>Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
(>Pictures at the bottom)
…a short stopover
3 June felt particularly long for us; the flight from Sydney took us via Hawaii and across the International Date Line to Vancouver. We only got a few hours’ sleep, even though we were in the air for over 14 hours. Going through immigration in Canada was just like leaving Sydney; we could practically walk straight through. After completing the electronic registration, all we had to do was slot our passports in and the gate to this vast country swung open. Nobody wanted to check our luggage.
For our first stop in Canada, we’d booked a campervan, so we could avoid having to hire a car and pay for expensive nights in motels or hotels. In Vancouver, we deliberately chose a campervan like the thousands that drive around Europe. It was actually a vehicle based on a Fiat Ducato with European fittings. A bighorn sheep on the steering wheel always stares the driver in the eye, and the letters ‘RAM’ on the front radiator grille signify something special, but on the inclines, the Ducato’s little engine wheezed its way up the hill at high revs. Nevertheless, it was worth the experience for us, and we soon came to love our new home.
Vancouver was also a dream destination for me (Tom), where I could finally visit a mountaineering mate from years gone by. It was our third attempt; the first time, our old Jeep had played up in eastern British Columbia, and on the second attempt, the insurance company refused to cover the journey to Canada. But this time it worked out, and we were welcomed with great warmth. And, as you might expect, a mountain hike was on the agenda. Nothing too crazy, but for me (Tom) it was like having Christmas and my birthday at the same time. We didn’t manage to reach the summit of Mount McDonald due to time constraints, but after 10 months in Australia, the adventure in the Canadian mountains was overwhelming for me. Unfortunately, Chantal had to miss out on this hike and stayed behind in Vancouver.
We soon said goodbye to our friends; we wanted to explore the south-western corner of Vancouver on a short tour. What we’d been denied years ago due to a motorbike breakdown, we set out to experience in just a few days. Naturally, a visit to Whistler was a must, so we made our first stop there. Although it was very chilly and rainy, the hustle and bustle in the centre was impossible to miss. What winter sports are to the winter months, mountain biking and downhill cycling are to the summer months. Everywhere you look, you can hire freeride bikes for a small fortune and set off on some kind of adventure. Alongside the expensive hire prices, the cost of the mountain cable cars was, for me (Tom), beyond my budget, so giving them a miss was the obvious choice.
We wound our way criss-cross through the western Rockies towards the Okanagan Valley, enjoying the drive over countless mountain passes, both large and small. Our motorhome also allowed us to park freely in wonderful spots where not everyone else would stop for the night. Admittedly, we couldn’t tackle the most adventurous routes in our hire RAM, but we were more than just thrilled with what we experienced. We also soon came to appreciate another advantage: on the very chilly nights, it was slightly warmer inside the camper than outside, and the heating was a real blessing on certain days.
However, in a provincial park, we unwittingly ruined a lovely evening by the campfire. The ranger collecting the fees demanded an extra $20 on top of the overnight charge for non-resident visitors and then reprimanded us for the firewood by the campfire. We explained to her that we hadn’t collected this wood from the forest, but had gathered it from around the fire pit, which she accepted for the time being and wished us a pleasant evening. Less than half an hour later, an angry man drove up in front of our camper, claimed to be the supervisor and expelled us from the campsite, saying we had committed a very serious offence by burning wood from the surrounding area. We were given 30 minutes to leave; otherwise, he would call the police and we would face further criminal proceedings. He would not entertain any further discussion, and, gritting our teeth, we packed up our things. The police probably wouldn’t have turned up, but we didn’t want to risk this confrontation, and we’re not familiar with the Canadian jungle of regulations. We spent the following night outside the provincial park in a quiet car park, which we’d actually had our eye on even before we reached the overnight spot in the park. Later, I looked up the regulations for British Columbia [BC]’s parks online and was very surprised by a lot of things. From this year onwards, all visitors from outside BC have to pay an extra tax of $20 per night per pitch. Any collection of firewood is strictly forbidden and is tantamount to an environmental disaster for nature. Let someone try to tell me Switzerland is very narrow-minded!
Even after the peaceful night that followed, the experience remained etched deeply in my memory. For the nights that followed, we didn’t venture into any BC parks. Canada is big enough, and for the remaining nights we found wonderful places to stay in cosy spots, just like those featured in the tourist brochures.
Our tour of discovery ended in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley, and we had to head west back to Vancouver. This time we had no other choice; the plans for the rest of our journey dictated that we turn back. Although we now know where the fine wines from Canadian vineyards come from, we decided to skip an extensive wine-tasting tour.
