Adventures in Self Time, Part 1
In the last week of summer before my kids went back to school, we did something we’d talked about for years: we rented an RV and went on a road trip to Banff, Alberta – an insanely beautiful place that I hadn’t been to since I was a child. Banff is literally a breath-taking place – the absolutely extreme, awe-inspiring, crazy beauty of Mother Nature. We had an awesome time with lots of fun, laughter, a few mishaps and lots of new experiences along the way. Highlights – besides being together - included a tour of
the Columbia Icefields with a hilarious guide who made the experience twice as good, a stop for our favourite ice cream at Tickleberries; seeing elk, bear and big-horned sheep wandering around; and cooking all our own meals – something we rarely have time to do together. Now, getting ready for a road trip is like any work project – we had to plan, organize and execute as we booked campsites, figured out the route and activities, and bought supplies.
With the basics handled, we could just hang out - and discovered that the stuff we didn’t plan was the best. As we went along, the kids got online for ideas. That’s how we ended up at a surprisingly massive and fascinating zoo in Kamloops where we saw all kinds of animals, including a grizzly bear lying on its back in a pool, eating shoots off a branch. A wild bear in the parking lot stopped us from leaving until it was ready to leave, which was great fun to watch. We also had a blast playing sports at a virtual reality place, in Osoyoos, and rode rescued horses at a ranch. Goes to show you that you just need a spirit of exploration, and the right people, for the best adventures to find you.
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