Tag: Canada

150531 Vancouver to Banff

Our Canadian adventure begins with the realization that we are in a different motor home to ours back in Australia. The count is on. The number of bruises is rising at a rapid rate, mainly in the head region. Have you ever seen bruises through grey hair? Why? You say. Cupboard knobs and corners seem to jump out at us. We can’t ‘pass in the hallway’. This thing is called a Weeeeenie bargo – not much room to move at all. There is no room to swing a cat. Lyn has to even go outside to do up her bra strap. We haven’t tried the shower in the van yet. With closed doors, I am sure they would fly open just trying to wash the sleep from the eyes. Thank goodness all the van parks we have been to so far have picnic tables for us to dine at. So, please, no one ever call our motor home a Winnebago again. We have space and comfort in our Paradise, gr8l1f.com

The ‘journey plan’ is to get to Banff in reasonably good time. It is a full day’s journey. Some of the scenery and lakes are beautiful. One mountain pass was made up of an avalanche that occurred back in 1965. Two people were crushed, never to be found in the snowy mountain rock and slush.

Would you believe we had 3 one-hour sleeps on day 1 and only travelled 250km to Penticton? But our site had a fabulous view to enjoy, right on the edge of the lake, with a mountain range near the edge of the water. We met up with a couple that drives their young son all the way up from Portland just to play ice hockey – that’s a 6-hour drive without stops.

Day 2 starts as we depart at 9:30am Will we get to Banff today? NO. Lots of nice scenery with snow capped mountains, mountain streams and trains with over 100 freight carriages to count – well just the one was counted. We are retracing our trip of 1983 from Vancouver to Banff when we had the kids with us. So much more quiet and easy going! The highway needs many more rest stops and viewpoints to stop at for more photos to be taken but Lyn has had to ‘fire away’ from the vehicle as we travel, at times. After having 3 naps during yesterday, I decided to take a coffee at around 11:00am – that stuff works! I didn’t feel sleepy the rest of the day. We arrive at Revelstoke and drive through this ski town and find a motor home park for the night. Did I say we counted over 100 carriages on a train? We counted over 100 trains during the one night, it seemed, as we were parked beside the Trans Canadian rail line. They know how to use trains for freight in Canada. I wish they did in Australia in order to get the trucks off the Hume Highway.

Day 3 starts at 9:00am and we head toward Banff, again. We pass through some more mountain ranges peaking at 1800 metres at one spot. Lakes and mountain ranges, lakes and mountain ranges. Fortunately, the highway is easy driving with the speed limit easy to keep up with. At the entrance to YoHo National Park, we purchase passes to last 5 nights – $99.00 seniors rates (they believed we were seniors when Lyn took off her hat to reveal the evidence – and the bruises).

Our road joined the Bow Valley Highway (Banff to Jasper) just near the infamous Lake Louise. The sky was blue with white clouds around so we decided to visit. Oh dam, tourists; from every corner of the globe, including some from Australia and New Zealand; and this was after 4pm. We took lots of photos and video and a walk around the lake. Inside the Chalet, we found some great tee shirts to souvenir – ah, we didn’t though at $200 each.

Banff is just 55km east of Lake Louise. The greatest RV Park we have seen in our travels is just nearby Banff and we locate there for 3 nights. Our view is towards Tunnel Mountain with Banff just to the right. As you can see from the photo, there is lots of room for wildlife to wander. We keep the food locked away from the bears though. Wildlife? Just the one brown fronted thrush so far.

For the Smiths who want a slight name change.
“I’m glad dinner is over – can get the shot I wanted now.”
Cramped conditions prevent me doing any cooking – hoorah!
A Jayco 5th Wheeler.
“Now if I can get some yellow flowers in the frame …” Dandelions darling.
View from RV Park in Banff

150527 Cruise to Camper

The amount of organization to get everyone off a cruise ship is unbelievable. Collecting bags from outside our rooms, mustering many people to get off in groups according to luggage tag colors, having transfer coaches arrive at the specified time as well as loading passengers and supplies before the evening departure of the next cruise, would bring headaches that I didn’t want (I have my own), so I let someone else do it.

Our transfer to our camper pick up was to arrive 2 hours after our disembarkation so we sat in a Starbucks sipping hot chocolate and catching up on Internet needs. There are a few people I play ‘Yahtzee With Friends’ with who had been sending reminders during the cruise and it was time for me to make my moves. (what did we do before that came along?)

After arriving at the camper van depot at mid day, we spent two hours going over the rental documents and being given a ‘how does everything work’ tour. We were then given instructions where to find a supermarket and phone store but they fell on deaf ears (I didn’t have my hearing aids in haha). So we drove. There are a lot of forgiving people in Canada who “would love to go to Australia”. They did eventually get us to where we wanted to go. After an hour in the supermarket we were 2 hours just getting prepaid SIM cards for our phones (it’s quicker buying a house).

We found the Highway heading east and eventually a sign that said Lake Culter. Then we found a campground to park for the night albeit without hookups – but free wifi. I recall Lyn saying on the ship “I hope I remember how to cook after all this nice food.” She did very well while I continued doing research for my book, “You can sit there as long as you talk to me.” I found an ex truckie willing to provide another short chapter. Haha!

The camper van is a Winnebago Touring Coach on a Mercedes frame. A little narrow inside but will get us through – we are glad we don’t have hips like so many did on the cruise. The bed up the back is a ‘makeup every night’ arrangement used as a lounge dinning room during the day. With a very small bathroom, campground showers will be used when required (daily) and available. I have banged my head 4 times getting into the drivers seat from the van and 3 other times on the cupboard doors above the kitchen bench. I gouged my arm on a corner while making the bed – found blood on my hand while researching that new chapter for my book. There are also many mosquitoes willing to keep us company – hope they don’t found out where our blood is kept.

Tomorrow, Thursday, we head towards the Canadian Rockies hoping to get to Revelstoke for the night.