10. We are so lucky to live so close to the Rockies. They are beautiful.
I have driven the drive to Vancouver many times (often as a passenger but also as a driver) every time I am always amazed at just how pretty the drive is. There is something really special about the mountains and I love having the excuse to drive through them rather than fly over them.
9. I love driving on the highway it is freeing
To say I was resistant to learning to drive is probably a bit of an understatement but when I get behind the wheel on the highway I don’t know why I fought so hard against getting my license. My favourite stretch of the drive to BC is always the same – right outside of Kamloops over the Coquihalla. The reason I love it is because the speed goes back to 110km/hour and normally I have it to myself. When I have driven in the past I usually stay in Kamloops for the night so I get up and head to the ferry before anyone else is up. So tonight when I was coming in around dinner time I wasn’t sure it would be the same but for the most part it was. This was also the section of the highway when my mood went from happy to really excited J
8. I have a thing for hitchhikers that look like hippies.
Okay so this is totally random but for whatever reason of all the hitchhikers I saw along the way the only ones I actually wanted to pick up (not that I did) were the ones that looked like hippies. I guess my brain figures they would have more fun stories to share and probably be less likely to murder me.
7. I have horrible taste in music.
I should preface this one by saying that in reality I have a very wide range of musical tastes. I like just about everything so I’m sure not all my music is bad. On this road trip though when you considering I was coming to Vancouver to see The Package Tour with New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men my musical choices were a little bit of a throw back. I spent the majority of the drive reliving my junior high school days. It was awesome in all its horrible glory.
6. I can’t sing but I really enjoying singing badly really loud.
To go with the horrible musical choices that kept me entertained I was reminded of how much fun it is to just sing them out. Luckily with no passengers there was no one to have to behave for so I sang my heart out all the way to Vancouver…well okay maybe not all the way to Vancouver by the time I hit Chilliwack I was pretty tired and just ready to be at the hotel.
5. I love my car!
This is not really new. I have loved my car since day one but when I think back to making the same trip in my Tercel and compare it to my little Corolla and this trip turned out to be a much better drive. She is well named – yes she is named, Serenity or Reni for short. She brought me a whole lot of serenity the further away from Calgary she took me. (On a side note that might be more to do with all the craziness of the last few weeks rather than the car, but for now I will give credit the car) I will also admit that I will never be able to live without air conditioning ever again. When I was driving through Kamloops and area with temperatures in the 30s (that’s Celsius) I couldn’t help but remember the many times I was dying in my Tercel, melting into the seats. Much nicer this time around, I almost need a sweater a couple of times. I loved it!
4. A Tim Horton’s ice cap is heaven at 3pm on a long road trip.
What can I say but the afternoon is hard for me. I’m good in the morning and in the evening but in the heat of the day all I want to do is take a siesta. To fight that today I stopped and grabbed a donut and an ice cap. Maybe it is because it has been so long since I had one but it tasted amazing. I’m drooling thinking about it.
3. I will never be the fastest driver
I realized that I’m content just going along. I don’t feel the need to race off up the mountain and actually enjoy being at the back of the pack. It is much more relaxing at the end of the line than being at the front of it. You don’t have to worry about the grill of a semi filling your rear view mirror chasing your car down.
2. Driving makes my creative juices flow so instead of being a writer that drinks I need to be one that drives.
I have no clue why this works so well for me but every time I get in the car the ideas start to flow. I guess some of it is because the world just blurs by out the window and I don’t have to worry about anything except myself and my car leaving at least part of my brain free to wander.
1. I am at my best when I’m travelling.
Sometimes in my day to day life I forget that I actually like who I am. I get caught up in stress and life which can leave me cranky. When I travel though that all gets left behind. I am more outgoing, happier and seem to draw people to me rather than scare them off. I love the me that I get to be when I’m travelling – now I just have to find a way to make sure she doesn’t hide when I’m home.
