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| Day 3 the Journey to Banff via Canmore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6am | Bummer I'm awake! Mary awake by 6:45 and listening to yesterday's CD purchases and reading about Banff in the tourist book. Very hot day in the making. Choc Chip Cookies and Tea for breakfast.
9am Girls nearly abluted, just about to ring car hire people to check they are actually at the airport and not Downtown Calgary near us!.
9:40ish Downstairs waiting for taxi. Only excess on the bill was 54c for the local call to the taxi firm. Driver Chinese or Malaysian or something this time! |
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| Pick up the Hire Car | All was going smoothly at the car hire place until I asked where abouts in Vancouver we dropped the car. This sent them into a bit of a flap & lots of last minute changes were made to paperwork - and the car.
Eventually we got underway in a White Ford Taurus Estate. 1st turn was left at some lights, after that, all right turns onto Highway 1 all the way to Banff. |
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| Canmore | As we were early (12ish) we got off Highway 1 and visited Canmore. This was our first experience of the 4-way-stop junctions. Neat! Can't see it working in Wrexham or Chester though! Had lunch of various types of Bagel and drinks and a very slow walk round in the heat. |
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| We reach Banff | Found our way back to HW 1 and Banff by 2pm. Drove right passed our lodges and into town so we had to U-turn. Arrived apparently 3 hours early - rooms not guaranteed until 5pm. Checked in anyway, dropped off luggage behind reception and drove back into Banff. On the way in there was an elk walking down the footpath just like Northern Exposure.
Forgot to mention that as we entered Banff National Park there seemed to be some sort of toll station. We shot passed it with the locals on the inside lane. Apparently we should have stopped and bought our National Park ticket $10 per night of our stay! Not to worry, got one from the pretty park warden at the Information Centre in Banff. |
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| First Impressions (and shopping) | Scenery in Banff is terrific - backdrop of high, pine clad mountains. Very busy, lots of Japanese, very touristy. Never mind, trawled round the shops slowly - lingering in the air-conditioned ones! Results - Lucy T-shirt and Jeans, me Tilley Hat. Found an air-conditioned mall with coffee shops etc for drinkees. Found Safeway, bought cereal etc. |
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| Check In at Rocky Mountain Resort | Back to Rocky Mountain Resort to check in just after 5pm. Room 1009 facing west, so absolutely roasting. Twin beds, one bed settee, 1 tiny fan. No kettle, knives, forks (but we should have!) Soon arrived after a phone call to reception.
Place has a 15m pool plus tub, tennis and squash courts, a pretentious restaurant and a deli/bar. The latter is where we headed at 7ish for a meal and couple of beers. $60 plus tip. Settled back in the room 8:30ish, had to have the window permanently open (it has a fly screen). Closed the door eventually because of midges.
Everyone fast asleep by 10.
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