Spending the final days of summer in British Columbia has been one of the most enjoyable and purposeful experience I have had this year. This trip was originally meant to be a seven day ocean kayaking tour to Johnstone Straights to allow me the opportunity of connecting with nature but we could not make the date work given the earlier date I booked got cancelled as there weren't enough people committed to the same timing. I already booked my ticket so I had was to either cancel and forfeit the trip or come up with another plan. I got creative and birthed the plan to tour Vancouver, Whistler, Squamish and Victoria which would later become one of the best travel experiences I have had in a moment.
My tour started from Vancouver but I flew directly into Victoria (Vancouver Island) based on my initial plan, so I had to take the ferry (which is similar to a Ship Cruise)down to Vancouver. It was about two hours long but was totally worth it as it was a gorgeous day. I'm still mesmerised about the views, the light house and how beautifully the sun hit the horizon. These images are engraved in my memory and I'm extremely thankful.
Vancouver, Squamish & Whistler, British Columbia.
Being an avid traveller, I had planned a wholesome itinerary for my visit to Vancouver. In fact, it was more detailed this time, I nailed everything down to the restaurants I would like to wine and dine.
Day 1 - Dinner at Miku & Speakeasy Adventure.
On my arrival to Vancouver, I checked in to my hotel which was right downtown at the centre of everything and few blocks away from the restaurants I would like to visit. As you would imagine, It has been a long trip from Victoria and I will probably be hungry when I arrived at Vancouver, so the first thing I did was eat some food. I had sea food linguine at a nice outdoor restaurant while I make reservations for all the restaurant I would later dine at during my stay. The meal was nice, it was happy hours too which meant I could drink more than the usual.
By the time I was finished with my drinks, I felt a bit light headed so I went back to the hotel to take a shower and a nap before dinner.
For dinner, I had made a reservation at a Japanese restaurant called Miku, I dined at the one located in Toronto couple of months back during my visit. Miku Vancouver was really good, the food and the total dinning experience was impeccable.
After my dinner, I went to a Speakeasy called Key party. The entrance to the place was an accounting office. I have always wondered what the vibe at a Speakeasy felt like so the night finally came to try it out. It was an experience, if I existed when alcohol sale was prohibited, I would definitely be regular at a Speakeasy, I loved everything about it!
Day 2 - Trip to Squamish and Whistler.
This was an entire day trip so I needed a good night rest the day before. The tour bus to whistler collected me from the hotel at 8:00. It was an exciting trip as we got to see the beautiful landscape of British Columbia. It was also a guided tour which meant the guide shared some history about some of the places we saw on our way. Our initial stop was at Shannon falls which is absolutely stunning. Shannon falls is third tallest fall in British Columbia and 1105m tall. We had a mini hike there and took some pictures.
We then headed to Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish where we took the Gondola up the mountain for an incredible landscape view and a walk on the suspension bridge. I'm yet to decide activity scared me more, the Gondola ride or the suspension bridge given my acrophobia. I was not about to miss out on both experiences so participated while I screamed my lungs out.
We then headed to Whistler village which was full of different outdoor activities and restaurants. However, by the time we arrived, I was already tired so I had a walk around, went to a very nice bar with a live DJ where I enjoyed great music while I watched the mountain bikers. Those guys were FIT, so it was not a bad eye candy 🙂
Then it was 18:00, which meant it was time for us to head back, the drive was for another 2 hours so I slept almost Immediately I got on the coach, I have not felt that exhausted in a while. On arriving to Vancouver, as you would imagine, I was famished, I had no reservations made for any restaurant so I had to rely on the good old trip advisor for recommendations. I found this thai restaurant that had good reviews so I decided to go in even though I was not convinced about the ambience but I thought I would try it anyway. Given how sceptical I felt, I decided to order the famous "Tom Yum" my thought was if they get that wrong then it would only confirm my doubts. Lo and behold, the soup came and it was flooded with chilli flakes as opposed to fresh chillis, I politely turned it down and walked out of the restaurant to what was going to be the best pasta I have had till date. It was at a place called Italian Kitchen, I ordered the Fettuccine Alla Bolognese, such a simple dish but so rich and fresh. I have never felt so good about saying "NO" to something like I felt that night.
