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Wyoming, Montana & South Dakota

‘Friendship is a horizon which expands whenever we approach it.’ – E.R. Hazlip

This last week we’ve, mostly, stayed in South Dakota, as it was agreed we needed some more downtime and the RV needed some more repairs before we embark on our next push.

Mom pouring over maps

Mom pouring over the maps, trying to figure out new routes, due to our delays!

That meant leaving Cody, Wyoming and heading to Montana for an over night in Ranchester, so we could go to ‘Custer’s Last Stand.’

Custer Last Stand

Custer Last Stand

It was very interesting and I learned a lot about this infamous battle. (I’ve put a tip to get into these national parks below this letter) We went to a Ranger talk on it and it was really engaging and surprising.  Based on the Indian accounts of the battle, Custer was not standing and firing his gun, instead, he ordered his men to shoot their horses and hide behind them.  Then the Indians decided to volley arrows over the dead horses onto the soldiers – the battle lasted, possibly, only 5 mins for Custer’s part.  The whole of the attack on the Indians lasted over a week and the Indians won the battle, but they lost the war with the killing of Custer.  They were, then, forced onto reservations and their lives were never to be as they were.

So, we, then, started our drive to South Dakota where we still are, but there’s ton to see and do.

On our drive here, we saw an old western jail – tiny and in the middle of a park. (Unfortunately, can’t remember what town we went through, but you blink and you will miss the town.)

Small Western Jail

Small Western Jail

Mt. Rushmore was our first stop – quite the tourist attraction.

Mt Rushmore

Mt Rushmore

We got lucky with our timing and our weekend was filled with, once a year, events – a buffalo round-up

Buffalo Round-Up

Buffalo Round-Up

and a walk up to the Crazy Horse monument.

Crazy Horse Monument

Crazy Horse Monument Walk

We, also, went around parts of Custer State Park and went on the Needles Highway – definitely worth a visit.

Needles Highway

Needles Highway

It’s a great drive and this was where they originally hoped to put up the monument they later put on Mt. Rushmore.  The artist said God made the Needles too beautiful for man to destroy.  I agree!

Hope you well! (Some extra Stories & photos below of my experiences which I wasn’t able to fit into the letter.)

Debx

Extra Stories:

When we were in Ranchester, the smallest town, we went to a restaurant there and entcountered the most amazing onion rings.

Onion Rings

Onion Rings extraordinaire!

Also, while going for a walk in the evening with my parents, I noticed a man leaving his house to cross the street to the grocery store with his pistol?!  This lady ain’t used to needing to pack my pistol to go to the corner store!

Tips:

I suggest you buy an annual national park pass, if you are going to be traveling from state to state and going to national parks and national monuments.  The pass will get you into both, places like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone Park and Custer’s Last Stand.

2015 is the 50th anniversary of the Buffalo Round-Up, I believe it’s the only one in the US, at this time.  Had no idea this happens, but it’s quite something to see.  They vaccinate the buffalo, reduce the herd, as the park is limited in its space to support so many buffalo.  They get branded, which you can watch, I chose not to, and they auction off the buffalo which they no longer need in the herd. There is a festival the whole weekend, cook offs, local artists work and music.

Crazy Horse Monument is 6 times larger than Mt Rushmore and they have the walk twice a year, in the spring and autumn.  It’s approximately 6 miles and you go right up to the monument face.  It’s a private enterprise, as the artist who created it wanted to make sure that this Indian moment never fell into the hands of a government led organisation.  They support the first Indian College/University and have a huge museum of Indian artifacts, it’s worth a visit if you can make it.  Also, when you go on the walk, it’s free to see all these things and you get a free pass to see the night-time light show.  At other times of the year, it’s quite expensive to go in, but it’s an all day kinda place, as there is much to see.

