Paris & Brugges July 25 to Aug 3

My last night in London was spent with two special ladies.. Zannah (my gracious hostess with the mostest when I arrived in London) and Michelle (sister of a very dear friend Danielle) at Ping Pong at Southbank. A quick visit to Joshi Thomson to give him his keys the following morning and off to the train. 2 hours later, I arrived in Paris with my pocket size picture French dictionary on hand.

So far so good.. My favourite phrase “Bonjour, Vous parlaz anglais?” is getting the results I’ve hoped for, my first few hours in Paris and I haven’t encountered a single rude Parisian. A quick dinner of baguette, camembert, ham and salad and into the hostel bar for a drink and check emails followed by a walk along the canal for a bit and retired for a big day tomorrow.

Time for a quick breakfast – if you can call it that! A choice of coco pops or bread & jam. Really??? A stop at the store to get a few supplies, plus left over’s from last night and I’m off.

First stop the Louve. When I saw the line, I almost turned away! After closer observation, I noticed it was moving pretty quickly. With a ticket and map in hand, I went in search of a few things... After 2 or 3 hours I sat down to have a drink of water and snack, gathering my things together and start moving again I looked up, who was walking in my direction through the walkway dividing the Italian paintings of the 1300-1500’s and the Apollo Gallery– Ali Bronts.. “No.. it can’t be” I thought but then I saw John just a step behind her. I grabbed my things and walked the 5 meters. I greeted them and after the few seconds it took to register it was me, we had stepped out of the crowds so that we could properly catch up. Now, after a week – I still find it amazing we crossed paths. What are the chances? And to think, out of the 12000 visitors per day, I was sitting in the right spot, at the right time and looking in the right direction at exactly the right moment?? I should add that they didn’t know I was in Paris, and I wasn’t aware they were here.

After a 30 minute run down of whats been happening, where we’re going & where we’ve been, where we’re staying etc, arrangements were made spend the following day with each other. Ali & John had only just arrived in Paris (from Aus) the day before. Seeing Ali & John was clearly the biggest highlight of my visit at the Louve, and Paris for that matter! Other features included; Aphrodite (Venus de Milo), Pysche and Cupid, Colossal statue of Ramessess II, Captive by Michelangelo, The Wedding Feast, The winged victory of Samothrace, The Sphinx, The Mummy and of course Mona Lisa.

By 2pm, I had enough of the Louve. The crowds – especially around the Mona Lisa were insane. I decided to keep moving but not before I had lunch in the square... I love people watching. A little surprised to see army personnel with machine guns parolling. Just as I was finishing lunch, it started to rain a little so I made my move. Wandering along Rue Rivoli then past ‘St German L’auxenois, over the Pont Neuf and along the Seine to Sainte Chapel. Seeing the long line, I continued along towards the Notre Dame. A ridiculously long line but it moved pretty quickly. Once inside, I walked around then sat to appreciate its grandeur and 3 people sat behind me. After a minute or so of them talking at full volume – I turned ‘shhhhhh’! OH MY.. Its official – I’m now considered old in the eyes of teenagers and people in their early 20s.

Still raining, I sought refuge under thick trees in a lovely garden behind the Notre Dame, with a piano accordion playing in the distance I thought it a perfect time to sit and write in my travel diary. When the sun started shining less than 20 minutes later, I made tracks along the Seine, past Hotel De Ville that had beach volley ball courts in the square infront.. and thru random streets that were just beautiful. Back to the hostel for a meal, shower and before I knew it – I’d passed out. This sightseeing business is exhausting!

Meeting Ali & John for breaky before heading to the Eiffel Tower. By the time we got there, it was a little later than we had planned, but the line was ok – much much much better than 30 minutes later – when the line had probably tripled in length! We didn’t know much about the Eiffel tower so I grabbed my Kindle to consult ‘Sights of Paris’.. this proved extremely handy over and over again! Plus, much lighter than the 600g Europe lonely planet guide! The views were nice, but views are views – we all agreed it was nicer from the ground. BUT thats not saying you shouldn’t go to the Summit – a must! We walked along the Champ de Mars which to get a more distant view of the tower and some photos. Lunch in a lovely little restaurant where we called Marg & Pete Osment (Aunt & Uncle living in France) then off to the Arc De Triomph. By the time we meandered along Avenue De Champs (like Collins St on steroids), more people watching in a little park (John spotted a drug deal) we were all pretty spent. What a spectacular way to see Paris sights – with people I care about! Such a treat for a solo traveller!

