On Monday 26 April, Jamie, Aengie, and I packed our duffel bags into the trunk of Jamie's brand spanking new Chevy Cavalier for a relativey short three day trip east to Kelowna.

Compared to last year's trip, this one was a cinch to prepare for. Jamie calls me up the night before, and says, "Just bring clothes for a few days, rollerblades, and anything else. We're leaving at ten." I say, "Sounds good" and then wake up at nine thirty in the morning and commence packing. Twenty minutes later I'm ready to go. Yee hah!

The weather held beautifully for us the entire time we were in Kelowna - although we were staying indoors at Aengie's aunt's place in a Kelowna suburb it was good to be able to have nice weather for outdoor related activities. The drive over was very quick, as it was all freeway from Vancouver to Kelowna and Jamie liked to ..... err .... speed a little bit on the freeways :-)

I was very surprised at how much snow was left over on the Cascade Mountains from last winter. While we crossed a mountain pass, there was at least five feet of snow banked on the side of the road, and the hillside was just covered in white. We had an extensive La Nina year last winter, and with it came very cold temperatures and loads of precipitation along the West Coast (aside: I know a lot about this stuff because I am majoring in Meterology). Even though it is late spring there is an abundance of snow still around, and many people fear that a major flood could occur along the Fraser River, particularly near the Abbotsford area. Judging by how high the river was when we drove through the area, and how the snow was only beginning to melt, I feel that the fear of a flood is justified.

When we arrived in Kelowna we introduced ourselves to Aengie's aunt and uncle and then, after unpacking, proceeded to just mope around and do nothing for the rest of the day. For me, it was a welcome relief as I had just finished a stressful semester at UBC studying for exams, and this was my introduction to the good ol' summer life. Jamie and Aengie had booked a week off each from their stressful jobs, and we all were in need of a vacation!!

Kelowna is a very beautiful city. Voted the #1 prettiest small city in Canada, it is easy to see why. Surrounded by beautiful mountains and pristine Okanogan Lake - which is infamous for the "Ogopogo", a sea monster that supposedly lives in the lake - Kelowna is located in the heart of the BC Interior. Arid vegetation and warm summer climates characterize the geography of the area, and its proximity to the lake make it a highly attractive city. The population of Kelowna is over 100,000 right now, which has doubled in the last few years alone. Many people are choosing to retire in this city and are coming to Kelowna in droves. Growth is inevitable, and on the rise.

We got to know Aengie's aunt and uncle that night, as they were extremely kind and generous to provide us with home-cooked German sausages, roast beef with apple sauce, salad, and potatoes. The people we stayed with were very kind and hospitable, and made our trip even more enjoyable. We noticed ancient computer games, a personal library full of books on politics, and other homely items.

The second day of our trip we drove to the Lake Okanogan Resort and did some horseback riding. The person in charge walked up to us, introduced himself as Peter in a booming voice, and in general fit the country and western sterotype perfectly! He had a cowboy hat, spoke with a slight Southern accent, and his country music could be heard all over the ranch - since I like country music myself, I found this to be a great arrangement! At first we were shown all the horses and their names, and then each one us was given a horse. Then we just got used to the horse and practiced grooming them. Peter was very quick to instruct us to stay away from the horses' ass because that is where their hind legs are and they can kick without warning. Then we put the saddles on the horses and Peter instructed us on how to sit in the saddle, get the horse moving, steer the horse, and then make the horse stop.

We did a few practice drills by riding around the fenced enclosure, just getting used to the feel of riding the horse. It took a few tries for me to figure out how to hold the damn reigns, but after awile it was easy! Also, I quickly discovered that the horse didn't always do what you wanted it to do. I said to Peter, "How come when I steer the horse she sometimes won't go?" And he relied, "Who's riding the horse?" I said, "I am". He said, "Well, you gotta be businesslike and assertive. These horses'd love to just sit around and eat grass all day, but you gotta make sure that they know it's you who's riding the horse. Don't pussyfoot around or they'll not do what you want 'em to do. It's a lot like having children!" I was impressed with Peter's straight-shootin' style of teaching us how to ride horses. Previously I had ridden horses and the instructors had told us NOTHING in the way of what Peter taught us. Previous instructors would just say stuff like, "He's a real nice horse, just ride him and be gentle with him."

After the practice drills, we were ready to hit the trail!! We climbed a gentle ascent out of the stables and then rode in the back country for a couple of miles. Each of had a chance to lead the trail with our horses, and we had a chance to do a bit of trotting as well. I learned the hard way that you have to lean back when the horse is trotting downhill - as I mistakenly leaned forward and came so close to falling off the horse after she broke into a walk again. Each of our horses got stubborn from time to time, and it was Peter's continuous teaching of us to be assertive and business like with the horses that got our confidence up and made sure that we were in control of the reigns. It was a totally enjoyable experience, and well worth the money we spent. I had a good dose of horseback riding experience and this topped any previous encounters. Too bad we couldn't write this kind of experience on a resume.

The next day we played putting golf on a course near the Okanogan Lake floating bridge. Putting golf is just like regular golf except the entire 18 holes consists of putting greens. It is the only course in its kind in Canada, and playing it was loads of fun! Some of the holes were extraordinarily tricky, and a Par 5 putting golf hole consisted of long stretches of green, tricky gradients, sand traps, and putting surfaces that were very quick. I had played a few rounds of pitch and putt golf before, but it was my putting skills that were completely being tested here.

The same day we drove over to the Mission Hill Winery and went for a tour on how the wine is made. The wine made in Mission Hill is sold all over the world, and that particular winery had won an international competition. We learned how the grapes are crushed and then fermented, as well as how ice wine is made, and the right weather conditions which are required. After the tour, we were given tips on how to properly taste wine - namely by swirling it in the glass, slurping the wine, and then finally drinking it.

That evening we treated Aengie's aunt and uncle for dinner at the local Earl's restaurant in return for the dinners and the breakfasts that they had cooked for us. Jamie and I ordered this dish that had lots of hot peppers in it, and they w weren't kidding when they said the peppers would be hot! Aengie's uncle shared plenty of stories about how where he had travelled, and entertained us all. We especially enjoyed all the stories he told us about him speeding in his car.

The next morning, unfortunately, it was time for us to leave. We left bright and late (around 2 in the afternoon) and then arrived back in Vancouver around dinner time. Since Jamie and Aengie got to listen to their pop music on the way up, it was my turn to listen to my CD's on the way back. Aengie wasn't that thrilled to listen to the soothing sounds of Prodigy, and then I eventually took that CD out of the player and threw in some jazz/hip-hop stuff.

The trip to Kelowna was thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing! We all especially enjoyed getting lots of sleep, and getting up late in the morning. For me, I had a chance to read an entire book, as well as get started on another one, all within the plenty of spare time that we had during the vacation. I look forward to our next trip, to add to this series.
--by Steve Ruelle

Some links...

• Canada Vacations - Order FREE Brochure!
• Downtown Kelowna Events
• The Grand Okanagan Resort
• Guide to Golfing in Kelowna
• Mission Hill Winery
• Kelowna Business Directory
• More sites...