| A journal entry: Friday June 17th, 2005 |
I thought I would take a moment and share my journal entry of our first night of holidays back when we visited the Rocky Mountains in June.
Here is the entry from my journal:
Friday June 17th, 2005
We awoke this first morning of our vacation at the ungodly hour of 2:00am. Out the door by 3:00 am we felt like stowaways as we drove into the darkness of the night. There is something very relaxing about night driving. There are few cars or people to distract you, just the barren streets, and glow of the street lights. The yellow lines of the highway began to hypnotize me with daydreams of mountains, lakes, lovemaking and lovemaking near a lake in the shadow of a mountain.
Our destination was the airport, and of course, we arrived far too early for our 7:15 am flight. The shuttle bus from the parking lot dropped us off at the wrong terminal, and when we finally arrived at the correct terminal at 4:00 am, we discovered, much to our dismay, there were no coffee shops open. We had to wait until 5:30 to get our caffeine fix, and did we ever need it at that time of day!
To pass the time we snuggled up on the uncomfortable airport benches, Mark’s head resting in my lap, while I propped my feet up on my luggage. It wasn’t long before both of us became extremely uncomfortable, and decided to play a game of air hockey to pass the time. Mark showed no shame, and kicked my butt with a score of 7 – 2. We played a game of pinball and tried to save planet earth from an alien invasion, and in the sleep deprived state of mind I was in, I found that extremely amusing and entertaining. Before coffee, my mind works in very basic and simple ways, and it doesn’t take much to keep me engaged.
Suddenly my nostrils perked up at the delicious scent of coffee brewing nearby and we quickly abandoned our pinball quest to save the planet and made a beeline to find the largest size coffee available. I was ready to receive it intravenously by that point. It wasn’t Tim Horton's, but it was still a little piece of heaven.
At around 6:00am we decided to check our bags and go through security to wait by gate 227 for our flight. I always find the serious scowls that the security people have quite amusing. I had my laptop with me and although they didn’t ask me to turn it on, the woman did ask me if she could take some samples. Interested what that meant, I started to ask questions about what she was doing. Realizing I wasn’t harboring bombs in my laptop, she explained that she can check for trace chemicals. It was neat to watch her drag a piece of material across the computer and then have the fabric analyzed instantly by a machine. I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me trying to imagine what trace elements the machine picked up. Visions of peanut butter stains, leg sweat from the computer resting on my lap and cat poo from my cats poopy paws walking over the keyboard didn’t paint a pretty picture in my mind.
The whole flying experience was quite nice. On no other occasion has the airport security, boarding, landing, and finding where we are going been so easy and painless. Welcome to Canada eh. We’re just a friendly bunch!
We found our way easily enough once we landed in Alberta from the airport to Canmore. It was about an hour drive or 105km (65 miles) from Calgary to our destination. As we drove into Canmore, Mark made sure to wave hello to his dinner. Alberta beef cows were plentiful. They waved and mooed their hellos back!
The drive into the mountains was somewhat uneventful and rather ordinary. The weather wasn’t overly cooperative and it was quite foggy. We couldn’t see the mountains until we were right in them, but WOW. Suddenly having a mountain looming over me left me breathless. I had a lump in my throat and it took a minute to catch my breath before I could speak. I even had to choke back a tear. AMAZING.
We arrived in Canmore at noon, Alberta time. We couldn’t check into the lodge until 4:00 pm so we explored the town, bought some groceries and a cheap foam cooler at the local home hardware (gotta keep the beers cold somehow). They laughed at me when I inquired about a Canadian Tire. Apparently Canadian Tire is too big for this little town with BIG mountains.
When we were finally able to check into the lodge we had booked for two nights, it was pouring rain so hard outside that you could barely see two feet in front of your face. Luck (or lack thereof) would have it that we were on the second floor, and the only access to our room was by stairs situated on the outside of the building.
Here is where the real fun begins.
Soaking wet from the rain, I was starting to plan a nice warm shower with Mark to warm ourselves up and then crack open a bottle of wine and just relax together. While he had the honours of unloading the car, I began to unpack and settle us into our room.
Packing wasn’t easy for this trip. My clothes aren’t exactly plentiful as I adjust to my new post pregnancy shape, and the few pieces that did fit were carefully packed into my suitcase. So was the massage oil. I opened my suitcase to find it had a particularly fragrant berry smell, before realizing the entire bottle of oil had drained and soaked into every article of clothing I had brought that actually fit over my recently pregnant hips. I wanted to throw myself on the floor and cry right then and there.
I immediately filled the tub with hot water in hopes of getting some of the oil out. Poor Mark arrived in our room, and seeing clothes strewn everywhere, and the hearing the bath water running thought I decided to get down and dirty right away. Excited, he tossed his hat (on the heater), and started to undress to join me in my “relaxing” bath. Imagine the poor boys immediate disappointment when I shoved him out of my way in my panic to get all the oil stained clothes into water and screeched that ALL MY F*ING CLOTHES ARE RUINED! He tried to make light of the situation and suggested that we could spend the entire vacation between the sheets so we didn’t need any clothes, but I was having none of his humour. I was upset.
Being the level headed man that he is; he braved the pouring rain and went back to the lobby to inquire about laundry facilities. While I was frantically scrubbing my clothes with the ridiculously tiny bottle of cheap hotel shampoo I suddenly smelled something burning. Looking up, I saw a faint haze of smoke. I dashed out of the bathroom and discovered the ball cap that Mark had carelessly tossed onto the heater when he thought he was about to “get some” was BURNING!