At the end of the meal, I made my way back to the hotel, had a shower then called It a day.
Day 3 - Stanley Park & "Taste of Vancouver" (Brunch at Joe Fortes, Dinner Black and Blue)
According to my itinerary, this day was dedicated to food and drinks. I had labelled it Taste of Vancouver, It detailed where I would have breakfast, brunch and dinner. However, I woke up late given of how eventful the previous day turned out so I could not make it in time for breakfast. Instead of waiting around for brunch time, I decided to take a walk around Stanley park which is supposed to be the greatest urban park in the world. Normal people would bike around the park but given I have no clue on how to ride a bike and refused to learn, I relied on my feet.
It was such a great way to spend the morning, the views were phenomenal and picturesque. I walked around the beachfront and basked myself in the beauty nature had to offer. I'm convinced that the west coast is insanely beautiful.
My walk ended just in time for my brunch at Joe Fortes. This place was highly recommended, It is one of those restaurants with a lot of history, reputation and has been in the city for over 30 years. Joe Fortes is also famous for their oysters happy hour which was another reason for me to dine there.
On getting to the restaurant, I asked to be sat at the bar. I usually sit at the bar when I'm alone. Being a solo traveller, It increases my chances of conversing with people. I was sat next to a this beautiful couple who were surprised that I was alone. We started chatting almost immediately and I even tried to order the same thing they were having before I decided to make a healthier choice. I ordered Seafood Pavé and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc while we wait for the happy hour.
Happy hour finally came and we all ordered oysters and had bottomless drinks, we later connected with more people at the bar and it was indeed a happy hour. It was only 17:00 so time was still on our side, we then took the party to another bar where we all had another round of drinks. Dinner time was fast approaching so I announced to my new acquaintances that I had dinner plans. To my surprise, the couple I initially met asked the the gentleman that was with us if he would like to take me to dinner. I literally wanted the ground to open up and swallow me but the alcohol made it easier for me to process it. Of course, he said Yes! This gentleman would later show me an amazing time in Victoria. Apparently, he lives in Victoria and was just in Vancouver for the weekend.
We all left the bar, the gentleman ordered an Uber, dropped me off at my hotel to get a change of outfit while he headed to his hotel to do the same. Dinner was at a steakhouse called Black and Blue, I have heard so much about the place, we both arrived at the same time for an amazing evening filled with shared experiences and laughter. I ordered the Japanese wagyu and paired it with some Cabernet Sauvignon. I could write on and on about that evening, It is indeed one for the books.
Day 4 - Snorkelling and Seal trip, Dinner at Five Sails.
My last day in Vancouver was now fast approaching. Day 4 was the day I finally test how cold the ocean in the West Coast could be which I would get to experience on the snorkelling and seal watching trip. I knew the visibility would not be so great but I wanted the opportunity to swim in cold water prior to my Scuba Diving lessons in Victoria to prepare myself for what is to come.
It was such a beautiful day in Horshoebay, where we took off from, the views were unreal. I remember just being grateful to have the opportunity of witnessing this level of beauty nature had to offer. I'm yet to find the word to describe it, the sail across different islands was more than anything I had wished for on that trip.
On arriving at the snorkelling spot, we found out that I did not have a socks with my wet suit, I was a bit paranoid given the water temperature but for some reason, It was 8 degrees that day so it was tolerable. I occasionally take cold showers around the same temperature. We got into the water, it was a bit cold but it didn't take long for my body to aclimitize to the temperature. The entire experience was beautiful and will definitely do it again if the opportunity presents itself.
