Travel, Writing, Circus
I discovered the Sunshine Coast while researching places to see and things to do in British Columbia. I added it to my itinerary out of pure intrigue. We have a Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, and I lived in this region during my high school and briefly in my early 20s. My dad and stepmum retired there in 2018, and I frequently visited them for weekend trips throughout the year.
Janine had lived in Vancouver for many years during college, and the next day, she took me sightseeing. We started at Kits on Broadway for breakfast and window shopping. We bought an all-day pass for the bus, and our first stop was Granville Island.
I was still dragging my feet as I started my second day in Victoria,. I could have easily spent the next week lying low and resting up in my student accommodation room at UVic, which my body would have thanked me for. But I had a city to explore.
I made a slow start to my first full day in Victoria. My first two and a half weeks in Canada were jam-packed, and were catching up with me. It was a chilly, overcast day, and for the first time on the Cold Plunge I was actually feeling cold. I donned a beanie, scarf and gloves. It was hard to believe only two and a half weeks earlier, I had been walking around Downtown Vancouver in a tank top.
The flight from Penticton to Vancouver took place on a small propellor plane. There was one cabin crew member. As the plane puttered over the snow-capped North Shore Mountains, I reflected on the fortnight that had just passed. I had just completed my visit with Janine, a decade-long dream fulfilled. I felt sad that this part of the journey was over, but excited for the next leg of the trip. And my time with Janine was not yet over- she would be joining me again in a week's time for a few days in Vancouver and then onto the Sunshine Coast to visit her best friend Kat.
On the Friday before the Victoria Day long weekend, Janine, Maddie, Kenzie and I packed up the car and made the four-hour drive to 100 Mile House, in the South Cariboo region of central British Columbia.
In this post, we have a one day break from our busy schedule, which I use to start planning my next solo adventure to Vancouver Island. During this planning I start to learn the balance between booking in advance and going with the flow, and discover what kind of traveller I am.
As our Banff adventure draws to a close, we experience a winter wonderland at Lake Louise, and wander through a fairy forest in Revelstoke.
On day two in Banff, Janine, Maddie and I take a ride on the gondola, on horseback, and visit the historical Cave and Basin site before I set off on a solo adventure on an evening wildlife safari.
On our first full day in Banff National Park, Janine, Maddie and I explore the quaint township of Canmore, admire the beauty of Lake Minnewanka, and brave the hustle and bustle of busy downtown Banff.
