Friday, 29 June 2018
Why Alaska?
Easy; big scenery, big wildlife! It’s the American state unlike any other and so many people I have spoken to want to visit but never quite make it. Well, as I am so close (a hop, skip and a jump from Vancouver via Seattle to reach it,) I am venturing there. Weather is looking good, so I’m hoping to see the peak of Denali, the highest peak in North America as well as moose and, fingers crossed, bears.
Lakes and Grapes
This week I have soaked up the sun, the lakeside culture and the wines of the Okanagan Valley whilst staying in Penticton, a town nestled between two huge lakes. After time spent in the Rockies, the landscape is very different - much drier and hotter, still with forests, but open grasslands too. When hiking I swapped bear watch for keeping my eyes peeled for cougars and rattlesnakes. Thankfully I didn’t come across any, only some mule deer. I think walking at home will seem very tame after Canada!
The area is also known for the vineyards, so on a trip out to Naramata it would have been wrong not to sample some. Pear, cherry and blackcurrant wines were on the fruit wine tasting menu and all were delicious, blackcurrant being my favourite. A bottle of that with bread and cheese would make for a heavenly afternoon! I also had recommendations for a great coffee place, where I had the best coffee so far in Canada - http://www.thebenchmarket.com/ and a restaurant recommendation, http://www.badtattoobrewing.com/ where the pizza was mouth-wateringly good, washed down with a pint of cider.
With the great food, wine, cider, hiking and sunshine, I definitely enjoyed a few lazy afternoons by the lake and in one of Canada’s largest second hand bookshops
http://www.bookspenticton.com/history.html. A perfect way to spend my last full week in Canada : )
The area is also known for the vineyards, so on a trip out to Naramata it would have been wrong not to sample some. Pear, cherry and blackcurrant wines were on the fruit wine tasting menu and all were delicious, blackcurrant being my favourite. A bottle of that with bread and cheese would make for a heavenly afternoon! I also had recommendations for a great coffee place, where I had the best coffee so far in Canada - http://www.thebenchmarket.com/ and a restaurant recommendation, http://www.badtattoobrewing.com/ where the pizza was mouth-wateringly good, washed down with a pint of cider.
With the great food, wine, cider, hiking and sunshine, I definitely enjoyed a few lazy afternoons by the lake and in one of Canada’s largest second hand bookshops
http://www.bookspenticton.com/history.html. A perfect way to spend my last full week in Canada : )
Reflections
So, three months away from the easiness and now what seem like luxiourious things from home, I thought I’d try and reflect on what I’ve learnt about myself on this trip.
1. I get on with 98% of the world, except people that snore. They definitely make me grumpy.
2. I do not miss having a car. I am happiest when walking or cycling and I am a huge fan of public transport (hmmm, will this be the case upon returning home I wonder...)
3. Mosquitoes love my blood!
4. I can slow down (sometimes,) but need the company of a great book and a good coffee.
5. I can pretty much sleep anywhere
6. To show gratitude for the everyday things we take for granted - clean clothes, fresh drinking water, the warmth of the sun when on the summit of a mountain...
7. That my love for travel is to do not only with meeting new people, seeing new places and experiencing new cultures, but it is the sense of freedom it brings. There are no routines, no set structures, only myself to please.
8. My taste buds think avocado sushi is delicious : )
9. I have learnt patience in new measures and that what will be will be; sometimes things are beyond my control and that’s OK.
10. Finally, that I genuinely feel lucky. I live in a safe country and have a passport that allows me to see other places on Earth and as long as I have my health and a few ££, I will continue to roam.
1. I get on with 98% of the world, except people that snore. They definitely make me grumpy.
2. I do not miss having a car. I am happiest when walking or cycling and I am a huge fan of public transport (hmmm, will this be the case upon returning home I wonder...)
3. Mosquitoes love my blood!
4. I can slow down (sometimes,) but need the company of a great book and a good coffee.
5. I can pretty much sleep anywhere
6. To show gratitude for the everyday things we take for granted - clean clothes, fresh drinking water, the warmth of the sun when on the summit of a mountain...
7. That my love for travel is to do not only with meeting new people, seeing new places and experiencing new cultures, but it is the sense of freedom it brings. There are no routines, no set structures, only myself to please.
8. My taste buds think avocado sushi is delicious : )
9. I have learnt patience in new measures and that what will be will be; sometimes things are beyond my control and that’s OK.
10. Finally, that I genuinely feel lucky. I live in a safe country and have a passport that allows me to see other places on Earth and as long as I have my health and a few ££, I will continue to roam.
Sunday, 24 June 2018
Way out west
Feeling pretty relaxed as I write this having spent the last few days on Vancouver Island on the beaches of Tofino and in the vibrant town of Victoria. I only scratched the surface of this island, but enjoyed a whale watching trip and caught a glimpse of a grey whale, sea otters, a bald eagle, seals and dolphins, as well as sampling kahlua ice cream and avocado sushi (not together) in Victoria and a pretty sunset in Tofino. These memories, along with camping amongst the giant Douglas firs and campfires with toasted marshmallows on the beach made this short stop worth every minute and of course more friendships were made with some great people.
Friday, 22 June 2018
Roaming in the Rockies
Summits, sunshine & spectacular scenery that make you feel so small and in awe of the natural world. Over the last two weeks I have been hiking and camping in the Rockies and have been fortunate to have blue skies (for the most part,) which seem to look even bluer against the snow-topped peaks.
It's hard to choose just a few highlights as everyday has been pretty special, but I'll try. Riding the gondolas & chairlifts on Whistler & Blackcomb mountains and hiking on tracks where you're surrounded by snow was photo heaven! Whistler itself is also a great town and somewhere I would definitely love to return to in winter. Likewise Banff and Jasper are places that are hard not to warm to with the backdrop of the Rockies.
