The Canadian Rockies... The Big Melt

Since our dog sledding adventure we have been hop skipping and jumping about the Canadian Rockies. It honestly is an outstanding setting. Every place we land is uncompromising in it's effortless beauty; unaware of it's exceptional elegance. Canmore's streets encroach upon the raggedy mountains at every turn. Their peaks dappled with recent snow. It's true we've seen many snow capped mountains whilst in Canada but each one confesses something different that we admire their summit's with fresh eyes, as though they are our first.

We spent an afternoon hiking up to Grassi Lakes. The trail was simply a sleek sheet of ice, and we tired quickly skating to the top. The undisturbed lakes lay unassuming at the end of the strenuous climb. Bright blues and bottle greens are forced together as though mixed upon an artists' palette, battling for the viewers eye. Reflecting their artistry to the sky's above.

Our trip to Canmore culminated in an evening spent inside a teepee around a crackling fire with some newly acquainted Aussie pals. We roasted marshmallows on questionable sticks above the unruly flames. Upon leaving our hide away the moon combined with our torches to light the thick falling snow as we scurried back up to the warmth of our isolated hostel. Why we were then surprised at our snow covered scene the following morning I do not know!

We are currently in the mist of 'The Big Melt'.... well, that's what Sam and I have named the Rockies transition between Winter and Spring. No where is this more highlighted than Johnston Canyon. My favourite hike to date.....

The deep canyon has etched its way through the mountain leaving a sheer drop on both sides, so naturally we scrambled along this arduous edge. The canyon looked stunning dressed in bridal white. As we neared the waterfall the white frills boarded the opaque waters running immutable every which way around the melting ice. Ominous icicles clung to the tumbling waterfall in a last ditch attempt to proclaim Winter..... but spring is thankfully triumphant!

The Big Melt was probably not the wisest time to then visit the infamous Lake Louise. A vast lake on the cusp of Spring with one foot still in Winter. For a lake this size it most certainly means..... thin ice! Which in turn probably means.... 'Do not walk upon'. (As evidenced by the many foot holes). Consequently making my next move rather foolish.... Sorry Mum.

Still, exploring our natural surroundings does not come without it's dangers....

True Story: Let me set the scene.... Belly's full from our recently devoured three egg omelet, we headed to the TV room in the basement of our Canmore hostel. Film decided, I proceeded to fight with the electrical equipment in a battle to open the DVD tray. My increasing frustration was interrupted with.... 'There's something in my hair'.... Sam sounded panicked. I felt panicked. We looked at each other, wide eyed, and without vocalising a thing we shared the same thought..... Tick! We'd spoken about them all day, been warned about them, and even mocked the newly placed poster in our hostel. Rummaging through her hair I soon found the culprit of our earlier discussions and present fears.... tick. Having our despair confirmed by an unsuspecting German couple near by we headed to the only place backpackers know where to head in times of crisis.... the hostel reception. We were met with looks of disbelief. The German girl seemed intent on removing the tick using a straw and string method. Straw and string?!? Currently not items in the first aid kit.... come to think of it we never questioned her outlandish strategy. We alternatively settled for the grab a pull method. Tick removed... foreign body executed... que the onset of creepy skin. We were freaked, we still are freaked. Full body checks are now performed somewhat ritualistically in morning showers.

Currently Reading: When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman - Highly Recommend!

Snow Paws

Thermal layers came out of retirement for one last outing before the end of winter. Early morning silently preparing electrical equipment marked the start of another heroic adventure. No sandwich bag safety precautions needed today, instead a steady supply of snacks and a robust pair of footwear. Ready!..... I know what you're thinking, but sadly Sam and I have not yet joined the line dancing class at weight watchers. Although we endeavour to do so at some point. Alternatively, we sought out the somewhat dicey sport of dog sledding.

Barking, howling and general yapping echoed around the frosty mountain upon our arrival, deafening the surrounding vicinity. Our chance of seeing bears this trip? Pretty minimal I'd say. Friendly faces turned to welcome us. Oodles of huskies lined the snowy trail, each one individual but just as delectable. We were encouraged to introduce ourselves to our four-legged friends; avoiding those wearing red neckerchiefs (these pups were a little shy). I was in my element! Never had I seen such a stunning variety of colours and markings. Interestingly, there were several different types of huskies; Malamute, Siberian, Alaskan, Inuit and even Indian. Each breed just as solicitous to please.

Fun Fact: Inuit huskies can sled in temperatures below -40. Making our excursion some what of a tropical vacation for these guys.

