141. All aboard the Skylark!

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Sunday, 12 May 2019

At sea south of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

 

Three cruise ships in port today. All loading up for an evening sailing. All three will be in convoy up the Inside Passage for a few days.

Have a spare few hours and thought I’d be rushed to research and book things to do for the spare week I now have between landing in Seward and needing to be in Anchorage. Thankfully, and very gratefully, Mrs Cincinnati (whom I met on the train travelling through Ecuador and who has been a very useful travel guru for the USA, thank you very much) emails with a list of hotels and things to do in the region. Saves an awful lot of time on my part, so thank you Mrs C. What would have taken hours, takes a few minutes to book. I know I can trust her judgement on hotels.

Having already done a recce of the cruise ship check in, leave it until after lunch to go and embark. There’s a very short queue at check in and through in a matter of minutes. I’m all over this. Security screening of bags and people also takes a matter of minutes. I’m all over this. This is easy. Good job I did my recce.

Thought I.

And then.

US Immigration.

Oh.

My.

God.

There’s a queue. For the queue. For the queue.

Yep.

US & Canadians are channelled down one line which is free flowing.

Non-US & Canadians are channelled down another. And we queue. This queue is then released to go join another queue.

Which is so long that they’ve provided chairs for us to sit on.

I kid you not.

Told it will only take 20mins.

20mins my arse.

Losing the will to live.

Just under 2hrs of my life I’ll never get back.

Sat waiting…to join another sodding queue.

The rows of chairs are called in the order in which you sat down.

Sitting with old folk all around me. If this is what life holds for me in later life then shoot me now.

Deary me.

We’ve had Top Trumps Medical Conditions. It starts with some lowly ailment, then another pipes up with something slightly worse and ends up with the Top Trump. Cancer, obviously. Then it’s various types of cancer Top Trumps.

Dear God.

Remember once whilst travelling on the Trans Siberian Express that one old dear told the dinner table that she’d donated her husband’s brain for research at the local university. The last thing you want to be discussing whilst eating your mashed potato.

Eventually.

Our row is called.

Thank God.

But.

This is merely to join the standing up queue for the Immigration desks.

Now. Get this. To process the 6,500 people on three cruise ships in a matter of hours. Guess how many Immigration desks there are.

14.

Yep. You read that right.

14.

Bloody ridiculous.

US and Canadian passport holders can go through an automated passport scan kiosk but everyone else has to go and have passports checked by a human US Immigration Officer and have fingerprints taken.

2hrs of my life for that.

Harumph.

However, that’s the final hurdle. It is with some glee that I can now finally embark the ship.

Except.

I can’t.

In a scene that would be perfect for Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights and his character Brian Potter, some old bloke on a mobility scooter is blocking the gang plank. He’s been driving up the zig zag ramps to the ship when his scooter battery runs out half way up.

Stop laughing.

So. There we all are. Backing up in yet another queue. Because a broken down mobility scooter is blocking the way. Have to laugh to myself.

Couple of able bodied blokes help push the scooter up the gang plank. But. The scooter is in gear and they can’t push. Old bloke tries to fix it by pushing the ‘go’ button (or whatever it is they have) and as the batteries have accumulated a smidgeon more power after a brief respite, the scooter lurches forward. Which means the blokes pushing are taken by surprise and stumble over as they’ve been pushing hard a static object which is now mobile. Bit like when you used to jump start a car and it would shoot off. Trying not to laugh at the situation, the scooter finally makes it on to the deck.

What larks.

Once on board find my cabin.

I know it’s an ‘Ocean View’ and that’s about it.

Well, dear reader. Open my cabin door. It is indeed ‘Ocean View’.

Yes.

At.

Sea.

Level.

Ducks are practically floating past my window.

Like Leonardo di Caprio in the film ‘Titanic’, find I’m in what is essentially, steerage. You couldn’t be more lower down in the bowels of the ship.

It’s actually quite nice and pleased with my cabin. Far better than the car ferry cabin that I had anticipated being on. No. This will do very nicely.

