Research on our Grand Adventure seems to have taken a back-seat recently while normal life rolls on. Instead of looking into places to take the kids in Canada, I’ve been joining some of the greatest explorers in history as I research my next kids non-fiction book. I’ve attempted to find the northwest passage, seen kangaroos for the first time and witnessed the ‘smoke that thunders’, named Victoria Falls by Dr David Livingstone. As I read about these great explorers of the past, and begin to familiarise myself with some of today’s boldest adventurers, I’m getting itchy feet for our big trip.
The Christmas holidays have been and gone, together with a great four nights break in Cornwall…
…and a fantastic ski holiday to the Austrian Alps. We stayed in the resort of Obergurgl, and enjoyed some of the best skiing conditions we’ve had in years, made even more special by skiing up on the mountain with our six year old.
We are beginning to map out some trips for the coming months, including a quick break to the family French house in the Lot region at Easter, a possible tour of Yorkshire in May, and a proper summer holiday in southern Spain, in the hills above Cadiz. Excitement is bubbling, and I hope we are able to make them all happen. The lure of adventure is strong though, and we are over six months on from the germ of the idea, six months closer to the start of our trip. So the research must continue!
Canada is next on the list. Perhaps it’s the breadth of experience that Canada can offer that has halted me in my research tracks – at least that’s been my excuse for the last few months. If we stick to the idea of travelling by boat from Alaska, it’s likely that we’ll finish that section of our journey in Vancouver, hopefully having seen some of Canada’s stunning coastline along the way. I’ve a feeling that limiting us to just visiting that city won’t feel too limiting though. After a few weeks at sea, the choices that the city has to offer may be a tad overwhelming, but I suspect we’ll be ready to jump right in. The great thing about any city is that there will be something to appeal to almost any interest. Who knows what my kids will be into at the time, but from the Beaty Biodiversity Museum to the Museum of Anthropology, or from Capilano Park and its 140m long suspension bridge to biking the Stanley Park Seawall, we can be reassured that Vancouver will be able to meet our demands.