My last full day in Paris (until the end of my trip) and I’ll be spending it with A & J. A lovely brunch (albeit the waitress forgetting my croissant).. a visit to the Bastile which none of us knew what it was or why it was erected (I have since determined this), a walk along a little canal where boats are moored. A walk over to the Notre Dame as they hadn’t seen it but we bypassed the line and walked around the exterior before walking back over the Siene and on the Metro. A quick afternoon tea near the Ibis and maybe this time I can get my croissant... Hmm.. the waiter forgot. Do the French have something against me eating their pastries??? I know I don’t ‘need’ one, but I WANT one!! We all had a good laugh, suppose you had to be there J Back to the hostel for a nap before our last hurrah – picnic dinner and drinks at the Eiffel Tower to admire it in all its glory – lit up and sparkling. It did not disappoint! It was such an amazing end to a wonderful time with Ali & John in Paris!

Now its July 31 and the first day of my BusAbout adventure (hop on-hop off) around western Europe. The ride to Brugges was a short 4 hour trip, and they stop every 2 hours so it was quite manageable. At checkin, there was still no room in the female dorms so I was in a mixed.. actually with 9 men and ALL Australian in their early/mid 20’s. God help me! Lucky for the privacy curtain on each of the bunks. One was actually very sweet and sacrificed the bottom bunk for me and they were polite, quiet and respectful. More than I can say for a different group of young Aussie guys of the same age. An embarrassment to Australia! Everything in Brugges is closed on Sundays, so no hope getting some cough medicine – at least there is one thing beneficial about having a persistent cough – a good ab workout!

I spent much of the following morning on Skype with my big brother David.. great to chat with him- its been a while. Then off exploring this pretty little medieval town that is Brugges..  I just strolled aimlessly through the cobblestone streets and over the many canals. I visited the Markt (Main Square), Basilica of Christs Blood, and resisted for as long as I could – but caved and went into a delectable chocolate shop. A box as a gift for a friend who I’m staying with in Amsterdam and three pieces for me! By far, the BEST chocolate I’ve ever tasted!!! A nice dinner in the restaurant next door, a great chat to some fellow travellers, double dose of cough syrup and I was out.

The following day we had miserable weather, a good opportunity to get a few things in order.  Loading photos and typing a blog is time consuming work, let alone the accommodation reservations etc. You can easily spend a full day on the computer if you fall behind as I have.

My last full day in Brugge, and feeling a little better – was to be the day that I ventured further afield to Antwerp or Ghent. Oh well, I have to remind myself that I can’t do it all. Instead, I did the remainder of the touristy things here. Including; The Belfry Tower (as featured in the 2009 movie ‘In Brugges’), They’re not kidding when they say that the tower stairs are narrow.. throw in impatient tourists that just barge through causing sever congestion – it was rather unpleasant. Next stop was the ‘Choco Story’. A museum dedicated to cocoa and chocolate. I had no idea that the cocoa bean was once used as currency. The life size chocolate statue of President Obama was interesting, but the highlight would have been the chocolate demonstration and of course the free chocolates afterward. This was an interesting way to spend an hour or two.  A canal boat ride was a lovely addition to my afternoon that I hadn’t planned. It really is a very pretty city and to see it from the waters, gives another perspective that I was so very pleased to get. The Church of Our Lady is almost a art gallery with all the paintings and sculptures they have on display.. also home to Michelangelo’s ‘Madonna & Child’. No signage forbidding photos, so i was shocked when I got in trouble from the attendant.. at least he didn’t make me delete the photo. Again, I hit the cobblestone and walked around the permitter of the old city, stopping off at Begijnof and the hospital museum. By this stage my cameras batter was flat. A few Belgian Beer samplers with dinner and meeting more travellers, this time a couple of Aussie (no surprise there) women that have been travelling for 9 months through South America and Europe. Not part of the busabout tours and doing some off the beaten path things, it was great hearing about their experiences. Pack up everything for my departure to Amsterdam tomorrow (4th).

For photos, click here >> Photos  <<

I hope you're all well. xoxo

PS. I'm a few days behind - Last night in Amsterdam tonight (8th) and leaving for Berlin tomorrow. I will work on my blog on the bus tomorrow and hopefully i will be making my next post more promptly.

