Travelling is a Gift...

That's our van and our tent trailer in the hub cap reflection....

I am sure that it will come as no surprise to those that know me that I love to travel.  Why do I love it so?














For one it is fulfilling to know that while the world can be large and ominous and downright scary at times traveling allows you to realise that it is also beautiful and miraculous.  That it is  filled with amazing scenery and just as amazing people.









Whilst travelling along the I5 (a major highway which runs from the border of the US and Canada to Mexico) we met a number of people whose acts of kindness were unexpected but gratefully accepted.  A lovely man named Don stopped us on the highway and let us know that one of the tyres on the tent trailer was about to fail in a spectacular (and dangerous) fashion.  He then offered to lead us into the nearest town to a tyre repair shop he knew of.  While we were waiting for the tyre to be repaired he asked about our plans and then gave us suggestions of what we could see enroute. This wonderful man helped out perfect strangers without a second thought and went above and beyond the expected.  We are so grateful he helped us out.

A surprising patch of California farming land

Travelling also expands your thinking and challenges previously held ideas about places and people. In this way it develops your knowledge base in ways you could never do in a classroom.   We drove through California expecting to see beaches and lush green fields.  What we learnt however was that California is a sprawling landscape of not only these features but of deserts and massive orchards, of steep mountain ranges and national parks worth treasuring.

Overlooking Yosemite National Park's Half Dome...

We saw Yosemite NP before it was devastated by fire then watched in sadness as news crews relayed images of it burning.  We saw wild animals in their natural habitat and learnt about how they survivedin often harsh conditions.  Just today Caleb recalled the actions of a mama bear we saw who walked away from her two cubs as they fought each other ferociously (You're just like that Mother bear we saw Mum!!! Yep I can roar like her too!!!!)

A Massive Sequoia Tree in Yosemite National Park.  

A fellow Canadian on vacation in Lake Tahoe

Another reason I love travel?  Experiencing the unexpected.  We have seen so many wonderful places on our travels this year.  Some we were expecting and planning to see (the Rocky Mountains, Big White, Vancouver Island) and some we happened upon not knowing what to expect.  One of these places was Lake Tahoe found in the midst of the Sierra-Nevada Mountain range which borders California and Nevada. We vaguely knew about Lake Tahoe but didn't in our wildest dreams realise how spectacular it is.  The lake is massive and its waters blue as the bluest blue.  



There are over 39 trillion gallons of water in Lake Tahoe.  This volume of water could cover an area the size of California with 14 inches of water!!  Lake Tahoe is so clear in some places objects can be clearly seen 67 feet below the surface.  Despite the hot temperatures the region experiences in summer the temperature of the water remains a chilly 39F year round.  That however didn't seem to deter many holiday goers.  There were plenty of people in and around Lake Tahoe enjoying a respite from the heat in its cool waters.
Visiting Lake Tahoe was like opening a gift you weren't expecting to get.  We came here simply as a stopover on our way to Los Angeles but left with a feeling of amazement that such a beautiful and pristine place exists literally in the middle of a desert.  We also left here wanting more.  Bren and I added this to our ever expanding "fun list" of things to do and places to see.

Most of all travelling allows you to get to know yourself and those you are travelling with a whole lot better -  and that is always a good thing :)

Who's that trip trapping over my bridge? 

Heading into the US of A...

With Mel safely on a plane heading back to Australia we readied ourselves for our entry into the US for an epic 5 week road trip.   Passports - yep; ESTA visa -yep;  a bit of moola - yep; map - yep; excited children and parents -absolutely!!

Our first stop was at the Peace Arches at the border of Canada and the US.  It took about 3 hours to get through customs - 2 hours sitting in traffic then another hour getting fingerprinted and our Tent Trailer inspected for fruits and vegetables considered contraband.  After our friendly visit with US customs officials we hit the I5 and cruised on down to Kayak Point County Park (about 300km south of the border).

See ya later lovely......

We set up in record time (10 minutes!!) then headed down to a nearby beach.  Here we were introduced to a version of 'crabbing' that we considered really easy and a lot of fun.  When we go 'crabbing' we take the boat down a creek and set pots with stinky fish or chicken for a few hours (sometimes overnight).  We then either go fishing elsewhere or go home only returning when we are ready to lift the pots hoping that a beautiful bounty of crab are inside.  Here however crabbing is much easier.  Pots are thrown off a jetty, set for about 15 minutes then lifted to reveal more often than not a number of lovely Dungeness crab.  These crab must travel in plague proportions on the bottom of the ocean.  I would love to put a camera under the water to see just that - I am sure it would be amazing to see.  We didn't actually try the whole crabbing thing but we did enjoy talking to some friendly 'crabbers' who were more than willing to give us their tips on how to be successful.

Seth's ode to Canada which he set up on our campsite table......

