Stories from the road: Hospitality and goodness

We’ve been on the road from Canada to Argentina for a little more than a month and incredible things happened already. They are happening all the time. So much hospitality, good will and pure goodness.

Let me just tell you a story of the last week’s three days.

We were heading to 100 Mile House to stock up on our and doggie food when a pick up pulled to the side signalling us to slow down and come to talk. This guy in the car with four kids told us  that he spotted Slovak flag (again that flag!) and that the children are Slovak. He invited us for some food in the town that we thankfully accepted and breathed it in :). He told us he married a girl from Slovakia and she’s at home with other two kids. We chatted a bit more and said goodbye to each other at the end. Suddenly we see him coming back.

“Come and spend the night at our place. We are just off the road you want to take tomorrow.”

So we met his wife Stanka, had a shower, did our laundry, had great breakfast in the morning and made new friends.

We took the highway 24 the next day that was supposed to bring us smoothly to highway 5 heading towards Jasper. Smoothness –  that’s exactly what this road is missing currently. They took away the top layer of the asphalt in a view of reconstruction but 30 kms of it! So we stopped at the gas station and little store trying to figure out what to do and how to save our asses from all bumping. Suddenly a lady approached us asking where we’re heading. Her husband joined us and they both gave us great advice on the side road we could take and avoid the bumpy highway.

At the end she returned from the car saying: “Hey guys, if you feel like it, just stop at our house next to Lac des Roches and you can camp there!” At the end of the day we decided to accept this great offer. Cara and her husband Dave, altogether with her sister’s family and 3!!! dogs welcomed us warmly, fed us, we had a shower and amazing evening together. In the morning we hugged as friends…

Following day we zoomed downhill to Little Fort where we turned north onto Jasper. It was a great day, we did more than 90 kilometers but we had big trouble at the end of the day to find a place to sleep past Clearwater. We took the backroad to Vavenby but there were only farmlands and all fenced. It was getting late so we decided to ask at one of the farms if we could camp in front of their fence. We met Happy the dog first who barked and growled at us from the distance and then the owners, Carol and Glenn. They agreed immediately we can camp on their land but also offered to us we could stay in their house, sleep in a proper bed, have a shower and Glenn even offered to prepare us dinner. We happily accepted, had to decline the dinner though. Those black beans we had been soaking for 2 days now, really needed using :).

So this is it! For three days in a row we received so much hospitality from complete strangers… They weren’t expecting anything, just offered with their arms open. This is the true inspiration in our journey. Meeting people like these who will make better people from us. We are extremely thankful!