Scotland - July 17-24 2011

Now back in London and staying with Bonnie Thomson, I’m desperately trying to rid myself of this cold that I’ve had since arriving in Edinburgh last week. So, while Bon is off at work, I’m sitting in bed updating photos and my blog.

On the first day, we loaded up into our bright yellow “Wild & Sexy” bus ready for our 5 Day “Highland Fling” tour, all a little wary of what we’d signed up for. Before we were even out of Edinburgh, our guide warned us that by the time we finish the tour, we will all be suffering from DSL... Deep Scottish Love!

The first stop was Stirling (Battle of the Stirling Bridge Sept 11 1297 & Battle of Bannockburn June 24 1314, Both Battles of Independence) and the William Wallace monument. Until this tour, I had no idea how terribly wrong Mel Gibson had portrayed the story of Braveheart... why let the truth get in the way of a Hollywood Blockbuster?! Mel is not a popular man in Scotland (or anywhere for that matter), but tourism to the Highlands has increased significantly due to the movie. This also shows my very poor knowledge of Scottish history.

The majority of the places we stopped at had a horrific history behind it. Our guide was rather graphic in his story telling; explaining the blood lost, limbs and heads severed the glory of defeating the enemy and what they did with body parts... yikes! He even described a blow by blow description of how William Wallace (the nations hero) was tortured by the English and the after 20+ hours, they castrated him and stuffed his parts in his mouth, removed and burnt his intestines etc while he was still alive before finally decapitating him.. Looking around the bus after a morning of stories, I noticed many faces looking a little unwell... phew, I wasn’t the only one. Thankfully though, the gory elements of the Scottish history was toned down after this particular story as the driver noticed almost each person was looking a little green.

Other stops on Day 1:
Doune Castle (Monty Python, the Holy Grail)
Callander - Hamish the highland cow who is apparently VERY famous in Scotland, why – we are not sure.
Louchearnhead – The area that Rob Roy lived
Glencoe – The Massacre of Glencoe 13 February 1692. This area was breathtaking and eerie. The Campbell’s slaughtered the MacDonald’s after staying with them for 2 weeks. Campbell’s seem to be the most hated clan of Scotland, even now!
Rannoch Moor – Popular hiking trails but also where they train soldiers in survival as it’s really remote... A hiker almost peed on a soldier lying in the shrubs – apparently!
Ballachulish Bridge & Corran Ferry - the five-minute ferry crossing from Corran to the pretty village of Ardgour
Castle Stalker – the other Monte Python castle

As soon as we arrived at the hostel in Oban, I hightailed it to the pharmacy to dose up on cold & flu meds, stock up on tissues and I went straight to bed. Such a shame to miss out on the Scottish dancing at a nearby pub... a bagpiper even walked the group from the hostel to the pub.

Day 2
We were all quite excited to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct (the bridge where the Hogwarts train travels over in Harry Potter). We hiked up the hill to the view point and we just missed it pass over the bridge, but we still saw it! The bridge is magnificent.

We traipsed up a narrow and windy road (all feeling a little sick with the speed that the driver was going) to Glen Nevis Riverside Park to have a picnic lunch. Next stop was the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge near Fort William, then Inverlochy Castle a ruined Castle of the 13th-century castle near Fort William. Then, onto a resorted castle called the Eileen Donan Castle.

First inhabited around the 6th century, the first fortified castle was built in the mid 13th century and stood guard over the lands of Kintail. Since then, at least four different versions of the castle have been built and re-built as the feudal history of Scotland unfolded through the centuries. Partially destroyed in a Jacobite uprising in 1719, Eilean Donan lay in ruins for the best part of 200 years until Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911 and proceeded to restore the castle to its former glory. After 20 years of toil and labour the castle was re-opened in 1932

At the end of the day, over to the Isle of Skye to stay in Kyleakin at Saucy Marys Hostel. Before dinner, a quick walk with a couple of ladies to Castle Moil. Legend states that it was originally built in the 14th century for a Norwegian princess known as 'Saucy Mary' who would charge a toll to any boat using the narrow channel by hanging a chain from the castle to the mainland to prevent unpaid crossings. Once paid, as a gesture of thanks, she would flash her breasts.

Still not feeling very well, another early night – at least this time it was a little later at 8.30.