I dove to retrieve the cap like a professional football player and made my touchdown by throwing the smoldering chapeau (as Mark calls all his hats) right into the tub, along with all my greasy clothes.
Although not the way I had anticipated beginning my vacation, I started to see the humour in everything and began giggling. I knew this was going to be one of those moments I could look back on and laugh about.
But wait! It gets better.
Mark returned to discover his hat was no longer. It looked like an Anti-Canada hat too, as the little red flag on the back was burned to shreds. He absolutely couldn’t wear it out in that condition (especially in Canada). After getting a kick out of his burnt had, he advised me that there was a laundry room available (at a highway robbery cost of $5.00 per load). But really, we had no choice. Each of us took a pile of wet clothes in our hands and headed outside into the pouring rain in search of a washing machine.
Deciding to head back to the room and just crack open a beer and make the best of the rest of our night, we made our mad dash back in the rain, back up the stairs, into our room, and slammed the door behind us. Mark went to apply the deadbolt lock and suddenly started screeching that he was just electrocuted! I thought he was pulling my leg and being a smart ass, so what do I do? Before my electrofied husband could stop me, I tried to lock the deadbolt too, and then I got electrocuted! My entire hand, halfway up my arm went numb and tingly and I had no feeling in it for a good ten minutes.
Despite their disbelief and basically suggesting we were high on something when we called to report our “shocking” news to the reception staff, the lodge manager finally arrived to take a look.
He didn’t believe us. I think he thought we were looking for an upgrade or just being jackasses, but when Mark suggested he touch the deadbolt and try and engage it to see for himself, he wouldn’t! There must have been some faulty wiring that was acting up with all the dampness and rain. The light switch to the room was right beside the deadbolt, and I’m sure when the metal connected with the plate inside, the faulty wiring and dampness caused the shock. But what do I know…I’m certainly not an electrician.
The manager actually suggested that we just not use the deadbolt. I gave him the most “are you retarded” look I could muster without speaking. Sensing I was skeptical, he said, “But this is CANMORE. Nothing happens in Canmore.” I thought to myself, yeah, nothing happens in Ajax either, but that doesn’t mean I am stupid enough to invite danger into my home. We insisted that they move us to another room despite his insistence we had nothing to worry about.
We were electrocuted for crying out loud. Would HE feel safe in that room?
OYE! What a start to our vacation. Once we were finally settled into our new room and finished the laundry (which didn’t remove the oil stains from my clothes) we quickly threw on our bathing suites and ran into the rainy night like a bunch of kids, excited to sit in the hot tub and gawk at a mountain.
Reflecting back, although not what one would deem a “pleasant” night, it is one of our most memorable nights. Although most of my clothes were ruined, Mark’s hat was charred, and we both got electrocuted, there was a still a defining moment that keeps replaying in my mind.
It was the moment we finally broke our gaze from the mountain, and my husband leaned in for a kiss while snuggling in the hot tub with the rain pouring down on us. All the aggravations of the evening were washed away and it was just the two of us, kissing in the rain beside a mountain, like it was most natural thing in the most magical place on earth to be. Labels: Comic Relief, Mark, Vacation |
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Okay, either you have a great imagination, or you guys really have an interesting life! I'm jealous. When we go anywhere, nothing fun happens. No searches of women's underwear, no fires, NOTHING! We just do what we planned! I'm going to start vacationing with you guys!
Suddenly having a mountain looming over me left me breathless. I had a lump in my throat and it took a minute to catch my breath before I could speak. I even had to choke back a tear. AMAZING.
I relate very well to that moment.
You know, I think outdoor stairs are the way they do motels out there. We stayed at one further north, closer to Jasper, and it was the same. But really, they don't normally get a ton of rain there, and their winters are less snowy too.
Glad you can look back on that day and laugh.
I would have cried for the whole trip.
I teared up when I caught my first glimpse of the mountains too. They are just magical aren't they?
my oh my, you've gotta be kidding!!
a bunch of clothes soaked in blueberry-flavored massage oil?! i would have passed out right in front of the luggage and moaned about this incident throughout the entire trip. and i would prolly end up crying whenever i mention about the disastrous beginning of the trip...
oh wait, have i mentioned that i'm a born dramaqueen who lives a melodramatic life?? ;-)
but hey, keep the funny journals coming as this entry cracked me up the big time!!
Oh, that so sounds like something that would happen to my husband and myself on, oh, ANY trip we've ever taken together. I always remind my husband that ANYONE can have a "smooth, painless" trip, but what's the fun in telling that story to your co-workers on Monday?? Sometimes he buys it. : )
Sounds like Chris and I. We always have interesting events together. Especially on vacation.
I would have been really pissed off about the clothing. Keep the oil for the next time, but just be sure to put it in a sealed baggie! :)
Dontcha hate hotel workers who insist there is nothing wrong with your room when there clearly IS? I find that it only happens in the smaller places, so I try to avoid them if possible. But sometimes there is just no avoiding them.
Sounds like the trip turned out all right!
Yay, a woman who appreciates coffee as much as I do!
And I love that you just rolled with the punches on Day One of vacay. Some people would have seen your day as a huge bummer, and you took it in stride and looked for the bright side. I love that about you.
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Christi : July 21, 2005 
