Our BC tour part deux

Our camping trip this summer broke new ground for us in many ways. It was our first foray off the island with the trailer, the first time the kids have seen anything much on the mainland beyond Vancouver, our longest camping trip (since moving to Canada, anyway) and the first time we’ve planned multiple stops. After an activity-filled few days at Cultus Lake, it was time for our first move...

5 nights at Lake Skaha, Penticton

After a four-hour drive meandering through Manning Provincial Park and twisting minor highways to Penticton, our first impressions of Lake Skaha campground were not good. When we saw the pitch we had to cram ourselves into, tempers frayed and we came close to tears realizing that this was our home for almost a week. Positioning ourselves to open the slide on one side with less than an inch to spare before we hit the utilities post, we still couldn’t open the awning fully on the other side, it was that narrow. Our carefully-planned vacation seemed to have taken a nosedive.

We normally have everything unpacked and camp set up inside an hour of unhitching the trailer. This time, we had to take a stroll through a nearby park to collect our thoughts before tackling the question of how to lay out our living space. Eventually, we squeezed Megan’s tiny tent into the gap between our trailer and our neighbors, and set up picnic table and cooking area around the hitch at the front instead of alongside the trailer. It was cramped, but workable.

We determined to make the best of it and soon forgot those disastrous first impressions. Although the site was small, the location had a lot to offer. There was a beautiful park, beach and lake just across the road where we spent many hours walking, sitting, and swimming.

We had to walk all of 50 yards from our trailer to find ourselves here...

This was an early-morning shot. The lake is normally buzzing with activity...

In the end, we had a fabulous time in Penticton. These were the hottest days of our trip, with temperatures in the high thirties (Celcius - around a hundred Fahrenheit) most of the time. As well as the beach on our doorstep, we checked out a couple of other beaches a short drive away where dogs were allowed, and took a day trip to Wildplay at Kelowna.

Wildplay - an aerial obstacle course. Rope swings, cargo nets, bridges, ziplines...

BTW - yes, we are wearing safety harnesses and are hooked on at all times

One evening, we treated ourselves to a wonderful meal at Theo’s restaurant which Ali and I remembered from our fist visit to Canada 19 years ago. We were glad to see it was still there, and the food still as good.