Call Me Ajala

In Spring 2022, my friends and I travelled to Kelowna, British Columbia to rest, relax and recharge after a long and arduous semester. 

We booked our tickets in advance and got a great deal! Our flight was a basic fare of about CAD103 for the direct round trip. I have never booked a flight so fast. The flight was early, at about 8am. Honestly, this was not my first time flying early, so I felt I was ready for it. We devised a plan to make the trip, and everything went smoothly until we got to the airport. 

When we got to the bag drop, our luggage was overweight, so we had to repack. Little did we know that the bag drop would close within the minute. By the time we were done, it had closed and we started panicking. We begged the agent there to help us since our flight was about to board, but she vehemently refused and made us join a long queue with passengers from another flight. Right before our very eyes, our flight took off. By the time we got to the front of the line, the desk agent told us there was nothing they could do to assist. We were so disappointed. For the first time in my entire life, I had missed a flight!

We could not cancel the total flight because hotel reservations were non-refundable and our third friend would have had to cancel. Thankfully I was not alone because it would have been devastating. My friend and I initially panicked, but there is something about having a partner in circumstances like this  —  we eventually started laughing about the whole situation. We consoled ourselves with the fact that the flight was not too expensive and we decided to purchase another on the spot.  I think we were confused at a point. Instead of buying a one-way, we purchased a whole return flight because we were unsure if the second leg would still count. Also, the only available flight was with a budget airline we had never flown before. We also had to pay extra for luggage and carry-ons, so the expenses kept piling up. Thankfully, we made it to Kelowna.

Here are a couple of things I found out about Kelowna:

• There are no Ubers or Lyfts —   only Kelowna cabs. We had to download the Kelowna Cabs app to book taxis.
• It is so beautiful, with mountains and lush greenery.
• It’s quite expensive. 
• Outside the city centre and the university area, public transit is a bit unreliable and sparse.
• Kelowna and West Kelowna are two different parts of the city. If you are looking for more touristy things, you are probably looking to see Kelowna.

We stayed at TownePlace Suites by Marriott and the room had a kitchenette, fridge and microwave. To save money, we brought cooked food and snacks in our checked luggage and this took care of lunch and dinner (Breakfast was complimentary). I think we only ordered food once during the trip.

What we did in Kelowna

Before our trip, we researched various activities to do in Kelowna. However, since we were visiting during a colder season, many of the summer activities were unavailable. Still, we found plenty of other things to do to have fun.

• We walked around and explored downtown, the waterfront park area and Tugboat Beach. We saw the tulip gardens in the downtown area too. 

• Took a boat ride with a company called Ogopogo Boats on the Okanagan lake. The weather was a bit chilly so we were probably the only ones on the water at that time. However, summer is said to be packed.

• Got ice cream from Parlour Ice Cream because I will always stop for ice cream. I have been lactose intolerant for a while now but I refuse to be subdued by that. I am putting my body under subjection. (I usually suffer the consequences swiftly and without mercy, but will I do it again? Yes)
• Went minigolfing at this interesting minigolf place called Scandia golf and games. 

• Went swimming and for massages. We definitely achieved our goals of rest and rejuvenation.
• Saw the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus. (I love university campuses). 

We quickly learned how public transport worked and maximised it since the cab prices weren’t smiling at all. We also walked a LOT. We also realized that some places were within each other’s proximity, so we were just walking up and down.

Despite the little hiccups, I would say this was one of the best trips I have ever taken—first, because I went with my friends, and second because we had so much fun while maximising our budget. We laughed a lot and basked in the silliness of even the most mundane things we did together. It was just a great time in general.

I genuinely enjoy seeing new places, and while I am a great solo traveller, nothing beats travelling with friends and loved ones.   

What about you —Are you a solo traveller? Or do you enjoy being part of a travel team? Let me know!