As well as mountains, I have seen a lifetime's worth of beautiful, turquoise blue lakes, some with the reflections of the impressive peaks above mirrored in them. The wildlife has also been on a grand scale - black bears, elk, coyotes and today on a whale watching trip sea otters, playful dolphins and majestic grey whales. I feel truly spoilt!
However, perhaps a really personal highlight was conquering my fear of being on the water when I took a canoe trip in Wells Gray National Park. After a fairly disastrous kayaking adventure in New Zealand ten years ago, I have not ventured into such a small vessel on the water since. I won't lie, landing on Caribou Beach and having my feet back on dry land was the best feeling after gripping the paddle so hard. But I did it and knowing I did it was a pretty great feeling.
Photos to follow when wifi connection is a little better than in my tent!
Oh, and just to add, mosquitos have been encountered as much as the mountains, so much so you could probably do dot-to-dot on my arms and face! Has it been worth it? Of course : )
It's hard to choose just a few highlights as everyday has been pretty special, but I'll try. Riding the gondolas & chairlifts on Whistler & Blackcomb mountains and hiking on tracks where you're surrounded by snow was photo heaven! Whistler itself is also a great town and somewhere I would definitely love to return to in winter. Likewise Banff and Jasper are places that are hard not to warm to with the backdrop of the Rockies.
As well as mountains, I have seen a lifetime's worth of beautiful, turquoise blue lakes, some with the reflections of the impressive peaks above mirrored in them. The wildlife has also been on a grand scale - black bears, elk, coyotes and today on a whale watching trip sea otters, playful dolphins and majestic grey whales. I feel truly spoilt!
However, perhaps a really personal highlight was conquering my fear of being on the water when I took a canoe trip in Wells Gray National Park. After a fairly disastrous kayaking adventure in New Zealand ten years ago, I have not ventured into such a small vessel on the water since. I won't lie, landing on Caribou Beach and having my feet back on dry land was the best feeling after gripping the paddle so hard. But I did it and knowing I did it was a pretty great feeling.
Photos to follow when wifi connection is a little better than in my tent!
Oh, and just to add, mosquitos have been encountered as much as the mountains, so much so you could probably do dot-to-dot on my arms and face! Has it been worth it? Of course : )
Monday, 11 June 2018
Moving on to Montreal
Another travelling day today with two flights to head west. The perfect time to update the blog on my final stop in eastern Canada; Montreal, which I have been looking forward to for a couple of reasons. Firstly I spent part of my week volunteering with ‘The Lion and The Mouse,’ a group that runs programmes for children and families centered around the forest school ethos and play based learning. Read more about them here: https://en.lelionetlasouris.com/aboutlm/ourmission/
We had constant, steady rain during the first morning with a group of 4-6 year olds, although the hours slipped by as fun was had in muddy puddles, creating water slides with pebbles and plastic sheeting and filling, emptying and pouring water in different containers. None of the children were bothered by the rain and had full splashsuits on over warm clothing. Once we got back inside, there was time to dry off with towels, snuggle under blankets for stories and enjoy a shared lunch of hummas, pita bread and vegetables. It made me think of how this was more like a home environment, whereby children’s curiosity and mood leads and shapes the play.
The other sessions were spent in slightly drier conditions and as well as great conversations with the children, their parents and the programme leaders, my overriding memories and reflections are of the ‘risky’ play children were allowed to explore. These children were confident, keen to try new things and the adult could support when needed, but it was the children who lead the learning, and by doing so were always engaged.
The rest of my week was spent being a tourist - exploring Mount Royal, the Port, Old Montreal and of course my daily visits to the markets! I loved the city - full of hustle and bustle, with such a range of architecture from 18th century buildings to shiny glass tower blocks. You never knew what you might find around the next corner. As it happens, I found a street fair, a free art exhibition and a cafe housed in a bank! It was the city that kept on surprising!
But, the main reason for visiting Montreal and THE weekend I had been looking forward to was of course to attend the Formula 1 Grand Prix. OK, so it wasn’t the Hamilton win I had hoped for, but I had a brilliant four days at a great circuit, with wonderful weather and shared conversations, food and drink with people from across the globe who have a shared passion for the sport. It was definitely worth the wait.
We had constant, steady rain during the first morning with a group of 4-6 year olds, although the hours slipped by as fun was had in muddy puddles, creating water slides with pebbles and plastic sheeting and filling, emptying and pouring water in different containers. None of the children were bothered by the rain and had full splashsuits on over warm clothing. Once we got back inside, there was time to dry off with towels, snuggle under blankets for stories and enjoy a shared lunch of hummas, pita bread and vegetables. It made me think of how this was more like a home environment, whereby children’s curiosity and mood leads and shapes the play.
The other sessions were spent in slightly drier conditions and as well as great conversations with the children, their parents and the programme leaders, my overriding memories and reflections are of the ‘risky’ play children were allowed to explore. These children were confident, keen to try new things and the adult could support when needed, but it was the children who lead the learning, and by doing so were always engaged.
The rest of my week was spent being a tourist - exploring Mount Royal, the Port, Old Montreal and of course my daily visits to the markets! I loved the city - full of hustle and bustle, with such a range of architecture from 18th century buildings to shiny glass tower blocks. You never knew what you might find around the next corner. As it happens, I found a street fair, a free art exhibition and a cafe housed in a bank! It was the city that kept on surprising!
But, the main reason for visiting Montreal and THE weekend I had been looking forward to was of course to attend the Formula 1 Grand Prix. OK, so it wasn’t the Hamilton win I had hoped for, but I had a brilliant four days at a great circuit, with wonderful weather and shared conversations, food and drink with people from across the globe who have a shared passion for the sport. It was definitely worth the wait.
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