On returning to the hotel, I took a nap, then got ready for the most anticipated dinner of my trip. I saved it for the last night, It was at a restaurant called Five Sails. My plan was to get there before sunset but I missed it by a couple of minutes but I still enjoyed the views and the food was equally lovely. I had a Lobster Bisque to start then some Sablefish which was made in a seafood- Japanese fusion style and paired it with a glass of Sauvignon blanc. It was a perfect meal:)
Day 5 - Lunch at Ocean 999 and time for a trip to Victoria.
It's the day I embark on my journey to Victoria. My diving classes were meant to start on this day but my instructor had moved it by a day which then gave me time to explore the city more. So I went back to the Pan Pacific which is basically the port of Vancouver where cruise ship make their stop. There was a beautiful Disney ship that docked that day, the kid in me was ready to be onboarded if there was any possibility of such happening. I later had an early lunch at Ocean 999 and enjoyed the views I had missed out on the previous night.
It was almost 14:00 so I went back to my hotel to get my luggage and headed to the ferry for my trip to Victoria.
Victoria, British Columbia
The gentleman I met from the previous night had sent me the directions so navigating my way to the ferry terminal was seamless. I made it to the ferry station just in time, I boarded and sat outside the ship deck to enjoy the amazing sail to the island. Again, it was indeed a beautiful day so the views were phenomenal. The lighthouse, different colours of the water, the islands and the great crowd on the deck.
My new acquaintance "the gentleman" had asked that I let him know when I got on the ferry, to my surprise he offered to collect me which was such a relief! On my arrival, he was there waiting, I did not even have to wait a minute, he had a clean car which was a plus in my score card. He then helped with the check in to my new hotel and later took me out for a nice dinner. I could not drink as much as I would have loved given I had to be mentally sharp for my dive the following day.
Day 5 - Whale watching and Scuba Diving.
I did not have an exhaustive itinerary as i did with the Vancouver trip given I would be spending most of my time diving. The first day dive was scheduled for late afternoon which meant I had sometime to fit in other activities. I woke up really early so I was able to get a spot for a whale watching tour. The entire activity was meant to last 4 hours which meant I would be able to return in time for my dive lessons.
I could not have chosen a better day for whale watching, it was a magically beautiful and sunny day. According to the tour guide, It is one of the best days they have had in a while.
The sail began from the Fisherman's Wharf, I had requested for a windbreaker, gloves and hat given It was cold and I would like to sit on the deck. We sailed for about 40 minutes before we started spotting the whales, the best part was we didn't just spot lone whales but they were in groups. According to the tour guide, you hardly see them In families and there must have been some event happening. It was an entire show, thinking about it now, I feel so lucky and blessed to experience it. We saw an orca which is supposedly very rare!
The guide had dropped a hydrophone in the ocean so we could hear their breathing and navigate accordingly. It worked, we were able to see the Whales closely. You could feel their movement and they were massive, now I understand what it means to be called a Whale. Actually, one thing that fascinates me about Orcas is that the pod can be recognised by their unique dialects and females are usually the leaders of the pod. Hopefully, humans can use a clue from that.
Once everyone was happy with our Whale spotting experience, we then moved on to viewing the Lighthouse and some sea lions. Oh there was a lot of them! I'm more fascinated by the Lighthouse, It's the Fisgard Lighthouse, it was the first Lighthouse to illuminate the West Coast of Canada. It served both civilians and military by providing a guiding light into the harbour. The sea lions and seals were doing their thing too but smelled horribly so I was not so interested in that part of the trip.
Overall, It was an amazing experience and the picture of the whales are ingrained in my memory forever.
Upon getting back on land, it was already 2 hours to my dive, so I went for lunch and later had some Oysters, courtesy of my new acquaintance. Once lunch was over, we walked to the worlds tallest totem pole. I later went back to my hotel, got ready for the main event of the day and the reason I'm in Victoria.
