In the back of a station wagon five kids pause in their bickering to push noses up against the long side window of the car. Dusk is creeping down the sharp mountain canyons casting a rosy glow over the limestone and shale. Far, far below on the curving highway along the Columbia River, a huge movie screen is flashing pictures; we can hear cars honking as the previews for the movie begin to dart across the screen. Our most recent favourite song is playing on the radio, "in the year 2525 if man is still alive, if woman can survive"
Our car speeds off into the night, we strain to catch the last glimpse of the drive in movie screen, Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang is the feature film tonight we read. "Can we go, please can we go?" We are travelling late this night, looking for a family friendly motel in our short detour off of the Crowsnest Highway on our way to Vancouver Island in B.C., Canada.
We had flown out of Coppermine a few weeks previous. Our trip began in Fort Smith, N.W.T. Dad has to take a course here before we can fly into Edmonton and continue our summer holidays. Angelina, my blood sister is flying from Fort Good Hope to meet us in Fort Smith and will continue south with us. This is her very first trip away from her home, the small village of Fort Good Hope population of 450 native people, located on the McKenzie River in the far north of Canada. I have not seen her since April when we moved from Good Hope to Coppermine, I can hardly wait.