Talisman Inn, Quesnel, BC

Coming into Quesnel at midnight after a week camping in the bush north of Fort St. James, Laura and I were delighted to find the Talisman Inn. The front desk woman was pleasant and helpful. The talisman is pet friendly. The king sized bed room with the $10 Gilbert charge came with taxes to $90. Our van was parked outside in a well lighted parking area while we entered through the locked lobby. Gilbert sniffed the room over before he passed out at the end of the bed. I put our perishables in the fridge and then headed into the bathroom for a long over due shower. Thankfully the dirt didn't clog the drain. When I was finished Laura entered the bathroom and was there till search and rescue found her weeks later.

"This is my kind of place," she said. We had a delicious sleep. I woke at 6:30 out of habit and had to actually get Gilbert up for his morning walk. He stretched and dragged his paws but finally came along. It was raining but not cold like the north had been. He quickly did his business so we could both go back to the room. He was asleep before I was. Laura never woke.

At 9:45 I darted to the lobby for the continental breakfast, hard boiled eggs, bagels, cream cheese, jams, oatmeal etc. I got coffees and eggs and bagels and returned to the room where Gilbert was suddenly fully awake. I offered him part of an egg. After a week in the woods eating rotten things he sniffed at it till I added salt. Well, the yolk might be worth a lick at that, he said.

Laura and I loved the immediacy of coffee. No waiting for the campstove to percolate while making a fire for warmth. I loved the spacious room. Nothing like a week in the woods to make the gloriously mundane heavenly. There's this great tv we didn't even get into. I saw a tv in the lobby for the first time in a week. Civilization is creeping up on us.

Now it's time for check out. Laura looks different. I know what it is. It's her hair. It's lost that helmut look. It's all fluffy and sweet smelling. Now that we're washed we're considering what to do about Gilbert. One idea was to approach a fire department for the use of their hose while another equally appealing one was to go to the nearest evangelical church and insist he's told us he really wants to be baptized.


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