Quick orientation tour of the ship before the lifeboat muster. The tannoy expressly says there’s absolutely no need to bring your lifejacket for the purposes of the drill. Surprising how many people bring a lifejacket though.

On my tour, find the theatre and have a quick chat with a techie. Walk down some stairs and find myself at stage level. So, obviously, as I have an interest in such things, walk on to stage. Oh dear. What have I done. No sooner have I stepped on to the stage than a load of voices shriek out, “Sir, you can’t go on the stage!”. Why, I ask. “It’s dangerous, you might fall off!”. FFS. Spend half my life on theatre stages rigging lights at high level up a ladder. Think I can handle standing on an empty stage. And anyway, young man, I’ve been standing on stages longer than you’ve been born.

Dockside is a hive of activity loading up all the food, drinks and baggage. Plenty of cranes, conveyors and fork lift trucks scurrying around. Fascinating stuff.

Set sail just after 1800hrs. The Star Princess and the Westerdam have also departed within the hour.

Au revoir Vancouver. It’s been a blast.

Can hardly tell we’re moving as we sail out. It’s that solid and stable. No noise. No squeaks. No groans. No rattles. Smooth as silk. A very quiet ship.

Surprised by how many people reading this blog have done the Alaska Inside Passage cruise and also how many have sailed on this particular ship. Some very useful advice has been given. Thank you to all. Number 1: avoid the buffet restaurants. Number 2: use the fine dining room. Number 3: find a quiet corner and you won’t know there’s 2,000 other people on board. Number 4: see the BBC show. Number 5: there’s always a trivia quiz and the answer is yoghurt if you get a question on American school kids’ lunches.

So.

Dinner in the fine dining restaurant it is then. Having been to the Lido buffet on deck 9, I now understand why. It’s like a scrum up there, queueing for food at various counters, with the morbidly obese waddling about with plates stacked high of all you can eat and more mobility scooters than you shake a stick at. Yuk. Disgusting.

The fine dining restaurant and the buffet are included in the general price and, in addition, there are two other restaurants which you can pay a supplement for to enter. Very happy with the food and service in the included fine dining restaurant though and find there’s no need to pay the extra.

Ask for a window table. And a window table I get. Right at the stern looking out over the propeller wash. Awesome view. Quiet place away from the main thoroughfare and meet the Indonesian waiter. He used to play in a football team that toured England when he was younger. Tells me that Chelsea and Arsenal beat them 7-2, Leicester 5-3 but that they actually beat a team called Nottingham Forest 3-2. He laughs when I tell him I’m from Nottingham.

Postprandial perambulation along the Promenade Deck admiring the sunset over Hornby Island as we sail past.

Can’t believe it’s a week already since I was on Hornby.

140. Up and down

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Saturday, 11 May 2019

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

 

Vancouver once again puts on magnificent weather. Yet another bright blue sky. Have had sensational weather now since…way back when. Can’t remember the last time I had poor weather. Can’t remember the last time it rained on this trip when it mattered ie. a day’s sightseeing. Had bad weather driving from Dallas but that didn’t matter. Nope. Struggling to remember. If you can think of a time when I mentioned rainy weather on a sightseeing day, dear reader, please let me know, as I can’t think of one.

Yet two more new cruise ships moored up below the hotel. The three that were there yesterday unloaded and loaded in about 10hrs and departed yesterday evening. All horns blaring as they set sail. It’s a quite a sight to see these mammoth cruise ships gracefully glide out of port.

Free shuttle from outside the hotel to Grouse Mountain. The cable car glides up 2,600ft to the top of the mountain for fantastic views over Vancouver and surrounding areas. Bit hazy though so visibility reduced in the distance. Grouse Mountain peaks at 4,000ft and the remnants of winter snow still lies about piled up quite deep in places. Much more developed since I first came here in 1995, and there’s now a grizzly bear refuge. Two rescue bears roam about an enclosure surrounded by electric fencing. Which is surprisingly close to the public. The upshot is that the bears can easily be seen and are only a few feet away from where you can stand. They’re quite big and surprised how long the claws are. Remember an old friend telling me about the time she and her little sis were out hiking in the wilds of north America one time, with their little bear bells on their rucksacks, when a grizzly bear crossed their path ahead. A frightening experience apparently!