A heavily bearded man introduced himself as Bill and proceeded to relay copious amounts of information to help us master the basics. 'Hike up Puppies', bellowed firm and enthusiastic would result in your dogs departing at speed. 'Easy Puppies', (and one foot on the break) slows your team down. Most importantly, 'Woah Puppies', (with both feet on the break, thus applying your full weight onto your only stopping device), hopefully brings your sled to a smooth standstill. Leaning into corners is also pivotal if you don't want to separate from your sled.

The Golden Rule: NEVER let go of your sled or remove yourself from the break whilst stationary. Your team will take advantage of your carelessness and naivety.

Bill continued to clarify the do's and dont's with humorous tales from guests previous. Do: Keep your eye out for distractions. (If your dogs try to follow squirrels up a tree, you will subsequently find yourself up a tree). Don't: keep going if a dog is attempting to poop. His team-mates are oblivious and unconcerned and will maintain their stride, dragging him along regardless. Lesson complete, I found myself climbing into the sled. I felt like I was climbing in bed it was so cosy, it certainly rivalled a night spent in Clifford. Sam at the helm, it was time.... 'HIKE UP PUPPIES'. Snow kicked up off the ground and we were off....sharpish. Never has the sight of six bottoms looked so appealing when accompanied by a perfect winter backdrop. We zipped through the trails, over bridges, down slopes, around corners until we rather inelegantly came to an abrupt halt atop a frozen lake. We congratulated out tail wagging team. I thoroughly enjoyed soaking in the sights with our new canine companions. 

My turn to drive. Despite complying with the golden rule (both feet most definitely firmly settled on the break), upon realising the anchor was aloof the pups were dragging the sled.... and me! My attempts to command them - futile!  I jumped off the break to give them free rein, (possibly a bad decision as I would now be disembarking at speed), but I managed to hold on. From then on I successfully took command of my team as we hurtled through the rest of the trails. Warm apple cider and tasty treats awaited us around a crackling fire on our return. I gobbled up the cinnamon buns smiling at the paw prints left in the snow.

Local cuisine: So, I think it's important I share with you a delight known as Poutine. Essentially it is cheesy chips avec gravy. But this is no mere cheddar, we're talking halloumi. I am ashamed to say it is becoming a firm favourite of mine. In fact it could now be classified as a moderate addiction. I challenge you to concoct your own versions and not fall in love with this remarkable dish.

From Canada to India

Blast from the past! After finding out about an 'Everyday India' article for the GuardianWitness I figured I'd compose a quick something and send it off. Having experienced the greatest culture shock of my life I deemed it only appropriate to share my thoughts on buses.

Waiting for a bus

Here's a link to the Guardian website, and my piece aptly titled 'Waiting for a bus'. You might have to scroll though, so to help you seek it out it was published on 23 April.

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/533952dbe4b03f2475aef370?page=2&order=latest  

Meet Clifford

 We have befriended a stray. Who's not too dis-similar to 'Clifford the Big Red Dog' (for those of you who remember this stupidly out of date cartoon). He's big, He's red. He enjoys being taken out for trips. In return he offers us sporadic security (to the tune of alarm bells), and has taught us the ever so fun game of  'Guess how much longer till I run out of gas'. If you haven't already guessed it, Sam and I are now the proud owners of a new car. A Pontiac Montana who's petrol gauge is completely useless nonetheless. At the grand old age of 25 we are now both in the 'two car family' category. Despite the fact we're childless and somewhat nomadic individuals who are forever giving hostel addresses (as our own) to banks and insurance providers.

Clifford is more than a car. He's a home. (Although I'm not quite on the property ladder yet). In that we've removed his back seats and arranged Clifford's interior for open plan living. Let me invite you in to our bedroom, come wardrobe, come kitchen, come house!

So we hit the open road in our Chariot. The road trip has begun! First stop, Squamish. We waved off Vancouver only to be reunited twenty short minutes later. Grid layout = No roundabouts. If you're going the wrong way, you will continue to do so for some time. Road signs here are also discourteous. Directing you somewhere before abandoning you no where. But we made it onto the sea to sky highway. Arriving in Squamish, Clifford sniffed out his first campsite and we set up camp in the wilderness. Clifford didn't really understand the ambiance of the forest, with his intermittent alarm bells blazing (yes it appears we bought a Pontiac Montana with a slight default). We made a fire and cooked dinner.... well, we lit the stove and emptied some nutritious tinned delights into a frying pan that we 'borrowed' from a hostel. Trips to the toilet revealed ominous 'Bear in the Area' posters so we swiftly locked ourselves in Clifford and settled down for the night...... Awful! Absolutely freezing!! Neither Sam or I barely slept but we both spent the night silently beside each other giving the pretense that we were in fact effortlessly dreaming. Better that than succumb to the fact we were indeed awake. The sun finally arose and we sheepishly headed for Whistler. Unbeknown to us Whistler was extraordinarily close. Given that Whistler is a ski resort upon a mountain, this meant that we had in fact slept extraordinarily close to the snowy surroundings. Hence the cold night - school boy error! Warm showers awaited us.. bliss! In fact this hostel is equipped to cater for all your needs. Should you require an emergency tampon you can purchase them in the vending machine along side your chocolate bars and drinks. Optimum convenience!

