Back to Victoria
We're back in Victoria, enjoying the free wireless Internet available at the hostel! Brilliant. And we found an ace vegan restaurant here for dinner. It involves loading whatever foods we want onto a plate, cafeteria-style, and then paying for the food by weight. Rather worryingly, my plate cost a lot more than Iff's! Hmph.
Anyway, we had a great journey from Tofino. We got a bus to Parksville, a three-hour journey through snow-covered forests and mountains. We saw bald eagles and frozen waterfalls along the way...absolutely gorgeous. The snow was coming down so thick in places, the bus barely seemed to move! But the journey was so lovely, we both agree it's a highlight so far of our time on the island.
When we arrived in Parksville, we had to get a taxi to the train station. We got the same taxi driver who'd taken us from the Pacific Shore Resort (debacle!) to the bus station last time we were in Parksville. On that occasion, he talked a lot about doom and gloom: global warming, the end of humanity being nigh, that sort of thing. Cheery! So when we realised it was him again, we didn't really encourage conversation!
We had a pleasant surprise at the Parksville train station. It's only small, but it doubles as a pottery studio for various artists and a shop for their creations (with a couple chairs in the corner serving as the train waiting area). One of the artists was there, and she let us nose around the studio, which was lovely. There was so much gorgeous pottery for sale, but unfortunately pottery does not transport well in backpacks. Plus we don't really need pottery while on the road. So I behaved myself and kept my excited credit cards safely stowed in my wallet in my pocket. Tempting, though!
We then had a lovely three-hour train ride to Victoria. We went through more gorgeous forests, alongside lakes and rivers and with lots more bald eagles to see. I found the bald eagles absolutely thrilling. Some of them we'd see perched atop tall trees, just staring down at the train as if they'd eat us all up if they could get to us. Cool birds!!!
The scenery and wildlife are obvious highlights of mine, but I'm also loving the people here. The locals we've talked to have been so nice and friendly, so welcoming and happy to recommend places to see and things to do. So many of them were careful to point out that they love living on Vancouver Island and that it's the best part of Canada. We'll have to test that for ourselves at some point!!!
For now, we're back in Victoria for two nights. We'll see what we get up to!
Anyway, we had a great journey from Tofino. We got a bus to Parksville, a three-hour journey through snow-covered forests and mountains. We saw bald eagles and frozen waterfalls along the way...absolutely gorgeous. The snow was coming down so thick in places, the bus barely seemed to move! But the journey was so lovely, we both agree it's a highlight so far of our time on the island.
When we arrived in Parksville, we had to get a taxi to the train station. We got the same taxi driver who'd taken us from the Pacific Shore Resort (debacle!) to the bus station last time we were in Parksville. On that occasion, he talked a lot about doom and gloom: global warming, the end of humanity being nigh, that sort of thing. Cheery! So when we realised it was him again, we didn't really encourage conversation!
We had a pleasant surprise at the Parksville train station. It's only small, but it doubles as a pottery studio for various artists and a shop for their creations (with a couple chairs in the corner serving as the train waiting area). One of the artists was there, and she let us nose around the studio, which was lovely. There was so much gorgeous pottery for sale, but unfortunately pottery does not transport well in backpacks. Plus we don't really need pottery while on the road. So I behaved myself and kept my excited credit cards safely stowed in my wallet in my pocket. Tempting, though!
We then had a lovely three-hour train ride to Victoria. We went through more gorgeous forests, alongside lakes and rivers and with lots more bald eagles to see. I found the bald eagles absolutely thrilling. Some of them we'd see perched atop tall trees, just staring down at the train as if they'd eat us all up if they could get to us. Cool birds!!!
The scenery and wildlife are obvious highlights of mine, but I'm also loving the people here. The locals we've talked to have been so nice and friendly, so welcoming and happy to recommend places to see and things to do. So many of them were careful to point out that they love living on Vancouver Island and that it's the best part of Canada. We'll have to test that for ourselves at some point!!!
For now, we're back in Victoria for two nights. We'll see what we get up to!
posted by Trace at
10:54 pm
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