Brother's Arrived...

After a pretty slow Thursday working down opposite guest services, I received a text message from John- he'd picked up David from the airport. Good; I'll be seeing him tomorrow evening when I pick him up from the bus after my skiing lesson. Then I received another text- can David come to Banff tonight?

Suddenly, I was frantically phoning him round, trying to find us a room for the night. Luckily, the SameSun was able to accommodate us, although in a different room to where we would be staying the next day. So I swiped out, ran to the gondola, went up the hill, hastily packed an overnight bag and went down again, just in time for the bus into Banff.

John pulled into the SameSun with David shortly after I'd cashed a cheque and got something to eat, and checked us into the hostel. I showed Dave round the Hostel and we had a strudle to eat, but it wasn't long before we were both in our beds and sleep-talking (or so my room-mates told me...)



David at Dawn

Next morning, we were up early but not-so-bright, to explore Banff after a pancake breakfast. After our quick tour we headed over to Banff Springs, to check on my bike (which was fine, although frozen to the bike rack) and to look at the Million Dollar View, on Dad's personal recommendation. Here it is, so you don't waste your time...



Not as spectacular as I was lead to believe... But the mountains in the distance were nice, and maybe it looks great in the spring when the river is visible and the golf course is green. I wouldn't have paid $1,000,000 for it.

Anyway, next thing we did was try and get to the Banff Gondola. I say try, because we ended up walking about a mile along a cross-country route before we realised we weren't heading anywhere near the right direction, so we walked a mile back. Then walked the mile up to the gondola station.

10 minutes later up the dodgiest, slowest gondola I have ever taken, we were at the top of Sulphur Mountain overlooking Banff and the Bow Valley. We were a bit hungry, but after exchanging all 12 of our quaters for a pitifull amount of Reese's Pieces we had a look round. We couldn't have chosen a better day to come up here, the weather was perfect and not too cold, but the air was crystal clear and we would be able to see for hundreds of kms if there weren't the Rocky Mountains in the way. What better way to show David the town he'll call home for the next 2 weeks?

I don't know if you can see this sign, but it implies Thriller dance moves are illegal if you are wearing hiking boots. Luckily, David was just wearing sturdy shoes, so is safe from whatever authority put that sign there...



Banff, and the surrounding mountains and trees

After walking back to Banff Springs and picking up my bike, I rode back to the SameSun before joining David for a Subway and smoothie lunch in Cascade Plaza. Now, Cascade Plaza is a mall in the centre of Banff, and has escalators. You always ride on the right hand escalator, the same side as we drive over here. What is it like in England, if you have two escalators side-by-side, with one coming towards you and going away? I'm convinced that you travel on the left, but David is convinced of the opposite. Think of the London Underground- what's the convention?

Next we went shopping- David spent $50 on some things I'd call rather non-essential, but it's his money and he evidently loves his apfelsaft. I spent considerably less on milk and bread. So we went back to the SameSun and changed rooms, before heading down for some traditional bangers and mash, David acting chef. Oh, and Canada's Worse Driver 3 to scare us off the roads.

That evening we headed back into Banff to watch a film- the Golden Compass, the adaptation of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights, a book both of us have read and enjoyed many times while growing up. I thought it was excellent; the story was well interpreted, the actors well cast, the effects stunning and the charactors convincing. David didn't agree with my opinion that the lead female was a good actress, but I think he enjoyed it while his eyes were open.

So back to SameSun, and another early night.

PS. As David and I found out at Banff Springs, your tongue will very quickly stick to a piece of metal that is at -10 degrees. And will then leave a bit behind when you pull it off... I know every Canadian has done it, so now I feel a bit more initiated...