Day 3 – A day of Myths & Legends
First thing on the bus and we’re being told of the Fairies. Not the type with wings flying around like tinkerbell, but rather fairy’s similar to the Irish Leprechaun. Elfin the King made the river to have magical powers and every person that put their face in the water for 8 seconds, would have eternal beauty. So each of us, had to put our face in the river of eternal beauty (River Sligachan).. A cold 4degrees so the only thing it did was wake us up!

Another myth of the Man & Wife who would walk up the mountain and share stories to one another.. When the old lady was getting too frail to walk such a distance, Elfin put a spell on them to turn them into stone so they could remain on the mountain for eternity and continue telling the stories that Elfin and his people enjoyed so much. The Old Man of Storr near Porttree – this is where we hiked to and enjoyed another picnic lunch.

We continue further around the Isle of Skye to Lealt Gorge (Falls). Lucky for the sheep and mountain goat trails otherwise, we would have little hope to make it down to the beach  and falls. Just up from the beach is an old Dynamite factory.

A little further brings us to Kilt Rock. This is where the Giants would lay their kilts to dry. Standing on the edge, the whistling is not the wind.. Its pipes being played by the Fairies.

A magnificent drive over the Quiraing. This is the mountain range where highlander the movie (and others) was filmed. Absolutely breathtaking! There was a little food stand at the top serving an interesting array of burgers; Zebra, Ostrich. Very Odd!

One final myth involved a story of two Irish boys and the 7 daughters. Basically, the two Irish boys lied to the father in order to marry his two youngest daughters. Angered by their deception, he went to a witch to force them to come back and deliver their promise of suitable husbands for his remaining 5 daughters. The witch cast a spell to make the 5 girls so that they would remain beautiful until the Irish boys returned.. The witch turn them into mountains named “5 Sister of Kintail”

We stayed overnight Morags Hostel in Fort Augustus. We all opted for the dinner provided by the hostel which included Haggis (Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach).. The flavour was pretty good but the thought of it is more than a little off putting.

Day 4
Haggis Adventures (company running the tour) participates in planting trees for the Charity “Trees for Life”. For each group that visits the estate and plants a tree, they donate money. A good cause as they are aiming to replant native trees to the area so that one day, they can reintroduce species that were wiped out as a result of the forests being cleared. I was a little surprised that we only planted two trees.

A quick stop at Urquhart Castle so we could peer over the fence.. A little pricy to gain access.. The magnificently situated Urquhart Castle, on the banks of Loch Ness, remains an impressive stronghold despite its ruinous state. Urquhart witnessed considerable conflict throughout its 500 years as a medieval fortress and its history from the 13th to 17th centuries was particularly bloody. Following Edward I’s invasion, it fell into English hands and was then reclaimed and lost again. In the 14th century, it figured prominently in the Scots’ struggle for independence and came under the control of Robert the Bruce after he became King of Scots.

The next stop was what our guide described as the tackiest tourist shop in Scotland. We made our way down to the banks of Loch Ness and participated in a very entertaining NZ Haka calling Nessy out of the deep.. “Nessy Nessy Where are you, Nessy Big Beasty, Nessy Nessy come to me”.. The actions were hilarious! The onlookers were very amused.

Then we went in and got a couple of souvenirs – I’m collecting fridge magnets of places I’ve visited (but not every town), my collection would not be the same without a ‘Nessy’ magnet.  

We then went to the site of Culloden – the final battle of the Jacobite rising on April 16th 1746.  Meeting on Culloden Moor, the battle was both quick and bloody, taking place within an hour. Following an unsuccessful Highland charge against the government lines, the Jacobites were routed and driven from the field. Between 1,500 and 2,000 Jacobites were killed or wounded in the brief battle, while government losses were lighter with 50 dead and 259 wounded. The English refused any person to help the injured or remove the fallen so families could have a proper burial for their loved ones, so all that died lay in mass graves at the site. I can’t describe the feeling out there, but it was shared by most. I don’t think a single word was spoken by anyone until we got back on the bus.

Next stop, Inverness to get some lunch then off to Clava Cairn – The site of an exceptionally well preserved group of prehistoric burial cairns that were built about 4,000 years ago. Again, another odd feeling swept over the group and usually quite a rowdy bunch, were swept into silence.

A quick stop at Nairn Beach – one of very few white sandy beaches before we headed back to Fort Augustus for the Clansman Show with Sexy Ken. Set in a recreated home from the 1700’s, it was very enlightening.

