My partner decided to leave Montreal and move to the West Coast in December 2021. Over the course of about 2 weeks we travelled and explored across the country in early winter weather. We were gonna travel during a cold season when the weather is so unpredictable, the roads are icy and the highways are long and lonely.

On the first day we drove from Montreal to Niagara Falls. We spent 1 night there, so we could see the chutes at sunset, then we got there, and at early morning around sunrise time. Really worth it for the shots and the content, although flying a drone over the falls is not permitted. From there we then drove to Toronto and spend one night there as well. We walked around the city, went for some cafes and obviously had to go in the CN tower. Having just left from a big city, I didn’t really feel the need to spend any more time in Toronto. From there we decided to drive heaps without stopping only for the night, as there wasn't going to be much in the way, so might as well get it over and done with. We stopped along the way in Sudbury & then Saul Ste-Marie. Thunderbay was a freezing as depicted but the people were lovely. The days kept on getting longer since we were driving west, and the views kept on giving. Never have I seen sunsets so incredible than on this drive, and I have seen a lot of sunsets. Driving through Saskatchewan I was simply blown away. Blown away by the massiveness of the land, by the flatness of it all. The sunsets lasted for hours and the frost was reflecting the sunlight. Took us about 2-3 days to drive through it all, so it’s big and empty. Drove all the way to Calgary and spent the night there, went to the restaurant and to explore the city. the next morning we took off towards Banff, where we decided to spend a bit more time and to explore. We went too eat, explore, do a bit of shopping and get some drinks in us. From Lake Louise we attempted to move towards BC but both times the weather got so bad and slippery that we had to come back after 2-3 hours of driving each time. Pushing through was unfortunately not even an option as the roads were so uneven and icy. The wind was blowing the snow in our direction, not helping the situation and the back of Alberta mountain is not something to mess with.

After a few attempts we finally made it out of Alberta on a sunny day, and we were very glad to have taken the decision to wait it out. I was freaked out to drive through there on a sunny day, everything is so sketchy. There was some construction on the side of the cliff. On top of that, the road isn’t straight and forwards, it’s tight angles and narrow corners. Doing this in a snow storm would have been nearly deathly.

The spring season of that year had been really bad in British Columbia. It rained for months without stopping, causing a lot of flooding along with some mudslides. From Kelowna we had to take a massive detour because the Duffy road was closed, due to earth slide, and the detour we had to take was not guarantee that the road was open either, because of the flooding. We were in a bit of a pickle and had to decide to either drive toward the Duffy, hoping that by the time we got there the road would be back open, or to drive towards Vancouver, where the road might be closed due to flooding. It was pretty much a fail-fail situation. We drove towards Vancouver, which was about a 5 hour long detour, and luckily the roads were all fine.

After 2 weeks of a lot of driving, lot of sight seeing and lots of hotel room sleep, we finally made it to Whistler.

Explore

Explore

Explore

Surprisingly, a lot of foreigners are not aware that a whole province speaks French in Canada. Québec has a rich history and a unique cultural heritage, with a significant French influence that sets it apart from other Canadian provinces. It is the only province in Canada with French as its official language, and the majority of its population speaks French as their first language. All across the country, both languages are displayed everywhere; on item’s labels, on road signs, on websites, and over the phone. Quebec province fights really hard to maintain the french language within its population so a minimal effort is always appreciated, when speaking to people in Quebec. Most provinces offer a french immersion program in their school, and french is also learnt as a second language across the country.

Quebec is where I grew up, so my perspective of the province is probably very biassed compared to what a tourist would say of Quebec. I believe that the place is gorgeous, and is one of the prettiest provinces in Canada. It has something special to it every season, from the foliage in the fall to the extreme heat in the summer, Quebec provides a natural show all year long.

The views in Quebec are insane, different from the rest of Canada, but spectacular on its own. It has amazing hikes and camping spots, if you are willing to drive outside the main cities. Some of my best childhood memories were spent at the beach lake, camping with my family. From a young age I learned about bear encounters, how dangerous the snow can be, how to cook meals with campfires and so on. This is probably one of the main reasons why I love travelling and being outdoors so much, because I have been encouraged to always be active and play outside from a young age.

For the lovers of the outdoors, British Columbia is the place that keeps on giving. Consisting mostly of a rainforest, the weather is often unpredictable and the land is very dense.

The mountains are a massive playground all year round, from snowboarding and skiiing in the winter, to mountain biking or hiking in the summer, the people always find a way to enjoy their presence.

Lakes are everywhere, and the water is often rather than not immaculate. From my perspective, living at the bottom of Whistler Mountain feels like a year long campground where everyone know everyone. You go to the shop and you meet 5 people along the way. All those people are out and about doing many different things, all crazier activities than the one before.

The summer day are warm and long, the summer nights are endless and bright. People gather outside by the lakes and enjoy the slack line. Some play volley ball and some are biking. At the end of the day, everyone is here for the same goal. To enjoy the outdoors. People are like minded and open minded.

The views make you feel incredibly small when you reach the top of a mountain, it’s a very humbling experience. There are endless of trails around BC. All leading to views better than the previous ones. The views take your breath away and makes you thank whoever & whatever that you get to be able to witness something so magical and incredible.

British Columbia has some island that also have magnificent beaches, with surf and fishing and sea life. Views of the ocean that make you wonder why you never even knew Canada had views like this. Colours of the sky and reflections in the water are something always very unique and special. regardless of everything, every night, make sure you enjoy the present moment as you will never experience the same sunset twice. And I love this perspective.