Out and About

When there were no jobs to be done on the airfield, we went for an explore.

One afternoon when we retired from the airfield early, Darren, Trevor and myself went to the springs at the Fairmont Hot Springs in the same valley. This is a Hot Springs resort (as you might guess), where hot water gushing out of the mountain is used as bathing in the main pools, or just cascades down it's self-made rock formation of mineral deposits. There's also some old Indian baths there, looking very inviting with water at about 40 degrees C.

I'd been to Fairmont Hot Springs Resort before, with my family about 6 years previously! And was reminded of a very large and painful paint splinter I got stuck under a big-toe-nail of mine as I was crawling (?) around the bottom of the pool with my brother standing on my back...



F.H.S.R.

Darren and Trevor. Identical attire, both wearing sunglasses- they'd have to be pilots, right?



The Hoodoos, as seen from the springs. The campsite is to the left of these as you look. The Hoodoos are a large rock formation, I'd guess made of limestone, which look almost like a giant termite mound, that has probably been formed by water or by wind.

We also amused ourselves in the evenings, mostly by eating. Usually, the club would have a big BBQ and a relax around the fire on the airfield, however with the new Indian guidelines and the rubbish weather putting any pilot off coming to the club, we found alternate places to go.

Darren, Trevor and I went to a fantastic Greek restaurant near the hot springs, where I had one of the best foreign dishes I can remember! Lamb kebabs, rice, tzaziki, salad, cheese and pitta bread was delicious, and a very refreshing fruit smoothie accompanied. The only thing marring that meal was the constant conviction I had that I'd left the clubhouse door unlocked... A conviction which stayed with me all night, even driving to the club the next day- but on arrival, with a sigh of relief, I found out I'd been wrong...

As a complete group, we also went out to a fellow pilot's house about 10 minutes further from Hoodooville than Invermere, where we were treated to a very well-presented and delicious 3-course meal laid on by Ian and his wife. I got the chance to meet a lot of the other regulars from the club, and throughly enjoying our evening out before heading back to the tent very content and very late...