We're Going On A Bear Hunt.....

Lake Louise is probably the most visited and photographed place in the Canadian Rockies, so we expected it to be fairly busy on a warm Sunday in August. Deep blue glacial waters sparkle against a backdrop of mountain peaks and the views are used by virtually every postcard company - with good reason. Thinking that an early arrival would beat most of the crowds, we set off on a short drive. Our travels now took us out of British Columbia and into a new state, Alberta - and into Banff National Park. Clearly we didn't get away quite as early as we needed to - the parking lot at Lake Louise was already full - but a stroke of good fortune and a helpful parking attendant meant we got a parking space about as close to the lake as its possible to park. Although busy with visitors, eyes are inevitably drawn to the blue glacial waters and backdrop of mountains, still carrying snow in late August. Lake Louise Various hiking trails lead off from the car park and away from the crowd...

Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk. This sounds like something that might come out a random word generator. In fact its a short nature trail, just off Trans Canada Highway 1, and an important wetland area on the banks of the Columbia River. The skunk cabbage is a plant that gives off a pungent aroma in springtime and the area attracts migratory birds from central and south America. By late August the distinctive smells are fortunately not present, and most of the birds had presumably left Canada to return south. Nevertheless it made for a nice interlude on a long drive and gave an insight into the bio diversity of this part of Canada . Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk As we drove eastwards on Trans Canada Highway 1 mountain peaks surrounded us and we once again saw some of the forest fires that have affected British Columbia this summer. Glacier National Park and Rogers Pass were traversed until we arrived in the small town of Golden. After a unintended detour into an industrial estate we found...

It was a shorter journey to the Okanagan Valley area, only 125 miles, which meant we arrived at the first winery at lunchtime. The drive to West Kelowna, our base for the night, went through lush green ranching country and then on a long winding road alongside the eastern side of Okanagan Lake. This was a gentler, less dramatic landscape than the previous two days but still beautiful. Lunch was taken at the Volcanic Hills winery at their bistro overlooking the lake - a pretty much perfect spot and it was sunny and hot. Tasty lunch at the Volcanic Hills winery The temperature had hit 31 degrees. A short stroll after lunch took us to the Mount Boucherie winery for a tasting which led to the purchase of a bottle. On the way we passed a fruit stand. Mrs B saw punnets of plump cherries and we parted with a couple of dollars and walked away with a generous helping. The Okanagan region is not only known for excellent vineyards but also grows plenty of fruit - apples, peaches, cherries ...

If we needed a soundtrack for the first leg of our road trip, then Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple) Eclipse (Pink Floyd) and Highway to Hell (AC/DC) would have had to be on it for reasons that will become clear.  But first, a quiz question. where do British Columbians go on a hot August Sunday? Give up? Well based on our experience the answer is the village of Harrison Hot Springs. Overlooking Harrison Lake, this resort village is a beautiful spot but when we arrived late afternoon in our hire car the place was heaving. It was like Windermere on a bank holiday! Beyond the crowds the views were rather lovely, with snow still sitting on mountains in the distance, but we also got a first glimpse of the forest fires that have badly affected British Columbia this summer.  Harrison Lake with a forest fire visible in the middle distance After checking into our hotel we walked along the lake front and learnt a little about the history of the place, The hot springs we...

Twenty four miles..and counting. That's the mileage clocked up on foot over a couple of days or so exploring Vancouver.  In the brief time available Vancouver has left a lasting impression of a young, vibrant, bustling, inclusive and multi-cultural city blessed with a backdrop of sea and mountains. On our first day we located our temporary home - an apartment rented through Airbnb. Over the years our travel accommodation has ranged from the rustic to palatial but occasionally exceeds expectations. So it turned out in Vancouver.Our host had left instructions on how to get in to his apartment and we took the lift to the 22nd floor - opening the door to a stunning view looking west over the city, with Vancouver Island and mountains in the near distance.. Vancouver Skyline Our apartment was on the edge of Davie Village, a bustling gay and LGBT area - with lots of independent shops, bars and restaurants catering for every taste and pocket. From Ramen to taco, Malaysian curry ...