Monthly Archives: July 2011

Up bright and early with the kids exploring outside. the girls enjoyed racing up and down a gulley and walking across a ‘beam’ and then exploring the stream/creek behind. DH was asleep or resting for a bit, but when he woke up he took them paddling in the creek whilst i got dressed and brekkie ready. we were all very excited and had woken up pretty early too. time to go to Miette hot springs itself for a swim. we had wondered whether we would do this the night before, but with the shopping at Edson just hadn’t had time, and the girls had been quite sleepy.

[flickr id="6001809014" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001242047" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

oh I do love a motorhome holiday we packed up and set off. we stopped at some great view points started to breathe the fresh air and feel revitalised. looked at the different wild plants, mountain ranges and other peoples motorhomes fantastic . it had a feel of the first day of freedom for me

[flickr id="6001255229" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001829122" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

, realised it was an earthcache and went swimming at miette. there are 2 hot pools and 2 v cold pools, all outdoors with the fabulous view of mountains. we bathed, relaxed, girls got bored so had an icecream – nearly £3 each!!! a bit more lounging about and swimming and then we got out and dried and back to motorhome for lunch. actually, we had an icepop first, as hot but then cheese, olives etc etc.

[flickr id="6001287981" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001841978" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

After lunch we went for a walk to see the old pool and up to the source of the hot springs. the girls enjoyed paddling in the warm water outflow, and seeing the butterflies drinking. we also so a herd of female bighorn sheep – moulting their winter coats. As we got to the old pool, SB saw a beaver, and we were all really excited. we then all saw it again. [shhh, it is really a yellow bellied marmot, but it does look v beavery.

[flickr id="6001863684" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001303197" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]
[flickr id="6001849990" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001859594" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

the walk ws v peaceful, and following this hot stream up, and we found all the outflows, some particularly stinky unfortunately we didn’t find the geocache… we carried on a bit further and came to a bit where we could go in the pools of the icy stream water, with stepping stones and games to play, so had a chill out there before returning back for snack at motor home. we caught some more wildlife – further female bighorn sheep, red squirrels, and then on our drive down from miette springs – 2 black bears how v v exciting. we stayed in motorhome and just slowed down for all to view rather than harrassing with a camera.

[flickr id="6001339843" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001886334" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001916298" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001365437" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6001931704" thumbnail="medium" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

We drove on to Wabasso camp near Jasper, thinking we had had a near perfect day . The drive took us along the athabasca river, which is lovely. we saw more bighorn sheep – female herd, and the girls looked at leaflets and started their journals. We settled in Wabasso, and the girls explored the bag of crafts and bits Aunty M had thoughtfully provided for us. A peaceful sharing, and an immediate start by doing a bag craft before general playing on the site as I got dinner ready. we had planned BBQ, but realised no tinfoil – oops.

[flickr id="6003798720" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6003804022" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6003810818" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6003829574" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

After dinner we explored the camp a bit and walked along the athabasca river. I have to say i was a bit bear nervous, having seen 2 that day, and didn’t relax properly. i remained a bit bear nervous TBH for most of the trip! the walk was peceful, the river fast flowing, and the only wildlife squirrels and birds

[flickr id="6003836922" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="6003835240" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

yes, really, we were setting off to pocahontas. One thing about going to Canada this time is that my paternal grandparents have died, my gran being canadian and that aunty m talked about them visiting and what they enjoyed there, giving me a whole new impression of them. I found out afterwards that miette springs were one of their fav places to go, and my aunt loves staying at pocohontas.

my cousin K and her son came over in the morning and we had a leisurely breakfast and chat, made sure the motorhome [or RV ] was ready to go and then set off. I don’t think aunty m gave us quite the full instructions on how to avoid the construction as we ended up wheeling off the road to turn round in a gas station and try again .
[flickr id="5989514614" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5988957259" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

Northern alberta tht we travelled long towards edson was pretty rural looking v early on. mostly trees, a few farms and v v few signs of habitation, but a railway line keeping pace with us, along which went the longest trains i have seen. we decided to take some road pics along the way, ideal for adding into the blog the girls did some looking, some colouring and then a fair bit of snoozing when they realised how long the journey was DH and i tried to identify sources of most annoying rattles so could dampen down, and find a listenable to radio station. He also got to grips with driving the thing and assessing its width and enjoying cruise control and i was eyes for weird canadian signs and also speed limits etc.

[flickr id="5989529894" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5989527030" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

We safely negotiated filling up with petrol – arms and legs severed!! and did a massive shop at edson for the main bulk of 13 days food [there goes a kidney! the exchange rate was sooo against us for this holiday that even own brand baked beans seemed whappingly expensive] getting the girls awake and made the final drive into the rockies, we could see them now – woohoo – and past a sign saying it was our last chance to go to alaska. i was keen to perhaps take that trip one day [my premium bond needs to be successful!] full of enthusiasm we finally got to the outer edge of jasper national park and the rockies.

[flickr id="5988986081" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5989540724" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

As the evening came on we camped in our first parks site, got told all about bears and clean sites, and that we were truly in bear country and a bt eek. we realsied we hadn’t bought matches or had much paper for firelighting, but got it going anyway. SB named the chasm of death [or something similar!] near our pitch, i made pasta and we settled in feeling truly at home, and being dined on by hungry mosquitos

[flickr id="5988992865" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5989555146" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5989565806" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5989570294" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

we were manically packing up and driving down to my parents so that dad could drive us to Heathrow the following morning. odd not to have mum there [on a hol with her sister in france] but lovely to see him and have a hug

next day off to canada!! we did make a mess, as we had packed washkit in handluggage and also medicine kit – so a number of tubes to get out and put in plastic bags and a reminded not to do that on way home!! the queue for checkin was enormous as their computer systems had gone down but now just back up, so not allowing the precheck in which we had done. the staff all v friendly and it was well organised, but a bit of a urgh start. however, all in and an easy wait for the plane, a game of ingenuity and some food bought and we were all set. on the plane it wasn’t quite set out as i had hoped, as the rows out of synch, so we were 2 and 2, so changed return seats so we were 2 and 2 behind . Air Canada is a good way to travel tho, indiv screens and plugs and ports for charging, food ok and enough room. I was with BB and i think she beat all my expectations on how much a girl can need the washrooms in 8 bours… the in flight entertainment was deemed fantastic, and rango and gnomeo and juliet were watched . SHe was v happy with fruit platter chosen for her food, and SB with oriental vegetarian we looked at the ice as we went over greenland and the northernmost bits of canada – looked beautiful, and finally bb slept for the last hour and the landing. it was rough getting in, as it was 2am our time, so girls totally pooped, and we wsere not much better… however, the passage through the airport was straightforward. and it was totally wonderfulto see aunty marylyn she drove us to pick up the motorhome and we went back to her house, stayed up as long as possible and collapsed into bed

[flickr id="5922373527" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5988937655" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5988941323" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5922937780" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

in the end, the last few years have been v stressful and a feeling that life was caving in, so earlier in the year we made a decision to spend the money earmarked for sensible things and go on a holiday of a lifetime to Canada, encouraged by a cousin’s marriage.

It was a fabulous decision, we had a brilliant time, with 2 weeks in an RV travelling through the rockies and a week with family. I am going to do my best to blog and catch up with everything, but will be a busy time and not sure when it will get done, and miles behind on photos!

here are some iphone ones – a bear [we saw lots of them ] and messing about in the water [lots of that ]

[flickr id="5922684310" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"] [flickr id="5922965042" thumbnail="small" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]

[flickr id="5922965766" thumbnail="medium" overlay="true" size="small" group="" align="none"]