#vancouverisland – Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond

Nanoose British Columbia

24 July 2018

I spent the day at my 79 year old cousin Josie’ s place on the edge of the woods of Vancouver Island. Her home has no backyard neighbours, in fact there is noone between her and the West coast of Vancouver Island.

With the largest population of cougars in the world I was hoping to see one on our walk through the woods. I will beat some of my funny friends to the headline if I was attacked “Aussie cougar attacked by Canadian cougar”.

On our first walk Josie’s husband Jimmy got so worried about us he came through the woods with a huge saw in hand. He used the excuse that he was clearing a path for us.

After lunch Josie filled me in on more family history regarding my cousin Harry Bertoia, sound art sculptor and modern furniture designer.

Josie and I went for a late afternoon walk in the woods and realised we had worried her husband Jimmy again as he broke out with the Reveille Military Wake Up Call on his trumpet to call us out of the woods!! If I was ever going to see a bear it wasn’t going to happen after that!!

How strong must a woodpecker beak be! These are woodpecker holes.

Nanaimo

6 July 2018

Goodmorning Nanaimo.

Strolling through cousin Giuseppina’s backyard.

A little tree hugging.

This 800 year old tree in Cathedral Grove is taller and wider than the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Billy goats gruff 🙂 Coombs Old Country Market started as a store with a grass roof. The Norwegian owners decided to put goats on the roof to attract passing trade. It is now a popular tourist spot.

Discovered my ancestry on my maternal grandmother’s side includes nobility.

USA to Canada

5 July 2018

Crossing into Canada from Seattle there was a crazy lineup of cars and I had to get a ferry to Vancouver Island on which I had reserved a car spot and was worried I was going to miss it. Someone I met yesterday told me to take the far lane on the right to the duty free to bypass the traffic. I did this but the lane was marked Nexus. I wasn’t 100% sure what Nexus meant but I found out you get a full car search while being held in the waiting area. The waiting area had the type of Americans I have not yet met on my travels. The type who the world stereotypes and I was embarrassed to be in their proximity. A loud mouth female bragging she was being held up because she had Trump “pads” (what are they) and tazers in her car. She engaged another man in conversation who was a Trump supporter and I found their conversation disturbing. I was almost annoyed with having to sit there listening to these ignorant people instead of being in my car in the queue. The Nexus lane is a specific fast lane for people who have a permit and have completed specific background checks to get a quick border pass.

However I did get processed quickly and got to the ferry terminal in good time. I had no fear of them finding any contraband and definitely no Trump paraphernalia good or bad.

At the ferry terminal I embarked with my car on the ferry Queen of Alberni which goes from Tsawwassen to Vancouver Island. The ferry takes 2 hours, holds 1200 passengers and 295 cars and is the primary mode of transport to the mainland. The cost is $90AUD one way for car and passenger.

I am staying with my cousin Elena and her family for a few days in Nanaimo.