Calgary.

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Stop 2.1 on my roadtrip is Calgary, visiting my Cuddly-Boo Steph in her second floor apartment in her life in Alberta. My Cuddly-Boo and I have been friends for...twelve years? For three of those years, I have been promising I would visit her in Calgary. I am pleased to say that I am finally here.

The drive from Penticton to Calgary came with a forwarning from my Okanagan friends: watch out for the crazy drivers between Revelstoke and Golden, BC. "Odd advice" I thought, as I considered that all the crazy drivers certainly didn't congregate on that one stretch of highway. My advisor was right though, and I was wrong: all of the crazy drivers congregate on the highway between Revelstoke and Golden. All of them. I actually got my phone out from my purse and placed it in the compartment right beside me, about 5 minutes past Revelstoke; so convinced was I that Death would be something I'd witness or experience while driving. I managed to keep my stress levels down for the most part though, by listening loudly to some very calming music. Once I was past Death Highway, I was into Banff and greeted with 2 long hours of construction and 30km/hr speed limits. I kept the calming music on repeat. My stress levels stayed relatively unheightened. Thank you Enya, for driving me to Calgary.

Now that I've been here a few days, you may wonder what I think about Calgary. Good question. Yesterday afternoon as we walked by the river in the sunshine, it started to lightning-thunder-rain. Last night, the wind was coming so forcefully into the window that the bedroom door was rattling on it's hinges; having just watched 8 episodes of TrueBlood in a row, I was just creeped out enough to be afraid of the wind and to sleep with my light on (do I blame the Vampires or Calgary? Hard to say). This morning I assessed the weather from the window, noted that it was sunny as, and went out in just my t-shirt; this being August and all. I got outside to dark clouds and gusting chilly winds, so I ran back upstairs and grabbed a scarf and a sweater. Back on the street, three blocks into my walk, and I am sweating. The air on the streets of Calgary is an inconsistent mix of sunny summer, muggy Toronto, and October breezes. It's weird.

The people on the streets here are buzzing; they are all going somewhere, and quickly. Hordes of people run and jog on their lunch breaks; together in groups of 2 or 4, they discuss their business notes and personal quips in heightened semi-breathless tones. If they aren't running or jogging in shorts too short for workdays, they are speedwalking in suits and blazers, to or from a meeting or responsibility. Rushing to or from something, or maybe they are just rushing because it's Calgary and that's just what you do here. Even these people, though, aren't going too quickly to miss how weird the weather is.

I have found a few parts of Calgary that I like; I am sitting in one of them now - but, more on that later.

My favorite part is obviously the time I get to spend with my CB. It has certainly been a long time coming, love. I am only 4 days in to my 2 week vacation, and I can already say with certainty that my new dream job is to travel and hang out with my friends. Know anyone hiring for that position? Let me know.