Homeward Bound

Well, it's our last day in British Columbia (6th June) and another sunny one. 

Before our journey back, we just wanted to take a last look at where we have been staying for the last few days and take a few more pictures lest we forget how much we have enjoyed ourselves here. 

First off, I think I must always have wanted to be in 'the big chair' and the Pemberton Valley Lodge finally gave me the opportunity:

As I think I might already have mentioned, this town is a small and sleepy afair but like a lot of such towns in the area, there is a customary railroad running through it. Sadly not in use though as a rail stop-off point, as the station has been converted into a bakery and the lines have become a little overgrown:

And here is (pretty much) the view we had yesterday evening (5th) as we looked out from 'The Pony' Bar & Restaurant:

So, having taken our last look at Pemberton, we headed along the 'Sea to Sky Highway'. And we just had to stop at this point to get shots of the rushing river. What particularly captivated us about this spot was the proximity of the railway line to the river. The tracks can clearly be seen right up against the edge. You would have to be some brave train driver to tackle this line in bad weather!

This road to Vancouver is beautifully scenic. You get great views of the Rockies and over the sea inlet:

I would mention also that we stopped for a coffee and a cake in Squamish, which is a small town on-route to Vancouver. Not much to report but I guess it might make a good base for anyone looking to explore the area. And they do a nice coffee (and excellent cakes)!

So that's pretty much all there is to report other than that we got ourselves and the car back to Vancouver Airport in one piece. The flight was delayed slightly and with the time difference and in-flight time we arived back in blighty on the afternoon of the 7th June having had the trip of a lifetime.

Now some might scoff at this last piece of commentary. I had thought many times during our trip that we were being looked after in a spiritual way and that how else could we be so lucky with everything we have seen and experienced. Jan and I believe that loved ones who are now departed but who we remember often continue to watch over us. Whether that's true or not, I guess we may never know. Perhaps the answer is in a picture that Jan just 'grabbed' as we were driving along. When we looked at it more closely we discovered something particularly interesting. I have enlarged an appropriate section of the sky:

So whether someone was looking down on us or not, the last seven and a half weeks have been just fantastic!