Doug and Kerry Hudson in Toronto

Toronto was the first destination of our world trip. We very clearly remember being in a state of disbelief that we were actually there, actually living out our dream after all the months of saving and preparation. We were probably walking around with our mouths open trying to take everything in! It was hard for us to believe this was only the start of our adventure. We still had twelve months to go!

Our flight arrived safely. It took just under eight hours, and was very comfortable. The crew were exceptionally friendly and helpful. We flew over Greenland and Newfoundland, which was cool because we saw all the ice flows. We didn't see any polar bears though, even with the binoculars, which was a shame!

So much for packing those jerseys and fleeces. It seemed as if we had brought a heatwave with us, as we enjoyed temperatures of 29°C and 30°C. The normal temperature for that time of year is between 1 and 10°C.

Our hotel was nice and comfortable, and close to everything. Our first day in Toronto was quite hectic. We did a City tour which was educational and very interesting. Did you know that Toronto is home to the CN Tower, the world's tallest building? Doug went all the way to the top, but Kerry stayed at the bottom, feeling queasy just from looking up at it. Little did she know that by the end of the year, she would have climbed mountains and been up to the Skybridge in another famous tall building, the Petronas Tower. According to Doug, the view from the CN Tower was excellent. He could see for miles and miles. There was a glass floor, which Doug found quite disconcerting, but the children seemed to enjoy stomping around on it to see if it would break!

From the CN Tower you can see right into the SkyDome, home of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. We went to the game against the Boston Red Sox, choosing the cheapest seats in the house for only seven dollars. The dome was huge. In fact, it can contain a 33-storey building inside, and its roof slides right back when the weather is good. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays were less impressive, losing 14-3!

Toronto also has the longest street in the world. Called Yonge Street, it would take at least 36 hours to drive down, assuming you keep to the speed limit and traffic lights that is.

We spent a morning walking around Toronto University. Its architecture certainly put Leeds to shame. Did you know some parts of the university were used in the film Good Will Hunting?

In the afternoon we took a tour bus to Niagara Falls. Our tour guide reeled off a lot of interesting information about the different areas we drove through, such as the micro-climate around the Niagara area that allows peaches to be grown, and such as how they make maple syrup. Talk about money growing on trees!

Anyway, the main purpose of our tour was to see Niagara Falls, and we were not disappointed! Our first proper sight of it was the Maid Of The Mist boat ride. In the leaflet, it said, "Feel the light spray from the waterfall." We can tell you, it's more like getting hosed down. We came out looking like drowned rats. It was very exhilarating however! Imagine a fast flowing river two hundred metres wide suddenly dropping all around you!

We spent our final morning "underground shopping". Yup, there is a whole shopping mall underneath Toronto, stretching for some six miles. As much fun as this was, we couldn't spend the whole day there. We had our next flight to catch: we were going to see the Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains and the beautiful city of Vancouver.

World Trip >> Canada >> Toronto

Last updated: Sunday August 27, 2006