Every traveler collects them, their personal souvenirs. Those unique travel tales, perfect for an impromptu dinner party when one needs to be simultaneously charming and entertaining. As an inspector for AAA, I have had plenty of opportunities for that storied moment. And the anticipation for that moment, when you think to yourself ‘This is going to make a great story,’ is almost as fun as the experience itself.

So here is one of my favorite travel tales. I’ve shared it with family and friends, fellow inspectors and now with you:

After a 12-hour drive through the wilderness and a quick propeller plane ride, I was officially the farthest north I had ever been. A few days before, I had arrived in the Canadian province of Manitoba to start three weeks of inspections. And thus, this is how I found myself in Churchill, the Polar Bear Capital of the World.

Churchill is one of the few communities located on the Hudson Bay, a small town that started out as an 18th-century trading post and has now become a popular ‘ecotourism’ destination. Polar bears are the main attraction during the fall and winter months, while beluga whales arrive by the thousands in the summertime. Unfortunately, I found myself in Churchill in the early spring, when the town was quiet and only locals roamed the streets.

I was picked up at the airport by the manager of the hotel that would be my home for the night and as I climbed in her pickup truck I tried desperately to come up with a plausible cover story for why a single female would be in town for just one night during the off-season. When she inquired, I settled for a semi-truth, telling her I was there to do research for a travel story. 

Once I got settled into my unexpectedly comfortable room and did a quick email check (TV and internet! Even in the tundra!), I decided to take a walk and see the sights. Who knew? Maybe I’d be lucky to spot an early arrival beluga whale. I checked with the friendly hotel manager beforehand, asking if it was fine to walk around by the water. “Oh, sure! Just go past the main road and you’ll see the bay area.”

So, I ventured outside in my decidedly inadequate red jacket thinking to myself, ‘I really should get a better grip on the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion.’ And after a couple minutes, I found myself already at the water’s edge. I marveled at the icy glacier chunks and peacefully snapped some photos, never seeing a beluga whale let alone another human being.

Then, suddenly, I heard two loud gunshots. And then another, too close for comfort. This is when I remembered that I was in the “Polar Bear Capital of the World,” and maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I immediately started traipsing back to the main road, all while having an internal debate about my bright red jacket. “Surely this red jacket signals to potential shooters that I am not a polar bear. But wait, are polar bears attracted to bright red objects?”

In the midst of my hasty retreat, a minivan appeared out of nowhere and screeched to a halt, in a move straight out the latest Michael Bay movie. A grandmotherly driver swung open the passenger door and yelled, “Get in, eh! They’re shootin’ at a polar bear.” And although I’m the type to usually heed my mother’s advice about not getting in a car with a stranger, I promptly jumped in.

We drove around for awhile longer, hearing more warning shots and trying to get a glimpse of the bear that ventured too close to town. (When a polar bear is too close for comfort, officials use the sound of gunfire to scare them away first before more serious action is required to protect the town).

Why we tried to get closer, I’ll never know, but I didn’t get a chance to ask my escort. All I could think was, “where in the world did AAA send me?”

“You’re not from around here, are ya?” my escort asked. “No, but this is going to make a great story,” was my reply.

After my near-sighting of a polar bear in action, I got back to business and went about my day inspecting the various accommodations which ranged from modest motel styles to more midrange properties with added amenities. Although some of these properties did not fully meet our AAA/CAA requirements, we inspect and list them in AAA/CAA Tourbooks and on AAA.com as a service to our members who are interested in traveling to such a unique destination.

I only braved the northern tundra of Manitoba for one night, but it was a great adventure and yet just another day at the office. But at least I brought back a great souvenir of a story!