Involving yourself in the wilds of Mountain Life here in the Rocky Mountains of Canada is to step into the indulgent. While surrounded by some of the most magnificent of landscapes, man in part attempts to convince him and herself that they are in control. They think that they have managed to tame what is wild.
I ticked off a few things on my bucket list for the Rockies today and it was a great day. We are camped up in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the Yoho National Park at Monarch campsite. The name comes from an old zinc and lead mine, which also produced paying gold and silver. Where the miners once lived and worked is now the campsite, as with Kicking Horse camp a few steps from Monarch. Continue reading
Today we head out of Vancouver headed into the wilds of the Columbia Mountains and onto the Canadian Rockies, crossing the high wilderness of the mountains from West to East. We hope to be into Banff on the other side in three days, following the gold trail through the mountain valleys of British Columbia and then crossing the valleys and rivers otherwise known as part of The Rocky Mountain Trench. It is some 1550klm long and it parallels the western slopes of the Rockies for its entire length.
OK… Time to fess up … I have been swanning around in a resort on the central coast for the last few days as I write this. It is one of those lovely respites between living outa the forbie and it has been fun. I love that the washing machine does the washing for me and that the clothes dryer invites the wet gear and turns it out warm and dry.
Climbed out of bed this morning at some hideous hour… if I was back in Aus I could have said I slept in but here on the other side of the world 6am is a hideous hour. I think it has something to do with the sun not setting until 10pm and taking so damn long to sink. Nothing seems to stir beyond 8:30am here so our hour of rising is considered hideous. Continue reading
Well we arrived after a 16 hr flight via Auckland… Barely 2 hours after we left Bris with a turn up through New Zealand. We have gained in time which is rather nifty. I thought the night would never end however. Sleeping sitting up has never been a favourite of mine but this night was definitely more difficult and disorientating.
Seeing the snow capped Columbian Mountains in the distance though was a sight to behold, simply gorgeous. It is a prelude to sights we have yet to see as the Rocky Mountains lay beyond these. Driving on the right hand side of the road… a small nightmare. We could have been anywhere in winter Aus’, though the sky is a brillant blue, the breeze brisk and the city friendly. That we are actually in spring/summer, which is Vancouver now is our reality.
Jan Hawkins Author 