On the way back down to Vancouver is Capilano Suspension Bridge. Again, substantially more developed since I first came in 1995. Such is tourism. The suspension bridge is a footbridge linking two sides of the canyon. Originally built at the turn of the 19th century you need a head for heights and like swinging from side to side as you walk across. One bloke takes one step on it and quickly gets scared. Has to ring his friend who is already halfway across, “I can’t do it.”, he says, “It’s freaking me out!” There must be a 200ft drop down to the river below.

Pleasant walk along the gangways that have been built in the tree canopy so you can get up close and personal with a branch. And across the river is the cliff edge walk. Certainly not for those without a head for heights.

Having the choice of a free shuttle back to downtown or a couple of dollars for a public bus followed by a ferry across the harbour, opt for the latter. The local bus is full and the group of waiting Chinese at the bus stop are told to get on the next bus. Sod that. Jump on the full bus as it’s only me. It is full so stand by the driver’s cabin leaning on the post to steady myself. Off we go down the hill. Every so often the bell rings for the next stop. Bus pulls in but no one gets off. Off we go again. This happens a couple of times and can only assume it’s the bunch of students at the back of the bus dicking around. Can tell driver is getting fed up with this phantom bell ringer, as I’m right next to him.

Well, dear reader.

It’s only after a few miles that the phantom ringer is discovered.

It’s me.

I’ve been leaning on the post and have been unknowingly nudging the bell button as I’ve shifted my frame from one side to the other as the bus went around corners.

Think I might have gotten away with it as well.

Short ferry hop across the harbour reminds me of the packed Star Ferry across Hong Kong harbour. Pack ‘em in and go.

One of the cruise ships is about to leave port as I near the hotel. Quite a majestic sight to see these mammoth ships slip their ropes and glide away.

Very graceful.

That’ll be me this time tomorrow.

