Helicopter Ride!

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Banff Helicopter 1

I’d never been on a helicopter, when Carole first mentioned our options for morning tours and helicopter was one of them I thought “OMG How fun would that be?”

I was right it was amazing! It was a beautiful clear morning and we were the last group to go. We stood and watched the others take off and then come back. I was a little nervous but thought the views would make it all worthwhile.

As we took off Carole gave me the thumbs up!
Banff Helicopter 2

Then we got to fly by the Three Sisters (Faith, Charity and Hope). The views were stunning and flying so close to the mountains was thrilling. My only complaint was the flight wasn’t long enough. Now I can check helicopter ride off my list of things to do!

Here are some of the views:
Banff Helicopter 7 Banff Helicopter 6 Banff Helicopter 5 Banff Helicopter 4 Banff Helicopter 3

A Deer!

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Deer Banff

I saw the deer on my walk up to the Banff Springs Hotel. A walk that brings back memories of being eighteen and living in Banff. It’s changed a lot but that walk is pretty much the same and oddly still feels familiar.

Especially when you see a deer. It used to be part of everyday life, seeing a deer or an elk, the year I lived in Banff. A deer looking for food, ignoring the people taking pictures.
Deer Banff

It took me back to my first home away from home and how exciting the whole living in Banff was at the time. It was a ton of fun and I did learn many things that I can’t put on my resume but I wouldn’t go back. Banff is best experienced when you are young and don’t know better. Was nice to go back and see where I used to live and work and remember a much more carefree time in my life.

Candy Store, Banff

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I took last week off and spent most of it in Banff. I love to travel and this was a good reminder that I don’t need to travel far to see something amazing.

The reason I went to Banff was to meet up with Carole! I met Carole last year in Ecuador and we bonded the first night after being dropped off at the creepiest hotel I have ever stayed at. Was really good to see her and where to go first?

The Candy Store! (Yes if you travel all the way from Australia I will take you to a Candy Store, thankfully Carole likes candy).
Candy Store Carole

Also is was a cloudy day and the views were minimal, to say the least. Mount Rundle was barely visible from Banff Avenue. When you can’t see the wilderness you can spend some time contemplating all the different kinds of licorice the store has.
Candy Store Licorice

We left with our bags of chocolate and happy with the always good service at the store. The Candy Store was Banff to me when I was young and it is still the one place I HAVE to go when I visit Banff.

Even The Basset Is Tired Of Hearing About It…..

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This is the look my dog gives me when I start to talk about work:
Basset Look

Yep, even he is tired of the complaining and the waffling. He’ll be happy to know that the talk about work will soon be replaced by something new to complain about. I mean it’s always something isn’t it?

Perhaps I need to read the yoga books again and get back to happy, positive thoughts but too many of those and my brain might explode. I’m actually not really a whiner but that shadow of doubt is there a lot. Time to pick myself up and think positively, come up with a plan and most importantly put in the work. That’s really the key, you can dream all you want but if you don’t put in the work then your dreams probably aren’t going to happen.

I’m starting with lists, I’m good at lists. A list of what I would like my life to look like, a list of how to get my life to where I want it and lists of tasks to do. Life becomes easier when we have a checklist. At least I think it does, then I have to stop making lists and start doing.

Change Is Exhausting

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Or maybe the right thing to say is contemplating change is exhausting. Full of what if’s…..

What if I leave this job and don’t find another one? What if I try to do what I would like to do and fail? What if I there isn’t something better? What if I run out of money and can’t pay my mortgage? What if I end up homeless? You know the usual worst case scenario thinking that stops us from taking a leap of faith because we don’t want to end up as bad ladies (or men).

Then the big what if that I keep coming back to is what if I don’t even try? What if I take the leap and it works? What if there is a better way?

Worst case scenario is really that I take a few months off and write. Give myself the time and space to really try without deadlines and dread hanging over my head. Throw myself into it. I have the skeleton done it needs to be filled in. Lately though I am too tired to think, to organize, to put in the effort. If at the end of a few months it’s not working or looking like it might work, then I find a job.

So I have a plan that I will put into place. After this week I have a week off, time to enjoy and work out the details of a plan (also go to Banff for a few days). I already have an outline, now I just need to fill it in. The biggest hurdle though is the fear of letting go of the life I’ve known for fifteen years and dare to leap into a new one. I am feeling ready though and oddly comfortable with taking the leap, the scales have tipped in favour of pursuing a dream instead of hanging onto security.