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Wow what a drive to Jasper it has been! We started our journey driving through sleepy Vancouver just as the sun was rising at 5:30am. The city looked even more beautiful at that time of the morning. We both are going to miss the sights, smells and activity of British Columbia's biggest city.
2 hours later we stopped off at Hope, a small town that was very small and we were the only ones around it was quite scary, so we made the quick loo stop even quicker.
After Hope things got serious in a matter of minutes. As we climbed higher through a mountain road we hit a snow blizzard. Without any exaggeration it was like an episode of 'ice road truckers' all the lorries were pulling over to haul there chains over the huge tires. I had to focus a lot because all there was to drive on was small train track like lines from previous cars to drive on. Either side of these lines was slush and ice. Luckily the blizzard only lasted around an hour and we were through the mountain road and on to flatter lands heading towards Kamloops.
Just before Kamloops we filled up with 'gas' and this followed a check engine light appearing on the dashboard. This is all we needed after the car trouble we have endured recently. I purchased oil and engine coolant from the garage but still the light shone brightly. We decided to continue as there was nothing else that we could do.
The next stop was Kamloops as the numb bottoms and rumbly tums required a stop off and a white spot restaurant. This is our second white spot since coming to Canada and my third 'poutine' (chips with gravy and curd cheese).
There isn't much to say about the following 4.5 hours of our journey other than it consisted of loooong roads, the kind of which even though its around 10 degrees outside there are mirages in the distance. Lots of pretty farm houses and lots of rivers, lakes , streams and mountains. The check engine light went off after our next re fuel. We were even lucky enough to spot a mother bear and her two cubs on the side of the road. Called Beatrice, Hank and Reginald (Regie to you and I).
Finally we got to pretty little Jasper filled with its gift shops, food stores, clothing stores and elk. I didn't catch their names because they were eating and it would be rude to ask.
Our lodgings for the night was not great and the bathroom was even worse, i bet hank and regie bathe in cleaner conditions. It was only for one night thankfully and today after a 9am signing of paperwork and uniform hand out we moved our things to Pocahontas cabins where we now share one kitchen and two bathrooms with 10 people of all nationalities. This will take some getting used to but it will be ok and will be an experience.
Today on our trip to Hinton to get provisions i did something rather silly. I opened the boot and put the shopping in, put my keys down and got an ice tea out of my rucksack then shut the boot....."laura, do yo have the keys?!" I had locked the keys in the boot of our car as it does not have central locking!
Thank god that before we left Vancouver i purchased Canadian Tyre roadside assistance, gold package that includes free unlocking of vehicle if the keys are locked in. Two phone calls and an hour later all was well and we drove through Mcdonalds. Not literally as i would of got a Mc hefty insurance claim without fries. Also in a canadian Mcdonalds asking for a Mocha is not as easy as it seems due to the pronounciation. Yesterday i asked for bbq sauce at white spot and she said "ok chipotle sauce anything else?" to which i replied "a phrase book".. Not really i wasn't that hungry i didn't feel like sinking my teeth into a book at that time of day.
Tomorrow we start work at 9am in my oversized uniform that we may grow into given time with all the fast food around.
- comments
Auntie Rachel You really are enjoying yourselves, are'nt you? I know what you meant when you said about driving through McDonalds. The adventures will keep on coming. You do not have to be in Alberta to lock your car keys in. That is why we belong to AAA Roadside Assistance. Do not worry about the language barrier - I have the same problem in Florida. JUST KEEP SMILING! Are you going to try the 5-hour whitewater rafting tour on the Fraser River? Have a nice day.
Auntie Rachel HOORAY FOR CHELSEA! They are in the Europa League Cup final. They beat Basel 5-2 on aggregate. Chelsea will play Benfica, because Benfica beat Fenerbahce in the other semi-final. That score is 3-2 aggregate. The final will take place in Amsterdam on May 15th. GOOD LUCK CHELSEA!
jacob22 Hi Auntie we may try water rafting if we aren't working. Yay i know they did really well it looks as though they may have a good end to the season. i hope everything is ok with you. We have been so busy with work so the blog posts may not be as frequent any more.