Mt Rushmore costs nothing to go and see.  You do not need to go to the actual place that the parks have in front of it to see it; there are many pull outs to get a good photo opp.  While the entrance to the monument is free, the parking isn’t, that was $11 when we went, but it gives you a pass for a week, so you can go back and forth and see the night lighting and film, which we did.

Needles Highway – you can’t take a large vehicle up this highway, there are tunnels which an RV or trailer/tuck, would not be able to make it through, so detach your vehicle and drive it.  Also, there is a beautiful lake – Sylvan Lake, where you can eat and just enjoy an incredible view of this beautiful area – it’s worth taking some time there.

Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake

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Buffalo Bill Museum Cody Wyoming visit

Buffalo Bill Museum Cody Wyoming visit

On our way to South Dakota we had plans to visit Cody so I could see the Buffalo Bill Museum.

The Journey to Cody

We left Gardiner and drove through Yellowstone via the Lamar Valley. The Lamar valley is the best place for spotting wolves in Yellowstone although we saw none the day we travelled through it. The valley is lovely with wide open spaces. Our drive to Cody was on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and took us over Dead Indian Pass where there were some spectacular views of the countryside.

In Cody we stayed at the Ponderosa campground on the town edges and only a five or so minute walk to the Buffalo Bill Museum. The campground was good location wise but the bathrooms were a bit tired. It also is beside a main road although I noticed no noise during the night and slept well. It cost $50 a night for the four of us.

Buffalo Bill Museum

The Buffalo Bill Museum is the main tourist attraction in Cody and attracts 200,000 visitors a year. It is open all year round and cost $18 for entry, however the entry ticket is valid for two days and there are five wings or museums to visit. I thought it was good value for money. The Buffalo Bill Museum gives the background and life of Buffalo Bill including his many ups and downs. He had a fiery marriage and was the world’s first superstar with his Wild West show that played throughout Europe. There was even a private show for Queen Victoria. The Cody Firearms Museum has lots of guns and a few stuffed animals of every description.

Draper’s Natural History Museum has some interesting exhibits and information about the fauna, geology and problems facing the environment. Whitney Western Art Museum has some wonderful paintings and bronzes. The Plains Indian Museum had several exhibits of the life of the Indians. Although I felt it did not really show the conflict with the settlers.

All in all you can spend a few hours wandering around the different museums and learn a lot about Buffalo Bill.

We also went into town and visited Buffalo Bills daughters historical saloon called Irma but it had been converted into a restaurant. The bar attached was a small one and not in the style we expected of the old west. The next day we headed toward Ranchester for a jump off point to Custer’s Last Stand site.

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Debbie Bridge North America, Travel, USA 1 Comment

A visit to Yellowstone National Park

A visit to Yellowstone National Park

I have heard of Yellowstone National Park and its natural wonders for years in New Zealand and always wanted to visit it. It did not disappoint. A visit to Yellowstone National Park is worthwhile just for the scenery that is simply breathtaking. The wildlife is also amazing with lots of buffalo, elk and chipmunks and the thermal wonders are all part of a visit to Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was the first National Park in the world and established in 1872. It is around 9000 square kilometres in size and 96% of it is in Wyoming, 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho. The park has up to 3000 earthquakes each year with more than 300 geysers including Old Faithful it has fantastic thermal area spread throughout the park. The tallest waterfall is the lower falls on the Yellowstone River at 94 metres high. For me, the highlight of our visit was Yellowstone Grand Canyon.

Where we stayed?

We stayed near the small town of Gardiner at the Yellowstone RV park beside the Gardiner river. The RV park cost $50 per night for the four of us. Gardiner’s North entrance is open year-long and the site of the Roosevelt Arch. The town also has the occasional elk wandering down the street.

