Canada 2022 - Vancouver and Vancouver Island

 

Mystic Beach, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park - Vancouver Island

With my latest round of studies completed and travel restrictions easing (though pre-departure Covid tests were still required), I was finally able to visit Canada again. The outbound flight was half empty and so more comfortable than usual. Will had taken up mountain biking some months ago, and although he'd failed to inspire any enthusiasm for the sport in me during our long-distance conversations, now I was there and knowing it meant a lot to him I decided to give it a try. Our first riding excursion was on Mount Fromme, which boasts numerous renowned biking trails. To my surprise, I not only enjoyed hurtling down steep, technical trails at speed, but also took to it quickly and confidently. My approach was not to overthink the risks, but rather focus intently on the 20 meters in front of me and try to maintain speed and momentum. Despite sounding counter-intuitive, your'e less likely fall (for the most part) the quicker you're going. Besides the required focus and fitness, I also found it thrilling and enjoyed the adrenalin. We did a couple of days on Fromme, and two on Burke. Unfortunately, during the final day on the latter (the second week of the trip), I took a heavy fall and badly sprained my wrist, putting paid to riding for the rest of my time in Vancouver. It also left me unable to continue at the gym, which had been built since my last visit and had excellent facilities. Nevertheless, there were other pursuits keeping us active from day one, since Canada isn't short of mountains to summit. Amongst the most memorable was Mount Seymour, host to a variety of trails and a popular ski resort. We hiked the Dog Mountain trail, the summit of which offers amazing 360° panoramic views including the North Shore, as well as Grouse and Coquitlam mountains. Another was Windy Joe in Manning Park. After reaching the top we rested in the old fire lookout, before cooking hotdogs over an open fire to fuel our descent. 

Although I didn't spend a lot of time in downtown Vancouver this time around, there were a couple of worthwhile mentions. First, the mouth-watering Báhn mì subs at Viet Sub on Robson. They were bursting with flavour, and I ate there three times. Next, Flyover Canada, a simulator that takes riders on a flight over featured destinations (Iceland when I went). To say that when the ride starts the room drops away and you feel like you're travelling through the sky at speed is an accurate description, but does nothing to capture the level of physical and psychological immersion you experience. I was so impressed that I convinced Will and his wife to come with me, just so they could corroborate my own feelings about how realistic the sense of movement was. They loved it, and agreed completely! 

The holiday culminated in a week-long road trip around Vancouver Island, an ideal opportunity to break in Will's newly purchased Tacoma whilst seeing more of the country. We started at Swartz Bay heading for Tofino, with a long itinerary of activities and stops planned, and intending to take the return ferry from Nanaimo. The excursion was a blast from the outset, but a couple of events formed the highlight for me. After the first day's driving we decided to stay at the Jordan River campsite. As we arrived and started scouting for a pitch, two girls were setting up camp in a spot directly overlooking the beach and ocean. We felt disappointed at having missed out on such a premium location by just a few minutes, and ended up pitching our tents in an area sheltered by trees and shrubs. The sun set just as we'd got a fire going, and after marvelling at its beauty we realised how quickly the temperature was dropping. Huddled around our little heat source we got it roaring whilst drinking beers, and then got to cooking hotdogs. Only a short time later the girls we'd seen earlier abandoned their spot and bailed, never to be seen again! We guessed unable to get a fire started with no protection, they'd got very uncomfortable very quickly and thought better of spending the night being battered by freezing ocean winds.  Fortune had worked in our favour. Later that evening, warmed by the beers and fire, and full of food, I stumbled out onto the beach looking up at the night sky only to be presented with a sight I hadn't seen since Australia and had completely forgotten existed. The star-filled heavens totally untouched by light pollution. It was surreal, appearing computer-generated and superimposed, evoking a clear appreciation that we live in a galaxy comprising billions of sunlike celestial bodies. 

A few days later we arrived in Tofino and began looking for a place to stay. Google maps had given us some duff information, and the first two campsites we tried were both closed. Just as panic was starting to set in we decided to try Surf Grove, which turned out to be the only place on the west coast open off season and a mecca for all sorts of bohemian and surfer types. It was perfect. Being reasonably priced and set in a stunning location, as well as having hot showers and heated washrooms cemented our decision to spend two nights there. Although the daytime offered some interesting sights and activities, sunset on the beach followed by getting a fire raging, filling up on beers and food, before going back to the shore after dark to gaze up at the stars in awe was what I enjoyed more than anything else.