Serene; pure; cleansing and simply
magnificent. That is what fresh snow is
to me and when that snow is draped across the Canadian Rockies and hugging the
shores of Lake Louise, one can’t help but feel alive and the soul renewed. Coming over the mountains into the Bow River
valley in Banff National Park is always an amazing sight and I can literally feel
my lungs and heart expand. I love this
part of the world and I don’t think that I will ever tire of the place. Its as though time slows down and life takes
on a completely different meaning.
This trip was probably the most
leisurely I’ve done. No timetable to
follow – except to be back at the Calgary International by 11am on 25
November. Beyond that, I could explore,
ski or not ski, shop or not shop, relax or not relax and of course, eat drink and be merry. I chose the “explore, ski and not relax”
option. For so early in the winter
season, the snow conditions in Banff National Park were perfect. A snow pack of
106cm and 71cm of fresh snow in the last 7 days – no one can complain. I checked out the Sunshine Ski Resort and the
Lake Louise Ski Resort. Both very
different but equally fantastic skiing and views to die for. There is something truly special about
standing on the precipice of the mountain looking down at Lake Louise!
I stayed in Canmore this time; a
little town just south of Banff and I really enjoyed the change. Far from the touristy style of Banff and very
much a local mountain community. Funnily
enough, I had two great nights out – the first in the Drake Pub chatting to an
Australian fellow who has been living in Canmore for 10 years and then the
second in a fantastic wine lounge, the Sage, which is owned by an Australian
who is married to a Canadian. Almost
can’t escape my fellow countryman. But
it is easy to see why so many Australians travel to Canada – its not only an
amazingly beautiful place, but the people are incredibly welcoming and friendly
and seem to share the same curiosity about the world as many Australians do.
I think that if one has the
opportunity to go anywhere once in their life, the Canadian Rockies has to be
high on the list. 