Mammoth Hot Springs and Buffalo Jam

On our first afternoon we drove into the Park and bought an Annual National Park Pass for $80 which covers all the US national parks. We first visited Mammoth Hot Springs with its terraces and steam rising from the thermal areas. The Mammoth Hot Springs were nice to view and the walkways allow access to all parts of it. The easy access also draws huge crowds of people and we were glad not to visit in autumn and not summer. Afterwards we went for a twilight drive and got caught up in a buffalo jam of a few hundred buffalo using the road. After getting out of the buffalo jam we then got into an elk jam with people taking photos or observing elk in the centre of Mammoth Springs township.

Old Faithful

We got up early the next day and had a hearty breakfast in Gardiner before heading into the park. It was a lovely drive to Old Faithful where we saw it spout twice. There also is a lovely walk around the upper geyser area where there are lots of pools and geysers. On the way back we stopped at Yellowstone Grand Canyon which has breathtaking scenery. If you ever get the chance to go to Yellowstone make sure you visit the canyon.

Highlights for me was a buffalo jam and Yellowstone Grand Canyon. We also saw a grizzly albeit faraway. Our next stop is Cody home of Buffalo Bill.

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Lethbridge & USA!

‘Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.’ – E. Joseph Cossman

Just when you think you’ve solved a problem another one pops up. Last week, it was John’s visa (US) and the RV’s block heater. This week it’s the RV’s batteries. It’s slowed us up, but we are still managing to move forward and we are, now, officially, in the US.

Before we left Canada, we had repairs to make, so we stopped at ‘Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump’, it’s an UNESCO world heritage site, about the Plains Indians and how they used to herd buffalo over cliffs to live through the winter.

Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump

Mom, Dad and I at Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump

Everyone enjoyed it and we had some delicious buffalo chilli.
In Lethbridge, Alberta, we saw the tallest and longest trellis train bridge of its kind in the world,

Lethbridge Train Trellis Bridge

Lethbridge Train Trellis Bridge

plus I went to ‘Fort Whoop Up’ which was a rebuild of an old fort of notorious reputation – the name gives a hint.

Fort Whoop Up

Fort Whoop Up

Then we headed over the border to start our first leg in the US.

US border crossing

US border crossing

Our first stop was White Sulphur Hot Springs and Mom and I tried the hot springs out and agreed – these were the best we’d ever been in. They had 3 pools ranging from 98 degrees to 105 degrees – lovely.

After our warming soak, we headed off to have a few days in Yellowstone Park.

Yellowstone Park

Yellowstone Park

We saw Mammoth Hot Springs,

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs

Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Park.

Lower Falls - Grand Canyon Yellowstone

Lower Falls – Grand Canyon Yellowstone

Gorgeous park and it was really easy to see wildlife. We saw Elk, deer, antelope, sheep, squirrels, chipmunks and tons of buffalo. We got caught in Buffalo, Elk and Bear jams – where you can’t move due to cars stopped because of animals on the road. It was awesome. The weather has been perfect and made for some great scenic photos. (Animal photos can be seen at bottom of blog)

I’ve been to Yellowstone before, but I was able to see places I’d not seen before and go through the historic gate.

Roosevelt Gate Yellowstone

Roosevelt Gate Yellowstone

Did you know Yellowstone was the first US national park?  I’m learning so much on this trip!

We, then, continued our journey east and overnight-ed in Cody to see Buffalo Bill’s museums. They even named the town after him. We’ve managed to find a campsite very near the museums – walking distance.

Buffalo Bill Museum

Buffalo Bill Museum

So, from today, we are hitting some real Wild West areas and all their cowboy stories. Everything here is on epic scale – the skies, the mountains, the tundra and the food.

Epic Landscape

Epic Landscape

Yesterday, I saw an eagle flying beside the RV – my good omen!

Hope you well! (some more epic photos below of animals)

Debx

Photos from Animals in Yellowstone:

Some photos of the epic US photos:

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Montana and some hot hot springs

Day One

Finally, have good wifi so can catch up on our blog. We crossed into Montana a week ago without any problems. Very happy that I got the B-2 US tourist visa as the ETSA one would have been a major problem. First experience in the US was being overcharged for a refill coffee by 23 cents in Grand Falls. Happily, after that everything improved. The RV seems to be working ok after the repairs in Lethbridge and the scenery of Montana is stunning.

