Five Countries Four Marlboroughs: Off to Clearwater - the quietest day is the craziest!

We left Whistler around 8:45am to start the biggest drive of the holiday. Unfortunately we have no ‘Gypsy’ for the drive but we were ready to take on the day. Whistler to Clearwater is around 500kms. I’d read that the drive was around 8 hours and I remember thinking, how could it take that long? Well, I found out quick smart! The roads were very winding and the maximum speed limit was often 40km and 60km per hour.

About 30 minutes out of Whistler we were driving along and there was a mini farm with signs for pick-your-own raspberries. James and I are huge raspberry fans so we pulled over and OMG there was a bear! The scruffiest looking bear I have ever seen – but it was a bear in the wild! It wandered onto the road in front of another car and I thought for sure it was going to get hit. Another bear sighting!!

We entered the farm and we couldn’t believe the beautiful farm right before us at the foothills of the mountains. The guy in there laughed at us constantly – we were absolute tourists and worried about the bear of course! I was taking photos – much to the kids embarrassment – and we then went down to pick raspberries – and to Will’s delight, strawberries. The path was muddy and we ended up filthy BUT we had the tastiest berries and it was definitely worth it! As we drove out of the farm, there was the bear again!! The kids and I unfortunately scared the crap out of Terry screaming, ‘there’s the bear, there’s the bear!!!!!!’

As we continued our drive Terry and I could not believe what we were seeing! The scenery was unbelievable and we could not believe how high the mountains were! There was snow right at the top of some of the mountains and cloud was really low. We kept saying how Rainee & Damien would be laughing at Terry. All the signs were suggesting ‘Danger, Danger’. The road signs were to look out for avalanches/falling rocks, deer, mountain goat, horses, tractors, trucks….the signs went on and on. It was the most challenging drive Terry has ever taken on. The river was mostly right near the road, milky green running water. We plan to read up on why it is this colour. We kept pulling over to let the fast cars pass – we didn’t want to rush the drive it was so incredible.

We didn’t have breakfast before we went - and sick of raspberries and strawberries - we decided to stop at the first town, Lillooet. The terrain had changed from pine trees (everywhere) to brown rocky dirt. Without going into detail, it was the most unnerving town I have ever been to. We tried to find something to eat in two cafes and we ended up leaving without buying anything to eat. In desperation we called past a servo for a coffee – the worst coffee ever. Undrinkable. No more to say, just don’t rush there.

Onwards we went and a few hours later we arrived at Kamloops. It was a much, much bigger town although we really stopped there just for a break. By this stage it was 3:45 pm – and we had driven a lot. I had originally booked to stay in Kamloops the night however I had later cancelled to take on the longer drive to Clearwater. (Thanks again tripadvisor) We were all relieved I had! There is not much to this town – it is mainly logging and mining. We did see a train with containers stacked two high that was over 3kms long which we could not believe.

Not long out of Kamloops, the pine trees were back. Goodbye rocky dirt. We were getting closer to Clearwater and we had all had enough of driving. As we arrived into Clearwater, we pulled into the bottle shop so I could get some wine - trust me, I needed it! When I got to the counter, the man serving was telling the guy in front of me about a murder. He motioned stabbing….stabbing…and said how he ‘served the guy twice before he went and did it.’ He said something like he had to go to trial and might get charged – WHAT?? This is just crazy?!?

We are staying a short drive away at a B&B on Dutch Lake. Just when I thought this town was crazy enough, the guy who runs the B&B (with his wife) suggested we go for dinner at his son’s restaurant a short drive away. When we got there, there was nothing for Will to eat and the wife said she would call her husband at home and he would cook some pasta for Will when we got back there. We returned home after our meal – the house was empty. Then the husband turned up and he said he had been at the restaurant. He hadn’t. He begrudgingly cooked the pasta but we just feel something weird is going on. He then said he was going back to the restaurant but we can hear him upstairs. Terry and Will are in one room and James and I are in another. The doors are locked and we are looking forward to having breakfast and leaving Clearwater behind!!

We are off to Jasper tomorrow – and not quick enough!!