Canada, you’re amazing. What a truly spectacular place with so much to offer. I can see why so many people want to move to this country.
I started my Canadian experience on the east side, visiting Toronto and Montreal. Both pretty cool cities for different reasons but I did feel that Montreal had more character and soul. Apart from Kensington Market (a cool little hipster style area with independent bars and restaurants) I felt Toronto was just another North American city. Montreal however had a far more european feel to it, and the streets were buzzing during my time there. I was also able to take part in a vigil for the Orlando victims, which was poignant.
Arriving in Montreal
The highlight of the east side however was Niagara Falls. I got a coach out there with a girl I met in the hostel. The falls themselves are pretty spectacular and the force of the water quickened my heartbeat as I got closer to it. Sadly, I can’t say the same for the surroundings. It’s incredibly commercial and rather tacky in the main part. My advice, get up close, take a moment to be mindful and immerse yourself in the power of nature.
After a few days it was time to head over to Vancouver to get ready for the big Rockies tour. There is so much I could (and did) write about this awesome part of Canada but I decided to instead keep it brief instead. My depression challenged me for the first half of the tour. Despite seeing incredible sights and amazing scenery, I couldn’t seem to lift myself out of my foundations to really appreciate it. I took plenty of pictures however and hope that when I look back at them, I will see them through a different lens.
The tour took us to Whistler, Jasper, and Banff whilst passing through a few other towns along the way. Each has their own unique character, From the young buzz and commercial feel of Whistler, to the more serene Jasper. I took part in so many different activities. Zip lines, kayaks, horses, rafts… oh and a helicopter ride too! I felt a break in my emotional clouds about half way through the trip and really started to appreciate where I was and what I was seeing, which felt amazing. I had moments of sheer happiness, which felt like a welcome blast from the past!
No pictures can really do justice to this incredible region. At times it looked like the views were computer generated. Other times the sheer scale made you feel like an insect. Very humbling. We’d often stop along our route to spy natural waterfalls or lakes, they seemed to be at every turn and I never got tired of taking it all in! I tried my best to not get stuck behind the camera and frequently had mindful minutes to ensure I made a mental imprint too – I managed this even when I was battling a low mood so I’m hoping the investment will pay off.
Lake Peyto – Banff National Park
This is a part of the world that if you can see, you must see. I was one of the eldest in the group I toured with but it made it even more fun in the end. We retuned to Vancouver and celebrated together before going our separate ways. I have mixed feelings about Vancouver so I will write about that another time once I have had time to reflect, for now all I’ll say is that it felt like a city of lost and found souls.
I arrived in San Francisco on Friday after a 27 hour train ride from Vancouver. I had in my mind that it’d be this amazing experience with beautiful views and I would meditate for hours whilst reflecting on my life. Not quite so! I had the most uncomfortable seat so really struggled to relax. That said, I met a few interesting people, one of whom was a young lad from the US who offered up a pretty thought-provoking piece of advice… “If something I perceive as being bad happens to me, I think to myself, in the grand scheme of the world, is it a big deal? And if the answer is no, I ask myself why I should care about it.” Perhaps an oversimplified way of looking at things but the optimism and pragmatism shown by this guy, who hadn’t had an easy upbringing, was something I admired.
I’m now with a friend making my way through California, and I’ll finish up in Vegas less than two weeks from now before switching states for part three!
Keep an eye out on my instagram for pictures and my YouTube channel for videos, if you’re interested!
Bye for now!