Where the Buffalo Roam.

It is amazing how much is not taught to us in Canada about Canada. And it blows us away how much advertising is pushed on us Canadians to travel outside the country.  Other countries market for our travel dollars and Canada is just figuring this out. Only when times are tough do the so called brain trust of  government decide to sell Canada to Canada. What is wrong with that picture.

Tourism would be in great shape if we sold Canadian adventures to Canadians better.  A good start would be to stop marketing the same  destinations and accommodations  every year.  Back home every year the papers and TV market the same accommodations and attractions in the same communities.  Nothing is new. Do they not travel anywhere else? Mix it up a bit for a change. Not all of us can afford $500 a night rooms.

The Northwest Territory reminded us in many ways of the simpler things that are big attractions. Attractions you  will be hard press to find anywhere else in the world.

One such attraction is the Aurora Borealis ( Northern Lights ) – best in the world –  top winter attraction for the Japanese. Dog sledding tours and resorts.  Yukon Quest anyone? How about the amazing wilderness paddle routes like on the Ingraham Highway near Yellowknife.  Ice roads and flight seeing tours to the Beaufort Sea.  There is a  highway of waterfalls bigger and louder than most we have visited.  Or drive the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Circle (just to say you have) maybe see the Porcupine Caribou Herd.

But what comes to mind today as we work on the NWTeh.com website and other new features coming along is the buffalo.  The largest mammal in Canada. Almost was wiped out and now is making a come back. Did you know that along the Mackenzie Highway there is  a  free roaming herd of  wood bison (20,000 strong) roaming  the tundra and boreal forest of the NWT.

They lay on the road. They snort at you. They are constantly batting away at flies. They roll in the dirt. They follow you as you drive slowly by not to hit them. They are large.. And most importantly they are alive and free.  Free to explore.

Maybe we Canadians should take a hint from the buffalo and get out more and enjoy an adventure with a herd of friends and family.  Life is too short to sit around.