there was an amazing floral promo display in the hotel foyer sponsored by Absolut Vodka. Had a nice family dinner in one of the hotel's restaurants then turned in after washing our clothes in the shower.... The hotel wanted $8 per garment and being a business district there are no laundries for miles. So our room now looks like a Turkish Laundry    Read more

  • Family Catch Up

    Day 23

    June 21 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Took a taxi to The Beaches a suburb on the lake and near where my sister lives. It's sort of a beach but no sand just gravel down to the lake side with life guards on duty. Apparently there are nasty under currents. There is a broadwalk along the lake that goes for miles. The main street is Queen St and it's a short walk from the lakeside. Its hip kind of street old buildings lots bars cafes arty shops with a tram line down the middle that runs into the CBD. You would think u are in Melbourne.

    Spent a while exploring the area then headed back into the CBD to go and watch an NBL game at Rogers Stadium, the Toronto Blue Jays vs the Chicago White Soxs.

    It was a 45,000 seat stadium with a retractable roof the crowd was near capacity. They started with the roof closed and they opened it about an hour into the game to reveal the CNN Tower, very special. First time i had ever been to a pro baseball game and being an ex softball ball player, Annie had to help me understand the rules. Food and booze were aplenty there and of course we had to have a huge hot dog with the lot. Unfortunately some of the mustard on Annies dog ended up on her new dress. The size of the dog made handling it difficult.

    It was a good game with Toronto coming out on top and we loved the theatre of the show they put on. A short walk back to the hotel then nurse annie had to change the dressing on Mariah's finger and then shopping trip for some warm weather clothes for Annie going to be 33c tomorrow    Read more

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