Goodbye work and hello Jasper and Banff!

The next tournament was only a few days away and there were a few minor changes in our team, as our team leader had to leave us due to his other job in the army. Nevertheless, we found suitable replacements. The team worked well throughout the weekend and we successfully completed the tournament. Although the days were long, working in the ring with the course designers was a lot of fun. The conversations with the referees during breaks and at the end of each day were also very interesting. The weather was great every day, so on the last day, we went to the bar Time Fault with the others. This was my last tournament, but there was still general work to be done in the following days, although the days were shorter. Most of the time, we had to clean the stables, as the next tournament was not far away. On the last day, we had to sweep the entire day, which didn't improve anyone's mood. After my last day of work, I video called my friends at home and they were playing a game of Monopoly. I also told them that I had played poker with my colleagues the night before and won. So I was able to add a little more to my travel fund.

The next two days were free, and we went to natural hot springs with a few people. It was a 4-5 hour drive through the Banff National Park, which is located in the beautiful Rockie Mountains. The drive there was already very impressive. Once we arrived, we immediately enjoyed a hot and cold bath. Sometimes the heat was unbearable, as the springs were heated by volcanoes. We spent the night in a motel near the hot springs, and the breakfast there was very good. After that, we headed towards Banff, and as a farewell, we had a beer on the terrace of a saloon on the 1st floor. Unfortunately, one of my colleagues dropped his phone onto the sidewalk below, but the pedestrians underneath were not harmed, only the phone got the spiderweb app... Fortunately, it still worked, and even better than mine. I had been having battery problems for a few days, and my phone kept restarting, making communication and planning difficult. Nevertheless, after saying goodbye to my colleagues, who drove back to the camper without me because I wanted to stay in Banff, I met my next travel partner. His name was Max, and he was from San Francisco. He and his girlfriend had rented a camper van to tour the Banff and Jasper National Parks. Unfortunately, his girlfriend had to go home after 2 days due to work, and the minimum rental period for the vehicle was 1 week, so he was looking for a few travel companions like me and someone from Sweden to make the tour more interesting. Together, we drove through Jasper for the next 4 days and visited various beautiful and unique places. We also encountered black bears, elk, and deer up close. Along the way, I randomly ran into my buddy Kevin, who had bought a car in the meantime and converted it to sleep in the back. We spent a few great days together with him and my travel group, doing different hikes and having campfires by lakes. On the way, a few more travel enthusiasts joined us, who initially only wanted to accompany us for a day trip and then rent a car themselves the next day. However, there were problems with the credit card, so Maarten and Isabel from Holland and Germany joined us for the rest of the trip and the return journey to Banff. We made a few stops at attractions that we had missed or skipped on the way there, including a visit to Lake Louise on the last day. While others rented an expensive boat or canoe, we decided to jump into the lake for a refreshing swim, and the water was very cold, very very cold. Nevertheless, we can claim to have swum there, and afterwards, we let our swimwear dry during a short hike to the next lake. There we ran into Kevin again, who had picked up a friend from Banff in the meantime and was now heading to northern Canada, such as Yukon and Alaska, to see the famous Northern Lights. After the stopover, we headed towards Canmore, a smaller town right at the entrance of Banff National Park, where I would leave the travel group as I wanted to stay nearby for a few more days, while the others continued towards Calgary. We had a lot of fun together and could share a lot of our travel experiences. The comfort in this camper van was much better than the ones I know from work. But now I am meeting another German traveler who happened to work for the camper van company for a few weeks. We spent 2 days in Canmore and Banff together. On the first day, we wanted to go hiking and were at the right place at the right time, as cyclists took a break right before the trail and then continued by bike. Since this bike tour was booked together with a catering company, there was still a lot left over, and we were able to have some food there. Strengthened, we went hiking for the rest of the day and covered a total of 21 km. After such a day, falling asleep was naturally easier. The next day was Canada Day, and many places offered free breakfast in the park and a parade around noon with various vehicles. In the afternoon, there was a stage program with musicians from the Canmore region. I actually wanted to go for a short hike, but there was not enough time, as the bus was going to Calgary. There, my next hosts were waiting for me, whom I had met through Kevin. In the evening, we went straight to downtown as there was going to be a fireworks display at eleven o'clock. There, I also met up with my acquaintances who had arrived in Calgary a few days earlier with the camper van. The fireworks lasted over 15 minutes, and the subsequent car ride home was nerve-wracking, as many roads were closed.

The next day, I met up with the acquaintances again, as we rented a canoe on a small lake in the city together. It was a 14 km bike ride away, and so I arrived at the lake already sweaty that day. Canoeing itself was very relaxed, and the weather was perfect for it. After that, I said goodbye to the acquaintances as they wanted to continue traveling to Vancouver. The next day, I initially wanted to explore the city by bike, but my hosts asked if I wanted to go geocaching with them. This is similar to a treasure hunt, where you try to find small hidden capsules and cans at specific locations. When you find them, you leave your name on a list to show that you found the hiding spot. This took up the entire afternoon.

In the following days, I wanted to return to Banff National Park to do some more hiking, as I wanted to discover more. The other days that I wanted to stay in Calgary, I used to see more of the city and to go to the Stampede Calgary on the weekend, which is a Western festival here, and I was told that the city completely changes during this time. I'm curious to see what awaits me then.

Since I wrote the blog on my host's computer, please forgive the missing ä, ö, ü, and ß.