139. Hopping on and off on

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Friday, 10 May 2019
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Unbelievable blue sky as I open the curtains on to the harbour. Twenty floors below are two massive cruise ships moored up. A third is moored up on the other side of the cruise terminal pier. It’s only when you see these ships up close and personal that you realise just how big they really are. Quite impressed with the sheer scale of the things.
Off for a recce to see what’s what for Sunday. It’s late morning, just before 12000hrs and there’s 6,000 people checking in for the three ships. Each ship has its own check in hall. By hall, think a massive exhibition hall like the NEC in Birmingham or a large aircraft hangar. This is big business. Long queues for check in. Am told they’re all desperate to embark in time for the buffet lunch on board. It quietens down later. Noted. Like organised chaos. Will check in later on Sunday to avoid the masses. Don’t do queues.
What better way to see Vancouver again than with the hop on hop off bus. You know the sort. Ubiquitous in every city. A big red double decker open topped bus perfect for photography and seeing all the sights as you drive past. Well. Vancouver must be the only city to not have double decker open topped buses. No. It’s a mish mash of enclosed coaches with no AC, so stifling hot, old fashioned trolley buses with hard wooden seats, coaches with big side windows that slide up, if they’re not broken, or a partially open topped singled decker bus. First bus is stifling. And cramped. Make it as far as Stanley Park for some much needed fresh air and lunch.
As I’m eating lunch, just having a pause as I’m chewing, my unfinished plate is nearly whisked away by an exuberant and far too efficient waiter. Hang on, I mumble, through a mouthful. Continue eating and taking another pause as I’m chewing, my unfinished plate is yet again nearly whisked away by another waitress. Another mumble, and grumble, through a mouthful.
Like Central Park in New York, Stanley Park is a vast open space on the edge of downtown with magnificent vistas of the city skyline and plenty of walking and cycling routes. A pleasant reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city. The totem park has a collection of totem poles carved by the indigenous First Nation people. Each carving having its own meaning.
The main suspension bridge, the Lions Gate Bridge, linking the city to the north of the harbour was built and owned by the Guinness family and is a main route through Stanley Park to the city. At Prospect Point, which has great views of the bridge, am following two young Indian girls to the observation deck, when one of them let’s out a shriek. Takes a few moments to understand why. It’s a set up by her friend. She’s brought her here for a very special reason. Her boyfriend is standing in the middle of the observation deck, surrounded by candles, rose petals sellotaped to the deck, flowers and some music. A sign says, “Will you marry me?”. He goes down on one knee and pops the question. She says yes and the surrounding tourists all clap and cheer. Very romantic. Last time I saw something like that was in Braunschweig, Germany, in 1997. A young lad had set up one of the footbridges over the small river with flowers and candles and had even got some theatre lights to illuminate the bridge at sunset. To pop the question.
Hop on buses come and go, and it’s worth waiting for the next bus if the one that turns up is a hot sticky enclosed coach. Walk around the headland along the beach path into English Bay. Tankers are moored in the bay waiting to enter the harbour. Everyone is out sunbathing along the beach such is the warmth of the day. Having walked some miles along the coast line to Burrard Bridge, decide to catch the bus all the way back. Wait. Wait. And wait some more. No buses turn up. They should be every 10mins. After half an hour…four turn up at once. You know what they say…
There’s only room on the old trolley bus, driven by an old codger who was probably around when trolley buses were modern. At one point, there’s about half a dozen of us left on the bus. Driver sees some Girl Guides selling cookies by the wayside, and excitedly shouts across the PA system, “Girl Guide cookies, Girl Guide cookies.” Stops the bus there and then. Takes some money from his tips jar, jumps out and buys a pack of Girl Guide cookies. Back on board, he opens them and offers us all a cookie. He’s quite excited by these cookies. But they’re just normal, mass produced cookies with a Girl Guide logo on them. Oh well. At least it made him happy.
Drive through the roughest area of Vancouver. East Hastings. Never seen so many homeless line the streets. Every few yards are homeless people camped out on the street, slumped over, drugged up, screwed up and everything else. Not a pretty sight and a reminder that every city and every country has this problem.
Quite late afternoon by the time I return to the hotel and can’t be bothered going out again for dinner. As I’m on the Club Floor, there’s complimentary hors d’oeuvres until 1900hrs in the 23rd floor Club Lounge. And a view to die for. The free snacks can be made into a light meal, with a bit of creativity, and the paid honesty bar allows you to pour your own G&T, glass of wine etc for an extra amount per standard measure. The standard measure for a glass of wine is 125ml. I know what you’re thinking. Same as me. That’s just the first sip. Hand might have got the shakes a bit as I poured out the gin and the bottle of red wine might have slipped in my hand as the glass was being filled.
Ahem.
Dinner with the most amazing view of the sun setting over the harbour and the snow capped mountains.
And a very large glass of wine.

138. The best laid plans of mice and men…

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Thursday, 9 May 2019

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

 

Super chilled and relaxed as I wake from a deep slumber. Miss Vancouver has gone to work at the crack of dawn so need to clean up my mess in the apartment before departing. Decent hot mug of tea and Marmite on hot buttered toast to start the day. Oh yes. Relaxed. And chilled. Am. I.

Meet Miss Vancouver for lunch at an excellent Greek restaurant and persuaded to have a post meal glass of Ouzo. Even more chilled now.

Feeling woozy with the Ouzy.

Have left rucksack at her office so I can pick it up in a few hours. This is the plan for the afternoon. Couple of hours sightseeing around Vancouver. Pick rucksack up from her office. Leisurely taxi drive to the railway station. 2hr rail journey to the port of Bellingham, just north of Seattle, in the USA. Check in to a nice hotel, which I only booked yesterday and so had to pay full amount as it was short notice. Chilled and relaxed is the order of the day.

Why Bellingham you may ask. Well. It’s where the Alaska Marine Highway car ferry departs from tomorrow. Which will take me to Alaska.

Yes. This is going to be a super chilled out afternoon.

Meandering the streets of Vancouver being super duper chilled out. It’s now 1500hrs and am heading to the station at 1600hrs. So I have plenty of time to catch the train. No rush. Just relax.

Nonchalantly check phone.

An email has arrived.

It’s from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry company. It’ll be a reminder to check in and all that nonsense.

Won’t it.

Er.

Nope.

The once a week ferry from Bellingham to Alaska has been…

CANCELLED!!!

Oh. Clucking. Bell.

Rowlocks.

Due to mechanical problems the ferry is cancelled.

Clucking bell.

Again.

Can’t believe it.

In 15,000miles and 5months travelling across 18 countries, this is the first and only thing to go awry.

The best laid plans of mice and man, eh.

Can’t believe it. This is going to screw things up big time. The plan was to go up the Inside Passage (and that’s not a euphemism for something else) to Skagway. Have a few days in Skagway, cross over to Juneau and then catch another ferry from Juneau to Whittier, from where it’s a short journey to Anchorage. From where it’s a train to Fairbanks. From where it’s a drive north through the Arctic Circle to the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay.

And my official end point of this trip.

Prudhoe Bay has been the objective since leaving Antarctica way back in January.

Clucking bell.

I’d only booked the Alaska sections yesterday as well.

Sooooo.

Need to get to Anchorage by Sunday, 26 May 2019, to get the train to Fairbanks, to get the car to Prudhoe Bay.

Have deadlines now.

Sod it.

Now 1515hrs in Vancouver. Need to head to station by 1600hrs to get the train to Bellingham, USA, as have paid a non-refundable amount paid on the hotel there. In preparation for sailing from Bellingham tomorrow. Which isn’t now going to happen.

Have a corker of a brainwave. Am near the Vancouver cruise ship terminal. There’s a cruise ship in town. Celebrity Eclipse. I know of this ship as parents have been on it a couple of times. Bet that’s going on an Alaskan cruise.

Hmmm.

Wonder if I can get on that tonight. All my problems will be solved. At least I’ll be in Alaska.

Make my way into the cruise ship check in hall. Can I buy a ticket now for this cruise?

Nope.

Small young girl tells me it has to be 24hrs in advance. Ask to speak to someone in charge. Am put in my place. She’s the Director of Guest Services. It’s a no, Sir.

Sod it.

Start doing Google searches for options. UK agents obviously closed due to time difference. Google ‘Travel Agents’ in Downtown Vancouver. The power of the internet. One is close by on the 8th floor of a building 10min walk away.

Off. I. Go.

Arrive to discover it’s not a proper travel agent. More a private client getting people in touch with locals who want to work abroad. Gap year stuff.

They recommend another travel agent. Only 10mins walk away. FFS. Huff and puff. There’s some urgency in this now. As don’t want to miss train to the USA.

Second travel agent is useless and doesn’t do cruises/ferries to Alaska. Only British Columbia outdoorsy trips. Hiking and getting mauled by a grizzly bear sort of thing. They recommend the Flight Centre. Another 10min walk away.

Off. I. Go.

Find it eventually. In some basement shopping centre of an office block that’s not very well signposted.

Thank God for Hailey. What a star. Explain the situation.

She’s on it. She knows what she’s doing. Told that it definitely won’t be today as booking will have closed. Tomorrow might be a possibility. There are two Celebrity Cruise ships and one Royal Princess going to Alaska tomorrow. She rings them both. Nope. The 24hr limit has passed. Not a cat in hell’s chance.

Off she goes again. Searching. She’s all over this like a rash. Good girl.

There’s one on Saturday at a God awfully high price. But there’s one on Sunday at half the price. Go for it.

And with the click of a button and phone call to put the cabin on hold. Have an Alaskan one way cruise on the Holland America m/s Noordam cruise ship sorted in 15mins. That’s how you do last minute travel, dear reader.

No idea what it’s going to be like. But it will be a lot more comfortable and luxurious than an Alaskan Marine Highways car ferry where pitching tents on the deck is actively encouraged. Notwithstanding that, had booked an ensuite cabin. Think basic English cross channel car ferry type cabin.

Not done a proper cruise ship cruise before. This is about 2,000 passengers big. My idea of hell.

But needs must.

Pay the full amount and good to go.

Phew.

Thank God that’s sorted.

Really don’t need to go to Bellingham, USA, on the train tonight but have paid the full amount for a hotel yesterday so seems daft to forfeit the money. Decide I’ll ring and ask for a refund. Just in case they’re feeling charitable.

Taurean charm does the trick. She fully understands the situation about the ferry as they’ve heard about the cancellation too. It’s not my fault and they’re very sorry to hear my plans have been scuppered. Am given a full 100% refund. Yay. So grateful.

So. No need to go to the USA tonight.

Miss Vancouver now with friends for the weekend so can’t go back and doss down there. With the power of technology and my Booking.com app on my phone, can sit and book an available hotel in Vancouver there and then.

There’s only really one hotel to stay at in Vancouver if going on a cruise. The Pan Pacific Hotel (https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-vancouver.html). With a Harbour View Room. Down in the lift and you’re at the cruise ship terminal. Easy peasy.

The view across the harbour is insane. Have a wide panoramic view from my room of the waterfront skyline, Stanley Park, Lions Gate bridge, Grouse Mountain and other snow capped mountains across the harbour. Reminds me of my stay on a business trip at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. That too had insane views across Hong Kong harbour.

Oh yes. This will do nicely. For a few days.

So.

The plan is now this.

Hold in Vancouver until Sunday. Cruise to Seward in Alaska over the coming week, arriving a week on Sunday. Have a week to fill between arriving in Seward on Sunday, 19 May 2019, and needing to be in Anchorage on Sunday, 26 May 2019.

Any ideas gratefully received.

Celebratory curry required. Explain that I’m English and can take it a bit hotter than the not-so-very-hot curry of North America. He fully understands. He says with a glint in his eye. I know I like it hot but chuffing nora. This is hot!

It’s only when I return to hotel and start researching this cruise I’ve just paid for at the last minute that I discover that I can book Sunday’s cruise online still for a vastly reduced sum of money.

25% vastly reduced.

Hmmm.

Quick email to agent explaining my findings.

There’ll be a discussion tomorrow.

137. Where it all began

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Wednesday, 8 May 2019

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

 

May 1995.

A Friday morning.

The young trainee Quantity Surveyor, Touring Taurean, is sitting in a site hut in Loughborough. His boss’s phone rings. Boss is on holiday so he picks it up. His boss’s boss is reading this laughing.

It’s Dave from the head office in Nottingham. He’s just got back from a business trip to Hong Kong working on a brewery project in China.

The young Touring Taurean, making polite conversation, asks how Hong Kong was. It was brilliant, says Dave.

Touring Taurean unwittingly replies, “Ah I’d love to go there.”

Dave replies, “Would you?”

Oh yes, say I. I’d go tomorrow.

“Can you go Monday?”, says Dave.

WHAT?!?!?

“Can you go Monday? Well actually, you’ve got to fly to Vancouver first, to spend a couple of weeks with the mechanical engineers and then fly from Vancouver to Hong Kong to assist with the materials procurement. It’ll be Business Class flights and five star hotels. Is that alright?”

WHAT?!?!?!

I’m 25 years old.

What an opportunity.

And so began my international career.

In Vancouver.

Hence a sentimental attachment to Vancouver.

Never looked back. And had a very nice life out of it. Thank you very much.

Much needed trip planning for the Alaska section done, head into the city to do some food shopping in Granville Island market. Have promised Miss Vancouver that yours truly will cook tonight. After her hard day’s work. Having been waited on hand and foot for the past few days, it’s the least I can do.

