Dec 30 & 31, 2012
We woke up somewhat surprised to not have any hangover. Dianne and Wayne invited us for breakfast and we spend some time discussing philosophical differences, while eating bacon and eggs.
It was Sunday and Wayne had to leave to deliver his sermon to their community. Wayne is the minister of their church.
A long drive ahead
As soon as he left we packed our belongings into our Avis-rented white Kia Rio and headed towards Golden, a small town in British Columbia located about 3 hours north-east of Vernon.
It was a long drive and we were contemplating to stop over one of the three Provincial Parks on the road for some physical fun aka snowshoeing. However our G3 connected tablet was consistently telling us that the trails are closed. So instead of playing with snow we had to settle for just watching the cloudy sky from the car window for the next three hours.
Half-price at Rhondo
Our accommodation at Rhondo Motel was very modest. The room was so small that even the sink did not fit in the bathroom and ended up on the bedroom side. It made our grooming rituals somehow awkward. Oh well, this is what you have when you are looking to pay half-price. Yet this crammed space did not stop Andi from baking coconut muffins on the sink counter. Where there is a will there is a way, lol.
Last day of the year
The next morning felt cold and wet. Dense clouds marked our last moments in British Columbia and also the last few hours of 2012. It was 31st of December and today we were supposed to fly back to Ontario.
We had a whole day to kill as our flight was 20 minutes past midnight, which would be already in the year 2013. Besides sightseeing Calgary there was nothing on our itinerary, so we packed slowly and left for Alberta at 11 am.
Killing time at Golden
From Golden, BC to Calgary, AB was another 3 hours of drive. We stopped in Banff to entertain ourselves. We ended up browsing hand-made shoes and boots in a “cowboy store” and tried out funky eye glasses in one of the souvenir shops. Other than that the only entertainment on the road we had were the now ever so familiar snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains. A few photos are attached.
We got hungry and due to lack of opportunity to prepare a good meal we decided to eat out. Our GPS indicated abundance of restaurants in the area however most, judging by their menus, were serving high carb junk. Those we were willing to try were either already closed or were about to close due to New Year celebrations. We did not have many choices and finally settled for Earl’s. It wasn’t bad. If you are in Calgary and are not afraid of prices you can check this place out. I would go again.
West Jest can be that good
We arrived at the airport way ahead of time. We sat in the foyer and stayed motionless for two hours waiting for the boarding call. Twenty to midnight we walked inside the plane’s cabin. West Jet’s steward was hilarious.
I don’t remember ever having laughed so hard in my life. It is impossible to quote him as we were bombarded by hilarity with his every sentence. I only remember something about “oxygen mask over a snout” and just after counting down to 2013, wishing his mother a “happy new year” via a cellphone call, along with the rest of the passengers. The rest is a blur. I wish to meet him again someday. I would even pay extra to fly with him. He was that good.
2013 greeted us while we “enjoyed” narrow seats on row number two of a West Jet plane heading for Toronto. The countdown was a perfect ending of our journey to dispel health myths and discover health truths. We will be doing it again so watch out for further adventures. Parasailing and rafting are on the menu this summer. Why? Because we can! Healthy people have more fun. Till then… your true health team.
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