Some facts about Montana

The population is one million people. The capital is Helena. Its nickname is the Treasure State. Montana is landlocked with a total area of 380,800 square kilometres or it is a bit bigger than Japan. Montana is the fourth largest US state with a 877 kilometre border with Canada. Custer’s last stand took place in Montana and Yellowstone Park is part of Montana as well as Wyoming.

First Stop White Sulphur Springs

We stayed our first night in a campground at White Sulphur Springs. The town is small and surrounded by low-lying hills and wide open spaces. It also has a hidden treasure in fantastic hot pools. There were three hot pools a large and medium one outside and the hottest one a small one inside a building, each progressively hotter. The hot springs were a pleasant surprise and some of the hottest hot springs I have ever encountered compared to the hot pools I grew up with in New Zealand. Weirdly they are hidden in part of a motel complex but open to the public, although you would not really know that from the outside. One odd fact I found out was that Dirk Benedict the actor in the A Team television series grew up in the town.

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Bucket list for New Zealand

Bucket list for New Zealand

A few nights ago in Lethbridge we stayed with Amber and Ewan who are visiting New Zealand later this year. It got me to thinking about what, as a kiwi, I would suggest as a bucket list to visitors. Not to overwhelm people, I have listed 5 things in the North Island and 5 things in the South Island I would recommend.

The lists are not in order of importance but rather progress traveling from Auckland down to Milford Sound.

North Island

1 Visit Rangitoto Island in Auckland Harbour. Rangitoto Island is a dormant volcano. It is a short ferry ride and bring a picnic or some food to enjoy.

2 Visit Waitomo Caves and combine a trip if your feeling adventurous do some blackwater rafting.

3 Visit Rotorua and soak in the hot pools and, in the evening, go to a Maori cultural show. If you have time I would recommend a visit to the Redwoods as well for a short walk among the giants of the forest.

4 Hike the Tongariro Crossing. It can be walked in a day and transport is possible from nearby Turangi to arrange to drop you off and pick you up at a scheduled time at the end of the track.

Do not leave your car in the carpark at either end of the track. There is a high likelihood it will be broken into.

5 Visit the Te Papa Museum in Wellington it’s, in my view, the best 1 in New Zealand.

The South Island

The South Island is a wonderland of nature and has some fine wineries in Blenheim and Otago.

My list reflects my love of hiking so I have put 2 hikes in there which you will need to book with the Department of Conservation.

1 Visit some Marlborough wineries near the city of Blenheim.

2 Walk the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, it is easy to do and you can arrange, also, for a spot of kayaking to see some sealife if you want.

3 Visit the Punakiki Pancake Rocks on the West Coast near Greymouth.

Punakiki Pancake rocks, west coast

Punakiki Pancake rocks, west coast

4 Either walk the Milford Track or Routeburn Track; both need to be booked and both have some stunning scenery. If you are short on time then just do the drive to Milford Sound and take the boat out to enjoy the scenery.

5 Drive to Milford Sound and, either, do a boat tour or hire a kayak and get up close to the scenery and wildlife.

On the drive, you should see the cheeky Alpine Parrot – the Kea. If you are able stay in Te Anau and, to beat the hordes of tour buses from Queenstown, leave early in the morning. If you spend any time outside then buy some sandfly repellent.

I hope this bucket list is helpful for newbies to New Zealand.

You would have noticed I have missed out bungy jumping, whitewater rafting and the Bay of Islands. All are great things and can be included, depending on the amount of time you have to spend in New Zealand.

