HumanChronicles.ca | Fall 2024 A Magazine For Older Adults Fall Colours: Broad Strokes | Nature’s Paint Brush | Hiking In Winter How To Safely Spot A Bear | Eco-Friendly Travel Tips In Banff The English Countryside That Drove Me Nuts
Capture The Moments That Matter Life Stories | Weddings | Milestones | Graduation | New Baby Pets | Mi l itary Service | Cancer J ourney | Fri endship Stori es In a world where life moves at a breakneck pace, it’s easy to let cherished memories slip through the sands of time. Our beautifully designed print + digital memory books offer a tangible way to preserve moments that matter the most. Family Vacations | Travel Stories | Romantic Memories | Anniversaries | Celebration of Life Sponsored Visit our website. Start the journey. www.humanchronicles.ca/memorybooks Tell Your Stories Share Your Legacy
3 HUMAN CHRONICLES Table of contents CEO, Top 60 over 60 author 10.9 on the Richter scale! - 56 Banff National Park How to safely spot a bear - 44 Eco-friendly travel tips - 48 Fall Colours - Take a walk on nature’s bright side - 53 Changing perspectives on ageism - 18 Kayaking on Big Creek - 10 Masthead - 4 Editorial - 5 The English countryside that drove me nuts - 22 Cheetah Lounge: An African adventure - 28 Nature Walks: Hiking in winter - 38 Broad Strokes: Nature’s paint brush - 6 Bibliography for the Bear and Banff stories https://thebanffblog.com/itinerary-for-banff/ https://www.travelbanffcanada.com/banff-in-summer/ https://www.banfflakelouise.com/blog/13-summer-attractions-banff-national-park https://www.banfflakelouise.com/seasons-climate Image Credits: Cover image by rawpixel.com on Freepik Image on page two by PIxabay Image on page 21 by Stas Knop, Pexels.com Bear pic on page 44 by Rasmus Svinding, Pexels.com
4 human CHRONICLES Welcome to the first edition. The Human Chronicles, as a platform, aims to appeal to a demographic of older adults (55+) that continues to live a full life. This group is a treasure trove of collective wisdom, joys, sorrows, heartbreaks, passions, hobbies, aspirations, and experiences. Ordinary people. Extraordinary stories. What makes them tick? With advancements in science, this vibrant community is living healthy lives well into their nineties and beyond. They are travelling within Canada and all over the world. Some are re-entering the workforce as part-time employees and volunteers. Many are turning their hobbies into profitable ventures or simply keeping themselves occupied mentally and physically. We are proud to tell their stories. Do you have a story to tell the world? If you have an exciting story about your life and career and would love to be featured in this magazine, drop us a few lines (stories@humanchronicles.ca). Write a synopsis of not more than 1,000 words. If the story fits within our content structure, we will contact you with a discovery meeting session. Over time, we will bring out stories on topics including Health & Wellness, Business & Money, Interests & Hobbies, Travel & Outdoors, and Passions & Profiles. We love print. There is no substitute for holding a magazine in your hands and spending time between the covers. The print edition will accompany a digital version to enhance your user experience with engaging and interactive elements including video and audio. Madhav Kochunni Chief Storyteller As a (tail end) baby boomer, this is also my story. A story of wins and losses, rejections and acceptance. Just before COVID-19 my three decadeslong career got torpedoed by ‘restructuring’. I evolved to work on my passions and have since then launched two magazines. Editorial
5 HUMAN CHRONICLES @2024 SITOSO All Rights Reserved. This is a quarterly publication. All materials in this publication may not be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form without the written permisson of SITOSO. Printed in Canada Site: HumanChronicles.ca Email: info@humanchronicles.ca Publisher, Chief Storyteller Madhav Kochunni Chief Editor Jaya Madhav Creative Director Advait Madhav Advisor John Gargrave Writer Niharika Nayak Advertising Sam Mammen ISSN 2818-1573 Human Chronicles (Print) ISSN 2818-1581 Human Chronicles (Digital) Team HC
human CHRONICLES 6 Broad strokes
HUMAN CHRONICLES 7 Our annual fall colour drive always touches Bon Echo Provincial Park. The two and a half hour drive from our Our first fall colour drive pilgrimage happened during the weekend of Thanksgiving in 2019 shortly after we watched the movie, ‘At Eternity’s Gate’, painting the last days of Vincent Van Gogh. Madhav Kochunni continued ... house was further stretched in my (altered) map of driving through scenic country roads, pottering around antique shops, appreciating the depth of colours by stopping on every whim and fancy, and punctuated by hunger and washroom breaks. Some of the highlights revolved around a Buddhist temple [Orgyan Osal Cho Dzong] in the middle of nowhere, drinking moonshine with off-roaders on ATVs by an abandoned mine, staying at an AirBnB and meeting a restaurant owner from India in Madoc, trekking up 100 metres up Mazinaw Rock, knee-knocking walk on another two hour trail, fighting the cold winds on the shores of Bon Echo, and making it all worthwhile at the marvel of nature’s masterful broad brush strokes. Our first pilgrimage happened during the weekend of Thanksgiving in 2019 and shortly after we watched ‘At Eternity’s Gate’ painting the last days of Vincent Van Gogh. I had a brief glimpse of the light Van Gogh was trying to capture in all his paintings. When I stood in the middle of the forest and looked up I saw the sun shining through the golden and red maple leaves. The celestial dance of nature before the shimmering leaves gracefully floated down to the forest floor, be one with the earth, and sprout again with a spring in April next year.
