A Greyhound bus from Vancouver to Calgary takes a long time. As long as Sydney to Vancouver. And I think we’ve established previously that that is a long time. Much more fun to have company however, and regular truckstops to stretch your legs along the way. (The photos above are of Sam, myself and Matt at one of the many truckstops on route to Calgary). The whole household left on a Friday night for some Stampeding good times at the Calgary Stampede!
Once in Calgary we all headed to our respective accomodation and caught up on sleep. Calgary is just lovely. Big open spaces, blue skies that light up at night and snow capped Rocky Mountains on the horizon to remind you where you are.
Matt and I were pitching a tent in Calaway RV Park for the next three nights and on our intitial taxi ride to the park I was concerned as we headed out of Calgary and the metre was rising above $40. The spot was fantastic and although we were so far out, every morning, Mike the bus driver would show up in his bright yellow school bus (with a door that needs a lever to open) and take us to Stampede Park. Each night at Midnight he’d be there waiting to take us back to our tent again.
The bus was filled with the same people every day and everyone seemed to take to us because of our accents. I can’t get over what a novelty it is for them! Mike informed the bus on day one, “they’re talking English, they just sound funny”
We had a sense of community on those bus rides with our fellow Calaway Park Stampeders! People wished you a good Stampede in the morning and at night enquired what we’d got up to each day. I’m so glad we picked that campground. It certainly added to our Stampede experience.