There are benefits in hindsight. You have different eyes, right?
You have another perspective. You have survived the past!
Well, to tell you the truth, it was a close call.
Not really! But everything changed all of a sudden.
We had planned this as the last leg of our twelve months away. Visiting Maren and Agust in their new temporary home in Canada. So we did.
Seven long weeks we spent on the quaint, sleepy Vancouver Island. Not to think that it is small. It’s not. In fact, it is 31,285 square km, my research says that’s about half the size of Tasmania. We managed to see a big chunk of it, thanks to our skilled and active tour guides Maren and Agust. Our accommodation was made up of a little shack in their backyard.
At the time they lived in the south of the island, in an outer suburb of Victoria, British Columbia’s capital, called Saanich.
Lovely little unit in a quiet and friendly neighbourhood, big back yard, and, as mentioned, the shack for us to reside in for the time we are there. It is the end of winter and the beginning of spring, so we get all kinds of weather ( “Four seasons in a day”).
But, of course, coming out of the German winter, we are prepared. And what we don’t have, we buy speedily in the next thrift shop. There are plenty of those everywhere in the country and Maren’s love for them hasn’t weaned in the last three years. She has got everyone in the family addicted to thrift shopping by now, and – to my surprise, even including every male member!
From the moment we step out and onto Canadian soil and until the last day we step onto the plane that takes us finally back to Australia, we have a wonderful, worry – free time with our daughter and her fiancée. They pick us up from the airport in Vancouver, together with their beautiful dog Cujo, and place us into an Airbnb in Vancouver for the first night.
The planned ferry trip over to Vancouver Island has to be cancelled because our flight is delayed by a few hours. That works to our advantage as we are able to relish our first trip over in daylight and beautiful weather, cold, but sunny and with a Scottish (or was it Irish) band entertaining us on the top deck.
Arriving at their place, it feels like home for us, straight away. Both our girls have the skill to make a cosy home out of little things. Couches collected from the kerbside, tables from the thrift shop in town, laced tablecloths sent over from their auntie in Germany, a well-stocked pantry, dimmed lights in every corner and a bunch of flowers who knows where from.
Interesting books featuring rare trees and adventurous hikes, bought and read by Agust, complete the picture. And our little shack has a comfy bed, a small desk, lots of natural light and, to top it up, floor heating. What a luxury!
I always love coming home to my children!
Our weeks were adventurous, to say the least.
Trips on the island itself, to beautiful places.
And trips on the mainland.
And trips to the US. Amazing, wonderful journeys.
For transport, we use Agust’s old, turquoise painted and much loved Landcruiser. The two of them have acquired a back seat bench from a car yard to put in for us “Oldies”. Without us, there is no back bench, instead, a mattress is put in the back and the space is used as sleeping and living quarters during their many outdoor adventure tours!
We do it much more glamorous, with Airbnb apartments, cottages and the much loved A-shaped wooden cabins you can find everywhere in the Canadian forests. I wouldn’t be the least surprised if the two of them would design and build one of their own one day, somewhere, in the great outdoors.
What do I remember most from those weeks? Certainly not the names of all these fantastic destinations. I am bad at remembering names at the best of times, but with all that followed, my brain didn’t even transfer itself back to Canada for a long time.
However, now, slowly, my memories return.
I can let my mind soar, back over the fascinating landscapes, the mountains and beaches, the forests and lakes. I smell the damp moss on the forest floor, the delicate mist in the air, the moisture of driftwood on the beach and the coldness of snow on the tree branch. I see the dimmed colours of this beautiful country, brownish, greyish, greenish, blueish…. mild colours, so different from the bright colours of Australia, yet, so amazingly beautiful.
I hear the sound of the waves gently rolling onto the shore, the singing of birds in the morning, unfamiliar and beautiful, the soft breeze in the rustling leaves and the flattering silence of a tiny mockingbird. I feel the wet cold through my boots, the rain on my skin as we hike through the forest, the warmth of a dog’s fur, the smoothness of a good coffee and the sunrays peeping into our room in the early mornings.
Activities like walks to the “home” beach come to mind, just a short 10- minute stroll away from home, this little curved beach is so pristine with its silvery water, its -comfortable- to- sit- on-driftwood logs and its calming vegetation. Big rocks and small birds, steep wooden stairs and lazy otters floating on their backs some way out, some sunshine and warmth, often moisture and rainclouds, never the same, but each time enjoyable in its own right.
