After months of planning and a full season of vanlife behind us, we swapped the warm breezes of an Auckland summer for something… a little chillier. And by chillier, I mean a lot—we landed in Calgary, Canada, in the depths of winter. Welcome to the next chapter of The Peterson Odyssey!
This post covers our first few days in Canada: jet lag, snow piles, SIM cards, dinosaurs, and some of the best food we’ve eaten in a while.
👉 Watch the full video here
✈️ From Auckland to Calgary: 14 Hours and a Snowstorm Later
After a long-haul flight through Vancouver (with the usual bleary-eyed airport shuffling), we finally arrived in Calgary, where the snow was deep and the air was… brisk. Okay, it was -1°C when we landed, which felt balmy by Canadian standards, but still a massive shock to the system after leaving NZ in shorts and jandals.
Our bags took a little detour (classic), but thanks to our AirTags we tracked them down at the airport ourselves. Pro tip: never trust courier delivery to an Airbnb when you’re jet-lagged and can’t even work out how to buzz yourself in.
💡 Glow Calgary: A Festival of Light and Warm Vibes
That first night we headed out to Glow Calgary, a winter lights festival held at the Calgary Stampede Showgrounds. Think fairy lights, glowing tunnels, oversized ornaments, and winter wonderland vibes. Slightly surreal with our body clocks at 2am, but also pretty magical. A soft landing into Canada’s wintery aesthetic.
Check it out here: glowyyc.ca
🦖 Dinosaurs, Snow, and Driving on Ice
The next morning, we collected our (very welcome) all-wheel-drive rental and hit the road to Drumheller, home of the Royal Tyrrell Museum. This was Darryl’s first time driving in proper snow and ice, which made for some careful crawling and muttered commentary about how slowly Canadians (correctly) take corners.
The museum itself? Absolutely worth the icy drive. Massive dinosaur skeletons, fascinating exhibits, and more prehistoric creatures than you could shake a snow boot at.
🦕 Royal Tyrrell Museum
🍽️ Elk, Bison & Bannock: A Different Taste of Canada
That evening we treated ourselves to a meal at Little Chief Restaurant, part of the Gray Eagle Casino. This isn’t your average hotel restaurant—the menu is rooted in Indigenous First Nations cuisine, and it was honestly one of the most memorable meals we’ve had in a long time.
Elk? Yes. Bison? Also yes. Bannock with jam? You haven’t lived.
👉 Little Chief Restaurant
What’s Next?
Thanks for joining us on the first snowy steps of this trip. The next post picks up as we leave Calgary behind and head into the heart of the Canadian Rockies for a week of snowboarding, hot springs, and ridiculous mountain views. You don’t want to miss it.
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📍 Or follow us on Instagram at @thepetersonodyssey for daily snapshots of the chaos.
Until next time—stay warm (or cool, if you’re still in NZ summer!).
The Peterson Odyssey 