Banff, guys let me tell you about it. I was being super spontaneous and planned a last minute trip to accompany Cassia to Banff. For some back story, after our adventure in the Kootenays in British Columbia, Cassia was off to Banff to her new job at a cutie coffee shop and a brand new life. Obviously, I'm super hype for her and got the opportunity to go with her to her new home before my next adventure which is exploring and travelling the West Coast with my friend Hayden. We had two days to make our way to Alberta and have a mini adventure of our own and I haven't been to Banff yet so I was down and ready. We said goodbye to Kaslo and travelled to Revelstoke, BC about 3 hours away. We were desperate for some ramen so we headed downtown and got the most amazing bowls of ramen and some sushi. 

The end of September unfortunately meant my departure from Kaslo. Cassia and I had such an amazing time, we needed to celebrate our last few days staying in the most beautiful place on earth. On Wednesday, I had the day off so I started my morning taking a paddle out to Fletcher falls to say goodbye to the falls. Once I returned I went into town to grab a Black Cherry Zevia (of course). And went down to the beach to have my drink and do some reading. I then went back to my room to start packing. I did some packing and then it was time to go down to the Kaslo Hotel for a drink and a snack our favorite activity. Our favorite server was working and everything was perfect. Over the course of our dinner we reminisced on all the amazing memories we made during our work travel experience. We talked about the hikes we went on, the laughs we shared and the meals we made. Cassia and I were planning to go to Banff for two days to drop her off at her new job and housing!!!! So we had to get a lot of things into my car. After our last shift we shared a moment on the patio with our staff and took some time to acknowledge the work Cassia and I did and to wish us well on our next journeys. I couldn't think of a better send off. Overall, my time in Canada was unforgettable and I as I'm writing this I am missing my dear friends in Kaslo and wish everyone well. 

Now if you know me, you know I have beef with picky eaters. I think food and cooking is such an amazing way to experience a place. It was lucky for me when I first started cooking with my roommate Cassia, and I found out that we both love to cook and value high-quality ingredients, especially vegetables. One of the highlights for me living in Kaslo has been the fresh produce at all times of the day. Part of the culture in BC is that nearly everyone has an expansive garden and sharing fruits and vegetables with neighbors and friends is a daily part of life here. Cassia and I immediately fell into rhythm in the kitchen. I have never met someone who has had a similar palate as me. Meaning we love everything. Every evening Cass and I spend many hours in the kitchen. We walk through the garden picking ripe veg, look through the produce our coworkers have brought in, brainstorm what we will make, and then we spend the night executing our master plans. We chat and listen to music and drink kombucha, it's a whole event every night. We have created our own homemade hummus, including roasted red pepper, roasted garlic, and spicy chili flavor variations. I've been pickling red onions, and ginger. Cass made homemade lavender syrup for our morning coffee and I made a homemade honey mustard. Cass makes a mean Pico that we have been using to top off our favorite dish we've made which is burritos. Cass is vegan and I am pescatarian so most things we make is topped off with shrimp for me and tofu for Cass. Hence our duo name "Tofu and Shrimp". This tradition we have created over the past month is something that I will miss dearly for we are headed off our next adventure coming tomorrow (stay tuned for that). Cooking with all of these fresh ingredients with refreshing company is definitely one of the highlights of my year. I am so thankful to have met someone who cares so much about creating beautiful, healthy dishes and works alongside me so well.  It has been fun and I will be sure to pick up gardening when I go home! 

It's been 6 days since my last post so some updating is needed. Cassia and I went on a hike this past Monday. We went on the Wardner Trail to see Kaslo from above. It was a .6 mile hike pretty much vertical the whole way up. It was a pretty view at the top and there was a nice wood bench for us to take in the views. 

This week I went on two different hikes. Let me tell you about them:

So I've always loved paddleboarding, but my life changed when I bought my own paddleboard. Part of the reason I drove cross-country instead of fly out here was because I then would be able to bring my paddleboard and I would get to paddleboard in really cool places. To be able to get out on the water in unique and different places is such an awesome way to experience a place. During my trip I've gotten to paddleboard in Devils Lake, Wisconsin, and Kootenay Lake, British Columbia. I am excited to take it to a lot more places. I like to paddle but honestly most of the time I just enjoy sitting out in the middle of the lake. I don't really use it for sport but more for just relaxing out on the water. It's such a delightful and refreshing change of scenery.