Kayak Point

On our way back to our campsite we spotted a couple of beautiful bald eagles high up in a tree 'talking' to a few other birds afar off.   It seemed appropriate to see these lovely birds on our first day in the US.  Whenever I think of a bald eagle I can't help but think of Sam the Eagle from the Muppets.   Just like Sam they are serious looking birds who don't seem to have much of a sense of humour.  We couldn't help but feel a little sad that Mel didn't get to see them - she would have really loved it.  So here is the third best way to see them Mel - just for you......

Off to the Island...

After our brief, yet restful, stopover in Kelowna we headed down to the lower mainland then over to Vancouver Island.







I love this island.  I love the fact that it is not connected to the main part of the country by bridge.   I love the fact that it's capital city (Victoria) is full of character and history and small enough to negotiate with ease. I love the fact that the island has some amazing coastline and beaches, some rocky, some sandy, some rocky and sandy.  It is also home to a diverse range of wildlife from adorable sea otters and orcas to mountain lions and bears.  Not that we saw many in the wild!!  I think they all went on summer holiday elsewhere.


So what did we do on the Island that we loved?











1.  We caught the ferry and listened to a naturalist speaking about the fascinating lives of sea and river otters.

2.  We played in the crystal clear waters of the Sooke Potholes.  The boys had a blast skimming stones and slipping down a natural  rock slide.

3.  We visited the unbelievably beautiful Butchart Gardens.  This was to be one of Mel's favourite places on her Canadian tour. 

4.  We picnicked on the grounds of the Parliament building.

5.  We watched some very talented buskers down by the waterfront.

6.  Mel jammed on an outdoor piano in the centre of the city!

                     

 

7.  We took a mini ferry to Fisherman's Wharf then wandered around the docks.

8.  We played on the beach at Parksville and looked at snow capped mountains in the distance.

           

9.  We viewed black bears, eagles, owls, falcons, hawks and learnt about the high intellect of ravens at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre.

 10. We marvelled at the artistry involved in building sand sculptures at the Parksville Sand sculpting competition.  We got to vote for our favourite which was impossibly difficult given the high standard of all the entries.

We could have spent a far greater amount of time on the Island however the time for Mel to return to Australia (and a well earned rest!!) came all too quickly.

We returned to Vancouver to say our farewells and then begin the next chapter of our epic summer vacation.  We hope Mel enjoyed her whirlwind time with us - and that she will relive her first ever holiday abroad over and over again with much joy.

 No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. Lin Yutang

Homeward Bound (but not for long!!)

After Calgary we drove back into the Rockies - this time towards Southern end to visit the tourist shopping mecca of Banff and the village of Lake Louise.

Home on the Alberta Range.....

Mel found Banff to be a successful souvenir shopping destination.  It's not a bad venue to look at either as its flanked all around by tall, craggy mountains with the bow river flowing through its centre. We stopped off in the downtown area to enjoy the scenery, do a spot of shopping and enjoy a coffee made by a barista from Australia.  As is the case in a number of tourist destinations in Canada young Australians flock there for the experience of working in an area distinctly different from anywhere in their home country.  It is always a bit weird hearing an Australian accent but strangely comforting at the same time.

Banff Springs Hotel

We hiked a few new places around Banff - one being Johnstone Canyon.  The hike is an easy walk along one side of the canyon on a custom built walkway.  The river is a lovely blue colour caused by glacial fed waters.

                   

Yep - boys will be boys....

 Bren and I have never seen Lake Louise unfrozen so we were anxious to see it in all its melted loveliness.  We weren't disappointed - especially the morning that we woke early, left Mel and the boys to sleep in the TT and made it to Lake Louise before the hordes of people that also love it visit there.  We hiked the trail along the lakeshore to so that we could see the waterfall we had visited in the spring.  At that time it was a thick frozen sheet of ice that we managed to climb to the base of.  As we walked along the trail I was intrigued that I could not hear the waterfall in the distance.  This intrigue turned to amazement as we turned the corner at the end of the trail ready to see the wonder of a beautiful waterfall (if not a silent one!!!)  only to see a trickle of water.  Well not even a trickle - more like a drip.  We couldn't believe it - and were really thankful that we hadn't dragged the kids on an unfruitful 3km hike.  They would not have been impressed.

Lake Louise

The interior of Chateau Lake Louise

Moraine Lake was another place we visited on our trip with Mel.  The water in this lake is an incredible vibrant blue but its colour changes as clouds pass over.

Our journey homeward took us through Glacier National Park which as the name suggests has many glaciers.  The drive through this park is just as beautiful as driving through the Rockies.  

Along the way we spotted a herd of big horned sheep grazing along the roadside which was a nice surprise.

About an hour from Kelowna we stopped for a rest at Dave's Goat Walk just outside of Armstrong.  Here we watched as some very clever goats worked a pulley system in order to get a tasty reward of corn. The goat's aren't the only attraction.  The owners of the property have a fabulous deli full of meats and cheeses and bakery goods which is surrounded by beautiful floral gardens.

We arrived in Kelowna very weary but grateful that we made it home.  Our beds invited our tired bodies to bed and we all crashed for a peaceful nights sleep.  There really is nothing like sleeping in a comfortable bed!!