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Debbie Bridge Australasia, Milford Sound, New Zealand, North Island, Punakiki, Rotorua, South Island, Tongariro, Travel 2 Comments

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump visit

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump visit

On our way from Calgary towards Lethbridge a few days ago we visited the World Heritage Site Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. The site opened in 1987 and the interpretative Centre is built into a cliff. The site is located 18 km from Fort Macleod near the foothills of the Rockies and where the Great Plains meet. The Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump site is one of the few places where you can visit to see how Indians before the horses killed buffalo. At this site the Blackfoot used a runner to lure the buffalo over the cliff edge to their death. At the bottom of the cliff the Blackfoot would butcher the bison for food and other uses. Apparently the site got its name from a Blackfoot who wanted to see the buffalo fall so he hid under an overhang to watch the buffalo fall and ended up being crushed to death.

IMG_2924

I liked how the centre blended into the landscape. The displays throughout the centre are excellent and some are interactive such as guessing where a bone belongs on a buffalo skeleton. It was a shame that the cafe was windowless and that they had not built it with views of the prairie. To tour the interpretative centre you start at the top and walk along the cliff along a paved pave a few hundred metres to see where the buffalo runner lured them to their deaths. Surprisingly, the cliff is not that high so afterwards injured buffalo had to be killed.

There also is a gravel path below where you can visit the foot of the cliff. After viewing where the buffalo fell you return to the centre and walk down several levels of different displays. The displays tell you more about the history of the Blackfoot, the hunt and the uses of buffalo parts by the Blackfoot and other native tribes. The exhibition ends with information about the demise of the buffalo and the archeological work around the area. Hard to believe there were once 60 million buffalo roaming around in North America 150 years ago and now there are only 500,000.

The site is open all year-long from 9-5 pm and cost $11 per adult. It is well worth a visit and do go and see the movie first about how the Blackfoot would lure the buffalo to the cliff edge and to their deaths.

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Debbie Bridge Canada, North America, Travel 1 Comment

Lethbridge, Alberta Canada

Lethbridge, Alberta Canada

In all things in life you should expect the unexpected. Journeys especially throw up obstacles and challenges. One of those challenges has occurred with our journey grounding to a halt in Lethbridge, Alberta Canada. Yesterday the RV had to go into the garage for some repairs. Happily the parts needed to fix it arrived today so we should, fingers crossed, be up and running towards Yellowstone tomorrow morning. After leaving Calgary, we noticed the RV was not running well, so after arriving at the Lethbridge Bridgeview RV Campground a decision to see a mechanic was made. The next day due to having to get parts to fix the beast we had to find a place for the night which could also accommodate Mikey the cat.

Airbnb to the rescue

We have used Airbnb both as travellers and hosts for a couple of years and we managed to find a place in Lethbridge which could accommodate all four of us plus Mikey. Thank you Amber and Evan we had a great stay downstairs and enjoyed the conversation and beers. Mikey, also, has now seen the biggest dog in the world to him with your lovely friendly Great Dane and he met his match in cuteness with your cat Penny.

What to do in Lethbridge?

Our mechanical problem meant an unexpected stay in sunny Lethbridge. The city is one of the warmest in Canada and receives 2400 hours of sunshine a year. Due to warm winds or Chinooks, Lethbridge, as many parts of Southern Alberta, can have quite mild winters. There, also, is plenty to do in Lethbridge. The city is home to the longest and highest trestle bridge of its kind in the world. The bridge was built in 1909 and is 96 metres high and 1.6 km long. Under the bridge is the Lethbridge river valley covering an area of 1,600 hectares of different parks and reserves. There, also, are the Helen Schuler Nature Centre, Galt Museum and Fort Whoop-Up.

Helen Schuler Nature Centre

Today I visited the recently refurbished Helen Schuler Nature Centre. Its staff and volunteers have a wonderful facility with a rooftop garden overlooking the Lethbridge Nature Reserve. I enjoyed feeding the Great Western Toad and seeing Peg Leg – a Crow injured as a baby and living at the centre since 1991. I never knew Crow’s in captivity can live up to 60 years! The Reserve was lovely to walk around with its Cottonwood trees and Oldman River. The Centre is open most days except Monday and admission is by donation.

