Squamish!!!

Before you ask, yes, all the exclamation marks in the title are necessary.

One of my favorite parts of Vancouver is not Vancouver at all - it's a small, recreational town an hour north. Squamish has changed quite a bit since my first visit in 2006. My sister and I hiked to the Center Peak of The Chief, beforehand stopping at a local Quizno's for a sandwich. The parking lot was more mud than pavement and crowded with trucks & logging vehicles. Now, Squamish is a busy little town complete with restaurants, breweries, and a thriving local culture. I'd visited multiple times these past few months, but wanted to take time and stay like a local for a few days.

I used AirBnB for the first time. 

Here's the view from 'my house' in the Garibaldi Highlands.

Downtown Squamish

Hiking along the Marina

Hiking around Alice Lake 

Beyond enjoying the view, I wanted to get out of my head for a few days before I have to dive into packing and the realization that my time in Canada has come to an end. So I took the opportunity to relax... I made popcorn and watched a movie, I read a book (an entire book!), and I spent an incredibly fun evening with new friends, who themselves had just recently relocated to this quiet, little mountain town. I visited the local Farmer's Market and ate breakfast in a local cafe.

Eventually, I found myself sitting in a parking lot near Hwy 99, my route back to Vancouver. I stared out the window at this little town and it's incredible natural surroundings, and realized that this would be my first 'good-bye.' It's a town, I know, but Squamish has always been a happy place. It was a highlight on my list when I was relocating to Vancouver and each time I visited I'd call my sister, trying in some way to share the experience with her. Now I was leaving. Soon this lovely place would be much farther than a one hour drive north. We would be separated by multiple states, mountain ranges, and a national border filled with intimidating Canadian Customs Officers. And I was heartbroken.

After a few moments I gathered myself and threw my car into drive, refusing to delay the inevitable any longer.

The Lovely Drive

Thankfully, I rarely have seen a more beautiful day to drive on the scenic Sea-to-Sky highway. I stopped at every pull-off point, hiked down to the water at every possible opportunity, and each time became more comfortable with leaving not only Squamish, but Canada as well. It's going to be a hard week of saying good-bye, but with this drive starting my trip south I can't help but feel positive about the journey ahead.