After a quick bite to eat, we boarded the boat for the Loch Ness Cruise with Ricky, a marine biologist on Loch Ness for the last 35 years. At the start of the tour, each of us didn’t believe for a second that there such thing as the Loch Ness Monster.

After his talk, explanation of the sonar machines, viewing photographs of Loch Ness creatures, deep water creatures from around the world, and asking endless questions, we all left the boat thinking that something is definitely down there.. Maybe not the purple worm like creature in photos, but something large and undocumented.

A couple of quick facts... The Loch Ness holds more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined, at the very bottom of the loch (900ft down) the water is black and you wouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of your face. The black waters of Scotland are due to the high peat content in the surrounding soil. Whether Nessy exists or not.. You be the judge!

We return to stay a second night at Morags Hostel

Day 5 – Last day
First stop was Museum of Highland Life. Best way of describing it is to draw comparison to Sovereign Hill. It has recreated villages from varying times of Scottish history. 1 hour wasn’t enough time to visit all villages, but we got a good feel for what it may’ve been like. We stopped for lunch at Pitlochry, another quaint little town followed by a tour at the nearby Blair Atholl Distillery (Whiskey). A quick stop to walk through the Hermitage Forest to the tallest tree in the UK which was a bit of a joke but Linn Falls was very pretty.

The last stop of the tour was at Dunkeld, most famously know for who lays within the Cathedral: The Wolf of Badenoch - The illegitimate son of King Robert II, was one of the most blackest, most evil character in Scotland's history - Alexander Stewart known as Big Alexander, or the Wolf of Badenoch. He raped hundreds of women and is believed to have fathered over 300 children. He was so evil that no church was willing to take the remains of him, only Dunkeld Cathedral for a large sum.

When back in Edinburgh, I stayed in a nice little guest house just a 10 minute walk from the Royal Mile. Edinburgh is such a beautiful city. I visited the Edinburgh Castle (how can you not when you're there) and also did the Mary Kings Close tour of the buildings that part of the Royal Mile was built on top of - amazing. Of course, many hours of wandering around the city looking at as much as I could.

Scotland is a magical place and I had an AMAZING time. Photos relating to this and my previous blog entry.. Click here >> Photos  <<

Leaving for Paris on Wednesday, yay!... xox

Goodbye Canada.. Hello Europe – June 20-July 16 2011

Firstly, let me apologise for the tardy manner in which I have updated the blog... Now that the Europe adventure has begun, I will ensure I update more regularly.

A quick overview of the last 3.5 weeks...

My last week in Canada was one with mixed emotions... the excitement of my Europe adventure of which I’ve been looking forward to for years and the sadness to leave my Whistler friends of which have made the past 2 years amazing!!

June 28^th, I set off on the bus to Vancouver airport so to fly to New York to visit Kath & Nick (cousin and her partner). This trip was quite different from the one 2 years ago as I’d done most of the touristy things, but there was still a few ‘firsts’...  Picnic in Central Park, Coney Island (interesting in not a very good way), Book club gathering (that didn’t involve much discussion of a book.. merely an excuse to drink far too much wine), Highline park (raised train line converted to gardens.. highly recommend it), Waterside drinks and a midnight walk over the Brooklyn Bridge (magnificent), Independence Day BBQ. It was a wonderful week. Kath & Nicko are fabulous hosts. I’m sure they were glad to have their studio apartment to themselves after a week. J

July 5^th, leaving the Upper East Side of NYC at the best of times is hard, but at the crack of dawn – very hard! Did you know that in NYC you can’t book a taxi?? Hmm, so for an extra $5 on Kaths recommendation, I hired a town car to take me to LaGuardia where I flew to Detroit to visit an old school friend who lives in a small city 1 hour from Detroit called Ann Arbor. I’m quickly realizing that I will never complain about being delayed in an Australian Airport as US airport standards vary GREATLY!!

Upon arrival in Ann Arbor, having been greeted by Kate, we went to her place and walked to a downtown café for a late lunch. I was surprised with how gorgeous the city/town is! It’s a town that seems to have been built around the University of Michigan with the states largest and most renowned hospital. ‘Beatty’ or ‘Beats’ as we all used to call her in the boarding house as she was one of the three Kates in our year, and her husband Chad were beautiful hosts. It’s amazing... although many years have past since we last saw each other; the bond we share through our time at boarding school is as strong now as it was the day we finished. Christopher (15 months) provided hours of entertainment... the classic was when we were sitting outside a restaurant and a car pulled up at the nearby traffic lights with its windows down playing heavy rap music... Christopher put both hands on the back of his head and started flapping his elbows what I can only describe as a double ‘sprinkler’ move. Priceless!

