When Janine, Maddie and I returned from Banff, we had a day’s break in our busy schedule before our next adventure, Victoria Day long weekend at Janine’s family cabin. I took the opportunity to relax and make a slow launch into the morning, enjoying my cup of tea on Janine’s back patio. I needed to start planning my journey beyond Penticton. When I looked at flights later in the day, I was horrified to discover airfares from Penticton/Kelowna to Victoria (Vancouver Island) were between $400-700 AUD. Now I was wishing I had booked them when Janine had sent through her suggested itineraries the previous month. I had felt so overwhelmed in April with the preparation for this trip, packing up my room on the Gold Coast, researching travel insurance, preparing to sell my car, working my day job, spending time with friends and family, and trying to decide whether to take a suitcase or backpack. I found that I had no mental energy for either trip planning or writing. I had to be in the moment during that process, and the trip planning had to wait. I decided to show myself some self-compassion for everything I had managed to achieve so far.
I ended up booking a flight from Penticton to Victoria for Thursday the following week. We were due to return from the cabin on the Monday, but after the trip to Banff, I knew I had to give myself a rest day in between adventures. I had learned by now that I liked to be organised a few steps ahead. It was a tricky balance in timing. There was a benefit in booking flights and accommodation early to ensure availability and cheaper prices, but sometimes this causes you to miss out on opportunities that arise later. For example, only a few days after booking my flight, we learned that Janine’s friend was visiting from Victoria, and would be driving home from Penticton the day before I was booked to fly there.
I was already discovering what kind of traveller I was. I didn’t like jumping from place to place every few days. I liked to go somewhere for a week, settle in and truly absorb the place. I wanted t treat Canada as a holiday, because once I reached Ireland I would be busy doing life admin stuff again. I needed to be in the moment, and now at Janine’s place, in between road trips, I was in the moment again planning the things that needed my attention then and there.
That afternoon, we visited Janine’s in-laws and sat on their back deck enjoying a few drinks looking over Lake Okanagan.
Kate Kelsen 