Beauty beyond my wildest dreams...

Byline: Alison Dayani

IDARED not breathe or make a sound as with wonder I watched the three big bears pad gently through the blushing meadow in front of me. I may be no Goldilocks, but this was my own fairytale come true in the wonderful wilds of Canada.

The huge expanses of British Columbia and Alberta had spoilt me with more delights than just the rare Black Bear.

A white water rafting thriller through rocky canyons, spotting Killer Whales and walking on a glacier were on my long list of adventures that made it such an extraordinary trip of a lifetime.

My husband Mike and I started off in Vancouver, a wonderfully vibrant city on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, which has even more reason to visit as it prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics with Whistler through February and March.

It's a perfect time to head there to see some of the games or take in the atmosphere. An internet planner has been set up to help choose events, but even if you cannot make it for the Olympics, the 'cultural olympiad' packed with arts and culture celebrations surrounding the Games get underway a month before the opening ceremony on January 22, continuing until March 21.

We went in summer but the multitude of attractions are just as good any season. It is well worth buying a VancouverAttractions Pass giving access to nearly 40 tourist spots, but most importantly the hop on-hop off Trolley Tours that take youto the doorstep of somany places - historic quarters of Yaletown and Gastown, shops galore on Robson, the laidback beach culture at English Bay. One of our particular favourites was taking a speedy little Aquabus over to Granville Island where endless rows of shiny fruit, exotic fish and spices at the food market greet visitors in a bustling atmosphere. Craft shops dot the island with gaggles of people always lazing around. But save a few hours for the mesmerising Stanley Park. An amazing 1,000 acres of parkland and forest, nicknamedVancouver's "giant green heart". The forest alongside skyscrapers includes a 6.5-mile Seawall Path around its edge. A piece of heaven for walkers, cyclists and rollerbladers with some of the most stunning mountain and ocean views you will see in theworld, particularly at sunrise and sunset. It includes Totem Poles,VancouverAquarium, beaches and a nature house. It is this type of scenery and its popularity as a spa destination that has attracted Hollywood stars to Vancouver. Teen vampire blockbuster Twilight and its sequels were filmed around the city this year with its A-list cast staying at Sutton Place Hotel, where you can be treated like a star too at its Vida Spa during an indulgent day.We stayed at the Rosedale on Robson Suite Hotel, making the most of its large rooms, pool and substantial breakfast, along with its central position making it ideal to roam the lively city. It was close to the seabus terminal too, a cheap way to reach the north shore, where many of the Olympic events take place. Grouse Mountain has unrivalled views of the city from FROM PAGE 23 its peak, reached easily by a gondola. While nearby is the unmissable Capilano Suspension Bridge that teeters over a canyon at soaring heights. Pretty scary but not the most frightening thing I would experience on this trip - that was yet to come. With Vancouver being the gateway to the ocean, we ventured out on the water through a daytrip with a difference - on the fantastic Prince of Whales' Whales and Fly tour. Heading out in the morning on a boat cruiser, we skimmed across the waves dodging remote islands towards Vancouver Island, where the region's parliament sits in Victoria. Seals and eagles raised some excitement bu when a few hours in we came across an Orca Whale and her new baby calf. Peacefully gliding passed our boat, the shiny black andwhite creatures brought a lump to my throat to see them so close in their own habitat. An unforgettable moment to last a lifetime. It would be hard to top that, but the tour then pulled up at Victoria, where we were left for a fewhours to explore the charming but very touristy, "English" city complete with Ye Olde England pubs, serving the largest portion of fish and chips I have ever seen. Wildlife and nature enthusiasts should consider spending a couple of days on Vancouver Island to see the rocky coastline and beaches, but if you only have three or four hours like us, I recommend seeing the Royal British Columbia Museum including First Nation history, longboats and totem poles. The excitement wasn't over though as our exciting journey back to Vancouver was by floatplane from the harbour. What a way to end the day and the first part of our trip. It was now time to head inland to the wonder of the wilderness in the neighbouring province of Alberta. Booking an internal flight with Westjet, Canada's version of RyanAir, we reached Calgary in an hour for around pounds 50 each. From there, we hit the open road in an Avis hire car and made a simple journey on straight roads to The Canadian Rockies. Travellers will need to obtain a Parks Canada pass to drive through the national parks of Banff and Jasper, easily available to buy online or once you reach the area at around pounds 6 a day. The naturalmagnificence of mountains, lakes and waterfalls instantly grabbed us. Everything was on such a grand scale, the sky even seemed bigger. Small communities are the minority compared to the vast landscape packed with moose, bears, deer, mountain goats and other resident mammals. Banff and Jasper, the two main towns, are a must to any trip but for very different reasons. Banff, the birthplace of Rocky Mountain tourism, has a more polished edge with an air of extravagance.Amain street of half a mile is lined with stores that were once outfitters for brave explorers but now deal in mainly tourist souvenirs. We stayed a couple of nights at the Brewster's Mountain Lodge in a great central spot with a luxurious log cabin feel. Ideal to reach restaurants and bars or to head off for a short walk along the picturesque Bow River, Vermilion Lakes or the Hot Springs. We headed high above the town for a late night dip in the Banff Upper Hot Springs for only pounds 3 each. Gloriously refreshing in the cold night air. Another more scenic spring is an hour away from Jasper at Miette, and if you only bathe once, head there as it is larger and more remote with sensational mountain views. Back in Banff, itwas easy to while away the days visiting beauty spots, local museums and with our most daring adventure yet- white water rafting. Our chirpy British guide with Wild Water Adventures, Simon Jay, who spends winters guiding people to see polar bears and summer in the Rockies, gave us the area's fascinating history en-route to the Kicking Horse River. Even though I knew I was in safe hands with our trusty crew leader Ted Bilton and full waterproof gear and lifejackets, I still saw my life flash before my eyes as we went over the bubbling, crystal clear Class Four rapids. I clung on for dear life as the excitement sent my adrenoline levels soaring. It was the most exhilirating way imaginable to see the scenery from the bottom of the valley and more peaceful moments allowed me to take in the Rockies and trees above from different angle. If you aren't as brave, Wild Water Adventures offer family raft days and gentler tours, all for reasonable prices. With our feet back on terra firma, we headed off to Jasper. The route up Icefields Parkway by car passes so many points of extreme beauty - Lake Louise, Athabasca Falls and Bow Lake to name a few - that it took us most of a day to cover 180 miles as we kept stopping for photos and passing deer and chipmunk as well as taking in a few trails. Finally, we reached the more down-to-earth Jasper. The small historic town is a good base to explore the beautiful region abundant with wildlife and friendly restaurants and comfortable hotels like Whistler's Inn, where we stayed. The Jasper Brewing Company was just a few steps away too with the chance of sampling six homemade beers including blueberry and honey. It was impossible not to relax in such a calm atmosphere andwith so many lakes at our disposal, a quick picnic in the perfect surroundings was hard to ignore. We had seen warning signs of 'Bears Beware' around Banff and even a bear paw scratch on a tree, but it was not until we reached Jasper and were doing a Walks and Talks tour with knowledgeable guide Paula Beauchamp that we came across our own special sighting. Not one, but three Black Bears - daddy, mummy and baby bear - in a row, forraging for food. Their silky black coats moving quickly and powerfully in their own terrain. "They are the king of the forest, you don't mess with them," Paula tells us. "I have seen so many bears but every one is still special and something you don't forget." And she was right. But for me, the whole trip across Vancouver and The Rockies was completely

