Vacations 2010: Walking on the Wild Side

We finished up our major 2010 vacation planning and completed all the arrangements last week. Now that my knee has mended sufficiently and we are completing our downsizing efforts, we are going to address some items on our lengthy “bucket list”. It’s time to walk on the wild side, Canadian style. We have declared this the “Year of the Bear"!

We are taking two organized tours. These excursions specialize in small groups and have a primary emphasis on nature. And both are rated as “easy” in terms of physical exertion. On the first one, we will head out to the Bella Coola area of British Columbia. A wilderness lodge in the Tweedsmuir Provincial Park will serve as our home base. Exploring by raft and helicopter, we’ll be photographing grizzly bears and other regional wildlife. After the tour, we’ll be staying in the beautiful city of Vancouver for a few days, taking in the sights and visiting with some online friends.

The second adventure will be a Manitoba expedition to Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world. Using special vehicles, we will be venturing onto the frozen tundra to experience the thrill of seeing polar bears in their natural habitat. We might spot some beluga whales and see the dancing northern lights too! An optional helicopter trip will show us the remarkable Hudson Bay area from an aerial vantage point. Additionally, we’ll be soaking up the cultural heritage of this remote frontier town.

So there you have it! Our major journeys later on this year will be doozies, don’t you think?