OVER A GREAT BIG 'C' AND UNDER A SLAB OF SALMON

Another year and another visit overseas but this time no money exhanged hands with any airline! I discovered to my joy that 60000 frequent flier miles - I am with an American airline, United, and the USA, along with Myanmar (Burma) cling like hungry hyenas on a day old carcass to the old imperial measurements - buys you a return flight to Vancouver, Canada, and so I set off for 12 days in the coolish climes of my favourite Canadian city. The main aim of this jaunt was to celebrate the 40th birthday of my very good friend, Sandra Koziol, who hit that magical mark 10 days before I did. I don't always get to celebrate milestone events with close friends who live far away so it was it wonderful to get the chance to do it this time. I even got to help plan her party, along with her delightful friend and neighbour, Ilesa, which was exhausting but really worthwhile - Sandra loved it all, and had a great time.

When I wasn't planning colour-coordinated parties - we went with red and yellow for those of you dying to know - I was doing some limited touristing (yes it is now a verb!) at Kitsilano, an area that mixes funky one-of-a-kind shops, trendy cafes and beautiful beaches, and downtown, along with much salmon eating (sushi, steaks, you name it!), shopping and veging out. I managed to acquire the cough-heavy cold the whole family had and spend the last 3 days of my holiday watching day time TV including the ever fabulous "Ellen" (Ellen DeGeneres), listening to some CDs I bought and reading all my 'Entertainment Weekly' magazines. I even managed to visit a salmon spawning stream but arrived a little late in the season to find only dead frozen salmon lining the banks. Yes, I see dead fish. (Not quite Joel Haley Osmont in "Sixth Sense" but I tried - sadly none of the fish talked much) So it was kind of a visit to a fish cemetery - mmm, lovely!

Above all, the best part was seeing my wonderful friends, Sandra and Ken (see above), and their gorgeous kids, Katie and Graham, and spending quality time with them. I am immensely glad they are in my life and their unconditional love and support of me is a gift. Of course, Sandra's wonderful cooking is a pretty good incentive to visit too!!