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Hey everyone, remember I'm quite behind with these blogs as I don't get on a computer very often. Also at the moment I'm having problems uploading photos so still no photos for a while. The photos that accompany the blogs may not always be my own, such as this one!
We got up before 6am to get ready to go to Maligne Lake. I'm glad I got my clothes ready the night before because the lights in the dorm are automatic and go off at 11pm, and come back on at 8am, and the room is pitch black! We were ready to leave by 7.15am, the girls (Olivia and Lena) wanted to get out whilst it was still dark to try and catch glimpses of wildlife and also to see the sun rise. It was so cold out this morning, luckily we were jumping straight in the car. Maligne Lake is around 30 miles away but after driving for what felt like about an hour and not really seeing any signs we decided to pull in and ask for directions. We'd headed about half an hour in the wrong direction! There was hardly anyone else on the road and the scenery was so beautiful by the early morning light. We spotted elk and deer along the way.
On the way to Maligne Lake we came to Medicine Lake- Native Americans used to fear the lake and believed that spirits inhabited it, and is also known as 'Mysterious Medicine Lake'. It is one of the largest "sinking" lakes in the western hemisphere with water levels fluctuating wildly. During fall and winter the lake almost completely disappears- we could clearly see small pools of water surrounded by what looked like sand- you could see animal and human prints. People had gone down to write messages in the 'sand'. In spring/summer it fills up again and is a proper lake once more.
After a look at the lake and a stretch of our legs we continued up the steep hill towards Maligne Lake. We had gone so high that all the trees were covered in snow!
Maligne Lake is the 'largest natural lake in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.' To be honest though I think we were all expecting more because of how much we'd heard/read about it. For me it wasn't as breathtaking as Lake Louise. After this we drove back down the hill and had a very quick stop off at Maligne Canyon- this is where the Maligne river 'carves a 50 metre gorge through the solid limestone of the Canadian Rockies'.
We were really appreciative of the lift because these were all things Kelly and I would not have been able to see otherwise as there would have been no way (at least no cheap way) for us to get there.
After this we headed into town to pick up some bits for dinner. Luckily the girls were heading into town too otherwise we'd have had a 5-6 hour wait for the shuttle back. That's the downside to this hostel though- we got back around 12.30 in the afternoon and the only way of really going anywhere is by taxi, unless you want to walk 7km to town and then 7km back (up a very steep hill!!) There is no where to just pop to if you wanted to- the hostel is pretty remote.
Olivia and Lena didn't like the hostel much and left this afternoon- they asked if we wanted to go with them but they were heading back to Banff and Kelly and I feel like there are still a few things to do and see around here- we haven't been around the town yet and there are lots of trails to hike.
After a nap and then dinner we borrowed a film from the front desk to watch in the tv room- Kalifornia with Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis, it was pretty good.
The hostel is pretty much at the foot of a mountain so it's quite cold here- I had to sleep in my hoody last night! In the evenings they have a real fire in the living area which is nice, and the showers are probably the hottest and most powerful I've had yet over here which is great!
We have to get up fairly early tomorrow as the only bus (apart from 5.30pm) is at 9am. I think we're going to check out the town and maybe do a walk to Patricia Lake. It's a good job I've finished writing now because it's going to be pitch black in here in 10 minutes!
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