On Saturday we got up at 7:00 a.m. in the 5 star Marriott hotel in Calgary.  We packed up all of our belongings and put them on the bus for the last time!   Some of us ate cold pizza for breakfast - yum!  It took us about 30 mins to get to the airport. Driving through downtown Calgary we noticed that the buildings were both old and up to date. We had a contest to guess the total cost of the hotel bill - it was a whopper!   Bus driver, Al, said goodbye to us from Calgary airport and drove back to Winnipeg alone, enjoying the peace and quiet he didn't get for the last week.  We had sorted our sleeping bags and coolers from our dirty clothes and sent all that we could back to Frontenac School on the bus. We will meet Al in Winnipeg on Sunday to claim our things.

At the airport it took a long time to check everyone's baggage, go to the washroom, and go through security. Some of us were disappointed that there was not enough time to shop in the airport.   Everyone passed the scan test, sure glad we left the railroad spikes on the bus and didn't have to explain why we had those in our carry on baggage.  When we got on the WestJet plane, flight 75 at 10:30 a.m. there was quite a bit of excitement.  For many of the kids it was their first time on a plane and you could tell by the looks on their faces and the oohs and the ahhs.  We had to wear our seatbelts most of the trip as there was quite a bit of turbulence, but it was smoother when we leveled out at 33,000 feet.  On the plane every kid got an award for something positive or humorous that they had done on the trip.  Marcien from DL enjoyed the privilege of going up in the cockpit and recording on video.  When we got back at the Winnipeg airport we each gave a family member a carnation that were bought from First Class Flowers. Thanks to Mr. Clayton for delivering the flowers to the Winnipeg airport for us.

THANK YOU TO ALL of our sponsors; the superintendents of St. Boniface and Winnipeg S.D. #1; our great teachers:
Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Fiola, and Ms. Jaworsky for their terrific effort in this project; the patience of our chaperones on the Journey: Mr. Waldie, Mrs. Yaeger, Mrs. McCuspey, Mrs. Latour, Mrs. Dodds, Miss Hansharyk, Mrs. Rudolph,
Mr. Schwabe, Ms. Zebrasky; the use of an extra vehicle supplied by Mr. Benson & Mrs. Suski; the friendly Fehr Way Tour bus driver: Al Graham; all the Frontenac parents who drove home the David Livingstone students in need of a ride home from the airport; and the many hosting schools and fans across Canada that kept in touch with us. A super BIG THANK YOU to the team of videographers from the Manitoba Department of Education and Training: Doug Glover and Frank Piske. We look forward to seeing the final edited copy as well as the 10+ hours of raw footage.

A special thank you from Stephanie (Samuel Burland School, St. Vital) and Brittany (H.M.K. School, Neepawa) for letting us be a part of this wonderful trip.

We hope that you have enjoyed as much following us on our Prairie Journey 2000 as we had fun meeting new friends, seeing unique sites and creating memories that will last forever!

Check back on our website once in awhile to see the updates.  Part II of Prairie Journey 2000 will be recorded by the Lord Nelson students as they return from field trips within Manitoba.
 

Bus driver, Mr. Al Graham   Thanks for your patience, jokes, and safe driving.	Leaving Marriott Hotel  after a great night of swimming, eating pizza at midnight, and FUN!!
Looking up at the great Calgary Tower, across from Marriott hotel.	The Saddle Dome is where the Calgary Flames play hockey.
Waiting for our turn to get our boarding passes.	Just doing some last minute packing.  Thanks Mrs. McCuspey for helping us.
Another West Jet waiting for takeoff on the runway.	Looking down at the patchwork of fields from the air.
Maxx and Rebecca entertaining themselves during the         one hour and 40 minute flight bound for Winnipeg.	Deplaning onto the ramp in Winnipeg airport, anxious to tell everyone about "the mother of all field trips". Safe, sound and exhausted!!