Whistler is the 'Diagon Alley' of winter sports. A characterful village with every shop uniform in appearance. It's winding paths are full of people lugging ski's and snowboards dressed in colours not out of place on a highway maintenance workforce. It's winning feature is the ski lifts that collect passengers from within the village. Sweeping them off their feet from just beside the many shops and restaurants. You can literally ski then shop. Whistler seems to be all about the convenience it would seem.

The road trip continues....

We have since travelled through Lillooet, Kamloops, Chilliwack, Harrision Hot Springs, Vernon, Revelstoke and Golden. Staying in a mixture of hostels and campsites. Each town offers us something unique, with varying degrees of success. Whether it's a snow covered town with multicoloued housing reminiscent of Balamory (Vernon). Or a summery hot stay besides a lake (Harrision Hot Springs). First shot of our long awaited 'We're in a Canada and here's an unnaturally blue lake' was found in Lillooet. Unfortunately, we found ourselves without a toilet camping in Kamloops but so far every annoyance has it's redeeming feature. Having to awake early for nature wee's to avoid running into other campers ended up in a 7am trip to McDonald's. Swings and roundabouts.... Cheese and Pickle.

We're in Canada and here's an unnaturally blue lake

Honestly though, I cannot describe to you how beautiful it is to drive across Canada. It's ever changing landscape has us convinced we're travelling through countries... continents even! All within in a matter of hours. Vast frozen lakes that stretch out before us soon turn into snowy creeks. Ravines follow the motorway until we are met with luscious green pastures and rolling hills. Desolate, dry and dusty plains greet us only an hour later. Before we know it we're winding up a mountain along a sheer cliff edge. Road signs change from 'Stop' and 'No U-Turn' to 'Avalanche Area' and 'Falling Rocks'. We're back in the inescapable snow! Clifford is certainly being put to the test!


Next stop.... Banff!

Vancouver Island - The West Coast

'You could totally hitch-hike' Is what we are consistently told when we enquire how to get somewhere on the island. Much to the disapproval of Canadians, but I'm sure relief of our mothers we have yet to stand on the side of the motorway, thumbs outstretched to the passing traffic. We are however accepting lifts from strangers that we meet in hostels.


So, despite the humble town of Tofino's best efforts to keep under it's population quota by two, we have eventually managed to set foot in this BEAUTIFUL town - (it deserves every capital). Every which way you turn offers spectacular views. Mountains layered upon snow capped mountains. Tall standing fir trees encased by glistening lakes. Nearby islands that encapsulate the charm of an ancient era long gone. It's a masterpiece! Our hostel even has a sauna. We've explored forbidden beaches and unearthed Canada's FINEST ice cream - (it too deserves every capital).

Our day began bright and early. We packed our bags in silence:
Electrical equipment adorning sandwich bag poncho's (years of watching Blue Peter finally paying off) - Check!
Swimwear (didn't bring any) - never mind - Check!
Travel sickness pills (not that there's any helping me) - Check!
We set sail. No sooner had our vessel left the harbour my hair was entangled from the sea breeze racing through it and I was reaching for the sick bag - Pretty image. Why would I put myself through such torture you ask? Grey Whales - google that image, it is pretty! My queasiness was temporarily suppressed as we scanned the surface of the water, surveying the horizon. It didn't take long. First, the sound of a blow hole clearing, everyone's heads turned to catch the spurting water being flung high into the sky. Then another, and another.... all in quick succession. Mouths gaping, we watched as their grey mass broke the surface of the water, as it formed a lone island that was delicately rising. I looked around. We were accompanied by the rising sun reflecting off the waves. Mountain peaks peered over a tree covered coastline. Giant tails were the last to leave the surface before elegantly disappearing into the depths, without a trace. We were lucky enough to observe several of these majestic creatures on their migration.

