A couple weeks ago, I headed south to Whitehorse to start a two week vacation! It snowed most of the way to the city, mixed with rain at times. Driving with the wipers on the whole way made for a tiring drive, but still not a bad one.

The next day I had my every-six-month post-cancer check-up at the gynaecologist. My Dr has been MIA for a year, so I met a new resident doctor. She was good and my check-up was good. She’s referred me to a new clinic at the cancer centre in Vancouver for people like me, who have gone through menopause too early, to decide if and when I should be given any sort of hormone treatment. I get a different opinion from every doctor so far. My regular gynaecologist worries about my long term cardiovascular health without estrogen since my early 40’s, but didn’t want to supplement until I was at least 5 years clear of cancer. This doctor said waiting that long and then starting hormone treatments makes it just as dangerous on my cardiovascular system because it could dislodge any plague built up without it. Who knows. It will be nice to gain clarity.

With my appointment finished by noon, I had all afternoon to kill. The next day I was taking the second ever direct flight from Whitehorse to Toronto! (Well it lands in Yellowknife but you don’t deplane). I shopped a bit, and spent a long time at the bookstore deciding to skip all the podcasts and movies I downloaded for travel in favour of a novel! Now this is going to be a real vacation!

I had arranged to leave my truck with Nissan, while I was gone for a week or so, to get my air conditioner repaired. It has never worked since I bought the truck. With a few hours before I was planning to drop it off, I decided to drive out to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve to do their 5km+ hike. It would feel good to walk off the long drive and appointment!

It is no secret that the Yukon Wildlife Preserve is one of my favourite places in the Yukon. I highly recommend their interpretive bus tour, where they drive you around teach you all about the Yukon animals and their preserve. But if you’ve done that, the figure 8 solo walk is awesome! This is my second time doing it. I asked if they had any baby animals yet this spring, and they did! Two baby bisons had already arrived! You can see one of the new babies in the back/center of this photo:

The mule deer were quiet and resting in the sun.

The huge moose field/pen was mostly underwater. I could see two moose on the far side where it was dry, so I would have to see them later when I was on the second loop.

Most of the animals were quiet and taking an afternoon nap. Except for this sheep:

And this mountain goat:

And I saw my first prairie crocuses of the spring! Way late, but everything about this spring is slow and late! These were growing right out of the gravel of the road.


Finally, hello moose!

I was warned that the moose were bottle fed, and to not be sticking things through the fence because they are so friendly. This young moose decided to come for a walk with me though!

With rain clouds closing in, and a bus of loud, rambunctious school kids chasing away the foxes from view, I walked faster, and then headed to Nissan to drop off my truck.

It was frosty the next morning while I waited for my taxi to the airport.

Bye Whitehorse! I’m heading to Ontario to meet my nephew!

I’ve never been to Yellowknife. It is the capital of the Northwest Territories (NWT). I purposely bought a window seat so I could watch all the way there! The Yukon is full of mountains (see above). The NWT is much different. It is Canadian shield. Lots of exposed rock and millions of tiny ponds and lakes. All still frozen!

Air North is the Yukon’s airline, and it is the best!! They feed everyone. At no extra cost! Here was our breakfast:

Here’s the terrain as we started to descend into Yellowknife.

It only took about an hour and 40 minutes to get to Yellowknife.

Toronto passengers just stayed on the plane, but we could walk around, use the bathroom, and even step outside the plane onto the portable metal ramp for some fresh air. It was about a 40 minute wait while they refuelled, and some passengers got off, others got on, loading the plane full for Toronto. Off we go!

Views of Yellowknife

Toronto is another 4.5 hours away, so time to serve us lunch! Made fresh in the Whitehorse kitchen, lunch was a choice of shepherd’s pie, sweet potato stew, or my choice – chicken curry! With cheesecake!

I read a book the entire way. It seemed so fast and easy and annoyance free to get to Toronto! Usually I’d have to go to Vancouver and get on a big Air Canada plane and squeeze in with a bunch of people and pay for snacks. Air North came around 3 or 4 times with drink service! The plane has 3 seats on each side of the aisle, no first class, no movie screens, and more knee room than I’d ever need.

The only downside was waiting for 45 minutes at the baggage carousel in Toronto for my suitcase! Canada’s big airports are drastically unstaffed now that air traffic is increasing after Covid.