Daily Archives: May 3, 2018

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May 3, 2018

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British Columbia, Canada Travel, Chinook Motorhome, Full-time RV living

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Okanagan, OK!

April 10-15, 2018

We spent our first night back in Canada at the Husky truck stop in Osoyoos, and then we travelled west past Keremeos. We wanted to see two RV parks that have lots for sale. The first one is a cooperative and we needed to do an interview and be approved by the board. This park has been on our radar for over a year now. A friend went out last year to investigate it for us and gave us positive feedback (thanks Gregory!). We really liked it, but we aren’t thrilled over the lot that is for sale. The other park is not a co-op. We liked the amenities, but it is a larger park, so we are concerned with how busy it will get in the summer.

 

We found a free campground on Crown Land (this is like BLM land in the US) right between the two parks. It was very convenient. The campground is rustic (no facilities), but it is right on the Similkameen River. There were about 6 or more sites, and some were big enough for a longer trailer. We had the place to ourselves. Unfortunately, it was incredibly windy the entire time, and we did have frequent rain showers. We really pushed our water conservation limits. We lasted for 5 nights with only 38 gallons of water!  However, staying this close to both RV parks gave us a good idea of the area, and we like it.

April 16-18, 2018

Nk’Mip Campground, Osoyoos

After roughing it for 5 nights in the wind and rain, we needed to get to a campground to dump wastewater, fill with fresh water, and recharge our batteries. We had only planned to stay at Nk’Mip for one night, but this place is too wonderful for a short visit! It is clean, spacious, and manicured, and best of all, it is located right on Osoyoos Lake. There were many lakefront sites open, but we opted for a site higher up, overlooking the lake, but more sheltered.

 

Nk’Mip is a huge complex which includes a campground, winery, golf course, restaurant, and resort. It is owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band. This is the place to stay if you are in Osoyoos. In fact, we have already reserved a site for the fall before we cross back into the US.

 

We were delighted to see all the cacti in the park as well as quail because we have been missing Arizona. Osoyoos is on the edge of the Sonora Desert. We can walk about 3 kms along the lake to get to town. This is something that we have not been able to do all winter – leave the Chinook parked and walk to town. It is so precious to watch the ducks pairing off and enjoying the lake. We also saw our first robin of the season. Travelling north and experiencing spring arrive in many locations along the way was something we won’t soon forget. On this leg of our trip, we witnessed the orchards started to bloom.

We continued east on Hwy 3 (The Crowsnest Highway).  The grade out of Osoyoos is steep, but it provides a good view of the lake and Nk’Mip.

 

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May 3, 2018

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British Columbia, Canada Travel, Full-time RV living

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Licence Plates and Slogans

As we crossed the border, we were greeted by a sign:

“Welcome to BC. The Best Place on Earth”

Err? What?

Then, I immediately noticed some BC licence plates that more closely resembled many US plates. They have a photographic image in the background rather than just a simple graphic in the center. I like them. However, the slogan made me gag a little. They also said: “The Best Place on Earth”.

best-place-on-earth-unveiling

Image from The Tyee

Yes, BC has natural beauty, but it is far from the best place on earth. I’m wondering if there will be a new campaign for more realistic slogans.  Fill in the blank:

The _____________________ Place on Earth.

Most expensive

Most taxed

Money-Laundering-Friendly

I had to get online because I had never seen plates like these, nor had a seen that slogan on travel guides I’ve received from BC. Well, it turns out that this slogan is actually old and being phased out. (Really? I wonder why.)

Here are some quotes from Bob Mackin at The Tyee:

How could a province with a misery-filled neighbourhood like the Downtown Eastside and a nation-leading child poverty rate ever call itself best-on-Earth in the first place? How did the politicians and bureaucrats decide to deep-six the slogan? . . .

“Yes, I am proud of the province and I think it’s the best place on earth, but it was probably not the best way to attract people from other parts of the world who think their little section of the world was the best place on earth,” Chandra Herbert said to Bell. “I’m just wondering: is ‘best place on earth’ shelved for now, and we’re now not going to see that anymore, and we’ll see ‘Super, natural B.C.’ in its place?”
Bell answered that “Best Place on Earth” was a “broader brand” used only in B.C. “to help motivate British Columbians.”

Ah ha! So there you have it! It was to motivate British Columbians. Jobs are few, pay is low, and housing is high, but this is The Best Place on Earth!

I’ve made no secret that we would like to move to BC to extend our shoulder seasons, which is essential as full-time RVers, but BC, you make that hard with your delusions.