- Sleep in
- Morning jog through South Calgary
- Pick up the repaired car from the mechanic
- Pack things, say goodbye and get started
- Refueling and shopping for supplies
- Compact camera bought for the further trip
- Drive on the Transcanada Highway until just before Canmore
Today I sleep a little longer again and then surf the Internet. I find out about a compact camera that I would like to take with me as a replacement for a SLR and that I have been considering for a long time. Especially with a view to my onward journey to South America, but also to have to change less lenses for landscape pictures. Since the prices in Canada are a little lower than in Switzerland, I decide to buy the device right here on site.
Then I go for another jog. After all, I have to somehow get the time behind me by noon. Then finally the mail comes that the car is now ready to be picked up. The cost is around CHF 1000, which fortunately I won't have to pay for everything myself. I drive back to Carl and Judy, pack my things and say goodbye to my warm hosts. I think they both enjoyed our visit as much as we did. At this point in time, I don't know whether I'll come back to Calgary again during my trip.
Now I'm heading towards the Rockies. But first I fill up again and I do a bulk purchase at the Safeway. It won't be as cheap as down here in the south anytime soon. I discover a BestBuy electronics store almost next door. I'm lucky enough to buy the last available Sony RX100M3 camera and an accompanying memory card for. Then I leave the fourth largest city in Canada to the west. I'm making good progress on the Transcanada Highway. While driving, a crow is scared off by a car in the other lane. This flies right in front of the windshield. The animal will hardly have survived.
Around 6 a.m. I stop at the beautifully situated Bow River Campground and get one of the most beautiful spots right on the river. The idyll is only disturbed by the noise of the Transcanada highway passing right next to it. Here I make myself a rich salad and roast a steak. As I have just finished eating, discover the poor crow sandwiched between the roof of the car and the roof tent. I manage to pull the injured animal out with a cloth. The fact that the bird is still alive seems a miracle to me. I feel torn as to whether I need to redeem the raven's suffering. When I want to lie down, it flutters a few meters further into the bushes. But stay there for a longer time. I decide to watch him. When I return from washing the dishes, the crow is gone. No idea if she retired to die or if she actually survived. After washing the dishes, of course, the camera has to be tested and I still haven't quite caught up with the backlog of journaling.
