After a great time on Vancouver Island's east and west coasts with many great experiences, conversations, and laughs with Gerald and Karina in our memory it was time to get myself packed up and head onward with John.
Karina had a swim meet and Gerald was timing the swimming so John and I decided we would take the early ferry to Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver) from Nanaimo rather than the one to Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver. We would have had to fnd our way on the Skytrain and bus to get to the hotel south of the airport if we had gone to Horseshoe Bay. However, we didn't know that our choice meant that Gerald would need to drive us about 25 minutes to get to the ferry terminal rather than just being down the road. He said a taxi would have cost $40. As usual, Gerald was so kind.
We said our heartfelt thank you's and goodbye's and walked on the ferry. BC Ferries is a good service, The boats are clean and the service seems very efficient. John put me down and had a traditional breakfast as the ocean swept by. I asked a crew member (who turned out to be the purser) where I could buy a bus ticket to my hotel and she said she didn't know but in came by in a few minutes with a print out of the directions. They were right on. She later came by to check if it was the information I needed. The two hours melted by as we gazed at the ocean and passing ferries going in other directions.
When it was time to get off, John got me onto his shoulder and took the suitcase and was lined up to get off when an announcement came, "Would the gentleman going to the bus please report to the purser's office?" John immediately realized that he had forgotten the video camera. The purser had seen it, picked it up and was keeping it safe. When he got to her office, she said, "Did you forget anything?" with a smile. Now that IS amazing service! If anyone from BC Ferries sees this, the purser on the Coastal Inspiration deserves a raise!
Then it was off to find the municipal bus to get to the hotel. It was windy, cool and raining lightly. The driver was not scheduled to leave for 30 minutes but very kindly allowed John and I to get on early and wait even though she had to leave the bus. At departure time there were only four of us onboard and it looked like it was going to be a very pleasant trip. With just a minute to go, a ferry from Victoria arrived bringing the entire population of the city who all wanted to take our bus. In fact about half couldn't get on even though it was one of those big articulated buses. John thought about the London buses crammed with Western students he had seen going to the campus in the mornings.
I had to sit on John's lap rather than having a seat to myself. John thought he might miss his hotel because so many people were standing in the aisle he couldn't see out. However, after asking people around if they knew the hotel, it turned out not to be a problem. At least three people saw the hotel and told John to pull the cord to signal the bus driver to stop. People in Van are either very, very cool or somebody wanted a seat! Probably both!
John carried me across the street, in the now soaking rain, and registered at the hotel, the Sandman in Richmond. It is highly security conscious - you even have to swipe your room card to use the elevator. They also give you an ID card that is required before you can charge things to your room. Not only that but they actually charge the Visa immediately when you take your room and add an additional $100. They promise to refund it if you haven't used the extra charges.
John laid around on the soft king sized bed while I worked on this blog and uploaded videos. If you haven't seen them you can look back to earlier entries.
TRB
Showing posts with label Nanaimo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nanaimo. Show all posts
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Back to Nanaimo
After a very restful night's sleep, John and Gerald woke to a beautiful clear bright blue crisp sunny day. I am saying this because it is the ONLY blue sky I have seen since we arrived. John woke and took a video of the dawn breaking over the trees from the balcony of the cabin.
Once Gerald had awoken and green tea made (the coffee machine did not have filters for the coffee we had brought), they sat on their balcony experiencing the moment. Then they were off for a walk along the Wild Pacific Trail. The views were incredible to start with but and became progressively better. The surge of the ocean waves crashing over rocks set against the azure sky took John's breath away.
They met two women walking what Gerald called their 'ugly' dogs. They were shar peis, the ones with all the wrinkles. One woman said the dog who came up to us was a chicken and didn't need to be on a leash, because he never ran off - at which point he ran off - down the path the way from whence they had come. We had to stifle our laughs as they coaxed, cajoled and begged the dog to come back so they could continue on their journey. John said children and animals always make liars of us all.
They walked by a Coast Guard place and lighthouse that is still run by people and not automated. Then it was back to the cabin to check out. We looked for a place for breakfast but it was 11am and we got a Mexican brunch. John had black bean soup, and a chicken tortilla wrap. It was good but hot.
Then we took the long (about 3 hour) ride back to Nanaimo through the same gorgeous country that we had just travelled over the day before, past Kennedy Lake, over the pass to Sprout Lake all the way to Port Alberni. We got gas and a drink there - Gerald had a dark roast coffee and John had a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Gerald said it was no wonder John was fat. hahaha
Finally back in Nanaimo, we went to get the crabs with which John was going to say thank you to Gerald and Karina for their hospitality. They got four jumbo crabs, took them home and returned the rental car. Gerald prepared the crabs for Karina's arrival and all three of them sat down to a feast of crab and stir fried vegetables. It was delicious! And the three had a great time talking about schools.
It was time for bed and John was happy to fall into his, knowing that tomorrow was going to be another full one.
TBD
Once Gerald had awoken and green tea made (the coffee machine did not have filters for the coffee we had brought), they sat on their balcony experiencing the moment. Then they were off for a walk along the Wild Pacific Trail. The views were incredible to start with but and became progressively better. The surge of the ocean waves crashing over rocks set against the azure sky took John's breath away.
