Canada Summary

Farewell, oh canada. On our way to the airport today we had one final treat... a sighting of a wolf pack right outside Calgary. Cool!! Unfortunately being an airport bus there was no chance of stopping to take a closer look or even a photo. But a very nice way to end our stay.

What to say about our time in Canada? It certainly wasn't what we expected. We planned to spend a few months of our lives concentrating on skiing and in the process becoming fit and proficient in at least one sport. An early injury laid that idea to rest. Instead it became a time of reflection and of really deciding what we want out of life. Where we want to live and how we want to do it.
So what have we learnt:
1) Winter is fun, for a week or two. But neither of us ever want to live anywhere that has winter like they have here in Banff. Constantly putting coats and boots and gloves and beanies on and off, on and off... it's enough to drive you mad. When you have to put on more layers than you have limbs, it's just too many.
2) Thin rugs on top of carpet are just dementing, particularly when they are in every room!! They constantly get wrinkled and when you're cleaning, you have to vacuum the floors twice.
3) A small house is all we really need. Mega-mansions don't appeal at all.
4) For the first time on the trip we really started to miss working. When traveling we were always busy enough that we didn't feel the need to work. Here we have had a lot more time and found ourselves searching for neuropsych and engineering jobs back in Sydney.
5) We would ideally love to live near a beach. Warmth, sun and sand. Ah, heaven. This may be emphasised by the current, cold, snow and mountains surrounding.


I don't want to make it sound all bad though. So here are the things we will miss:
1) Snuggling together under a blanket watching the snow fall outside.
2) Checking each morning to see whether any deer or elk are outside or if they came during the night.
3) Trying to convince a squirrel to pose just so for a photo.
4) Having a really great kitchen to cook in.
5) Walking in the nearby forest by only the light of the moon.