The road led us back west through the mountains. After Allison Pass, there was another brilliant surprise: right by the roadside, we were able to watch a brown bear for several minutes; it didn’t seem at all bothered by our presence. And to our amazement, we were the only ones paying any attention to this bear.
At Hope, we followed the wide plain westwards, first on the left and later on the right bank of the River Fraser, heading towards Vancouver. Before continuing our journey eastwards, we had to clean our motorhome, empty the waste tank and top up various supplies so that we could return it to the hire company at no extra cost. The motorhome was probably cleaner on return than when we picked it up, as the rental company owner’s beaming face readily gave away.
From Vancouver to Toronto, we took the ‘Canadian’, the legendary long-distance train that crosses the Rockies and the vast Canadian prairies. According to the timetable, the journey takes 92 hours and the route is over 4,500 km long; in other words, we travelled through the world’s second-largest country at an average speed of around 50 km/h. In Canada, however, a train journey is a completely different experience to that in Europe; here, people travel by train to enjoy the scenery and good food in the dining car. Of the three or four classes of travel, we chose the second-cheapest class with a sleeper compartment, but with full meals served in the dining car.
As already mentioned, a train journey in Canada cannot be compared to European customs. The journey begins with luggage drop-off and check-in, where you immediately arrange your meal times. Afterwards, we were served coffee or tea with a light snack. Passengers in first class are served a full meal! The groups (divided by class) are then escorted to their carriages and greeted by the respective stewards – and let me say straight away: the service was excellent. Immediately after departure from Vancouver, we were informed that passenger trains in Canada do not have top priority, which could result in long waiting times at passing loops. As there are currently many trains carrying crude oil from Alberta heading west, there could well be significant delays. Exciting!
Despite the leisurely journey out of the Vancouver metropolitan area, it was all very exciting for us, and from the observation carriage we were able to enjoy watching the skyscrapers of the western part of the city slowly fade from view. Soon the buildings gave way to lush vegetation, and alongside bears we could spot a moose (a large elk). Slowly, the long train – consisting of two diesel locomotives and 22 passenger carriages – wound its way along the Fraser and Thompson rivers through the narrow gorges into the Rocky Mountains. For a railway enthusiast, it was an indescribable experience, and I (Tom) decided against a long sleep; spending time in the observation carriage was more important to me.
After Jasper, the landscape became increasingly flat; the Canadian prairie stretched out over a vast expanse of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In Ontario, vast forests and numerous lakes followed once more; there are said to be over 250,000 lakes in this province. Although the breathtaking scenery of the Rocky Mountains was now behind us, what we had seen and experienced was no less impressive.
Our peaceful and very pleasant time came to an end in Toronto. The hustle and bustle of modern society had us back in its grip, and after a tedious drive we made our way to the rental company for our next campervan. This time we booked a typical American motorhome, so that we could enjoy that different lifestyle for a change. The independence it gave us when visiting relatives was also very important to us, and so we always had our bed with us.
Although we had a very small motorhome, for us the Ford F350 with a 7.2-litre V8 was a special experience, one that really turned heads at the petrol station. Our temporary companion guzzled over 19 litres of petrol, which in Europe would probably be considered a mortal sin. But this mobile home was still great fun, and the engine rumbled along the country roads with its characteristic sound. Looking back, the motorhome in Vancouver was much better and more manoeuvrable, although it lacked that powerful engine roar.
In Ontario, we stopped off at four places where some of our family live, whom we’ve visited quite often over the last 10 years. It’s probably becoming something of a tradition for us to pop round every two years or so. And as is customary in Canada, saying goodbye was hard for us this time too; we’d once again spent some very pleasant hours and days together.
Once again, time was pressing, and on our return journey to Toronto we couldn’t afford to take any major detours. It’s a shame, really, as the south-eastern corner of Ontario also has a lot to offer. Instead of enjoying the scenery, we had to give our motorhome a thorough clean so that we could hand over the fuel-guzzling vehicle in the required condition.
Now our time there was also coming to an end. We flew back to Switzerland via Frankfurt. Alongside very warm temperatures, many new ideas await us, which we’d like to set in motion again soon. We also need to wake our beloved Jeep from its winter slumber, which will no doubt involve some work. Then we’ll be off again soon; our grandchildren in England are eagerly awaiting our arrival.
Chantal and Tom/July 2026
>Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator