Run to the Hills

Saturday September 22nd

So, off to the airport and today was really all about travelling to Calgary. No major dramas apart from the captain having to reboot the aircraft on the runway, something to do with indicators. I think it scared a few people as he had to come on and apologise later with the reassuring words that as we were on the ground he had to do it but if we were in the air he wouldn't have bothered! We're staying in the glitzy Econo Lodge for a couple of nights, keeping Rach in the manner she wants to become accustomed to, and then we're heading west once more. The main difference we've noticed so far is the temperature, from 28° yesterday to 8° today, think we're going to need more thermals.

24/7: Goodbye east side and hello west side

Sunday September 23rd

The day dawns grey, wet and 3°. Enjoy the continental breakfast in the Econo Lodge (not sure which continent it was inspired by) and then hit Calgary...to discover it's shut. Nothing appears to open until 12 and even then only a few places do, mainly the big malls. Not what we'd expected. There is a nice area called Prince's Island that has been landscaped and has walks around it but other than that we can't really find positive things to say about the place. It's a pretty new city and has grown at an alarming rate and I think that has something to do with it. Basically we're looking forward to heading off into the Rockies tomorrow.

24/7: Calgary on a Sunday? Wouldn't recommend it

Monday September 24th

Blue sky and sunshine greet us this morning as we prepare to pick up a new hire car and head to the mountains. Given our experience in Calgary yesterday we weren't expecting Alamo to have a car for us and so it turned out meaning we've got a higher spec one instead, a nice red Pontiac. After stocking up on supplies we were ready to head off to the Rockies with Banff the first destination. On the way out of town we sated Rach's unquenchable thirst for sports with a quick look at the Winter Olympic site and then we were admiring the views before us as we headed towards Banff. The drive is pretty spectacular with the Rockies staring at you the whole way. There'd been a snowfall a couple of days before so we had snowy peaks against a clear blue sky, pretty perfect really. We find ourselves a campsite and set up with the prospect of freezing temperatures overnight.

24/7: Goodbye Calgary and hello snow-capped mountains