So.

Signature dish it is.

Spicy chorizo risotto.

136. Back to reality

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Tuesday, 7 May 2019

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

 

Chilled.

Very chilled.

Only been here three days.

But it’s how I feel.

Hornby has that effect.

Anyway, dear reader, exciting news. The local shop sells. Wait for it.

Marmite.

I know. How excited can you be.

Not only a decent mug of hot Yorkshire Tea to start the day but also Marmite on hot buttered toast.

Am.

In.

Heaven.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and as someone has to go to work in Vancouver tomorrow, time to go back to reality.

Leisurely morning includes a drive around the island including a whistle stop visit to the local gin distillery and Tribune Bay. Yet more insane views.

Late afternoon ferry to Vancouver Island via Denman Island. Takes an hour to travel a couple of miles as the crow flies.

Such is island life.

Quick dinner in Nanaimo at a chain restaurant whose female waitress employment policy is to be applauded. All are classy looking, slim and good looking, most with blonde hair, and all are wearing black leotard tops and black skirts. The men reading this are wondering where this restaurant is. The women reading this are tutting and huffing.

Yet another amazing sunset as we sail across to Vancouver.

Memorable few days on Hornby.

After Antarctica, it’s been the highlight of the trip.

Am a very lucky boy.

135. Island Life

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Monday, 6 May 2019

Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada

 

Cannot begin to describe what it feels like to wake up with insane views of snow capped mountains, the sea and eagles flying about. And all that from your bed looking out the window.

And to add to all that. Hummingbirds buzzing around the feeder on the deck. Except one poor hummingbird has found its way into the kitchen and can’t get out. Has to be coaxed out with a bit of newspaper. But at one point I fear I’ve killed it as it suddenly plonks itself down on the windowsill and doesn’t move when I give it a nudge (see photo below). Thankfully, the poor thing is having a rest and soon finds the open door.

As with every other day. It’s a chilled out affair. Nothing planned. Go with the flow. Decide on a walk to the other side of the island. Such is island life that we hitch a lift back to our start point. The last time I hitched a lift was in Ethiopia. Have already given one old soul, who was also hitching, a lift to the shops earlier. That’s what you do on Hornby. Help each other.

There are some real characters on this island. Quite a few draft dodgers on the island who came here in the 1970s to avoid the Vietnam War. Back then, the impression I get is that it was a hippy, arty, sort of place. Now there’s a mix of the old guard and the new city slickers with swish new second homes here. The demographics are a changing. Such is progress.

The evening starts with botanicals and canapes on the deck and finishes with cheese and wine at Miss Vancouver’s friends’ home.

Have been hobknobbing with an award winning Canadian film and TV director.

Oh yes, dear reader, I mix in all sorts of circles.

134. Happiness

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Sunday, 5 May 2019

Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada

 

As British comedian Kenn Dodd once sang:

‘Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess
I thank the Lord I’ve been blessed
With more than my share of happiness

To me this world is a wonderful place
And I’m the luckiest human in the whole human race
I’ve got no silver and I’ve got no gold
But I’ve got happiness in my soul

Happiness to me is an ocean tide
Or a sunset fading on a mountain side
A big old heaven full of stars up above…’

 

It really is a happy place Hornby.

The day starts with building a driftwood fire on the beach. I am happiness personified.

Am like a big kid again. Back to my Scouting and Duke of Edinburgh days, building a fire from scratch using kindle and building up a roaring fire with bigger and bigger driftwood. Might have over-egged it on that front. More a bonfire at one point.

There’s only one reason to build a driftwood fire on the beach on a sunny Sunday morning.

Bacon and eggs, of course.

Cannot begin to tell you how happy I am. Surrounded by snow capped mountains. Eagles soaring overhead. A hot mug of proper Yorkshire Tea.

Oh yes, dear reader.

Life is good.

Life is very good.

Cooking on a driftwood fire in these surroundings is simply the best.

Well.

I say cooking.