MUST SEE StopoffattheColumbia Icefield, half way between Banff and Jasper on the Icefields Parkway highway for a once-in-a-lifetime.chanceto walk on the Athabasca Glacier afterreachingthepointona unique snowmobile developed by NASA. LaCasaGelato,onVenables * and Glen in east Vancouver, offers218flavoursoficecream from the bizarre blue cheese to the gorgeous marzipan and banana fudge. Lake Minnewanka, near *Banff,hasboattoursthrough the summer at the picture postcardspot.It'salsoagood place to see roaming animals including mountain goat, beaversandmooseinthe summer or its frozen beauty in the winter. Makesureyougooffthe * beaten track to to the trail to Mount Edith Cavell near Jasper, where an angel-shaped glacier graces the rock. The2010WinterOlympics *planning website is available at: www.2010destinationplanner. comorvisit:www. BritishColumbia.travel The Cultural Olympiad details *can be found at website: www. vancouver2010.com/en/ culture-and-education/culturalfestival- and-events/-

CANADIAN Affair Flights to Vancouver from Manchester, London Gatwick or Heathrow start from as little as pounds 149 for an adult. www.canadianaffair. com Hotel prices for the Rosedale on Robson, in Hamilton Street and Robson, Vancouver, start from pounds 115 a night.Website: www.rosedaleonrobson.com Prince of Whales tour company offers various types of whale watching trips from Vancouver. Website: www. princeofwhales.com Brewster's Mountain Lodge, Banff, start from around pounds 60 a night and includes breakfast. www.brewstermountainlodge. com. Whistler's Inn, Jasper, rates start at around pounds 75 a night. www.whistlersinn.com Wild Water Adventures range from pounds 45 to pounds 80. Visit website: www.wildwater.com /33968/1wly9jd/index.html mesmerising and unforgettable. t the real treat came

CAPTION(S):

Deep water: Alison Dayani holds on tight as she travels accross white water, Inset a plane lands on the water.