As we drew closer to our destination we encountered more and more islands crammed with vegetation. So with the Jurassic Park theme tune repeating in my head we stepped onto dry land. It was a short walk through the dense forest with its canopies looming over us. I couldn't help but think we were travelling further into the pre-cretaceous period. In fact, I half expected to see a stegosaurus saunter past us, much to my disappointment, it didn't. We finally arrived where the rainforest met the ocean. I felt that like an intrepid explorer emerging from an expedition. Truth be told it was a half hour walk through the foliage, but as we stepped out into the sunshine it felt epic!

We had reached the hot springs. The waterfall cascaded down the rocks forming pools, all the while whisps of steam clung to the surface of the water. I was reminded of opening the freezer door on a hot summers day.... but this was back to front?! The steam lingered around the coastline - it looked ludicrous! So, with the numbing winter air surrounding us there was only one thing to do.... strip to our undies. We tip toed across the rocks and reached the base of the waterfall. Big toe tested the waters... Boiling. However, we soon became accustomed to the searing heat and rather enjoyed submerging ourselves in the hot water. It was mesmerising listening to the icy waves from the ocean crashing over the rocks just down from where we were sat.

Our journey back was another wildlife extravaganza with lots to see on the menu. Bald eagles flew overhead as sea otters fleetingly popped up to say hello. Curiosity sooner got the better of them and they shortly re-emerged trying to decipher our intentions. A short glance in their direction and they'd vanish, quick as a flash. Best of all we observed California and Steller seals upon a remote island. They continually scrambled over each other, I can only assume they were fighting to get the best tan. What a feast!


Fun Recipe: During our travels lunch can sometimes be problematic as we are often on the move. Tins of baked beans or tuna were a staple throughout Asia with their handy ring pulls, but with shoddy can openers in Canada I was forced to think outside the tin can. It can provide the perfect antidote to travel sickness. May contain nuts. Readers discretion advised.

Take one seeded wrap and liberally apply the peanut butter of your choosing be it smooth/crunchy with or without maple syrup. (An optional but recommended layer of strawberry jam can be applied at this stage).
Peel the banana of your desired maturity and position said banana upon wrap... roll...enjoy!

Vancouver Island - The East Coast

It's raining, It's pouring... the old man is NOT snoring! But then, why would he be? Why would anyone be? We have landed on what appears to be a very deserted Vancouver Island. Island beach paradise it is not.... Large land mass (equal to that of England) of quaint little towns it most certainly is!

Our journey to Cumberland was nothing short of traumatic. We arrived at the bus stop in ample time,with adequate bus fare. Catching a bus... how hard can it be? Very as it goes. Firstly, bus stops are hard to spot. Mere poles protruding from the ground. Canadians queue at the bus stop, how wonderfully British we thought. No,No! We quickly deducted that this was aimless queuing, regardless if their bus was next or not. For fear of joining the back of the queue and those in front not getting on... we stood our ground away from the curb, undeterred. Turns out everyone was queuing for our bus - the horse shoe bay express. Typical! In addition to our aforementioned anguish, upon reaching the bus driver we discovered...'Change only!' For the $4 fare Sam had $3.65 and I a measly $2.95. We ashamedly took our seats nonetheless. Nightmare! The ferry proved to be a better, less complex mode of transport for our comprehension. And as for the 'Island Link' bus service, it collected the grand total of four passengers before chaperoning us around the island. We got chatting to a rather enthusiastic lady named Bernadette, who advised us on countless places to visit and regaled us with tales of Black Bears and man eating Cougars. That's right, they roam free about the island here. Be safe, Be vigilant... Be Bear Aware!

Cumberland is an enchanting town that alludes the charm of an old western. With a population of under 3000 (I challenge this as we only ever saw a maximum of three people at any one time) it happily survives on one main street. Lined with one library, one post office, one bakery, one butchers, one clothes shop and....one tattoo parlour?!?

On our second day in Cumberland we arose to the sound of pitta patta.... it was raining... obviously. Thermal under layers and freshly bought (second hand) gilet making it's debut we departed on foot.... for the motorway. We'd heard a rumour that a bright yellow school bus had been spotted ferrying ski cladded, multicoloured wearing youths up the mountain... we wanted in on that! We sat on the hard shoulder with no real expectations that any such yellow vehicle would materialise, but sure enough it did. So we gallantly hopped on. Excited, surprised and somewhat confused as to how we had made it onto our desired shuttle we fell asleep to the sound of the falling rain. Only to be awoken a short while later by the glare of snow... perfectly white... perfectly untouched. We had made it to the summit of Mount Washington. We queued with the masses of snowboarders and skiiers and swanned up to the desk to eagerly ask for 'Snow Shoes'. We were met with puzzled expressions. Apparently no one ever asks for them. But, find them they did, and strap giant tennis racket like devices to our feet we did.

