Sunflower Festival and Summer at Chilliwack Lake

Hey guys, how are we!

I want to tell you a real story of mine. Something that happened to me and upgraded my wisdom lol. Also a recommendation of Vancouver Must Visit Place in summer: Chilliwack Lake and Sunflower Festival, so you can take an instagrammable picture like this below :p

NO FILTER NO EDIT!

So on a lovely day in August: Me, Ana, Mathieu, and Zach were so excited about the summer and swimming in Chilliwack Lake. For anyone who wonders what Chilliwack is:

It's a small city just 2-3 hours from Vancouver downtown. Ana told us about this crazy beautiful Chilliwack Lake that looks like a paradise. But along the way to the lake, we stopped by at the really gorgeous Sunflower Festival. There are couples of sunflower fields near Vancouver city, but this one in Chilliwack is a rockstar! It is a very huge land full of flowers, not only sunflowers, but they also have tulips and daisies. I mean, that's why I moved to Canada - such a different lifestyle compared to the one I had in Jakarta. Kids playing in outdoors, that is my vision of my future family.

Anyway, back to the story! The field will charge you some money, as in 2019 we paid 20$ each person to enter without a time limit, that is the weekend price and for sure weekday price is cheaper.

I cannot stress enough about how beautiful this place is, me and Ana were crazy taking picture and video while the boys were waiting outside because you know, boys and flowers - they just don't like each other lol.

I bet you will list down this place to your Vancouver must visit place for next time you come here! Just remember this place is only open in summer, starting in August. It's not that far from Vancouver downtown and you can easily get here by renting a car. There is no bus going directly to that place. Don't worry, car parking is free.

Trip Length:

Approx. 75 minutes (91 km) from Downtown Vancouver.

Directions:

STEP 1: Follow the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) East. Once you pass Abbotsford, take Exit 109 (Yale Road West).

STEP 2: After the exit, you will turn right onto Yale Road.

STEP 3: Then turn right once you reach Royalwood Avenue.

The entrance to the festival fields will be at the corner of Yale Road and Royalwood Avenue.

You can check their routes recommendations on their website: https://chilliwacksunflowerfest.com/

After 1.5 hours strolling around this beautiful field, we headed to the real to-go-place: Chilliwack Lake! It took another 1 hour approx to reach the lake. When we arrived, there aren't many people remembering the temperature was around 8 Celcius degrees. It was super cold for swimming, hey? We almost hesitated to swim because the water was freezing but come on, we drove so far and we have to do it!

So here we go...

At around 10 meters at the beginning of the lake, there is a big tree branch (see picture below). Ana, Mathieu, and Zach were already slowly swum towards the tree. The water was so nice, super clear that you can see what is inside. I was super excited to be a mermaid (again) after so long. The water was freezing, so cold but still bearable after some time.

See that tiny dot in the middle? That's the tree branch and its not tiny in real life.

They were far already and I get left behind because it feels so weird for me. I swam so gracefully, my legs touched sand and going deeper. Then I look into the deep, it all black, you can tell the depth is not joking! Then I don't know why my body felt so heavy, like something dragging me down. I tried my best to keep above the line and breathe well, I could see those folks laughing over there - on the tree branch.

I.
just.
need.
to.
get.
t h e r e . . . .

It's okay Gita, just keep swimming, if you feel tired just floating, remember you always do that on the ocean. Wait a sec, this is not an ocean.

The thought about that made me crazy - like seriously scared. I was drowning!! Something was really dragging me down, my body was three times heavier, and I can't swim anymore. Panic-attack came and I really thought I would die in the lake. I screamed Mathieu's name and keep screaming, barely see anything. I tried my best to keep breathing while screaming as best as I could.

He noticed. He jumped from the tree branch and get me to the shore. Ana and Zach were following after while asking questions. I can't even feel my voice. I tried to catch every single oxygen particle in the air and still felt so lacking. My lungs shrank.

For all this time I only watched people drowning in the movie, and now I know how it is exactly. I feel so grateful Mathieu was on time to save me because if he didn't hear me, I might be dead into the big cold water.

"You're safe, it's okay, breathe," Mathieu calmed me down, hugged me so tight. I managed to control my breath after some time. They look at me with questions. While it was me who really question them - how could they swim so good like nothing in the lake. What dragging me down?


It was my fear.





It is the most terrible experience I've had. I remember how fluent I swim and dive in the ocean, like when at the Labuan Bajo Trip. It didn't feel like myself, I always love to swim. Mathieu said that for sure salt water is different from lake water, and obviously, the Pacific Ocean will always be warm and welcoming. Yes, I never knew how to swim in a lake. Gosh, I didn't think about that at all! 

Well, what happened taught me a lot of stuff, such as breathing properly without disruption is something we have to be thankful for! I need oxygen in my life! Ain't gonna preach to you guys, but when you really were so close to death, life is indeed a gift. I thank God for the "second" chance to be alive.

Anyway, here are some of the lake pictures. I will definitely go back there next summer. Lesson learned. SO HARD LEARNED lol.

This mermaid will flip the finback!

Zach, Ana, Mathieu, me

There you go, guys, come visit this place whenever you visit Vancouver! Don't hesitate to ask me if you need guidance or anything else :)

Till next time.