Since the arrival of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan a year ago, people have been having to find some vacation spots in their own backyards as the pandemic has made travel difficult. Sometimes, however, it takes a relative outsider to help you appreciate what you have close to home. 

Ashlyn George, a social media influencer with tens of thousands of followers across her platforms and a former Saskatchewanderer, made a stop in Estevan earlier this week to spend some time highlighting some of the attractions in the area. She came to the southeast at the invitation of Tourism Estevan. 

"I always say, when you live somewhere, you don't usually act as a tourist," George said. "Now is the perfect time to kind of get outside, see what there is to do where you live, and actually there's a wonderful audio tour if you're looking for a guided tour around Estevan."

George's tour around the Estevan area took her to the rocks at Roche Percee, to several local restaurants, and to the waters at Boundary Dam. Despite the cold temperatures, she got up close and personal with the latter for a polar bear swim. 

"I joined the Estevan Road Runners and we did a five-kilometer run, then we did a polar bear dip into the Boundary Dam reservoir right after," she said. "It definitely was cold, but it is a lot of fun, especially when you're in a group and you're all doing it together."

George posted about the experience on her social media, which means quite a few people saw it. After all, she has 12,000 followers on her Facebook page and that's actually the less impressive number as she boasts over 28,000 on Instagram. The former Saskatchewanderer has kept up that type of brand under the name The Lost Girl's Guide To Finding The World. 

"I finished university and decided to travel the world for a few years, and that's when my blog and social media channels were born," she explained. "It's just all about outdoor adventure, discovery, and traveling all around the world. Now it's obviously a bit more local." 

During the trip to Estevan, George said she teamed up with an old friend, Brady Johnson of Encompass Fitness, and enlisted her help for finding the best spots to highlight in the southeast.