Walking through the the icy desert was effortless thanks to the strange contraptions strapped on our feet. We set out to explore the top of our Christmas cake. Everything that surrounded us was so beautiful, it really did look as though it had been freshly dusted with icing sugar. We found ourselves alone as we hiked through the trails and often heard thuds of snow falling from the trees under their weight. We first mistook it for something chasing us... a pack of wolves perhaps? We questioned our bear aware skills and realised that we didn't know any! We soon found an angelic spot and decided to settle down for lunch.... a tin of baked beans. Yum! We then made fresh snow angels before setting forth in the show once again. It was hard work wading through the deep snow all day, our thighs burned from the built up lactic acid, but it was worth every drop.

Welcome to Canada

I thought I had overcome my travel sickness.... I have not. I greeted our landing onto Canadian soil throwing up in a sick bag, with a very sympathetic Sam to my right and a very small, very puzzled French Canadian boy to my left. Welcome to Canada!

Thumbs up to our first impressions of Vancouver. Its a beautiful city with snow topped mountains on one side and the crashing waves from the Pacific on the other. The sun shines brightly here across a brilliant blue sky... but it's still a tad nippy. Coats are an essential! The air here has a cool, crisp feel to it. We pass drains on the sidewalk that eminate steam like a boiling kettle whilst having cold fingers from the frosty air. It's a real oxymoron for the senses.

Vancouver uses a grid layout so everywhere is referred to in blocks. It's certainly cleared up the lingo in 'Friends' for me if nothing else. Because of the block layout you hit crossroads all the time. You're constantly confronted with either a green man or a red hand. The problem being that everything is silent. So when the elusive green man does eventually appear we're often not even aware of it. Standing stationary with the traffic. Plonkers! The city is all sidewalks, grocery stores, trash cans and looneys ($ coins). In fact the city is so clean and neat with its straight lines someone with severe OCD could happily live out their days here.

Fun Fact: The population of Vancouver is only 578,040. There doesn't seem to be many inhabitants here at all. We have so much space when perusing around the city center. It certainly makes a refreshing change from the bustling streets of Maidstone.

Canadians certainly know how to live with their maple syrup flavoured baked beans and bacon. Breakfast anyone? In fact you're bound to find something maple syrup flavoured in all the major food groups. I hasten to add it has become one of our favourite past times to scan the grocery store with it's isles of perfectly piled shiny fruit in precise pyramids. We have found cartons of egg whites (for the lazy meringue maker) and peaches and cream flavoured sweetcorn (for.....)

This week we also managed to get a hold of some tickets to see the Vancouver Canucks. Coconuts Go.. or.. Go Canucks Go! (The two sound awfully similar when chanted by hoards of enthusiastic Ice Hockey fans.) They were playing the Buffalo Sabres and I was pretty excited for my first Ice Hockey match. As we entered the Rogers arena we were awarded with 'my first Canucks game' badges and we promptly took our seats. The whole experience did not deviate from any expectations created from big blockbuster movies. In fact the whole match was visually spectacular with it's theatrical lighting and projection of images onto the ice. The organ and commentator also stayed true to all stereotypes. Bizarrely they even changed the ads around the ring during intervals. I felt like we witnessed a lot in our first game... hockey sticks snapping and pucks being flung into the audience. Players caught fighting were pinned to the ice by referees before being sent to their respective isolation booths like naughty school boys. The whole arena created such a great atmosphere, all encouraged by killer whale mascot 'Finn' who spent much of the match cheering on the crowd and firing free t-shirts into the audience. I'm sure you're wondering.... the Canucks won... 4-2 Result!

Also this week, Sam and myself took to the saddle on one speed no breaks included Vancouver bicycles. Stanley park was our destination... 'pedaling backwards slows you down' was our philosophy. It was a surprisingly enjoyable ride through the park. We took a pit stop at some totem poles before we stopped for lunch at Beaver Lake. No beavers to be seen here.

All in all a really positive first week. The weather has got a bit drissly of late but we have been kept well informed by the forecast. In fact the forecast does not hold back on personal opinions when relaying information. Kindly sympathizing that although it's 6 degrees.... it feels like 4! Next stop...Vancouver Island. Although I am certainly going to miss our nautical themed hostel here. Inventing meals with only a microwave, toaster and kettle at our disposal has likened to a daily episode of 'Ready Steady Cook'. I must elaborate that our hostel is only nautical in the sense that every available wall space is crammed with pictures and posters of ships that all look uncannily like the Titanic. I sure hope that's not an omen.