More…placing stuff on a griddle.

Miss Vancouver has bought all the stuff, done all the preparation, made the tea, put the plates etc out and then washed up.

Told you I was a very lucky boy.

And to burn all that bacon and eggs off? Excellent walk around Helliwell Park. The sea is blue. The sky is blue. The trees are lush green. Awesome panoramas of snow capped mountains. Eagles above us.

Insane views.

Really, really insane.

This is the great escape from the rat race.

For the first time on this trip I’m starting to relax. No getting up at stupid o’clock to make a connection. No going to bed having to travel the following day or do sightseeing.

No.

This is heaven on earth.

‘To me this world is a wonderful place
And I’m the luckiest human in the whole human race…’

133. Special Delivery

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Saturday, 4 May 2019

Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada

 

Another glorious day. Bright blue sky. It’s to be the theme for the next week. I know this ‘cos I’m typing this blog a week later.

Today, is a special day. You may recall a blog post I wrote way back in January, from Tierra del Fuego regarding the Barrel Post? Check it out here for a reminder: https://touringtaurean.com/2019/01/09/cape-horn/

You put your postcard in the barrel and then you take one out and deliver it or post it in your home country. Well, I took one out that was addressed to Qualicum Beach. Which is enroute to Hornby Island today!

So off we go.

Find the address and pull up on the drive. Introduce myself and meet the addressees. They’re surprised and delighted to hear my story and how far the postcard has travelled. By coincidence one of the addressees was born in England too. Really nice and friendly people and thank you for the kind welcome. Not often you have a strange bloke turn up on your doorstep with a postcard he’s travelled 15,000miles with.

Unfortunately, have a ferry to catch so it’s a flying visit and a quick scoot up Vancouver Island to Buckley Bay. Ferry to Denman Island, cross Denman Island (all of 5 minutes) then ferry to Hornby Island.

Last came here on my ‘Around the World in 60 days’ trip in 2010. A memorable place to be and doesn’t feel like 9 years since I last came. Feels more like last month.

Miss Vancouver is one of the few young ladies I know that can cook and entertain and treated to a magnificent belated birthday feast with insane views of the sea, snow capped mountains, eagles soaring overhead and a wonderful sunset. Memorable. A very lucky boy indeed.

Evening concludes with a visit to the Hornby Island Blues Fest followed by the darkest night sky I’ve seen in a long while.

Stars shining bright like a diamond.

132. Canada calling

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Friday, 3 May 2019

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

 

An argument over laundry is left unresolved as the ‘decision maker’ is in a meeting. Told it will be adjusted to be more in line with what I think it should be. Asked what that means, the response is, we’ll call you to discuss. No. You won’t. There is no discussion. It’s my figure. Not anything else. And in any event. I don’t wish to be telephoned this weekend to discuss sodding laundry.

Have plans.

Am meeting Miss Vancouver for a few days. Who has gotten up at the crack of dawn, to drive down from Vancouver to Seattle, to pick me up, so we can take the ferry across to Bainbridge Island, Washington State, then drive up to Port Angeles for another ferry to Victoria, on Vancouver Island, Canada. For an overnight stop. Before travelling to Hornby Island for a few days.

Bainbridge Island is a world away from Seattle. Has a nice relaxed country feel to it.

Upon arrival at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, pass through immigration. He’s not the happiest of immigration officers and not helped by us two stifling sniggers at the stupid questions and silly answers we’re giving. Amongst other things. Asked where I’ve come from. He doesn’t appreciate ‘Antarctica’. Asked if we have anything to declare. Only three bottles of wine. Each? No, between us. Ask if he would please stamp my passport. He’s clearly having a bad day and stamps passport rather too hard. Passports handed back with a sigh.

Overnight at the Hotel Grand Pacifiic (https://www.hotelgrandpacific.com/) on the waterfront. Excellent views of the harbour with many sea planes coming and going. Victoria not as I expected. Quite an American feel to the architecture. But the one stand out building is the British Columbia Parliament Building. Impressive.