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Our accommodation for the week was a one-bedroom apartment in a timeshare resort situated behind the Olympic open-air swimming pool. Although only one bedroom, the unit was very large and could sleep eight comfortably. The bedroom had a king-size bed, bunk beds, and en suite bathroom. The window overlooked the public swimming pool, but the view was blocked by a large fir tree. The lounge had two sofa beds, which could sleep two people each, but as there were only two of us to share these we had one each. The bathroom was compact but adequate. Our balcony was directly over the car park, with the hot tub and river a few yards away and a view of distant mountains.

Access to the river is not available at the resort. The kitchen was equipped with fridge/freezer, cooker, microwave, and dishwasher. There was also a table and chairs. There is a large lawn area with picnic tables, and lots of birds and squirrels visit the feeders replenished by the staff. There is a laundry adjacent to reception. The resort seems to be a converted motel, and although small with no facilities, the staff were very friendly and we were quite happy there – except for the train!!! This train passed the resort every hour, on the hour, 24-hours a day, every day for the 7 days we were there; every time it passed it blew the horn, not once but four or five times. Apparently, there are quite a few crossings in the area, and it is law that every time a train approaches a crossing it has to blow the horn. One day it missed the 4am journey, but in the morning we realised we had all woken at 4am in anticipation. This was a lovely resort, but I cannot recommend it due to this train – unless you are a VERY heavy sleeper.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Fair
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

Having accepted a week timeshare exchange in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, I began having second thoughts and wondered what we would find to do for a WHOLE week. The guide books I had gave some information, but nothing for the south east corner of the state where we would be based. They concentrated on the scenic Snake River Valley, the south west and the north – all popular well known areas.

On the Internet I found www.seidaho.org and www.visitid.com, sent for literature, and was amazed at how much there actually was to do in the south-east corner.

Idaho, known for its potato growing, is also the state most tourists dash through on their way to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. It is a very pretty state with national forests, nature, and scenic reserves, pioneer byways, and abundant wildlife. There are hot springs and geysers, cities, towns and small farming communities, all worth taking time to visit. During our September visit the temperature was in the 80ºs, but deserted ski resorts with snow movers give an insight into the winters. There was very little traffic on the roads (we didn’t get into one traffic jam) and few people at attractions or reserves which gave a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.

Our first venture out was to Bear Lake, situated on Highway 89 straddling the Idaho/Utah border. With its turquoise waters – created by natural limestone calcium carbonates - it covers over 112 square miles and is very scenic. There are beautiful beaches and areas for boating, fishing and diving. Part of the area is marshland and a haven for pelican, heron and other wading birds.

We stopped in Paris, saw the Paris Tabernacle, bought home made Cherry Salsa dip which was delicious, and sat outside the store drinking coffee in the hot sun. Then it was on through the Cache National Forest to Minnetonka Caves for a cold trip underground.

During our week we got stopped for speeding in Preston (we were let off with a warning) and discovered unmade roads, thanks to our friends GPS unit, on which my husband and I would never have ventured had we been on our own. We saw golden eagles on hay bales in a field and were able to get within a few yards of them. (One thing we couldn’t understand, two ladies stopped in a car to admire the view and didn’t even look at the eagles even though we pointed them out.)

A coyote ran across the road ahead, blue birds sat on fences as we passed, a flock(?) of crane grazed in a field, snakes slithered into undergrowth, squirrels and chipmunks darted about. We even saw a skunk – albeit squashed in the road.