What nobody tells you about visiting Canada

After a lot of research I thought I knew what to expect from Canada. Some things matched: Banff National Park is as spectacular as every review says, and Vancouver has a genuine energy I'd read about. The tourtière obsession is completely justified.

What I wasn't prepared for: stunning national parks. That element genuinely surprised me and added something I hadn't seen in any review. Also: vast distances require internal flights. That part the reviews undersell. Overall a wonderful trip — just a more layered experience than I anticipated.