What we did on our holidays

Calgary was great. It's a cool and modern city, with plenty of spectacular views of parks and rivers and shiny skyscrapers. We were staying in a somewhat disconcerting stuffed-full-of-soft-toys B&B, a short walk from Kensington. Our room was called The Wind in the Willows, which, given Darrell's excessive gas problem, was rather too apt for my liking. We slowly became convinced that the everytime we looked, another soft toy had been squashed into the room and that we would wake up one night with a stuffed moose crouching over us with a butcher's knife.

We were sure that we'd seen a big observation tower when we'd driven into the city, so on our first day there, we decided to look for it. Now, this is a sodding great big tower, with a red observation deck, so you'd think that it wouldn't be hard to track down. You'd be wrong. No matter where we looked, it remained elusive until we finally decided to do the sensible thing and ask a woman covered in tattoos in an information booth at Eau Claire market (while we ate enormous ice creams. Well, when in Rome). She gave us directions that seemed to take us a) back to where we'd started over the other side of town completely and b) nowhere near any tower that we could see. Then suddenly, as we rounded the last corner, lo and behold we discovered that the bastard tower had been somehow hiding behind every other tall building in the area. I swear to god it's like a stealth building, you'd never know it was there until you were underneath it. We hopped across the road with excitement and glee only to find it had been closed an hour earlier for a private function. Bugger.

Somehow we ended up in a bar. And somehow I ended up drunk. I'm not prepared to discuss the details, but let's just say 2 shandies and I'm anyone's, it would seem.

The next day we got up and had our (non-negotiable 8am) breakfast of pancakes and fruit and headed back to the tower. Our journey into the city first took us past the totally fabulous Crave, which is a somewhat legendary cup cake shop, with queues right out of the door. We bought an assorted half a dozen and went and sat by the river to have a little nibble. Okay, okay, stuff our faces. Then we found the tower and went up, which was well worth the wait. I particularly liked the glass floored bit which made your stomach turn over. Then we went to the Devonian gardens, which is a garden on the 4th floor of a shopping mall where we lazed, read tourist brochures and played with bubblegum. Oh and I bought some rather lovely ski boots, which are silver, so I was very happy and I'm set up for the season now, with my borrowed ski clothes from Megan. Now I just have to get heaters built into them because I understand that -30 degrees tends to feel really quite chilly.

Finally we headed back to the B&B to get changed for dinner and a movie (those of you who know me well know that I normally refuse to use the word 'movie' back home, in favour of the more proper English word 'film' but I'm having to relax the rules a bit out here). A quick taco/fajita combo and then we went back to Eau Claire to watch Superbad, which was Supergood. A leisurely walk back through the city and park, where we saw giant rabbits (at least I think they were rabbits, I'm still getting used to the wildlife out here. Today we saw a squashed porcupine at the side of the road. I mean, come on, what's wrong with the humble hedgehog?) and a photo session on the bridge which saw me produce this little beauty.

We checked out of serial killer heaven the next morning and got back in the car for the drive to Banff. We could see the Rockies in the distance but I'm not sure anything quite prepares you for seeing them up close for the first time. They are so bloody spectacular and I did end up taking a large amount of pictures, though not as many as Daz because I was driving and he will take pictures of anything that moves - or doesn't move - anyway.

We checked into our log cabin (with jacuzzi!) and headed out to check out the town where I'll be spending the winter. I think I lucked out. It's a nice size town, lots of shops so I won't feel claustrophobic. I've earmarked a couple of places I'd quite like to work, including a very cool little sweet shop right in the centre of town, but I'll start the job hunt in earnest in a couple of weeks when I get back there. Preferably I'll get somewhere which gives me a ski pass, which is, after all, what it's all about. So for now, we were just browsing. We walked down to the Bow River and ate ribs at Tony Roma's. Next day we headed over to the Banff Gondolas, which take you up Sulphur Mountain (which is also, by some extraordinary coincidence, my nickname for Darrell after spending so much time in an enclosed space with him). We headed up the mountain to be battered by the wind, throw snowballs at each other and say 'Oh my god, this is just so beautiful. It looks like a backdrop. I can't believe it's real' ad nauseum. Then, when we were good and cold, we took the gondola back down to visit the Banff Hot Springs, which was just gorgeous. When Darrell finally sends me that picture of me in my bond girl bikini (Primark, £5) with the mountains behind me, I'll be sure to pass it on to you, I promise.

Big burger for lunch before walking it off on the Bow River trail down to the Bow River falls, then back for a quick jacuzzi. Well, you would, wouldn't you?

Next morning we checked out to drive along the Icefields Parkway towards Jasper, which lived up to its name. Unfortunately this also meant that it was too rainy/snowy/foggy/misty to see any of the sodding mountains along the way until we were right on top of them, but the weather can be forgiven because, as you can see, the snow made Darrell so darn happy. We got to Jasper and thought we'd try to find our hotel, which claimed to be 'near Jasper'. Hmmm. In fact it was nearly an hour's drive away in Hicksville, sorry Hinton. Damn these Canadians and their screwy perception of distance. That's like saying you should stay in a hotel in Basingstoke because it's 'near' London! (which fortunately for those of us in London, it isn't. Phew.)

We couldn't face driving all the way back to Jasper the next day (and anyway, I'd already been there for 40 minutes when our train stopped there on the way from Vancouver to Edmonton, so I'd pretty much done that) so instead we drove the 250kms or so back to Megan & Craig's and Darrell got ready for his flight to Vancouver that afternoon where he's spending the next week or so. Apparently it's very cold and wet there at the moment. Haha. Megan & I will be heading up to her parent's cabin tomorrow for a couple of days in the hope of seeing some Aurora Borealis (which is my dearest wish to see!) so fingers crossed for me. Naturally if I do, you'll be the first with the pictures.

More pics from the road trip here.