From north to south in western Canada

From Watson Lake we head south to Vancouver. We have 2,000 exciting kilometers ahead of us.

The landscape reveals new facets every day. The first hundred kilometers are shocking. Almost the entire forest burned down years ago. Only charred trunks remain. Nature has tried to recover. Bushes and small deciduous trees are growing back. Instead, conifers are nowhere to be found.

It's unimaginable how much forest must have burned here. Especially since it's summer and we're driving in the rain. There are lakes and swamp landscapes everywhere here.

We stop at Dease Lake. It belongs to the Recreation Sites of British Columbia, where you can camp for free. There are only a handful of spots. It's quiet, clean, and right by the lake.

Being by the water is simply the best. We can fish, splash in the water, and enjoy the view. If it weren't for the mosquitoes. 🥴

We prefer to escape the annoying bloodsuckers and drive to Nass Camp at Bonus Lake. This place only has 3 pitches and we're the only ones here. The lake is more like a small pond with lots of water lilies. It's probably called 'Bonus Lake' for that reason. A nice place with the bonus of having water. And the best part is, there are no mosquitoes here. We enjoy ourselves with hammocks and campfires. Dinner is prepared on the open fire. It tastes so much better!

Just before the sunset, we are visited by a loud couple with two dogs. That puts an end to the peace and quiet. The tent is set up diligently while the dogs go bathing in the puddle. After everyone has found their sleeping spot, calm returns. Suddenly, we hear a huge swarm of mosquitoes buzzing next to our window. They were probably lured out of the water and now they're ravenous. Our sleep doesn't last long because the first mosquitoes have found their way into our car. They relentlessly sting us. It took us almost an hour for the last buzzing to stop. We lie back in bed, exhausted. Unfortunately, we can only sleep for half an hour because the bloodsuckers continue to hunt. After trying for 5 hours to repel the insects and get some sleep, we give up. We start the engine and race away in the dark night at three in the morning. We don't know where to go, we just had to get away. Legs and arms are completely covered in mosquito bites. Even the kids' faces suffered. After an hour's drive into the dark night, we finally stop at a rest area. Although it's closed due to flooding, we can park in front of the washed-out road and finally get a few hours of sleep.

We've never experienced a mosquito attack like this before. In the morning, we count a little over 50 insects that we've killed during the night. It's unimaginable how many more would have made their way into the car if we had stayed there.

Our daily drives always cover longer distances, except there is really nothing but nature here. However, that also makes today special because we see 5 black bears one after another. They're always directly at the roadside or on the road. It's wonderful to watch them eat flowers and berries.

We keep driving up and down long stretches. The new mountain range on the horizon has snow. We even see a glacier that reaches deep into the valley as we pass by. Then we reach Smithers, the first civilization after 3 days. We have cell phone reception, shopping options, and playgrounds again.

The landscape has changed since then, and we're driving through vast farmland. Until we reach Prince George. We stay here for 2 days because we've had enough driving for now. We take the opportunity to do laundry and go shopping. We've settled into a routine of doing household chores every 2 weeks.

In Lillooet, we take the time to explore the area. The campsite is huge and free again. We hike to the nearest lake and have to overcome a steep uphill climb.

The effort was worth it for this view of Seton Lake.

The next day, we go even higher into the mountains. We drive to Whistler. It's a popular holiday destination in winter and summer, so it's very busy. We look for a parking space but can't find one.

After finally being able to park our motorhome, we walk along the promenade. In the end, we watch the mountain bikers on their downhill rides.

On the second day in Whistler, we take a short hike to Lost Lake. It's a leisurely walk through the forest. The trees provide sufficient shade in the glorious sunshine. We walk on a clay path where we learn about the vegetation through QR codes. It's a diverse and beautiful trail.

Lost Lake is a beautiful lake with a sandy beach that invites people for swimming and sunbathing on Sundays. It's also very popular with dogs. There is a separate dog beach and floating islands with ramps where dogs can easily climb up.

Millions of tadpoles frolic at the water's edge. Due to the cold and wet spring, they are a bit late. Normally, they would have turned into frogs by now and changed bodies of water.

Now we're not far from Vancouver. We drive along the Sea-to-Sky Highway on the west coast. We have a fantastic view into the fjord. High mountains and turquoise blue sea accompany us all the way to Vancouver.

We take four days to explore Vancouver. You'll find out more in our next travel report.

Until then, greetings.