Although I would’ve loved to stay more than 4 nights, I needed to head to Toronto where I was to fly out to London. I thought it best to catch the most cost efficient method of transportation available... the Greyhound Bus. I had a chuckle at Chad when he expressed his concerns about me having a layover in Detroit for two hours. I’ve heard that it can be rough, but seriously….. How bad can it really be? I’m sure there was a few men in the terminal that were pack’n (carrying a firearm) but not having the courage to look at them for more than a second or two.. I couldn’t be 100% sure. I didn’t feel threatened in any way, but I did stick out like a sore thumb as I was the only Caucasian person in the entire terminal for the best part of 2 hours.

Having already been to Toronto, I thought it a perfect opportunity to catch up on my trip planning. I have one regret from my stay in Toronto, and that’s not taking the time to find a nicer hostel. On the second morning, I woke to bites all over my face, feet and arms. Damn bed bugs!!!!! Luckily before I left to catch my flight, I met the pest control guy that came to inspect – he looked over my bags and advised that I shouldn’t have any troubles with bugs/eggs through my luggage.. but as I was due to be staying at a friend in London, I wanted to still know how to get rid of the wretched things!

The flights to London overnight on the 12th was relatively uneventful but with very little sleep unfortunately. When I landed, and navigated my way through Gatwick airport and to Zannahs work to collect keys then off to her place, I felt oddly at home.

I’ve had a wonderful time in London so far. A lovely first night in London on a pub on the Thames was such a perfect welcome by Zan and the Surbi girls! Day 2 was riveting... NOT! The morning was spent looking after the contents of my luggage of which I quarantined in a sealed bag until I could cook anything left of the bed bugs, then on a mission in Kingston to find a universal adapter that takes Aussie & USA 3 pin – not as simple as I would’ve thought. I had one massive day of sightseeing followed by a big (for me) night out with Joshi & Bonnie Thomson, Harry Potter today (we cancelled our sightseeing plans as it was pouring rain) and we had a fun evening at the pub at the end of the street! I will return to London twice more, so many more things to do.

Tomorrow (17^th), I’m catching the train to Edinburgh. I’ll be in Scotland for 1 week…

I will update again (and load photos) next week.

xoxo

Rockin' the Rocky Mountains - June 14-19, 2011

My last day in the office has come and gone, so too has my farewell party, Bungee Jumping and now; my road trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountains is also behind me... [Sigh] 

Day 1 started at 3pm, slightly delayed, with my bed, belongings and basic supplies I hit Hwy 99 towards my first overnight stop at Lake Shuswap. Sleeping in the SUV was very comfortable with my innerspring mattress... I’m not sure that I can call that camping!

Day 2 commenced when the birds started tweeting! On the road again towards my next stop Banff, Alberta. Driving through mountains, in a big vehicle AND driving on the right hand side takes a bit of concentration – especially given my driving during the past 2 years has been limited to in/around Whistler.

I arrived in Banff just a little after 5pm local time and straight to the info centre to get directions to the camp site but also to find out the best spot to watch the hockey. Vancouver was playing Boston in the last game of the playoffs... I left the bar before it was even finished. Vancouver lost and there was rioting through the city... all over a hockey game! Disgusting!!!! Something like 15,000 locals donated their time the following day to clean up.

The rain has not let up since about 2pm… I’m so relieved I’m sleeping in the car as opposed to in a tent... being wet is one thing but cold as well – no thanks!

Day 3, wet and cold!! I abandoned the idea of a hike and a climb up Tunnel Mountain for a bird’s eye view of the town and mountains... not much point when all I will see is clouds. Instead, after breakfast in the camp ground (on Tunnel Mountain, just a few km from the centre of Banff) I drove into town to explore the shops and get the feel for resort village. With a coffee in hand and to dry off after a couple of hours wandering in the rain, I hit the library to dry off and an opportunity to check emails and charge my mobile. Then back out in the rain to take the leisurely walk along the river to the Bow river falls and the Banff Springs Hotel of which starts at $400/night – just slightly out of my budget at the  moment J. The river runs through the town and is the run-off from the Bow Glacier and lake further north of which I will visit tomorrow.  A cheap and cheerful dinner at a sushi restaurant then up to the Hot Springs for a dip. For some reason, the idea of the hot springs in the Rocky Mountains gave me the picture of rock lined baths in a natural setting with spectacular views of the mountains (or clouds depending on the weather).. These hot springs disappointed... it was just a heated concrete swimming pool on a patio with plastic deck chairs. I passed on the experience and headed back to the camp ground for another night in the rain.

