On The Road

Travelling this week, on the other side of the country. I decided to do away with my "European thinking" and not think that a 6 hour flight was too long. Turns out it was, at least too long for the 4 Valium I had taken to last through the very turbulent period due to storms over Vancouver that day. I resorted to my usual combination of swearing and praying. I must thank my very lovely doctor for prescribing them though, they helped a bit (Our conversation before I left: "I get nervous flying, can I have something?" "Sure, what would you like?" VIH: "Oooh free license to choose my own medication...maybe I should ask for some morphine...." Real voice: "Errr...benzo?")

Anyway I made it, had a brief stop in Vancouver before heading to the Rockies. We did lots of hiking, sight-seeing and snowball fighting. My best purchase has been my $10 hiking boots from a dead guy (or 'estate sale' as they're known, you go to a house and everything, from the lampshades to the clothes to the cutlery, is for sale) and my $10 woolley gloves from Dollarama.

I proudly persuaded a bunch of Aussies and a Canadian to hike 2 miles across a snow field to a glacier in temperatures of minus. I got snowballed until I had snow in my eyes and my teeth. I saw a wolf and a herd of elk (separately). I climbed a Rocky Mountain (but only a small one-1690m). I went to a hockey game, and left in the middle (I got bored!) I cooked spaghetti bolognese for the group (minus the vegan). I sat in a hot tub looking up at the stars, and I watched the sunrise over the lake. I sped past mountains that were wrapped in clouds and rivers that were white with ice.

I return to Montreal tomorrow for a couple of days before going home, and will write one last post then.