Hi everyone, I'm not new to expats as I've been living in the USA for the last four years but I just arrived in Edmonton on Friday afternoon

I am completely shell shocked at the moment and aching all over from sleeping on a blow up bed while I am waiting for our furniture to arrive! The trip was a bit of a nightmare with one child vomiting before we even got to the airport, one having a nose bleed on the plane, an almost missed connection and then one child ran into our bedroom and vomited on us the first night, twas a great start

I have spent the weekend shopping like a crazy woman for all of the basic cleaning and cooking stuff etc, and have been trying desperately to find a fan as it is so hot, I can't believe it's so hot here, I am incredibly nesh at the moment having been spoiled with a/c in Texas

I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone and will no doubt be hitting you up for all kinds of information on the area - like where is there a good chinese take away? I am living to the west of the city at the moment, not too far from the WEM.

Hi and welcome to Edmonton. You're in the right area for a Chinese takeaway!

Hey snork

Welcome to Alberta Summers

You have to go to WEM it's fab there is also a waterpark in there too which we didnt go in but looked fab.

Have fun

Gaynor
x

Welcome Snorkmaiden (love the name!)

You could always buy a big kids' paddling pool and float on your air bed on the water on that to keep cool!!

Have you moved temporarily or permanently from Texas to Edmonton? I bet there will be a slight difference in the winter temperatures between the two!!

Good luck in your new home.

Lisa

The water park is great, but very expensive for the family - $94.95, plus $6 for a locker. (not that you need a locker, can put your bag under your table)

My advise.....drive out to Sherwood Park and go to Millennium Place, $15 for a family of 4 gives you all day fun, you can use all the facilities. The pool is great, waves and a rapid area, also has a great blow up obstacle course they bring out at weekends and holidays...lot's of fun!

BTW....welcome !!!

Linda

Thanks guys, the heat is a real shocker!! We checked out the mall briefly on Sunday afternoon but we were all too knackered to really enjoy it, I did notice a job going in the British store though, but alas it was only evening hours and I just want a part time job in the time the kids are at school.

We have moved permanently to Edmonton, well, hubby has a work permit and his employer are going to do the pnp thing for us so we will see how it works out.

Thanks for the pool tips Linda, we've got four kids so any family day out is an expensive one!

Where is good for electrical supplies because I don't know when my furniture is going to arrive (with the fans we have already) and when we were at Home Depot on Sunday they had sold out!

Gavin, where is the good Chinese take away?

I almost cried with happiness at Costco on Saturday when I realised they sold chips and gravy at the cafe bit, it tasted like chippy gravy back near my Mums house in Liverpool, been so long since we had chippy gravy

Hi welcome to the Canadian section ! What a start, vomiting children - lovely ! Someone else on here had the same thing on the plane over. Poor you - and the child. Hope all is well again on the upset stomach front !

Best wishes in Edmonton - and don't worry, it'll cool down enough for you soon enough !

Where is good for electrical supplies because I don't know when my furniture is going to arrive (with the fans we have already) and when we were at Home Depot on Sunday they had sold out!

Try Walmart, Zellers, Sears, The Bay, Rona, Home Hardware, Home Outfitters, also Winners, Jysk (in the WEM).

Hopefully one will have some left!!! Good luck

Linda

Thanks Linda, we tried Walmart but the one we went to had some kind of revamp being done and they didn't have any electrical stuff at all, but we didn't try Sears and I did see a Rona when I was out too so I will try that as it looks my furniture is not going to arrive for at least another week so I am definitely going to have to buy some fans

Hiya.I feel for you on the blow up beds,we did that for 4 weeks!!! Im in Calgary so cant advise on Edmonton but i hope it all goes well for you.We used Walmart for all the electricals.no-one could beat them in price and we had everything to buy when we first got here.Was great fun
We got our fan in Canadian tire was only $16 and was a blessing in this heat.
The blow up pool is a great thing aswell for soaking your feet while you sunbathe Ours was $60 in Toys R Us and can fit a family of 5 in it
Mandi

Hi Mandi, the blow up beds are a joy aren't they, still, hopefully I only have one more week on them so just two weeks for me, not the four you managed to survive.

I will go and get a paddling pool, the kids will love that!

Also try Canadian Superstore, Best Buy, Visions, Future store, Staples

Linda

I tried Superstore and Best Buy, I think there was some kind of mass renovation going on at the weekend as Superstore had no electrical stuff as they were revamping that part of the store as well, and the Best Buy we went to had no fans and none of the home stuff that the Best Buy in Texas had - again, we probably hit the only one that didn't have fans etc

We did pick up a little portable TV from Best Buy to keep the kids entertained until ours arrive, they were in mourning for their TV shows on Monday morning, and then the cable guy arrived and there was much rejoicing!!

That brings back memories we spent a mint in Blockbusters hiring movies for 5 days till they could get the cable in for us as we moved in on a Friday Was a bloody nightmare.
One thing i will say about the blow up beds..... it makes you appreciate your furniture a whole lot more when you dont have any for a few weeks dosent it
We also picked up a few bargains with tv,s etc on Kijjii. only paid like $20 for each portable for the kids.
mandi