Day 4 was an early start... I was in town grabbing a coffee before 8am and I hit the road out of town a little to see Lake Minnewanka.. Its pronounced wonka! It was still raining and cloud covering most of the mountains, but I could still appreciate the beauty – I just had to imagine what lay beyond the clouds. An invigorating early morning walk for probably about 2 hours was lovely and surprisingly not TOO wet, yet!! Next stop is Johnston Canyon, about 30 minutes north along the Bow Hwy, renowned for the wildlife crossings... I’m hoping for a moose, elk and/or grizzly sighting. I was disappointed.

Johnston Canyon’s attraction, with the exception of the hikes into the mountains, is the lower and upper waterfalls. The lower falls is accessed along a boardwalk attached to the side of the canyon, just about water level and is a 2km round trip.. The upper falls is further up and along a dirt (mud) trail and adds an additional 3km to the round trip – so not far! I headed off to see both the lower and upper.. very pretty and a nice walk, and you guessed it WET! Heading up to the upper falls, there was no signage, the trail was narrowing and there was no tourists.. I kept going and going and the 1.7 km seemed never to end. With the ‘lost in the snow’ incident still fresh in my mind.. I turned back after a few additional minutes of walking. When I got back to the parking lot, I checked the sign, and I was on the right path.. I was short only about 100m. DOH! Oh well, I missed a 30 meter waterfall – not the end of the world.

Now absolutely drenched and covered in mud, back in the car and headed further north to Lake Louise. Again, driving along the Bow Hwy nice and slowly (limit is only 70) and hoping desperately for wildlife sighting. No luck this time either.

When I arrived in Lake Louise it was 5 degrees and you got it.. still raining. I heard the views of the lake were spectacular and I agree, but I was feeling defeated and disappointed to see the mountains in the clouds. I was wondering if I was going to see the sun at all?!? Wet and cold, I decided to treat myself to a warm hotel room. Found a rustic mountain lodge just down the road from the lake. After I had dinner I headed up to the roof for a relaxing hot tub and it has stopped raining – finally I see blue sky!! Fingers crossed, it lasts.

Day 5 another early start, the alarm sounds at 5.30 so that I can be packed and ready to go straight after breakfast at 6am. Heading north along the Icelands Parkway to Peyto Lake. En-route, stop for a few photos and Bow Lake – WOW!!! The glacier looks so little.. it measures 50 meters deep – holy cow!

Over the last couple of days, my use of the word ‘Wow’ was a sittingat few hundred by this point. Even before arriving in the Rockys, driving through the BC mountains offered some spectacular scenery! It is amazing how, over just a few hundred kilometers, the terrain and plants changed so dramatically.

Next stop was Peyto Lake. Simply breathtaking!! No exaggeration, I stood on the viewing platform and my mouth dropped and I froze. When I came back to reality, I said to myself ‘Makes the last 5 days of having wet socks and undies worth it for this view’. ‘Totally!’ someone replied.. it was a middle aged guy standing beside me.. He didn’t even bat and eyelid! Ops, I forgot I wasn’t alone on the viewing platform.

Peyto lake is the bluest lake in the whole Rocky Mountain region. Long story short, the fine particles called ‘rock flour’ in the water (glacial melt) reflects blue & green when the light hits the water. If ever I return to the Rockys, I want to take a day long hike in this area.

On my way back to the car, I felt like I was walking on water – on an absolute high. Is this what every day would have been had it not been raining?

Moving on, next stop the Weeping Wall. Its another 30km or so north so an easy drive.. and who can complain driving through such majestic scenery. Weeping Wall is a wet weeping wall of rock, so exactly what the name suggests – I imagine it would be amazing in the depths of winter – a frozen sheet of ice. Apparently ice climbers around the world make their way here to put their skills to the test.  

