"Are You Ready To Go To Hell?"

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

START:  Kamloops RV Park, Kamloops, BC - 10:45 a.m.

STOP:  Burnaby Cariboo RV Park, Vancouver (technically Burnaby), BC - 6:20 p.m.

WEATHER:  BEAUTIFUL, HOT, SUNNY, AND GLORIOUS!

I'm gonna need you to say the title in your best German accent, as per our most helpful tour guide at Hell's Gate today - but more on that in a minute.

Today got off to a rather uneventful start as far as our days usually go.  We peeled out of Kamloops RV Park and began the final leg of our tour to the west coast - destination: Vancouver!  Mom got assaulted by an over-sized brick of cheese while trying to make Dad a ham and cheese sandwich at 100km/hr and added another bruise to her ever-growing collection.  We eventually made it out of the not-so-high tree-covered mountains and back into the snowy peaks, travelling along more precarious mountain roads along the Fraser River and honking at a group of white water rafters given'er in a particularly turbulent section.  The scenery was beautiful but in a completely different way than what we've seen up to this point.  I tell you what, we've got ourselves a lovely little country here!

The (Dad:) "tourist trap" of the day was Hell's Gate, which is a 35m narrowing of the Fraser River, given it's name by explorer Simon Fraser who wrote in his journal in the 1800s that it was no place for man to travel and that "surely this is the gate of hell."  History lesson complete (thanks Wikipedia!  Clearly I paid attention on the tour.)  After convincing Mike yet again that the outrageous fees were worth it ($12 salmon burgers aside - we did not partake!), we bought our tickets and waited for the airtram to pick us up.

Employee:  "Where are you all from?"

Us (-Mike):  "Ontario!"

Employee:  "Oh, wow.  Well, thanks for bringing the sunshine with you!"

Mike:  "I'm from Bangladesh."

Employee:  "Oh, really?  Bangladesh?  Ohhh."

So we piled into the tram and were lowered roughly 160m over a distance of approx. 340m to the suspension bridge and shops/restaurant below.  Much to our dismay, the bridge didn't swing to and fro like the Crazy Creek bridge of yesterday, but it was much bigger and offered up some pretty great views of the river.  After recoiling in horror at the restaurant prices, we settled for some ice cream instead and then trammed our way back to the top.  Thanks Mom and Dad for spending your life savings so we could eat ice cream on a bridge : )

After that, the drive remained relatively uneventful.  There were two more casualties in the family favourite "Whack-A-Pilon" game, bringing the running total to four.  Mike also took the extensive construction projects as an opportunity to yell, "You got pwned! - PWNED! - Ya got owned!" out the window at every construction worker we passed - you know, just brightening their day a little.

We hit serious traffic nearing Vancouver and while watching people attempting to merge from behind, Dad almost merged us right into the back of the vehicle in front and demonstrated Beula's breathtaking braking capabilities as all of our faces were just about permanently impressed on the inside of the windshield.  Mike:  "Did you have fun, Mom?"  She did not.  Even though we were only 10 exits away from our turn off, we found ourselves with a lot of time to spare.

Mike:  "This no name cheese is good.  We should've bought more of it."

Dad:  "Yeah?  Get me a slice."

Mom:  "I want one, too.  Maybe your sister would like one."

Steph:  "Okaaaaaay!"

Mike (in his best special friend voice):  "Yaaaay, family cheese partyyyy!"

And so ends another terrifying glimpse into our family dynamic, hahah.

Dad, understandably, found the traffic to be quite exasperating, "C'monnn!  I just want a beeeer."  Mike:  "Travel muuuug."  (He didn't; no need to alert the authorities.)

We found Burnaby Cariboo RV Park without one wrong turn and so far it seems like the nicest park yet.  The sites are on the small side and resemble driveways, but each are encased in dense and well-groomed little bushes, which I happen to find rathah quaint.  They have tours going into Vancouver and it's various attractions leaving right from the park, and have a really nice indoor pool/hot tub, upstairs lounge and sundeck, fitness room, arcade room, showers, laundry, and playground all free of charge!  Imagine!  Dad booked our site for two weeks because it works out to be cheaper in the long run, even if we don't stay for that long (but you never knoooow!).

More Vancouver sights and sounds to come!

Letting the good times roll,