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HUMAN CHRONICLES 9 Colours of nature Standing speechless on Mazinaw cliff, Struggling to pan my body gone stiff! Intensely colourful are the strokes of nature, Wonder what camera its beauty can capture! Vibrant canoers tickling the playful waves, Whistling winds tuning the rocky caves, Anxious and in awe at the rock climbers’ might, Need a lifetime to take it all in one sight! Counting my blessings Deep in the forests around Bon Echo, Past the walking trails, deer, birds, and gecko, Fallen leaves colourfully hiding the metal road, Leading to a clearing hiding a heavenly abode. Joining Buddhist monks with my silent prayer, Mindful of every moment now my hair is greyer! Thoughts and emotions shedding on the wooden floor, Cushioned by the blessings that touched my inner core.
human CHRONICLES 10 Kayaking on big creek For kayakers, bird watchers, and photographers the 9 km Big Creek in Norfolk Country is the ideal launch point to explore the Canadian outdoors.
HUMAN CHRONICLES 11 Known as Canada’s Amazon, the meandering Big Creek in Norfolk County (Ontario, Canada) takes you through the marshes and thick vegetation of the Carolinian forest to the open waters close to Lake Erie. Madhav Kochunni continued ... Play video
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HUMAN CHRONICLES 13 Known as Canada’s Amazon, the meandering Big Creek in Norfolk County (Ontario, Canada) takes you through the marshes and thick vegetation of the Carolinian forest to the open waters close to Lake Erie. For first time kayakers this approx. 9 km paddling experience is ideal before getting into choppy waters The guides take you through the do’s and dont’s. For first-timers, instructions on how to hold the paddle, how to use your legs to control the rowing and the kayak, and what to do if you capsize proved invaluable. continued ... elsewhere. Our (my wife and I and two friends) journey included two hours of paddling on Big Creek, followed by a short break, and two more hours paddling into the Big Creek National Wildlife Area. An environmentalist at heart, a kayaker and teacher of nature by passion, Brian Craig took us on a four-hour journey that inspired this story. Before you jump in The guides take you through the do’s and dont’s. For firsttimers, instructions are given on how to hold the paddle, how to use your legs to control the rowing and the kayak, and what to do if you capsize proved invaluable. Standing in muddy waters and getting into the kayak was not as difficult as I thought. The $10* water shoes held my weight without any complaints. Two hours went by without a hitch. We were back at the starting point for a 15 minute break. The break and light lunch in the kayak under the shady trees also helped ease the cramps in my back. The second half of the expedition took us in the opposite direction to the open waters. My only regret was in not coating myself with enough bug spray. I was attracting a lot of flies, the biting ones. Public Facilities There are no washrooms at the launch location. Guests are welcome to use the washroom and other facilities at Long Point Eco-Adventures prior to the paddle on Big Creek. All our outdoor trips, if there are no public washrooms, are limited to two hours. For longer treks, facilities are a must. I have even researched tactics some of the eCommerce drivers use on their delivery routes. Guided Tours We were fortunate to have Brian Craig as one of our guides. He is as passionate as he is knowledgeable having worked with Environment Canada before. The group consisted of 10 kayakers plus the two guides. All of the Long Point Eco-
human CHRONICLES 14 The meandering Big Creek takes you through the marshes, thick vegetation of the Carolinian forest, to the open waters close to Lake Erie on an approx. 9 km four hour paddle. For first time kayakers this experience is ideal before getting into choppy waters elsewhere. Adventures Big Creek guides receive safety training and are very knowledgeable on the natural and cultural history of the Big Creek area. Kayaking Options The launch area is off the side of the road. The guides help you into the kayaks and push you out. The kayaks are snug and comfortable. No one tipped over or found it difficult to control the kayaks. Recommendation: Single kayaks. Tandem kayaks are also available [advance booking required]. Another option is also to take your own kayak [inflatable or solid-state kayaks] and explore Big Creek all by yourself. My Experience The meandering Big Creek takes you through the marshes, thick vegetation of the Carolinian forest, to the open waters close to Lake Erie on an approx. 9 km four hour paddle. The pandemic brought out the best and worst in all of us. My wife and I explored the outdoors every weekend. We hiked in all seasons and took to the waters in a canoe during summer. The thought of even buying a canoe crossed our mind. Due to storage issues we turned our attention to kayaks. Should be it be single kayaks or tandem ones? Inflatable or solid-state? To try it out before any major decisions, our friends came up with the idea of a guided excursion. The Big Creek excursion turned out to be a perfect experience. What to wear / expect There is a break about half way into the excursion. The group comes back to the starting point before heading into the opposite direction. The break is meant to have a light lunch or snack, regain energy, or get out and stretch your legs. There are no washroom facilities unless you are prepared to explore the bushes in the area. Getting in and out of the kayaks sometimes involves standing in ankle deep muddy water. Water shoes ($10) are most comfortable.
HUMAN CHRONICLES 15 The thought of even buying a canoe crossed our mind. Due to storage issues we turned our attention to kayaks. Should it be single kayaks or tandem ones? Inflatable or solid-state? To try it out before any major decisions, our friends came up with the idea of a guided excursion. The Big Creek excursion turned out to be a perfect experience. continued ... Life jackets are provided by the organizers and included in the price of the expedition. If you are planning more such outdoor expeditions (kayaking, canoeing, paddling) bringing your own life jackets ($40*) is a more hygienic option. Light clothes that cover your whole body are advisable due to the bugs and elements.
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HUMAN CHRONICLES 17 Cost for the trip* Kayaking trip - $100 Four hour guided round trip. Kayak, paddle, life-jacket, and guides included Life-jacket - $40 Life-jacket included in trip price. [Optional] Your own life-jacket may be more hygienic. Water shoes - $10 Getting in and out of the kayak in muddy waters. Backpack / dry bag - $30 Camera dry pouch - $15 Hat - $10+ Sunscreen / bug spray - $25 * All prices are approximate pre-COVID figures and are in Canadian dollars.
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