The valley used to have several coal mines and it is amazing to see how in a few decades nature can recover and thrive.

Hopefully tomorrow we will be crossing the US border and heading to Yellowstone Park.

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Sunshine and Summer Snow in Jasper and Banff

Sunshine and Summer Snow in Jasper and Banff

This is part 2 of our adventures exploring Banff and Jasper.

The Road to Jasper

The next day after arriving in Banff we drove the trusty Honda up to Jasper leaving Debbie’s folks in Banff with the RV. It was a good thing we decided to leave when we did given what was to come a few days later weather wise. The drive from Banff to Jasper takes around 4 hours and is 288 kilometres. From Lake Louise to Jasper is 232 kilometers, the route follows the Icefields Parkway and the landscape is magnificent as well as the occasional beastie if your lucky.

The drive along the Icefields Parkway on a sunny day is breathtaking. We stopped many times for photo opportunities and to admire and soak in the spectacular scenery. On reaching the Columbia Icefield it was the jewel in the crown. The Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre lacked substance in terms of detailed information. The Centre seemed devoted to extracting money from your purse or wallet with its new attraction the Glacier Walkway. It seemed to work as people lined up to pay their $24.95 to do the walk. The walk itself is not actually near the Icefield but on the side of the road up the hill towards Jasper. I did not feel we missed much in not doing it and paying to just go over a cliff for the privilege of a 10 minute walk around from what we could see. The walk also was busy with lots of people on it. You also can do a range of other activities such as walk on the Icefield. We just liked admiring it from afar.

After the Icefield we drove on to Jasper and camped for the night. The cost for our tent was $28. We also had a delicious meal at the only Korean Restaurant in Jasper called Kimchi House Restaurant. We had the set meal for two which with tip came to $55. The town is quite small with the railway line running beside it and a lovely backdrop of mountains wherever you look.

Miette Hot Springs

The next day we decided to go to Miette Hot Springs stopping on the way to do a two-hour hike at Maligne Canyon. The walk is lovely but very busy with tour buses stopping every few minutes it seemed. However, we did the upper walk and came back along the canyon. Most people did not do this and just walked to the first or second bridge for a photo-op and then got back on their bus or RV. After the walk we drove on to Miette to soak in the hot pools which were very enjoyable. A decision was also made to get a cabin for the night which turned out a fortunate stroke of luck as the next morning we woke up to a winter wonderland. Staying at the Miette Hot Springs Resort was a well spent $106 and the restaurant had delicious food.

Return to Banff via Lake Louise

Going back to Banff was like chalk and cheese from when we drove through during sunshine and blue skies. The snow and mist obscured the mountains with occasional snow flurries making visibility a challenge. We did stop off at Lake Louise where Debbie took a photo of me in the mist. I have added an earlier photo from 2012 to show you the same spot on a summer day with clear skies.

Visit to Calgary

Due to a problem with getting the wrong advice on my US visa in the UK I had to visit the US Calgary Consulate to sort out the correct tourist visa. The appointment was on the day after Calgary had 10 inches of snow and we had no choice to drive to Calgary the next day in some atrocious conditions. We stayed at the lovely Gary and Sally’s house for two nights and Gary who is a retired coach was able to explain to me during an American Football Game some of its rules and intricacies which gave me a better appreciation for the game. It was also amusing to learn that the Canadian American Football has a bigger ball and bigger field. Next morning I had my interview at the US consulate which went well. The next day we returned to Banff for a few more days of enjoying the snow and improving weather.

september2014 248

Banff

On our first day back in Banff we enjoyed a soak in the Banff hot springs and had a meal at Melissa’s Missteak Restaurant. We all had the Joe Burger and fries. Prior to the meal we had been lucky to see a herd of 19 female elk and a stag with 18 points near the golf course. The next day we visited the Cave and Basin Natural Historic site established in 1885 for several hours. This was the first national park in Canada. We took a guided tour and saw the underground cave source of the thermal waters and the tiny Physella johnsoni or better known as the Banff Springs Snail. There are also some lovely walks to enjoy around the site.

