Pacific Paradise

Hey all, my final post from Vancouver Island. It has been a quick but jam packed trip….and I even bought Jam! 

Yesterday and today have been quite busy. As with all four days, yesterday was an early start. I most definitely was not ready to leave the Tofino\Ucluelet area but there was more to see so just like ripping off a band aid, I got up, packed up the rental car and just left, without putting too much thought into it. The weather was great for the drive. I put on my Nascar driving gloves and weaved the crazy twists and turns of the highway up to Port Alberni where I stopped for a quick Iced Coffee. My brother had recommended a place called Cathedral Grove which is a walk through a the forest surrounded by giant trees. Luckily enough, it was directly in my path as I headed up to Parksville to take the highway south. I   did stop and walked the trail which is a quick 20 minute loop. It was worth the stop for sure. Some of the trees were so large you could walk inside them. 

From Cathedral Grove, I made my way to Nanaimo where I had planned to stop down at the waterfront. From there I was able to get some pics of the seaside Nanaimo sign and the surrounding walk ways. It was a beautiful area however if I have to be a bit of a downer, there is a nearby pulp mill and the smell really put a damper on the beauty of the area. It reminded me of driving by the pulp mill in Espanola Ontario. Instant stomach sickness from the smell. This is not to say Nanaimo isn’t great and worth seeing, because it is, however I will be honest in these blogs. As my blogs evolve and get better, I would like to think that they will serve as a guide for people interested in travel. 

From Nanaimo, I headed south, stopping in Ladysmith for lunch and then on to Victoria. I was going to stop at the Malahat skywalk but given the way the highway is in that area, it would have required to me to Uturn several kilometres ahead, drive back to the turn off, and then the same when leaving. I decided to just scrap the idea for now and see it next time. It is a much easier stop when already driving north. Once I got to Victoria, I did a quick hotel check in and then headed out to see the city. Victoria is famous for it’s inner harbour area so that was my first stop. It is from here that I don’t have a lot of words to describe the rest of the evening. I can say however that I have been lucky enough to see almost all of Canada’s major cities but Victoria…….well Victoria has them beat. With it’s architecture, geography and cleanliness, the inner harbour area instantly made, and left, a lasting impression. It was just so relaxing to stroll along the waterfront with the sounds of sea planes taxiing, ships sounding their horn and live musicians placed sporadically around to help guide one into the evening. I spent a couple hours just taking in the sights and sounds before the day finally caught up with me and I had to call it a night. 

Today was another early start. After a walk up the street to have breakfast, I checked out of my hotel and visited a few spots I picked at random. First I went to Saxe Point park over in Esquimalt however it was extremely windy so I didn’t stay long. Next stop was Fishermans Wharf which I can tell you all, is a must stop if you’re in the area. It consists of a little village of house boats, shops, restaurants and a Marina. It was a great spot. As I walked along the wharf I even had a sea lion make itself known to me. I did have a small lunch here and picked up some locally made preserves (the jam I mentioned earlier) to try back at the house. I made sure to pack it in my checked luggage this time since Airport security in St John’s  took my little jar of Bakeapple Jam I had acquired for a friend when I was home for Christmas. I assure you that guy had that jam on his own toast the next morning! 

After Fishermans Wharf, I took a drive along the coast to Mile 0 and the Terry Fox monument. I am sure you all know who he is so no explanation necessary. 

With Time starting to wind down, I headed back to the inner harbour one last time and spent some time just sitting, as well as wandering around. A  couple dozen catamarans had arrived and docked since the previous night. They were a part of a Race to Alaska race which has been stopping in coastal cities along the way. They had an open house where you can walk the docks and look at the boats and chat with the crews. I spent some time there and took in the sights. 

With time getting short, I walked back to my rental car, organized and repacked my luggage, then headed back to the airport. With the car returned, luggage checked and supper completed, I sit here now writing my final blog for this adventure. Another trip planned, carried out and completed. As per usual, I was early getting to the airport and with a 15 minute flight delay, I have lots of time. 

As for Vancouver Island, I can not say enough good things. There is draw dropping scenery at every turn. It is well populated yet boasts a very relaxing lifestyle. I also noticed something a little odd, there are a lot of 90’s vehicles, still in mint shape, driving around here. It was almost like a trip back in time. I guess with the great weather here year round, vehicles last longer. On a down side, it is quite pricey and you have to pay to park absolutely every where but that seems to be more and more the norm nowadays. It is true what they say, BC stands for Bring Cash. On that note, I will end here and get ready for my flight. Thank you for reading and chat with you again soon. Cheers from Victoria!