Our First Day IN Canada

This may be confusing but our first day on our trip wasn't our first day IN Canada. Even though we live so close to Canada, we chose to take our time and make our driving our destination. Try explaining that to a 7 and 4 year old. "THIS IS our destination. The driving, the seeing, it IS the destination!" They didn't get it.

It wasn't too long between our campsite and the border, there wasn't much at all. So here's the border. :)

We got asked lots of questions and even asked to pull off to the side and be searched and interviewed because we hadn't traveled to Canada in so long. AND, don't try to bring poultry items into Canada right now. Apparently there's a bird flu outbreak in America in 10 states. Had to throw out our eggs and chicken.

The first city you come to is Osoyoos. It's very beautiful and lush, lots of vineyards and orchards and there's a big lake. South of the border it's dry and desolate. The people were very nice, especially at the visitor center. Probably because they wanted you to buy stuff. And we did.

When you first get into Canada there are lots of signs telling you where you are, vineyard signs, signs for fruit stands, and lots of street/travel signs. It was quite helpful but it was funny. Like billboards in Missouri, every 100 yards there was a new sign.

We stopped near the lake to eat lunch.  We probably looked like real outsiders. Bundled up and in the shade (we were hot before we got out).

Others were out there in their bikinis and speedos and swimming in the water.

Here's the lake.

Then we saw this in the distance and HAD to stop. 

Log Barn. Come to find out, it was a very elaborate fruit stand. But they also had sausage and ice cream.

It was so eclectic! They had these goats that you could feed, like at a pumpkin patch, and they were so smart!! They were able to get their pails with corn up all by themselves!!

Then we ate ice cream.

At last we reached our stop for the night. We didn't have reservations at many campgrounds. Just a night in Banff and then a couple nights in Jasper and then in Port Hardy after our ferry ride down the coast. So we made sure our days were fairly short so we could make sure the cities we aimed for had campsites available. It helps we bought a massive Good Sam catalog that says every possible campsite in every city imaginable.

Revelstoke. That's our stop.

A little bit of home. I think the drivers on the road were amused.

And this was our campground in the morning.

Gorgeous in the morning.

That's it for day 2!