Twice a week there is the walk down the road to the community fitness centre, buying a pass with seniors discount and making much use of the treadmill, weights and gym balls as well as the indoor swimming pool inclusive of sauna and steam room. What a treat!
Nights are mostly spent at home, talking around the dinner table, playing cards, listening to “Hey Google” music and enjoying each other’s company. A few outings to the movies.
But the big adventures are numerous, too. Driving in dense forest country, stopping for secluded beaches on the way, hiking for tall, lonely trees on logged hills, discovering waterfalls that one can disappear behind to take a spectacular photo and finding stunning calm lakes with small bonsai trees growing out of them.
Around the cities, there are old gracious buildings and statues, parklands with spring flowers and trees in blossom, harbours with colourful houseboats and wooden jetties, fishing trawlers and whale tours.
Talking about whale tours: we experienced one of a special making:
Taking a tourist boat for a day trip to hot springs. An hour on the boat, along small islands that are inhabited by First Nation folk and only reachable by boat. Upon being dropped off on land, we have to endure a short hike along a boardwalk through the forest. The hot nebulous steam is visible long before we arrive at the small pools, hidden between big rocks.
There are about 10 of us, now all stripped off our winter gear and changed into swimming outfits, who find themselves soaking in these pools that are the hottest on the highest point, almost unbearable at this temperature, more pleasant further down but each setting beautiful, slippery, relaxing.
Then, on our way back, skipper Chris gives us great information on the waters and its inhabitants. He suggests that we might spot whales. Not long, and from a distance we see a whale spurting water high in the air. We stop and observe, carefully come a bit closer and learn about their behaviour. So exciting! We take our time to watch, listen and learn.
Next, the motor gets started again and we make our way around the islands back to Tofino.
All of a sudden, our guide announces orca whales further on. We speed past the harbour and are soon in close proximity to a pod of these majestic black and white ocean creatures.
I can’t believe how playful they are, swimming and jumping and breaching and spurting. How very lucky we are to be part of this spectacle!
This is only one example of our beautiful and worthwhile short stay in Tofino. Sunsets at our very “own” little beach, right next door to our friendly Airbnb, talks to locals, admiring our talented daughter surfing in the -oh-so-cold elements and hipster coffee complete the picture.
Life is good here in the (cold) breeze!
And, to round it all up, I have to report on our skiing trips. Three trips to three different mountains, each time absolutely perfect conditions, few people, fresh snow, smooth slopes, and beautiful blue skies with white puffy clouds. No falls, no broken bones, no frozen noses. If you have never been skiing in the mountains, put it on your bucket list!
Culture and food? I love a good cappuccino and found – thanks to my daughter- coffee shops all around. Interestingly, they were often run by Australians…. I told you, the Australian coffee is world-best!
We didn’t go out to dinner much, were much more into home cooking and teaching each other the newest trends (Maren) and the old basics (Mama). Out and about during our trips we often did the same, always yummy and so well priced. And for in between meals, Maren’s well-known and world famous salami and cheese sandwiches proved to be the perfect rescue for a starving belly.
And so the weeks went by lazily, the garden took shape and early spring surprised us with warm sunshine. We were planning one more trip. Maren’s birthday was coming up.
And then it hit! We got a message! From home!
It said: “ You might consider coming home early. Australia is planning to close its borders.”
So we did. Changed our flight to a week earlier. Empty airports, passengers wearing masks, social distancing, fear. We were entering the world of Covid.
And Maren had to celebrate her birthday without us.
Six months later, after times of self-isolation, careful re-entering into “normal” life, or: “the new normal”, as this phase is now referred to, after shifting our suitcases from one temporary home to the other, still “homeless”, still in “Covid 19” times, we are reflecting on our time in Canada.
What had happened? We just missed it. Each time. Yes, we knew about a virus in China. Far away. Not affecting us.
Completely unaware of the danger to our “old normal”, we hiked through the wilderness. We went snowshoeing through beautiful, snow-heavy forests. We hopped on the treadmill in the community centre. We strolled through the spring coloured Botanical Gardens. We skied down the slopes. We had the best time wherever we went.
But we only just made it. Before they closed the lifts. Before they closed gates and borders. We ran ahead of an avalanche.
So glad we didn’t know that.
And glad to be back, “new normal” and all!
Our year away Part 2 