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The Kootenays of B.C.
Lynn lives in Trail, British Columbia...and has visited many places, including England and Australia. But she didn't have to look too far to find her favorite spot...a place she keeps going back to. Christina Lake is considered the Oasis of the Kootenays...and is one of B.C.'s best kept secrets.
The Trans Canada Trail, Dewdney Trail and the Kettle Valley Railroad Trail all merge at Christina Lake, attracting visitors to the area from around the world.
Christina Lake is reputed to be the warmest tree lined lake in Canada. Lynn took this photo of her travel pick in early May...check out Christina Lake.
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Palm Springs
Linda lives in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia...and has travelled to many destinations around the world. But her top pick would be Palm Springs...since she returns to the same place every spring with the whole family (which seems to be growing every year). Today she would like us to join her in visiting Indian Canyon and Joshua Tree National Park...both in the Palm Springs area. She says...
Last year, while in Palm Springs, I went on a hike with my son-in-law Graham and grandson Adam. There is a delightful place just south of Palm Springs called Indian Canyon. We hiked where the Indians used to live in the summertime, as there is running water and lots of trees.
Here is another favorite place that I like to visit. The kids already say, "Oh no, Mom wants to go to Joshua Tree again!" 
Just about an hour away from Palm Springs is Joshua Tree National Park. It seems you are on another planet. The rock formations are so unusual. They have been pushed up from under the earth's surface. It was quite windy last year...but sunny. The tree blossoms were there to enjoy. I hope to drag the family there again next year. ~Linda
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Mexico
Bev lives in McAllen, Texas...a vacation destination for many northerners throughout the winter months. South Padre Island is right nearby...and in her backyard are orange and grapefruit groves. Her favorite pick for our vacation tour is a Mexican road trip...
In Mexico the best trip is to drive the old highway (not toll) from Mexico City to Cuernavaca, where you stop to have "cafe con leche" at an open air restaurant around the central plaza. There are many foreigners living in this city and many international students studying Spanish. It's a beautiful city with an interesting history and colonial buildings, full of flowers yearround. You then drive on towards Acapulco, passing miles of fields of roses, gladiolas, freesias, carnations, etc., and vendors along the highway willing to sell fresh flowers by the bale! You have to stop at Taxco - the city built on mountainsides, where most streets are passable only one-way by a VW beetle or by foot (hard to drive a car up stairs!). It's the center of Mexico's silver-smithing and jewellery trade.
Eventually you get to Acapulco. I've been there in all kinds of weather, even during a hurricane, and for me there is no vacation spot that compares - but that's because I speak Spanish and have usually been there with Mexican friends. The best way to visit any place in the world is to visit a friend who lives there. The scenery and customs are made memorable by the company!
~Bev
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Whistler, B.C. & Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia
Martha lives in Kelowna, B.C...and has enjoyed Hawaiian vacations and a Caribbean cruise, but some of her favorite places are right here in Canada.
She thinks Whistler is a wonderful place to visit...and (clear across the country) another top choice would be Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.
Other Canadian places that got her vote were...the parliament buildings in Ottawa, the farms in the countryside of Quebec, the Confederation Bridge of PEI and Niagara Falls.And she never mentioned her home town, but Kelowna is also a wonderful vacation spot with lakes, parks, orchards and wineries.
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The Netherlands
Our family has had a reunion every 5 years since 1989, in Canada, The Netherlands, or the last one, in New Zealand!
My sisters and I, with some of their spouses and children, are planning to attend the Holland one this summer.
There are plans for about 150, with half from foreign lands. (France, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland).
Afterwards, 5 of us also plan to do a cycle trip there for 5 days. 
My mother's family home is still there and I plan to ride a cycle past it again
. ~Mary
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And so ends a wonderful week of travels! Thanks so much to all of you...my wonderful tour guides...for taking us to places which we can only dream of. But keep dreaming...that's where the next trip always begins!
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Next stop on your tour...
- Trish ~ My Corner of the Universe Beautiful B.C. ~ Vancouver Island
- Pat ~ Mille Fiori Favoriti Ireland
- Kathy ~ Shocking Pink Thread Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park
- Millie ~ Wreathmaker Waterton National Park
- Vee ~ A Haven for Vee Pemaquid Point
- Trish ~ My Corner of the Universe Ucluelet
- Marg ~ Home Again Shaking Hands with Europe
- Knitting Mania ~ Napa Valley
- Trish ~ My Corner of the Universe The Pacific Rim
- Marg ~ Home Again Riding the Blue Danube
- A Woman Who is ~ Giverney
- Lovella ~ What Matters Most Ride to Sturgis
- Trish ~ My Corner of the Universe Wonderful West Coast
- Lisa ~ Stop and Smell the Chocolates Bryce Canyon
- Vee ~ A Haven for Vee New Hampshire
- Trish ~ My Corner of the Universe Pacific Rim Finale
We sailed out of Oahu and spent our first two nights docked at a port on the island of Kauai. Since this was our first visit to this island, we rented a car and explored from morning until night. Rather than picking one or two sights as a shore excursion...we did our own thing, and saw it all.
...and the breath-taking beauty of the red rock canyons contrasted by the green vegetation.
If you don't like chickens...this may not be the island for you! Chickens roam freely throughout Kauai...at the beach, at the grocery store, in the rain forest, everywhere. Certain ethnic groups brought fighting chickens to Hawaii...and in the 80's they were all set free as hurricanes swept across the islands destroying their cages. Since the chickens have no natural predators on Kauai, they have flourished. 
They are rather striking birds...evidence of their fighting heritage. We stopped for lunch at a picnic site along the beach...while chickens scuttled about everywhere.
Here we spent a while enjoying the beach...the waves...and the mist rolling in off the sea.
We passed taro fields in this area...
...and spent a great deal of time viewing a grove of coconut palms. It wasn't intended to be a stop on our tour...but we spent a few hours parked right next to this grove of palms when the one-and-only highway on the island was closed due to a fatal car accident. Fortunately, our ship was not due to sail until the morning...so we weren't too upset by our roadblock. Thankfully we had books along...so we read until the lights went out. We missed a wonderful dinner on-board that night...but had a lesson in patience beside the grove of coconut palms.
Our cruise ship passed by the rugged 
From 
...to Rainbow Falls
..
...and 
So we spent our last day in Maui on the chaise lounge with a good book...
...and woke up on our final morning in the Port of Honolulu. It was a fun way to explore the islands...sort of like a sampler buffet. So if you are interested in checking out all the 
