Ok

Ohhhhhhh what a wonderful world! Friday 6th was a sad day. First I said my goodbyes to Claudia who returns to the states then Germany. It's amazing the amount of beautiful people you meet on your travels, then when you're back at home it feels like a real rarity. Then was Georgia! Little did I know that this was not to be the last goodbye, Jeff Buckley eat your heart out. But more on this later. Feeling a little nostalgic (yeah already) I found an interesting looking water fountain and curvy chair things and dug in for a good few hours. Luckily I had 'The Little Prince' to keep me company and wow me for hours (thanks Weiying! you must read its brilliant).

Earlier in the week I had contacted this guy, Devin, over couchsurfing.org and organised to get picked up that evening for an art crawl and then drive to Cowichan Bay to stay for the weekend. Devin was a fantastic host and very talented artist in almost all fields! He had some photos on display at a book launch (these were fantastic, very moving) and then woo-ed me with a little acoustic song he'd written himself, apparently he paints and makes documentaries too! Ha also it was a great moment for me as we discovered a love for the same music! I havent been missing home at all yet (sorry guys) but I must say my cravings for good music outside of the confines of the earphones has been great!

Devin took me to his hometown somewhere near Cowichan Bay where he was housesitting for a couple that lived in this little wooden cottage overlooking the bay and forest at the back. It was marvelous! Saturday morning we had coffee and went for a little tour to Marie Gorge and Stuart Falls and some big old bridge. The walk through the forest was beautiful. The english language is so restricting as I found myself struggling to find the words to express how wonderful and amazing and beautiful and nicce and pretty and magnificant and sublime (Devin gave me that one) the nature is here. All these words just aren't enough! Never have I seen so many hues of green! Mother nature 'green' is a word that will never be enough to serve you! The day was rainy and foggy but I am glad of this as it made the experience so much more dramatic! (Lokting, this is much like what I imagine forks must be like! hahaha how embarrassing) The clouds rolled off the mountains and the bay looked like glass, if I had been less alert I think i would have attempted to walk on it thinking it was solid. The rain on the leaves made the forest twinkle silver and the lower canopy the most vivid display of colour. This is what I imagined Canada to be plus some. Mountains, forest, dense ground cover and carpeted trees.

In a section of river just beyond the falls we also went swimming! The water was freezing! though the air was colder. The river was flowing so it was so nice to float downstream. With ears immersed, only the sound of rushing water, i felt so small and light as the world went on by. That night was pretty exhausted. After consuming a scrumptous roast dinner courtesy of Devins parents, we stayed in and watched "the Fantastic Mr Fox'. Hilarious!

Then there was Namaimo. Devin's family dropped me off here on Sunday morning. Oh, this was after I got pancakes and had some authentic maple syrup and maple butter! Weiyin I will bring some back for you... I checked into the hostel, opened my dorm door, put my things down and thought, 'well that stuff looks familiar. Oh, it's just like my bag, oh and that jacket... Georgia!' That night when she got back to the dorm we had a hearty renunion and decided to go to Whistler together the next morning. the first ferry left at 620am so be got up at 530 and began the walk. After all this we missed it anyway and had to wait around to get the next one a few hours later. Anyway we made it.

Whistler was fun. Here I saw a BEAR! also one with 2 cubs. AND

SNOW!!

Yeah, I touched it, and played on it, and slid around on it, and got my shoes and feet wet by it, and threw it, and laughed on it. SNOW SNOW SNOW. This was left overs from the winter, but winter and white christmas' here i come!

So the rest of Whistler trip was nothing compared to this moment. there was a gondola (is this the correct spelling?) some mountain biking, crazy Scotish girl who thought it amazing how messy I was, crazy Isreali woman who loved to hike, crazy Canadian who just bought a house, and ctwo crazy aussie girls who danced on the patches of snow.

After 2 days in Whistler I got me a lift into Vancouver and found a lift to Kelowna. Kelowna was frightening! I got in at around 1130pm got to the hostel and passed out pretty quick. The people had warned me that apparently the place was full of druggies (mainly meth-heads). They were RIGHT! The next morning on my 5 min bus ride and walk to the Greyhound station I came across many mentally disable young-uns (sign of bad mothers), a grown man who poo-ed his pants on the bus seat infront of me, a lady with a trolley who I helped by rescuing her shopping from flying down the bus aisle only to recieve a scowl and glaring looks, a sleezy council worker that watched me cross the street, hoons who may have well run me over but instead yelled abuse at me advising me to 'get a job' (though not as nicely), and angry angry ticket lady. So Kelowna, you are beautiful with your lakes, fruit trees and mountains; your keepers not so much.

And now I am in Banff!

Yesterday was amazing. I got myself lost on a hiking trail, thinking an animal traack was the path and sat down for lunch before finding my way back. I got up, turned around and found myself face to face with a deer! I felt like Gordy from the movie 'Stand By Me'. (If you havent seen it, watch it its real good). It came so close it felt like magic. the creature jumped at every bird call but didnt seem fussed at my presence.

After it left I stumbled across a real path and started a 4 hour ascent to the top of a mountain. the path looked weathered and not often travelled. After 3 adn half hours I finally saw people coming down. By now it was 530. They said I still had 3 hours to the summit though only an hour to the tree line. I was cold, hungry and sore (the climb was almost vertical by now) but if I hadn't of made it to some milestone i dont think i would have felt good about myself. So I kept on going determined to get to the treeline, though weary of the time and postion of the sun. So I got the almost the tree line but his was worth it. the trees were really thin by then and the view of Banff valley breathtaking. The sun peeked through the clouds andto the mountain range and valley below. All I could hear was the trees rustling in the wind and the occasional chipmunk or bird call. An eagle soared over head and 'ahhh, the serenity' Michael Keaton said it right. (think great asutrallian movies)

So then i went down. A large portion was spent sitting on my heels and letting gravity do its thing. It was like the scene in the movies where a loose rock tumbles down the cliff until it can't been seen anymore but you can still hear its clicking as it keeps on going. And today I conned some people from the hostel to take me to Lake Louise, which was nice though way too overcrowded.

And now

Not sure now.

I'll let you know after it happens.

goodnight

King Yin