On the way up to Tk’emlúps we stopped at a beautiful place that in settlerworld is dubbed “Bridal Falls” (which pretty much looks the way it sounds, like a big bridal gown):
We then stopped at another beautiful place called “Flood Falls” (rather non-flooded as of the frightful/hellish year 2022):
We stayed in the ‘Westsyde’ part of Tk’emlúps, which is set in a narrow valley between two small mountains. The plant and animal life in this semi-arid desert biome make for shockingly beautiful sunrises (quite different from the coastal city where I live):
Although climate change has already reduced global insect biomass by a staggering ratio, this region is still home to all sorts of grasshoppers and crickets and stuff (plus ticks, mosquitos and hornets galore):
On the way back we visited “Monck Provincial Park” for a dip in the giant lake (where I got to add these lovely ‘Downy Woodpeckers’ to my bird photography Pokédex):
There’s a stop out on the highway between Merritt and Hope called “The Lunch Bucket”, and you can get a pretty good masala chai there! A nice place to vibe with fellow travellers. (Vibes 10/10, highly recommended! The poutine however was only 3/10; maybe order something else instead, lol.)
Finally, a few BONUS PHOTOS from back home: This adorable Burquitlam cat, who spent some time INVESTIGATING us as we dropped our friend Grant off at home:
