good and bad news

I'm in Canada and I'm not on such a great mood at the moment to write this up so it'll be a quickie so I can go away.
I've just read my e-mails and found out that my dog has died. I had kind of expected he might before I got home but as the time grew nearer I thought I would see him after I got home. Now he's out of pain and in fish, chicken and steak heaven - all he wanted to eat, not dog food! I can't believe it and am now wondering what it's like at home but as yet haven't phoned as the machine stopped giving out those type of phonecards but I got one today and when I leave here will phone though it be 2 in the morning.

Canada has been great so far and I've gotten to meet my cousins the last of them today. Now there is only one cousin I have never met but as she is in Grenada, West Indies I won't be seeing her for a wee while to come. I haven't done very much since I got to Vancouver mainly sleeping. Today I figured out why I was so tired - it's because I'm not really doing anything. Every other country I've been in I've joined in a sport or some adventure thing but not as yet in Canada so tomorrow I'm going to find an activity to do and get some energy. I left America in a bad mood. I spent 12 hours travelling by Greyhound to get to the airport - an interesting trip next to an ex navy guy who was very big. I also got to see Las Vegas as the trip to Los Angeles from Flagstaff meant I had to make a connection in Las Vegas. I had half an hour wandering around one of the casino streets, not the main one, and laughing at the activities as the town was in it's element at 11pm. Very interesting! but I still cannot see why people want to gamble all their money away on the daft machines but then I could never understand why people wanted to spend all their money in a bookies either.
In the airport it was horrible. I didn't say bomb though I must say when you see all of the ridiculous security rituals you really are tempted just for the hell of seeing it! I got frisked and my hand luggage bag searched. I'm so glad I put my security cage around my pack though as I'm quite sure they would have wanted to see inside if it hadn't been on. Nosy beggars!!! After all of their 'security' passes that are made to confuse the rat race they even have removed the post boxes from the airport, though they do leave bins there, in their own words - "since 911". Useless b******s! SO if you're looking for a postcard from America don't I'm bringing them in my luggage as I couldn't send them!
The flight up to Canada was good. i got pictures of Mount St. Helen's as we flew over it which was great. You could see all of the ash and deposits that were thrown out of the volcano when it's side collapsed last time there was an eruption. The flight was 2 and a half hours so no meal. We flew from 11am to 1.30pm and no meal. I didn't know so I had pretzels that they offered for lunch and I was too tired for dinner when I arrived as I'd been travelling for at least 36 hours without sleep. My breakfast had been left-overs from Flagstaff - not very yummy! I was really gald though in the morning to find that the hostel serves continental breakfast and you can go back for 2nds and 3rds etc. very good. Pastries and rolls and porridge and fruit (not for me) and lots more. So I get up at 8 for brekkie every morn then go back to bed and get up at 11 or 12. I got really lazy when I arrived here.
I met Patrick and Gabrielle (I think thats how it's spelt) on sunday. I had a BBQ in Canada. I was really surprised that Canada was so hot - well Vancouver is. It was a really nice way to meet them. Kieran I have met though briefly and I did not recognise him. I have a weird memory from years ago with him but I called him Dominic because I thought Dominic had dark hair - I was wrong. He has changed quite a bit since then. Dominic I met today. So I've seen the 3 of my cousins. Now all I have to do is memorise their names to their faces and I'll be fine and not get killed!