I’ve spent the past few days in Jasper which has been spectacular. Surrounded by the serenity of beautiful mountain scenery, it is definitely a place to rejuvenate and inspire the soul. In addition to the beauty of the Athabasca Glacier which is nearby, you’re also close to Mt. Robson which I visited yesterday for some more sightseeing and cycling.

It’s also a place that is filled with much wildlife. Signs everywhere warn you to pay attention as you drive as you’ll often see elk, deer, sheep or something else at the side of, or on, the road, as I did this morning during my bike ride just outside of Jasper. I saw two coyotes, one very large buck (all of which moved too quickly for me and my camera) and these sheep which took over the road. Obviously, you don’t want your  vehicle to come in contact with any wildlife but it’s the not the wildlife that concerns me at this point, it’s the Australians.

I was at the laundromat the other day, doing my wash for Jasper prices –  $4 each for the washer and the dryer! – when I got chatting to a lovely couple from Australia who, as it turned out, are travelling in a rented RV.  When they learned that I was Canadian, the husband then mentioned that he wished to lodge a complaint to me about Canada. As if I have any powers to do anything but I let him begin. The conversation went something like this:

Him: “We’d expected to come here and see lots of snow, instead it’s incredibly hot and we have all the wrong clothes!! I had to buy new shirts in Calgary because I was so hot.”

Me: (I remain silent, just listening, and all the while thinking to myself “Egads, it’s not just the Americans who think we live in igloos”.

Him: “We’d also hoped to see some fall colours! But we’ve only seen 3 coloured leaves so far on this trip.”

Me: (Voice inside my head is thinking, in disbelief, “you actually saw 3 coloured ‘leaves’? And you expected to see both snow and fall colours in Alberta at the end of August!?”) Instead I gently reply, “You’re a little early for the fall colours and to  see those, you’d be best to visit Ontario, which is 3 provinces away. But are you enjoying Alberta?”

Him: “Yes, it’s gorgeous here but it’s tough to get used to driving on the other side of the road.”

His wife then pipes in, casually adding, “Yeah, a couple of times we’ve ended up driving on the wrong side of the road.”

Me: (Inside voice, somewhat concerned, is encouraging me to ask which direction they’re headed in from here. “Heather, you want to be driving ‘with’ the Australians, not ‘against’ them”.)

Wildlife crossing, just east of Jasper. There were about 60 sheep in total and no sound of an Australian accent anywhere....

The husband then adds, “And we ain’t seen much wildlife either. We haven’t seen a thing since we’ve been here.”

I’ll hazard a guess as to why. Word has gotten out in the wildlife population about the  RV-driving Australians. As soon as wind of their accent hits town, all the elk, deer, sheep and the rest of the gang hightail it for the hills. “Bob, Fred, the Australians are back. Time to pack up the women and children and get out of here. They’ve weaving all other the road, deliriously melting in their polar fleeces while out in search of fall foliage, snow and running maple syrup. It’s not safe for us right now.”

Got me to thinking that perhaps we need to add to all the warning signs about wildlife crossing areas. Maybe we need a few which read, “Warning: Be alert for sweltering oncoming Australians, next 30 kms”. Just a thought, just a thought.

In the meantime, I’ll just continue to make sure I’m alert for both wildlife and Australians while out on the road. And low bridges of course……..

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