No Regrets!

So it’s actually a bit of a hassle getting from Vancouver to Victoria. You’d think there would be convenient departures from Vancouver, but it takes almost two hours of trains and buses just to get to the ferry terminal south of the city. Then another hour and a half on the ferry itself.

The boat is enormous, pretty much the size of a cruise ship, only a bit more industrial-looking. The ride is slow and smooth and rumbles with a vibration that feels kind of nice if you’re sitting in the right part of the boat.

Crossing the Strait of Georgia, we navigated around a few rocky islands densely forested with Douglas firs. Then a short bus ride from the ferry terminal, and I was at Butchart Gardens.

Butchart (BOO-chart) Gardens is a series of English-style gardens that cover a huge expanse of land that was formerly a limestone quarry. My mother has been raving about it for years and insisted that I go there on this trip.

When I arrived, the parking lots were filling up with antique cars. It was was some sort of antique car enthusiast gathering, and there must have been over a hundred of them. I’m not really a car person, but it was pretty cool to see.

The gardens are expansive, fragrant, and packed with tourists, mostly of the senior citizen variety. Old people like flowers.

After the gardens, I headed down to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia at the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It’s much bigger than I thought, a legit city. I took a quick walk around town, visiting Parliament and the buzzing waterfront filled with performers, tourists, and yachts.

Then it was time to catch a bus and head north to Parksville, the tiny beach town where my sister lives.

I’m now sitting on the bus, which is actually more like a minivan. The traffic out of Victoria is horrendous. We’re not moving at the moment. Our driver has BO like onions, and I have the first seat right behind him, so the odor is lingering. He just needs a few quick swipes of deodorant.

The next few days will be spent with my mom and sisters family. I’m looking forward to relaxing for a few days.