On our last day we had an early start and drove the Bow River Parkway to look for bears but had no luck. On arrival at Lake Louise we had lunch at the Bill Peyton’s Cafe/Youth Hostel. I recommend it if you are ever looking for a bite to eat in Lake Louise the food is delicious and not overpriced like many other places. Afterwards we went to Moraine lake and were rewarded with some stunning views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. I would say Lake Moraine and the mountain backdrop is more spectacular than Lake Louise. After spending a few hours there we drove back to the campground and in the late afternoon we walked around the Banff Tunnel Mountain Campgrounds which was nice especially with the little snow still left on the ground.

The next day we headed into Calgary for an overnight stay at Gary and Sally’s parking the RV in the street. They treated us to a wonderful roast, salad, roast potatos and vegetables plus some delicious red wine to wash it all down. We even got to use their hot tub which was much appreciated. Our next stop is Lethbridge.

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Banff, Calgary, Banff, Calgary, ecetera, ecetera

‘While one person hesitates because he feels inferior… the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior’ – Henry C. Link

This week has been a lot about going back and forth between Banff and Calgary, Alberta. We’ve been through snow storms

Banff Snows

Banff Snows #mybanff

and, today, 28 degree weather.

Mickie

Mickie enjoying the tall grass and return of warm weather.

The seasons are, definitely, changing.
So, why back and forth between these 2 cities? – Well, like all great ideas, you hit some hick-ups and this week was one. John, who has New Zealand and Dutch passports) got the wrong US visa – an Esta – it’s free and, for most, this would suffice, but because we plan to be in the US longer than 90 days (it doesn’t reset if we go into Canada or Mexico) he needed to go to the US Embassy in Calgary to get a B2 Visa. Only problem was we had 2 snow storms which hit the region – one, the worst of the two – the day we needed to drive to Calgary from Banff. So snow storm or not – we had to go in for John’s early morning, next day, appointment. Thankfully, my parents could hold up in Banff – nice and snug in the motor-home,

Snowman

Fellow German campers snowman

while we went to a friend’s place to stay for 2 nights in Calgary.

Friends Hot Tub

Sally & Gary’s Hot Tub room.

Then back to Banff for a few days and, then, one more in Calgary, so my parents could catch up with their friends, too.

So we had walks in Banff round trails, discovered the Cave & Basin hot springs

Cave and Basin, Banff

Birthplace of Canada’s National Parks

[I’ve been to Banff many times and never been to this birthplace of our national parks! (if you want to watch a couple of silly videos of John and I click here and here)], almost, got charged by a male Elk in rutting season on one early morning snowy walk, saw a herd of Elk, seen tons of ‘chippies’ (chipmunks), squirrels, birds and deer, but no bears – sadly – not this trip, maybe the snows chased them into their dens early.

Just to add to the list of what I did: got to a play in Calgary – ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’, which I’ve wanted to see and was a good laugh, plus, it was based in Brighton!, sat in a hot tub and the gorgeous hot springs in Banff, saw endangered snails

Snails and Dragonflies

Can you spot 3 dragonflies in this photo?

– only in Banff and saw fish, which one sign said were extinct, but clearly weren’t. For the first time, I feel, I got to know my neighbouring province a lot better and despite all past rivalry – really liked it.

Calgary is a hot spot for sunshine all year round – who of you knew that?!

Calgary at Night

Calgary at Night

Love Debx

PS: I forgot to mention the Moraine Lake, Banff, absolutely beautiful and the picture which used to be on the back of the old Canada $20 bill.  Definitely worth a visit, check out the feature image and these below:

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