Amanda and Graham's Great Pig Adventure

8th February – Abbotsford, British Culumbia, Canada

We arrived at the Canadian border at 3am and had to fill in a declaration form then get off the buses with our passports and go into a terminal building. It was a long and drawn out affair because there was a problem witn the carnet for the trucks containing the costumes and set. Eventually back on the buses at about 4.30, then a 15 minute drive to our hotel in Abbotsford. We checked into our rooms and crashed out!

Graham’s daughter Rebecca, husband Nate and sons Jude and Frey joined us at lunchtime. It was about a 2 hour drive for them from North of Vancouver towards Whistler. They are staying in our hotel and coming to the concert tomorrow night, although the boys don’t know that. It was a total surprise to see us. Lovely to see them! We went to the Go-Kart track next to the hotel which was fun.

We showed them the tour bus and they were very impressed!

Out for a great meal together (steak again) at The Keg then an early night. Just when we felt we had conquered the jet-lag, last night’s interrupted sleep has sent us back to square one!

9th February – Abbotsford

After breakfast together we left the family and went to the concert venue – Rogers Forum, an Ice Hockey stadium, home to the Canucks. This was a very different experience, with bleak changing rooms and big communal showers! (Lucky we didn’t need them having been in a hotel!) It is a huge stadium and half of it was blocked off. Even so it was still enormous and the sound was very difficult.

Rebecca and family met us at lunch time and took us to the shopping mall where we picked up a few supplies. The boys still don’t know what they are coming to see, although Jude did ask why we had Peppa pigs on our bags!

Back at the venue for sound check and then the most wonderful catered meal – a fabulous spread, best so far!

We had arranged a “meet and greet” for the boys with Peppa, George and Evie, the presenter before the show. They were so surprised and their faces were a picture! They were given a pass each, like ours, as a souvenir.

We met them briefly after the show and they loved it!

Our tour buses left at 12.00 and we had the border crossing to do in reverse. This time there were no delays and we were through very quickly. Then a night sleeping on the bus. I like the feeling of the motion, a bit like cruising. The vehicles are so long and they are restricted to 55mph, so it doesn’t feel uncomfortable.