Let's Go Camping! // North Barriere Lake, BC
Hey Everyone!
Last week you left me relaxing my the pool side. In my third week in Canada I moved from the pool to the lake, camping with my second family, the Browns. For them this is an annual trip they make. I hadn't been able to join them since I moved to NZ as my visits always missed their trips.
When planning coming out we weren't sure if I should keep this a secret from my best friend, Cassie. We first chose not to. Then she messaged me a couple days before asking if I was coming. As she forgot our earlier plans, I decided to play a trick on her (with the help of her family and boyfriend) saying I couldn't make it. I took some enjoyment in knowing I had made her sad, only to make her happy in a few days!
When I arrived it worked like a charm. The poor girl was sick but as soon as she heard my name she got out of the tent in a "wtf" kinda daze. It made me laugh. After a few hugs we decided to head to the beach. Now there wasn't much beach yet, over the week the beach drastically went down. We spent the afternoon relaxing in and out of the water as it still wasn't warm warm yet. The evening ended enjoying hot dogs and marshmallows roasted over the campfire and playing cards.
Much of the rest of our days followed the same routine. We were blessed with some amazingly hot weather. Every time I've been camping with the Browns it's been raining or cool. So never warm enough to spend days lounging by the lake. So though the water was cooler the weather was so perfect. I am a child of the water, so naturally I went in without persuasion.
The water in the first two days was rather cool. Not cold but most definitely not warm. On Tuesday the boys had to go to work and we didn't know how to work the new boat. Naturally then you take off the cover and pretend like your boating by falling asleep on the back end of it. That left me with a pretty decent sun tan after 30 minutes sleeping in the same position. We did have the Seado though and took that out for a rip a few times. I am actually super scared of being on one of those things and I ended up just screaming a lot while Cassie laughed at me. When the boys finally did come home, we went out for a tube, snapped the rope and got a lot of water in our face. It was a lot of fun though!
Wednesday, while recovering from tubing whiplash, we went out and did water sports! The water had warmed up considerably by then and the shore had gone out about a foot since Monday. The wind had also died down which meant the lake was nice and smooth. It's been just over two years since I had done anything on a boat and my body could feel it. Yet it remember exactly what I was supposed to do when the boat pulled, granted I didn't get up my first go. I've never been a good wake-boarder, I get up and go for a bit, slowly build my confidence to crisscross on the wake but I just enjoy spending most of my time out in the smooth water. I most definitely didn't have the endurance so I bowed out early and made my way back to the boat spending the rest of the early afternoon watching and swimming.
Thursday was refuel day. It was also the hottest day, 40 degrees while waiting in Kamloops for more friends to join us. Naturally I also used the time in service to pay some bills. When our city friends finally joined us we were dying in the heat and headed straight back to the lake and almost straight back into the water. I also realized how tan I had become and was so proud of myself and my tanning efforts in the last three days.
Friday the tables turned. Though the weather was still hot we had learnt of a province wide fire ban that had be put in place due to wildfires. We also found out that the town when my friends are from had a fire threatening their home. There was a bunch of mixed emotions but we tried our best to enjoy the heat as our camping trip was coming to an end. As it was Friday, we also had other friends, old and new, coming out to the lake due to the weekend. The goal was to stay up all night. Accidentally I fell asleep watching beauty and the beast with the kids around 11 and woke up around 3 just in time to see the moon bright and red in the sky. Though beautiful, a red moon is not the most welcomed view as it means the smoke in the air is thick, usually indicating a fire close by. We weren't wrong, the Little Fort fire had escalated to an evacuation order. This meant that the camping trip was cut short for everyone.
Even though it was cut short this camping trip was so welcomed by me. Though New Zealand is a place well known for camping and backpacking, I've not done it much there. Canada is a different story. My summers often consisted of weekends spent at one provincial park or another. Being surrounded by lakes and mountains has worked wonders on my soul. Though I have spent most of my years in New Zealand, I have a different connection to the countryside of Canada. In New Zealand I have always felt a connection to the ocean but in Canada it's the mountains. Somehow feeling small amoungst the mountains puts everything into perspective. Floating out in the middle of the lake and looking up to the sky framed by pine covered mountains, was very soothing. It helped that I was also getting a solid tan and surrounded by some of my favourite people.
I posted on my Instagram that I was thankful for friends who became family. When I think of these people wonderful memories come to mind. I am lucky to have found these people in every place I have lived, each with their own special place in my heart. Lying on the dock, amoungst the mountain watching the red moon made me remember that no matter where I am, these people are family.
I was also reminded that I need to go camping more. I enjoy being in the dirt, though I dislike nature touching me.
This was week three! Join me next week for week four.
Ps. You found Lydia xx
