I think I fell in love with Jasper the second the bus pulled into the town. It was dark by the time I got there but the whole town was lit up by signs and lights. I don’t know if it was just the time of year as Christmas lights were among the fairy lights adorning the buildings but there was definitely a sense of magic as we drove into town. The bus was making multiple drop offs – mine last – so I got a good tour of the town as other passengers disembarked. I spent a few days exploring the town, just wandering the streets, sitting in a coffee shop or two. Jasper is another spotless alpine town, with an abundance of character and surrounded by unbelievable mountains on all sides. It’s got a great mix of nature and town, allowing you to be sociable if you want but also to escape to the comfort of nature. It blends the best bits of Banff and Lake Louise.
I met some great people in Jasper. In my dorm room were two girls from the U.K., and a girl from Ottawa, Canada. We all got on really well and on one of the days, I went for a hike with the two British girls (the girl from Ottawa had to work). We walked from the hostel up to Old Fort Point. It’s a really lovely walk over the river then up a short but steep trail to the top. On the way we passed a big-horned sheep and her lamb who were just chilling on the mountainside. The view at the top is spectacular. It spans over the entire valley showing you all of Jasper town, as well as the surrounding mountains. From there we walked along the river up to Beauvert Lake which is honestly one of the most breath-taking lakes I’ve seen so far. It was almost completely frozen over but I was still able to see the iconic bluey-green colour of the water beneath the ice. The Fairmont Hotel sits on the lakeshore and, like all Fairmont Hotels, is an amazing place to visit. We went in for a Baileys Hot Chocolate and to warm up after our hike and had to walk through a real life gingerbread house in order to reach the lounge. I cannot emphasise enough how incredible it smelt in there.
Once we got back to the hostel (following another beautiful trail through the woods), I was treated to one of the most awe-inspiring sunsets I’ve ever seen. The entire world appeared to have a pink filter on it. It was truly unbelievable. Whilst I didn’t see the Northern Lights whilst I was in Jasper, this was an excellent substitute. I also saw my first elk! I got every excited when I spotted them but didn’t want to get too close as they are BIG and I am not.
I spent a couple of days doing some admin but for the most part I tried to focus on relaxing and just enjoying where I was, giving myself time to rest, and not putting pressure on myself to achieve anything. If I’m being completely honest with you all, and with myself, I’ve been struggling lately with the feeling that I need to do something amazing every day whilst I’m out here. I feel like there’s this expectation that I shouldn’t be ‘wasting time’ (Oh hey, voice of insecurity!) sitting in a hostel reading or doing a crossword (yes, I am that cool), that I should be going out hiking or skiing or exploring. Every. Day.
Whilst logically I know that it’s not realistic to be doing something every day, I still feel this expectation. I’m the first person to tell my friends to take time off, to do some self-care, to rest and look after themselves. But I am awful at following my own advice. And that’s not to say that I’m not having the time of my life out here because I am. But I’m also trying to make sure I’m taking care of my mental and physical health. I’m definitely having to fight myself to let myself do nothing and just enjoy being where I am. Instead, my brain is telling me that I should be using this time away productively to work out what I want to do with the rest of my life, telling me that I should be working out what my next career move is, not just sitting and relaxing. And that’s the big one really, I feel guilty every time I don’t get out and do something adventurous/productive. I try and remind myself that, as my best friend says, rest is productive, and that I’ve been working flat out and going through a hell of a lot for the last few years. So naturally my body needs some downtime now that I’m giving it the space for some. But more than that, this trip isn’t about working out what I’m doing next, it’s about just letting myself rediscover what brings me joy, exploring new places and seeing some amazing things. It’s about just having fun and seeing where I end up.
I love the freedom of being able to go where I want and when I want but it is a very alien concept to me and I am still adjusting to it. I’ve been in a very rigid routine for the last few years, always having to do the right thing at the right time. Now, there is no right thing or right time, there are just loads of amazing opportunities which is incredible but slightly overwhelming on the days I’m feeling a bit more anxious and try to work out what the ‘right’ option is, rather than just taking a gamble and seeing where I end up. Previously in life, when I’ve just said ‘Fuck it’ and gone with my gut, it’s been the best decision I’ve made. I am having to work hard to go with my gut, to explore, to fuck up, to go the wrong way, to not overanalyse every option because, in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn’t matter.
It’s the journey. And that’s what I keep reminding myself of. That no matter if I feel lost at times, the journey I go on, the experiences I have along the way, the ability to live in each and every moment is what’s important. I remind myself that I came out here because I felt lost in life, and that feeling isn’t going to suddenly disappear because I’m in a new country. It’s about taking joy in all the experiences I have, the people I meet, learning who I am outside of assigned roles. It’s not about trying to work out whatever is coming next, it’s about stopping to appreciate the little things in life where I am.
Ro Wells Travel 
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