My instructor collected me from the hotel and we went ahead to the dive shop for some fittings. We then headed to our dive site for the day. Assembling my equipments was so challenging, the heavy tanks, BCD, getting into the wetsuit was indeed mechanical. I wish I could outsource that aspect of the activity. The good thing was the moment I get underwater I don't feel any weight anymore . I was a bit tensed given It's the first day but the feedback from my instructor afterwards was great so I did not do as badly as I thought.
Day 5 - Tea at the Empress and Scuba Diving.
Diving lesson today was another late afternoon dive so I made a reservation for Tea at the Empress, Fairmont. You haven't visited Victoria until you participate in this event. As an avid tea drinker, this experience was at the top of my list and I have been looking forward to it. The Empress have been serving high tea for over 110 years, apparently, they serve afternoon tea to more guests than most hotels in London. There is even a history behind the tea cups. Queen Elizabeth the first and King George had the same pattern of bone china shipped from England when they visited Victoria in 1939 for them to host their guests. While they were leaving they gifted the china to the Empress and they stowed it away safely until Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1951, the same china was used to entertain her and kept safely. It was only when the new buyer of the hotel bought it that Fairmont Empress decided to reproduce the same pattern for exclusive use of "Fairmont Empress" which I would now drink out of on this visit. So it was a cultural and historical experience along with the great selection of teas. I had the Rose Congou Emperor which was Princess Diana's favourite. The tannin was the right amount and was an excellent choice. The whole experience was beautiful and the crowd was a great one, everyone dressed for the occasion and no one ruined the tradition for the tea drinkers. Maybe we were all tea drinkers after all so we knew the dos and don'ts. Indeed, everyone had the right table manners. I was tempted to buy one of this historical china but I did not want accidentally to break it. I have it bookmarked somewhere added to my wishlist.
Once my high tea experience was over, I took a walk around the waterfront before heading over to my hotel to get ready for my dive. My Instructor collected me as usual and headed over to our dive site for the day. I felt less tensed and relaxed than i had felt the previous day. Although, putting the equipment together was still a nightmare and mechanical which I'm going to have to get used to.
By the time I returned to the hotel, I was so knackered and the only thing I could think of was my bed. Also, the following day was going to be an extremely long day so I needed to get a good night rest.
Day 6 - Scuba Diving, Famous Fish & Chips, Dinner at IL Terrazzo.
My dive class on this day was scheduled for early morning and will take almost the entire day as we had to travel to a dive site with more depth and where we can see underwater creatures. My instructor collected me at 8:00, I needed a change of suit so we had to head over to the dive shop to get that sorted and collect all our dive equipments. We travelled about 45 minutes to our dive site, on getting there there was a hill I had to trail while carrying my cylinder attached to my BCD. I gave my instructor the " I need help" look, luckily he got the clue and offered to help me which was such a huge relief. Once we got the cylinders down, we did the regular safety checks and off we went. We had not spent five minutes under water before we started seeing starfishes, jellyfishes, eels etc. It was so beautiful that any stress I initially felt disappeared. My instructor and I had some amazing find and pointed them in each other direction. Oh I forgot, I did inflate my BCD for buoyancy one time, I shot to the top and almost lost my dive buddy. He had not noticed in time so I panicked but I calmed myself then deflated my BCD back. Luckily, he saw me on my descent. Ahh what a relief! We later held hands intermittently whenever I think he was swimming far away from me.
We finished the first dive for the day and headed over to the car for some light snack where we laughed at my incident then changed our cylinders and went in for the second and third dive. It was such an enjoyable experience.
I got back to the hotel around 17.00, at this point there was not much to do but I was still a tourist in Victoria so I was not going to waste time on trivial activities. I went over for a walk at the harbour, while walking I remembered some woman I met at the high tea the previous day told me about this famous fish and chips. In her words, no one comes to Victoria and never have fish and chips, while it's not a meal I would naturally gravitate towards, I embarked on the journey to find the place. Lo and behold, I found it! The spot was right on the waterfront so I had my Halibut fillet fish in batter and chips, I have to admit, it was so good. The place was called Bob Fish. Once I finished my meal, I took a walk around then headed back to the hotel.
