Work ended up giving me an extra day off which meant we could leave on Sunday instead of Tuesday so we cruised off on our adventure on Sunday the 1st August. Headed toward Lake Louise and stopped in a rest area for the night. Woke up to heaps of mozzies ahhhhh!
Monday morning swe tarted to drive up through Jaspar National Park. It's amazingly beautiful! There's so many glaciers and lakes. There's no wind so the mirror of the mountains in the lakes is so neat. Stopped off at the biggest attraction, the Columbian Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier. Drove up on the glacier and had a walk around, was pretty neat and crazy to do in the middle of summer. They reckon it gets down the -60 and -70 over winter. All the workers leave for warmer climates. Stopped off at a few waterfalls on the way too. The Athabasca was the most impressive.
Got to Jaspar and tried to suss out whitewater rafting but we didn't have enough time so we locked in a horse trek for the morning. Went out to a lake for the afternoon, chilled out drinking wine in the sun while Marsh played his guitar. Found a sweet sleeping spot in a residential area and crashed for the night.
Went of the horse trek which had real nice views etc but there wasn't a chance to go for a canter or anything so kinda average. Started the drive south towards Radium Hot Springs. It was super busy when we got there so kept driving to Fairmount Hot Springs. Got there and it was rubbish - was just like a hotel swimming pool. There were kids jumping off driving in shit. So not my idea of relaxing at the hot springs. Got back in Blue and decided to drive to wherever. The lonley planet told us about some hot springs that were a 22km drive on metal road, but sounded awesome cos they were natural and in a river. We got there and stayed in the camp ground for only $16 (cheaper than the Fairmount hot springs). Used the hot springs (for free)as our shower (first one of the trip haha). The hot springs were so neat.
Woke up on my bday and went for a dip in the hotsrings again. They were so neat, made from natural rocks on the side of a river with mountains around you, in the middle of nowhere - awesome!! Although it turned my rings etc weird colours grrrrr.
OUr fridge pilto light kept going out and unfreezing our chicken grrrrrr! So annoying and we could suss out why. In the end it was cos we had our windows down cos it was hot and the wind was blowing it out all the time. After that we have to bake in Blue while we drove otherwise our freezer stuff would unfreeze hahaha, still learning stuff about Blue 6 months after we bought him.
Headed to Fernie that afternoon. Went up the mountain to find the HR lady but she wasn't there so found a free parking area for sleeping. Got a plunger to unblock the sick but didn't work. Marsh took me out for a bday dinner and drinks - Japanese. Was the best japanese food, so so good.
Got up and pluggered the sink again and it worked!! YAY so we could now do dishes again. Went up the mountain again to drop off our CVs. The lady wasn't there again but talked to someone who said she goes through the CVs. It went well and she seemed to think we wouldn't have any trouble getting a job so fingers crossed. This day was off to such a good start! The lady said to start looking for a place to live asap cos the cost goes up heaps just before winter so will be doing that soon too.
On the 5th August we headed West for Salmo, ready for Shambhala, fun fun. Arrived and found a camping area next to a park for only $15 a night. Set up there and had a proper shower!! Meet some others going to the gig and they said we should pay the extra $25 and go in tonight so we don't have to wait in the massive line the next day. So we stopped drinking and waited a few hours before driving in. Got in line about 10pm and didn't go through until 4am. Blue didn't even get searched which was sweet. Set up our home made awning and then headed out for a dance.
Got home after daylight and had a nap around 10am haha. Got up and found all the stages, river, markets, food etc. They don't give you a map so need to go on the mish to find everything.
Chilled out at Blue having drinks and playing hacky with our neighbours. They were all a bit older which i didn't really expect but they had been heaps of times before and loved it. They had a whole tent for dress ups fun as. It's like a ticket to wear and be whatever you want for four days, so awesome cos no one gives a shit.
Went out pretty early that night. Cranking at the house/asian stage for ages and then just crusied around all the other stages til we found something fun. Stayed at the Fractal Forest for the rest of the night, dancing to the Next-men. Got home for sleeps at about 2am.
Woke up to Lethal and Bex banging on Blue at about 6am. They had snuck in and surprised me, so freakin stoked!!!!! Had some yarns and went back to sleep while they did the mish to try and find Kiko again ha.
Hung out with them at the river until someone poured a bright green something in the river so we all had to leave. At the time they said is was anti freeze but it turned out it was just a die grrrrrr ruined our arvo in the sun!! Had drinks at Kiko and meet their Kiwi neighbours who are also crusing around in a van ha, seems like we all have the some saweeeeeet idea.
Saturday night was fun fun, started at the Village and then the Fractal Forest - lovin the fractal forest. Was raining for most of the night but all good. Marsh, Shane, Ant and me went of a crazy bush walk and down to the beach. Chilled out at someones tent on the beach and found Dr. Seuss on the way back at daylight. Crazy things are all around the place, it's so awesome!
Woke up feeling pretty average but used the solor shower which did wonders! Was even a bit warm, stoked. Marsh got a shambhala hoodie, cooked a feed and then back to Kiko for drinks for the final night of par-tay-ing with the Merton Team!
Got on some saweeeeet hippie gears and busted out our smooth moves on the DF until about 8am hahaha. The Fractal Forest was amazing! Wicked lights and awesome break beats all night. Stoked on DJ Pump! He was so amazing!
Shambhala was the crazyest most amazing festival yet. It's pretty much a place where you can go and be and do whatever the hell you want for four days. All security are volunteers so they could get a ticket to the party so they don't care at all. People just don't care and no one judges anyone, people crusie around naked and stuff. Crazy, wicked, awesome place!!!
Monday we felt the pain a bit but headed to Moyie Lake, a provincial park we saw on the way to Salmo. Got a place (like the last one, so full for a Monday night) and crashed out for the night. Was so so quiet compared to the festival. Had super sleeps.
Headed towards home the next day and stopped at Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump. Stayed in a provicial park again (only $11 cos Alberta cheap cheap compared to BC). Got up on tuesday around lunch time cos it was so so so hard haha. Feeling the pain of the party so much. Did the walking around at Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump. Learnt about the aboriginal people hearding the buffalos off cliffs to kill them to feed them for a whole year. Was really interesting but the hung over was way to much for us hahahaha.
We got out of there and started the 1 1/2 hour drive home. Was the longest drive ever!! Did the shopping and that was so hard too. Did the washing and ate and straight to bed. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH felt so bad.
Work for the next few days was horrible!! Pretty much just felt sorry for myself and tried to get through the hours one at a time hahahaha.
It's now Monday the 16th and I'm finally back to being 100% again. Took a while but it was most definately worth it!
HAD AN EPIC TRIP AWAY FOR THE 26th b'day!!!! Lived up to all expectations! Could not have asked for a better time with the best people! Topped the full moon party from last year for sheezy! Looking forward to what this next year shall bring.
