Canadian Rockies Part 1 of 3

---

Day 1 Singapore - Vancouver 2nd June Wed

We left for Vancouver on CI 662 bound for Taipei before catching our connecting flight 1h10min later to Vancouver. Flight was smooth and there were no problems with security checks at all. We arrived Vancouver in the afternoon and headed for our first stop: 1916 Arbutus Street, ‘Between Friends B&B’. Host was Simone, a very friendly lady in her late twenties with a pet rabbit who seemed to love our room! Accommodation was good and bathroom facilities were more than satisfactory.

After a quick wash up, we left for Granville Island by taking a walk along the beach. It was not that touristy as we had expected it to be. There were mainly shops selling art and craft and other handiwork. Tip: don’t visit this place unless you are an art buff and have the cash to spare. We hailed a cab and arrived at Visitor Information Centre. (Note: Be prepared for the exorbitant cab rides. Taxi fares increase 10 cents every 77m. Contrast with 10 cents in Singapore per 225m.) There, we collected maps and purchased the park pass for the various national parks. $89 for a family granted us unlimited entry to all the parks and the pass is valid for one year. We explored downtown slightly more and headed back to the B&B as we were all tired out from the long plane ride. Dinner was enjoyable at a nearby family restaurant.

Depart SIN: 0810 Arrive TPE: 1250 Depart TPE: 1405 Arrive YVR: 0925
Weather on that day: Vancouver: 10.0 - 19.3

q Overnight: Between Friends B&B

Day 2 Vancouver - Whistler - Kamloops 3rd June Thur

Clear blue skies greeted us this morning as we took a stroll to the nearby ‘Budget’ office, where we decided to settle for a Ford Taurus 3.0L stationwagon. It was a good choice made as the ample luggage space was able to fit all our bags and we had easy access to them too. Soon after, we made our way to Whistler via the Sea to Sky highway. (Notes: roads are easy to navigate in downtown Vancouver and signs are clearly labeled on the expressways, though they might pop up abruptly. So keep your eyes peeled for signs!) This highway is aptly named as we certainly had great views of the clear skies and the blue sea.

Upon arrival at Whistler, we took a walk around the Village and browsed around in the shops. Nothing much to buy really, as things were rather pricey because this is North America’s #1 Ski Resort. Winter time would be a really good time to visit for winter-sport enthusiasts.

As afternoon passed us by, we left the quaint village of Whistler and hit the roads for Kamloops. Accommodation was at Econo Lodge, our cheapest accommodation at $62.99 for a family of four! The room was not too bad, and basic facilities were all provided.

Weather on that day: Vancouver: 9.8 - 22.7
Whistler: 5.7 - 30.2
Kamloops: 9.5 - 28.8

q Overnight: Econo Lodge

Vancouver - Whistler: 124 km
Whistler - Kamloops: 297 km

Day 3 Kamloops - Valemount 4th June Fri

The following morning and afternoon was spent at Wells Gray National park, some 120 km northeast of Kamloops. Drive in to the famous Spahat Creek Falls and Helmcken Falls was 40 km one-way. The falls weren’t really that impressive so we were kind of disappointed.

We proceeded on to Valemount, our night stop. Valemount was hot when we arrived - around 27oC or so. The guide at the Tourist Information Centre told us to try the Starratt Marsh Loop to catch a glimpse of wildlife. We heeded her advice - but ended up getting lost! Apparently, signs were not to clear. Eventually, a kind lady spotted us on the road and asked us whether we were lost. She offered us a lift back to the Holiday Inn Hotel (where our car was parked) even though she had to make a detour. How kind of her! We almost left Ah Gu’s bag containing the camera in her car but luckily managed to retrieve. Thank God!

Dinner at Caribou Grill was really good, though we had to wait a long time for the food! Accommodation at Mountain Reach B&B was good and hosts Terry and Chris were hospitable. All the facilities were there for our usage. There was even free Internet access! One downside though: the room was rather cramp for the four of us.

Weather on that day: Kamloops: 10.6 - 32.5
Valemount: 2.6 - 27.8
q Overnight: Mountain Reach B&B

Kamloops - Valemount: 325 km

Day 4 Valemount - Jasper 5th June Sat

Morning was rather gloomy and the skies threatened to rain. As Michelle and I went white water rafting on Fraser River, Mum & Dad headed for Mount Robson Provincial Park where they followed a trail to one of the lakes there. It started drizzling at around noon and the rain lasted for a few hours.

The skies still had not cleared up by the time we reached Jasper. But the day had to go on. We headed for Maligne Lake where we hoped of taking photographs of famous Spirit Island - only to learn that we had to board a cruise to see it. Since the weather wasn’t in our favour, we decided to settle for normal pictures of the lake. We spotted our first wildlife here: moose!

On the way out, we stopped at Maligne Canyon. The canyon was impressive, with many spectacular viewpoints for one to take pictures. Come in winter and the water will freeze into spectacular ice formations and one can even take a guided ice-tour!

It wasn’t dark yet (sun sets here after 10 p.m.) so we decided to visit Patricia and Pyramid Lake. The lakes were beautiful, especially Pyramid Lake, which was so still. Too bad the skies were cloudy - otherwise, a mirror reflection of Pyramid Mountain would have been cast in the lake.

Accommodation was at Rocky Mountain Retreat. This B&B wasn’t all that comfortable. Beds were creaky and springy. Breakfast was rather ordinary - toast and fruits. Well, host Walter is new to this business so maybe that accounts for the sub-normal standard!

Weather on that day: Jasper: 7.0 - 24.2
q Overnight: The Rocky Mountain Retreat Bed & Breakfast

Valemount - Jasper: 124 km

---