I had forgotten that I made dinner reservations at an Italian restaurant called IL Terrazzo and if I didn't eat there that night, I would not get the opportunity given the day after would be my last night in Victoria and I wanted to try another restaurant. So I waited till 20:00 before I headed to the restaurant. Once I was seated, the waiter brought me some garlic bread and sparkling water, I tried not to eat it and ordered the Zuppa di Pomodoro (tomato soup) for starter, then ordered FUSILLI con SUGO di MANZO which was a kind of deconstructed Lasagna. It was such a delicious meal but I could not finish it so I took it with me to have for breakfast given I had another full day of dive the following day and need I say I would need some energy to tackle the day. I slept so well that night.
Day 8 - Scuba Diving, Dinner at Nubo.
I woke up very early feeling refreshed to tackle another dive. It was my final day for diving so I wanted to give it my best, I had my dinner from the night before for breakfast. By the time I finished with my meal, It was time for my instructor to collect me. We collected our equipments and new cylinders from the dive shop and drove about 40 minutes to our new dive site for the day. We did the normal drills and safety checks and we went for it. I must mention that I had a bigger tank aka cylinder that day given I'm very generous with my air, my instructor and I have an inside joke about this.
The dive that day was amazing, all my skills were tested and passed but the dive was more enjoyable, the underwater creatures were not shy at all. We found an octopus cave too but the octopus was not in it, we saw different colour of seaweeds, never knew red seaweed existed. My instructor later mentioned that they have a set of divers collecting different seaweeds from underwater for biological research for some universities which I thought was cool.
We had spent more time underwater on that day given my massive tank so it was almost double the effort and time. Once our first dive was over, we went for our regular refreshment and chats then we changed our tanks and got back in. Again, another stellar dive! We finally got the chance to take pictures this time but I can tell you the pictures don't do justice to what we had seen underwater. Such a memorable experience.
I do intend to dive more at least once in three months, I'm also thinking of associating it with a cause, I hear there is a group of Scuba Divers that look for slavery ship wrecks and I'm thinking of contacting them soon. Scuba Diving provides me a zen that I don't usually find in my day to day life, It really calms me in a way meditation couldn't, I'm not sure maybe It's because I know there is not much I can do underwater other than being calm or maybe I just enjoy it. Whatever it is, It is working and I love it.
Once the dive was over for the day, we went back to the dive shop to clean all my gears and headed to the hotel. It was already 18:00 when I arrived at the hotel to get ready for dinner. Coincidentally, my acquaintance "the gentleman" messaged me and said he would like to take me for dinner given it was my last night on the island and I was able to complete my dive. It was the same place i planned going so it was an emphatic YES. It was actually great seeing him again, we had some Japanese omakase experience, we had Nigiri, Sashimi, Sake, some tequila shots in between and lovely cocktails. We later hopped to another bar called Boom and Batten where we continued the celebration. All I remember afterwards was us having some good laugh and the bar pleading to us to leave as It was already past their closing time. The nightlife in Victoria is not the best as people are a bit laid back which is fine. We later got a taxi to my hotel where he dropped me off and I passed out.
Day 9 - It's time to go home!
Just as the saying "all good things must come to an end". It was my last day in Victoria. I had an 11:00 flight so I had to wake up as early as possible given I hadn't packed the previous night. Thankfully, I was able to make my flight back home.
Overall, it was such an amazing and purposeful trip. There was not a day that I did not have anything to do, the people were nice and even offered to take my pictures. The only thing I did not like about Victoria was how expensive the taxis were given they don't have Uber on the island. Asides that, British Columbia will always have a special place in my heart.
Love and light 🙂
