We spent a cold night at Saint Mary, Montana before heading into Canada.  I was fielding emails and phone calls all the way up to the border...but I turned off my phone after we crossed into Canada.  There's no way I'm going to take on crazy international roaming charges.  I felt somehwat helpless without it, but turning off the phone has been a boon for our family vacation.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect at the Canadian border, especially after some last minute car insurance preparations revealed that I should have made those arrangements week(s) ago.  The border crossing was uneventful and we were on our way. 

You can't really tell you're in Canada except for the occasional Canadian flag and the signs in kmph.  Right before crossing the border I suddenly realized that I had forgotten to research the legality of radar detectors in Canada.  Fortunately they're legal in Alberta and B.C....so we're safe!  I was very conservative at first, but then realized that Canadians have as much (if not more) disdain for speed limits as Americans.  All the speed limits in Alberta are slower than their corresponding zones in America....you could easily get bored.  I also realized that I had done little research on Canadian traffic laws...so I learned by observing others and assuming the laws based on the majority of drivers' actions.

We stopped in Cardston to see the temple.  I am amazed that they have a temple seemingly out in the middle of nowhere.  I guess it goes back to the days of the early pioneers in that area being blessed with a temple.  We drove around Calgary, taking in the city.  I didn't realize that there weren't really any mountains in or immediately close to the city.  I somehow fully expected otherwise, knowing that the '88 Olympics were held here.  Nonetheless, we stayed at the Calgary West campground and admired the bobsled track of those famous Jamaicans in Cool Runnings :). We swam for a bit and our kids quickly realized we're not in Kansas any more and the water isn't like the bathtub-warm poolwater back home.  On to the next.  Kiara enjoyed minigolf a little more.

I was pretty stoked that the first words a Canadian (besides customs) spoke to us were exactly "Thank goodness for tripods, eh?"  Just a few miles and we're definitely now in Canada, eh?

We quickly learned that Canada is an expensive place.  So expensive in fact, that I don't even know how Canadians can afford to live there!  I was very glad that we stocked up on all groceries in Missoula to minimize our expenses.  Everything was 50%-300% more expensive than back home.  Forget the favorable exchange rate...even Walmart seemed like a ripoff.  I sent Jessica into Walmart in Calgary for some bandaids and she comes out $30 lighter.  But then again, she said she feels like she's giving them play money (Canadian currency), so maybe there was some shenanigans.  And...you can't by any means assume that places accept Visa/Mastercard.  I had to make a quick run to the ATM when the overpriced mall food court Chinese joint wouldn't take anything but cash.

Road Trip 2009 Pictures