They met two women walking what Gerald called their 'ugly' dogs. They were shar peis, the ones with all the wrinkles. One woman said the dog who came up to us was a chicken and didn't need to be on a leash, because he never ran off - at which point he ran off - down the path the way from whence they had come. We had to stifle our laughs as they coaxed, cajoled and begged the dog to come back so they could continue on their journey. John said children and animals always make liars of us all.
They walked by a Coast Guard place and lighthouse that is still run by people and not automated. Then it was back to the cabin to check out. We looked for a place for breakfast but it was 11am and we got a Mexican brunch. John had black bean soup, and a chicken tortilla wrap. It was good but hot.
Then we took the long (about 3 hour) ride back to Nanaimo through the same gorgeous country that we had just travelled over the day before, past Kennedy Lake, over the pass to Sprout Lake all the way to Port Alberni. We got gas and a drink there - Gerald had a dark roast coffee and John had a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Gerald said it was no wonder John was fat. hahaha
Finally back in Nanaimo, we went to get the crabs with which John was going to say thank you to Gerald and Karina for their hospitality. They got four jumbo crabs, took them home and returned the rental car. Gerald prepared the crabs for Karina's arrival and all three of them sat down to a feast of crab and stir fried vegetables. It was delicious! And the three had a great time talking about schools.
It was time for bed and John was happy to fall into his, knowing that tomorrow was going to be another full one.
TBD
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Gerald can cook!
Thursday Nov. 25 (posted on Nov. 27 - no Internet access)
We woke up about 7:00am. Gerald and Karina had already left - Karina to work and Gerald to do some errands and pick up a rental car for our trip to Tofino tomorrow. I took the opportunity to work on this blog and try to edit some raw video, make some movies and upload them to the blog. John spent his time looking out over the deck to Nanaimo Bay, watching the float planes taking off and landing and the ferries coming and going. After two hours I still could not upload a single video. When Gerald came back he said that perhaps it was Internet traffic and to try to upload them late in the evening when most of North America is asleep.
John agreed with Gerald and we watched Gerald prepare a delicious lunch of barbequed marinated chicken and brown rice. In the afternoon, Gerald and John took the camera and went on a tour of Nanaimo. They went to a park that looked like a rinforest. It has been very rainy on Vancouver Island lately and the little stream was gushing huge amounts of watwer. There were two amazing waterfalls and they followed the stream right down to the ocean. John said that hard poart was climbing up the rail on the way back and he was ut fo breath at the end. Gerald laughed.
The tour continued as they went down to the waterfront for a cappucino. They also talked to a guy who owns his own fishing boat but doesn't fish, just sells fish. By this time it was getting dark and after agoing back to the car, they camew back to the house.
Gerald then made dinner. It was incredible! It was a curried seafood stir fry. There was salmon, clams, oysters, and prawns over a bed of brown rice. It seemed very healthy at the same time as being delicious.
Gerald and John were enjoying a glass of wine and watching Criminal Minds when Karina got home. She is a swimmer and the national swimming championships are coming to Nanaimo and both she and Gerald will be either swimming or working at the event. Both of them work really hard. Even though Gerald had taken a vacation day, as head of HR, he had to send multiple emails to organize an arbitration hearing for Dec. 30.
John felt that his day of activity was making him feel better physically already.
TBD
We woke up about 7:00am. Gerald and Karina had already left - Karina to work and Gerald to do some errands and pick up a rental car for our trip to Tofino tomorrow. I took the opportunity to work on this blog and try to edit some raw video, make some movies and upload them to the blog. John spent his time looking out over the deck to Nanaimo Bay, watching the float planes taking off and landing and the ferries coming and going. After two hours I still could not upload a single video. When Gerald came back he said that perhaps it was Internet traffic and to try to upload them late in the evening when most of North America is asleep.
John agreed with Gerald and we watched Gerald prepare a delicious lunch of barbequed marinated chicken and brown rice. In the afternoon, Gerald and John took the camera and went on a tour of Nanaimo. They went to a park that looked like a rinforest. It has been very rainy on Vancouver Island lately and the little stream was gushing huge amounts of watwer. There were two amazing waterfalls and they followed the stream right down to the ocean. John said that hard poart was climbing up the rail on the way back and he was ut fo breath at the end. Gerald laughed.
The tour continued as they went down to the waterfront for a cappucino. They also talked to a guy who owns his own fishing boat but doesn't fish, just sells fish. By this time it was getting dark and after agoing back to the car, they camew back to the house.
Gerald then made dinner. It was incredible! It was a curried seafood stir fry. There was salmon, clams, oysters, and prawns over a bed of brown rice. It seemed very healthy at the same time as being delicious.
Gerald and John were enjoying a glass of wine and watching Criminal Minds when Karina got home. She is a swimmer and the national swimming championships are coming to Nanaimo and both she and Gerald will be either swimming or working at the event. Both of them work really hard. Even though Gerald had taken a vacation day, as head of HR, he had to send multiple emails to organize an arbitration hearing for Dec. 30.
John felt that his day of activity was making him feel better physically already.
TBD
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
