160720041629 Banff, Alberta, Canada

Just a quick one as I'm about to go run to get a bus to Calgary. Hopefully I'll be able to Stampede it up tonight with a few boys and girls I know from back in BC.

I got back last night from a 4 day tour of the Canadian Rockies. I have to say that the scenery was some of the most spectacular that I've EVER seen (this includes the hot tour driver as well). In summer the glaciers look spectacular - it's such a weird feeling to be cold and standing on ice in the heat of the afternoon! I took loads of photos which you will be bored to tears with sometime soon, saw a bunch o' wildlife (ospreys, eagles, 7 black bears, elk, deer, mountain goats, big horn sheep (one of which tried to get in our van, as well as one of the bears), marmots and tonnes of squirrels and chipmunks (Colleen would have been in heaven). No moose or grizzlies but can't really complain. Also saw more Chrysler PT Cruisers than possibly ever before (seems that they like this national park habitat). We took the 4 days to go to Jasper and back to Banff, staying at Rampart Creek and Mt Edith Cavell (both with no running water, one with no electricity) and the third night in Jasper where we could finally take a shower. I needed to do laundry before I left, so you can imagine I was struggling by the end. Nevermind. It was just me and 4 boys, so it didn't matter much (I was so content without any girls for a while). The boys were great actually and cooked and cleaned and everything (not that I didn't, of course). I got hassled by some Germans about not being in the kitchen when Leon was cooking!! There were loads of mountains, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, hiking, swimming (the water was nowhere near as cold as Loch Ness!), kayaking and campfires. Oh and the little sauna at Rampart Creek where you had to jump in the creek to cool off - that was definitely cold!

I stayed in Banff with Shannon and Ryan and their flatmates, who were all wonderful. So thanks! Will write again soon, after I spot some more hot cowboys!!