REUNION ON THE ISLAND
We were looking forward to this for a long time and it has been much longer that we planned this moment! But often it is different from what you think: instead of the agreed meeting place in Prince Rupert at the ferry port, we are running across our friends a day earlier causing a hubbub in the local McDonalds branch. ? Quickly the rain is only a minor matter. We have so much to tell each other that even the foggy weather along the Inside Passage does not cause discomfort, but is especially used by the godchildren to explore the big ferry with their godfather, to tell stories and to play games.
ADVENTURE AND NATURE
As soon as we arrive on Vancouver Island it happens: two flat tires at one go on the camper of our friends make for an adventurous stopover in the middle of nowhere. Thanks to a coin-operated payphone (!!) at a gas station and the AAA membership (American Touring Club), only a few hours later and despite being a Sunday, two brand new tires are shining on the rims and the ride can continue. It leads us along winding roads across the island to the famous Pacific Rim National Park. There one can find not only secluded small bays and incredibly long surfing beaches, but also the only rainforest in Canada. Huge tree trunks so thick that we can only encircle them the six of us together, overgrown with creepers and in between juicy-green ferns are an unfamiliar sight for us after three months of pine forests in Canada! The blackberry bushes with sweet berries which grow wild all over are only the icing on the cake.
ALMOST LIKE A HOLIDAY
We spend the nights on the beach and the two boys build a bar for the sundowner while the adults read their books in the hammocks or simply daydream. Another highlight is the whale-watching tour where we can observe a group of Orcas. The common week with our friends with camp fire romance goes by far too fast and our paths separate much too early, but we keep those wonderful days in our heart.
CLASS MEETING IN SMALL
Only a little later, there is another reunion: a former school colleague of Thomas lives in southern Vancouver Island and we gladly accept her invitation and park our mobile for two days on the lawn in front of their house. We get to know the whole family, are welcomed warmly and being cooked for deliciously. In addition, we can enjoy an infinitely long, warm shower without having to worry about the level of our water tank. ? In particularly good memory remains the trip with the motorboat to a splendid sandy beach on one of the many outlying islands. We also explore the provincial capital Victoria, the most British city outside England, and discover our heraldic animal, the dragon, in all its colors and forms throughout the city.
CITY LIFE
The final stop of our Canada trip is Vancouver. We stroll through the city and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the streets. A cappuccino in the sunshine with a view of the Pacific Ocean and in the evening a drink in one of the numerous bars – both things which were once ordinary suddenly become something special. The modern glass and high-rise buildings are also a great contrast to the wooden houses in the small villages we have grown accustomed to in the last few months traveling across Canada. We don’t stay too long in the city because the next big adventure is waiting for us. For this, however, we must cross the border into the USA and drive 1000 kilometers into the interior of the country…
