One of the best trips I’ve ever taken! My parents bought me a North American rail pass for my birthday. So I took a month off and flew to LA. Spent some time in San Fransisco and Seattle before making it to Vancouver. Stayed in Jasper where I met some Aussies and had my snowboarding attempt. We got along so well that I continued traveling with them to Edmonton! While in Edmonton went to the world’s largest mall and won some money at the casino. Taught a Swiss guy how to play the slot machines- he didn’t understand, but liked it “much better than the ATM!”.Then on the 2 hour stop (where everyone has to get off for cleaning/maintenance) in Winnepeg I met this Canadian girl. She was talking to an older couple on the escalator, saying “Of course I speak French, my last name is french.” When I said “My last name is Czech, it doesn’t mean I speak the language!” We ended up hanging out for 2 1/2 days and have become good friends. (I’ve even lived with her for a couple of months in Montreal, and stay w/ her whenever I’m in TO) Then I went to a family wedding in my mom’s hometown, before making it to Montreal. I was in Montreal during the NHL play-offs and my hometown team was kicking their butts. A big group of people from the hostel went out to watch the game at a bar, trying to keep me in the middle of the pack (because I was cheering for the other team). Didn’t even care that it was a LONG (2 days) trip home starting the next morning. If you ever get the chance, DO IT DO IT DO IT!