Anyone looking to travel to Canada, this is a place you must hit while you are here. Here’s a descriptive essay I wrote about the place I love.

I have been travelling here every year since my birth. This place has seen many of my life’s milestones. My first kiss, my first broken bone and the adoption of my first canine companion all took place on these shores. It holds a place deep within my heart and will be there ever long. Shuswap Lake, located deep in the interior of British Columbia, has been my second home ever since I can remember – It is my favorite place on this earth.

As we approach the holiday park, I see the familiar black aluminum gates – the gates to paradise – guarding the property from any unwanted guests. The sound of children, whose reckless abandon is apparent, coaxes my mind to recall fond memories. The park smells of cut grass and barbequed meat. As we slowly crawl through the park in the family van, I vibrate with overwhelming anticipation; I just want to be released. All I want in the world is to get to the water.

Sitting on the dock, I breathe in the crisp scent of the lake while watching water striders scurry across the shimmering surface. An osprey dives into the lake, emerging with its fleshy prize. As I peel flakes of old paint off the rough, aged dock, a boat goes by; consequently, its wake sends the dock into a gentle sway. The motion is akin to a rocking cradle. As beads of sweat roll down my temples, I decide the summer heat is too much. As the osprey did, I ready myself for the dive into water’s cool embrace. I bend my knees and with all the force my legs can muster, I launch myself, plunging head first into the lake’s dark depths.

After a short, yet invigorating swim, I slowly wade out of the water onto the shore. As I splay out on the grass in front of our holiday home, my mind is in a blissful state of peace. The savoury aromas of barbequed steak and roasted corn envelope my olfactory senses. A bumblebee goes whizzing past, no doubt, to collect the sweet nectar of the colourful flowers surrounding the neighbor’s home. I watch as, above my head, the cool breeze strips leaves from the old, gnarled willow tree. As the leaves fall around me, I can’t help but revel in the profound serenity that is this moment.

The thundering wail of a freight train interrupts my tranquility as it announces its entrance into the valley. The clickety-clack of the train on its rails is surprisingly soothing – The sound of home.