A quick U-Turn and I’m going to try my luck with Lake Louise again as I have to pass through there anyway. What a fabulous idea that ended up being!! As with everything that I’ve seen over the last 4/5 days, the pictures don’t do it justice – it was just beautiful! A wonderful 4km walk (round trip) to the end of the lake and back. WOW WOW WOW!!!

Within 30 minutes of finishing the walk, the rain set in! The weather gods were definitely keeping an eye on me today.. I was in the car and westward bound on the journey back to Whistler. I decided to drive until I had enough.. I was on a high from such an amazing morning, so figured best to cash in on the heightened energy levels and drive until I had enough. I decided to pull over after about 6 hours driving just as the sun was setting. I found a hill top rest stop that overlooked Kamloops & the Lake, so very picturesque..

Day 6 – I woke when the sun came up (which was pretty early) but back to sleep once I rolled over – never have been a morning person. Back on the road and in search of a coffee by 8am. Only 300km until I get back to Whistler, a slow and windy trip from here on in, but guessing my eta will be around 12. A good trip and the roads were quiet! Not much wildlife with the exception of a yearling bear playing peek-a-boo at one corner.  

WHAT A TRIP!?!? I highly recommend it! I would’ve liked more time but only if the weather was nice. Next time, I really hope to see a Grizzly, Moose & Elk and I will definitely make it up to Jasper.

To view photos from the trip, please click here >> Photos <<

 

Bungee Jumping

WOW.. What a rush!

For 24 hours leading up to the jump, I had butterflies in my stomach.. When I arrived at the site and saw someone jump, i thought I was going to faint. Then as we approached the tour desk to sign the waivers a woman was hyperventilating and completely freaking out - this did very little for my confidence. 

I was determined to do this and before I knew it.. it was my turn! Having the cheers of encouragement from friends, I stepped into the jumping zone. As I put my toes over the edge my heart was racing, I should NOT have looked down.. I was going to drop 160ft.. What the hell have I agreed to?!?!

The guide had me do airplane arms while he was holding onto my harness.. 
"On ONE you are going to jump.... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1"
 



I was free falling towards the rapids below... There were a couple of long drawn out 'colourful' words followed by "Ohhhhh mmmmyyyyyy Gooodddddd!" The bounce back up then the free fall again was almost as intense as the first jump!

The chuckling followed shortly thereafter!! Hanging on the end of the bungee for a minute or two before being wrenched back up to the bridge was spectacular. Being second person that took the plunge, I got to relive the feeling as the remainder of our group followed... AMAZING experience! I will be Bungee Jumping again!!

Now to get ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs tonight and the party tomorrow.

xoxo

Whister Bears.. For Dad!

During a 45+ minute skype call with Dad, he asked why I hadn't updated my blog.. My response.. "Nothing has happened!". This got me to thinking. Being quite accustomed to the way of Whistler life, I forget that while a bear sighting is almost a daily occurance for some here.. its still fun for me and it might be interesting to people at home.
Last week, I was walking to work and I passed a sleeping bear that was only a few meters off the trail. As I passed, the bear lifted his/her head and watched me walk away. I knew the bear wasn't interested in me as a meal.. but it doesn't stop the heart racing!
Then today, as I was on the same trail, this time on a bike and I saw a bear being followed along the fairway by a tourist trying to get a closer picture. Whilst Black Bears have a 95% vegetarian diet, it doesn't mean that they are not dangerous. Stupid stupid stupid tourists!!! Just lucky that this particular bear doesn't seem to care being within such close proximity to humans.
I'll write again next week when I have more to report... which I will. Bungee Jumping on Friday.. argh!! :-)

May 24th 2011 - Preparation

It may seem strange that I'm starting this blog almost 2 years since I left home, but with the number of times that my update emails have gone astray.. i thought i'd try something a little different for the final months of my trip.

So, here I am - setting up my first blog all so that friends and family can log in to see where I am, where i've been and where i'm off to next.

What am I up to now??? Waiting patiently for the weather to warm up here in Whistler Canada, but in the meantime, i'm busy training my replacement, in planning mode for my trip to NY, Detroit, Sarnia and Toronto. But mostly, planning for my Europe Trip in July.

Here are some highlights for the next month..
June 3rd - BUNGEE Jumping for the first time
June 5th - Farewell Party
June 11th - Last day of work
June 13-17th - Solo road trip to the Canadian Rockies