to Canada and back again

I've been rather silent. I was in Canada mid July through mid August.
My flight Auckland to Vancouver was delayed. I arrived at Vancouver airport about an hour and a quarter before my connecting flight. After clearing customs I RAN through to the domestic transfer desk, got my boarding pass, went through security and then RAN to my gate where my aircraft was boarding. I am thankful the security person didn't select me- from the time he was spending on the person a number in front of me, I think I would have missed my flight. I arrived in sunny and HOT Regina later that evening and had a few days in the Regina area catching up with friends. I then took STC bus up to Glaslyn where I was picked up by mom and dad. I had nearly a week with them. Next on the holiday trail was some time camping in the Meadow Lake Provincial Park. In small Saskatchewan fashion, after selecting Mistohay Lake to camp at, we met our neighbour who turned out to be related to my uncle and aunt. We also spotted a bear at the neighbouring camp site just across the road. Thankfully the neighbours boxer dog scared him away later that night for the duration of our trip. We had quite a wild thunderstorm during the first night there- it was amazing how the tent lit up, lightning flash after lightning flash. Thankfully we didn't get the big hail some of the other campsites just up the road did. Next on the holiday trail came a half day shopping at West Edmonton Mall. This was done en route to Kelowna where we had a few days visiting with mom/ dad/ my brother and sis in law/ my first niece and my other brother and his girlfriend. That was all good family time. And then we flew to Vancouver Island and had 4 1/2 days there, before we had to transit back to Vancouver and return home. I could never live in Tofino with its summer cloud and fog cover, but it was a beautiful place to visit. We had an amazing encouter with 2 humpback whales when we went on the hot spring boat tour. I don't think I've ever been so amazed and so afraid all at once. It was sad to see the end of holidays, but it was definitely a good break. We returned to quite the cold snap with many flights cancelled the day we arrived. Thankfully, ours was only bumped back a couple of hours. Welcome back to winter- which in Nelson thankfully consists of a lot of sun.