Now it's suddenly real!

Here I am...in Canada. And traveling on the bus from Calgary to Banff I couldn't help but look out the window admiring the stunning views as the landscape turns from prairie to mountains and think... 'F#$& me look how big those things are and there is still snow on the tops'. Oh yeah, now it's real and tomorrow morning it starts in earnest.

Anyway it's nice to be back in pretty though expensive Banff. Although this time around its not minus thirty which is good, but on the other hand the mosquitoes are like squadrons of stuka dive bombers this time of year. I squished one while putting my bike back together only to see to my dismay that from the resulting mess  he had already helped himself to half a pint of my blood. Hate em!!!

The other thing about putting a bike together here is I had hardly got the pedals back on before some guy came up to ask if I was doing the divide trail. Anyway I now have a new kiwi friend who seems keen to start out on the trail with me but we will see. I also have an Irish room mate in the hostel. I may go to the cinema with him tonight. He is a self confessed reformed alcoholic from what he says. His reformation from what I can gather started five minutes after I arrived.

Talking of making new friends, the reason I haven't set off yet is I needed a few supplies from in town. In the shop I met a guy from Bristol who I got chatting with about the people we both know that I used to board with at Halifax, small world. He also sold me some bear spray! This is one of the things I was looking to pick up. Essentially it's pepper spray to use on bears. And it comes with a cool little holster. I feel like a sheriff. I also had to sign a register to say I had bought a weapon!

While I got my grocery supplies for the next few days I also signed up for my safeways club card so I could get my discount. I think they may feel cheated when they see the UK address on the application hehe.

And on the subject of food I got breakfast in town. I was intrigued by a sign. Beaver tails: coffee and pastries. Well that sounded pretty continental. And the coffee was good. Beaver tails however are nothing like croissants. Essentially what I got was a deep fried donut in the shape of, well, a beaver tail. They then cover it in what I think is melted butter, before smothering it in gunk of your choice. Mine being the chocolate spread, smarties and peanut butter option. I couldn't finish it all before nausea overtook me, but it was an experience.

Well it's onto the trail, and I will update again when I hit civilisation of some kind! Watch out bears here I come and I'm armed... and a little apprehensive.