Our Wild North

After visiting Vancouver Island for the weekend, we got the ferry back to Vancouver to pick up our RV. We managed to get a relocation deal for five nights which turned out way cheaper than just renting it normally.


The first night we stayed in Nairn Falls Provincial Park, without any electric or water hookups. Rather than being given a specific pitch we got to choose our own, and because it was pretty big and empty we weren't really near anybody else.

Nairn Falls Provincial Park Waterfall, Pemberton

In the morning we took a walk to the waterfall.

Duffey Lake

On the second night we stayed at an RV park beside a lake. I went for a little walk around hoping to see some wildlife, and in the bushes I was greeted by a black and yellow snake. Despite my previous encounters with snakes, I still almost jumped on top of Andrew. We didn't have any internet at the time, but from having a look now I think it was a common garter snake. Reading up on them, if you try and catch them apparently they release a mix of musk and poo, so I'm pretty glad I didn't get too close. They also usually have 10 - 15 babies per litter, but have been known to have as many as 80. How is that even possible?! The wonders of nature.

Dutch Lake RV Park, Clearwater
In the morning we went for a little swim in the lake, which had turtles in. And probably some more snakes.

Heading out West from Toronto involved three train journeys. The first was from Toronto to Winnipeg and took 34 hours. In hindsight we were totally unprepared for a day and a half on a train without wifi. It was long, and because we left at midnight it meant spending two nights trying to sleep on the train which was pretty uncomfortable.

Horseshoe Falls

The packaging of both of these products is nice and simple. The five travel sized samples seem perfect for popping into your handbag in case you're ever caught out in the sun. The hydrating ribbons running throughout help to make the sun lotion and after sun look more appealing, and the difference in colour means it's incredibly easy to distinguish between the two. 

Usually I find that sun lotions take a while to absorb and rub into the skin, however this one seemed to go on easily. The after sun has added mango and shea butters, as well as aloe vera, which gives it more of a wet consistency compared to the sun lotion, therefore leaving you with residue on your hands.

The biggest downside of these products for me was the smell. They both claim to have a light, tropical fragrance, but I found it far too sickly. I guess a plus point for people who like the smell would be that it's long lasting, and not like some scented products where it wears off after a while.

I have dry skin in places and was pleased to find that neither of the products caused irritation. My skin looked and felt silky and smooth after application, and this continued for quite a few hours. 

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Sun Lotion SPF 15 - £15

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun - £13