East Sooke Park

Whoops, somehow our explorations along the East Sooke Trail slipped through the cracks, buried beneath a pile of other photos. I completely forgot to write a post about this stunning trail, and I must admit, in my laziness, I was tempted not to (let sleeping dogs lie, as it were). But it would be a shame, as it really is a beautiful trail.

Neck Point Park

I've been unbelievably lazy about finishing the posts and photos from our trip to Vancouver Island. I always fool myself into believing it will be easier to write all of my posts after the fact (more time to enjoy in the moment, adventuring and such), but every time - without fail - I seem to find a way to drag these bad boys ("bad boys" meaning posts, naturally) out for months after the fact, and the more time that passes, the more of a chore it becomes to catch up.

Home

"It doesn’t matter where you are, there’s comfort in knowing you have someone else there with you.  A testament to how adaptable we really are, and to the fact that even the gloomiest of places can feel familiar if you have the right people with you."

{An excerpt from our time on the road - somewhere between Alberta and British Columbia - accompanied by a photo from Addo Elephant National Park, my beloved South Africa}

On the Road: Victoria to Nanaimo

On our tour of Vancouver Island, we drove from Victoria to Nanaimo. We managed to stretch the excursion into an all day affair, stopping to explore the bugs, and the bees, and a few trees along the way. We turned over rocks, slipped in the mud, and explored the nature hidden in different nooks and crannies. A handful of snaps, if you'd care to see:

The Colours of Victoria

Our adventure in Squamish marked one of the last days of Mom and Dad's visit to mainland Vancouver, and before we knew it, we were all bundled into the car and heading for the Island. Our first stop was Victoria, where we spent a couple of days exploring (i.e. eating our way around) downtown Victoria. We devoured fish tacos (Red Fish, Blue Fish, you delicious fiend, you) by the harbour overlooking the picturesque parliament buildings, wandered through Beacon Hill Park chasing after peacocks, took photos of the charming Fisherman's Wharf, pretended to be Royalty whilst ambling amongst the flowers in the Butchart Gardens, and of course, took to the trails in nearby Sooke (but Sooke will be another post for another day).

A few favourites from Victoria below:

 Beacon Hill peacocks, everywhere (it was awesome!)

Soaring Over Mountains in Squamish

After hunting for sea lions (not hunting sea lions) at Whytecliff and trekking around Cypress, we were lucky enough to go flying in Squamish. One of J's friends, Mr. Cameron Ross, is a pilot at the Squamish Airport, who kindly agreed to take us soaring over the mountains. Dad is currently in the process of obtaining his private pilot's license in Ontario (not so many mountains), so it was extra special for him to be able to fly over the mountains here.

Anyways, before flying, we spent the morning in Squamish (the rock climbing/bouldering capital) where we started the day off right at the ever delicious Fergie's, a local hotspot. With full bellies and big smiles, we headed over to Shannon Falls, where we ogled the falls, before moving on to Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, just down the road, to check out the boulder field.

Down by the river at Fergie's

Exploring Mount Cypress

One of my favourite stops on our tour around Vancouver with Mom and Dad was Mount Cypress; it was so mystical and beautiful. After exploring Whytecliff, we decided to stop and see Cypress ('cause we were in the neighbourhood and all) and although we didn't tackle any crazy hikes, we did find a nice trail which took us on a loop around the mountain.

Searching for Sea Lions

When Mom and Dad came to visit a few weeks back, one of the first parks we went to visit was Whytecliff park. It was on J and I’s list to explore because of the promise of sea lions in abundance.

Lynn Peak

Yesterday, we decided to tackle Lynn Peak for the second time. Although we're still new to Vancouver (aside: after what time period can you no longer use the excuse that you're new to a place?), we like to bring visiting friends and family to Lynn Valley, it's a scenic escape that's not too far from the city, but far enough so as to allow you to wander around the old growth trees, ogle the giant cedars, and fill your nose with that fresh forest (cedar) smell that you can't find elsewhere (I can't get enough of that smell).

Stanley Snaps

I've abandoned the blog (...yet again, eye roll), but I had a good excuse because Mom and Dad came to visit and we got lost in exploring Vancouver and Vancouver Island. A real post to come soon, but in the meantime, a few snaps from Stanley Park a couple of weeks back. (We were also lucky enough to see two bald eagles at the park, I'm hoping the video footage will be good enough to wrangle a small video out of).

 Siwash Rock

Bunnies of Jericho Beach

The other day, we went in search of Jericho Beach, having heard a lot about it, and seen little (none) of it.

We meandered along the pathways in the park, stopping (me) every five steps to take photos of the abundance of wildflowers; I so badly wanted to steal a bouquet to bring home, they were so beautiful and colourful.

Adventure Road

Death Road, Bolivia - a photo I stole from J's travels in South America

The Beach...& then some

Yesterday, things got a bit overwhelming for me, and so after a few hours of work, we escaped to Wreck Beach for an evening walk. And then a funny thing happened.

Thoughts: Being Still

Mom; a moment of stillness

I’ve always been restless. My sister will attest to endless summers of: “come along with me to go and do something”, “it’s such a beautiful day, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”. 

An Evening in the Park

It never ceases to amaze me what a difference a few hours outside can do for the mind; an evening in Queen Elizabeth Park, where we ate a snack picnic, watched the bees, and took time to be silly. It was a welcome escape.

Thoughts: Inspiration

We stumbled upon this awesome video of Neil Unger the other evening. As cliché as it sounds, I found it such a great reminder that it's never too late to pursue your interests and passions, and that your mindset is the true determinant of 'age'. I hope I'm as adventurous in my 60s, 70s, and onwards, and that the desire to chase that which makes me feel alive, only grows stronger.

The Beach Life of Khao Lak

Disclaimer: this particular post is alarmingly photo heavy - be forewarned!

I've abandoned the blog the last little while as our days have fallen into a blissfully lazy pattern in a sunny, beachside town. After returning from Similan, we were given a ride to nearby Khao Lak, a beach town about 10km from the pier in Tablamu. 

Khao Lak is small, but bustling with life. There are several resorts here, and like us, many others have found a haven in this vibrant little beach town. The locals are so incredibly welcoming and the overall laid back vibe makes the hoards of tourists feel far less suffocating. 

When we first got to Khao Lak - dropped off at the centre of town on the side of the road - we spent a good 30 minutes walking up and down the street looking for a room to stay. The only hostel in town was fully booked...as was the inn...and the hotel. Little did we know at the time- sweaty, weary, and weighed down by our packs - that this would be to our absolute advantage; a few steps up the road we found an absolutely lovely, family run inn (To Zleep) that quickly became home to us.

We booked one night, unsure where next in Thailand our adventures would take us, and three days later, we have yet to leave after having been made to feel a part of the family, with a Mom who speaks some Mandarin and a Nanna who sneaks us Thai treats during breakfast (my kind of people!). If our future adventures should find us back in Khao Lak one day, we'll most definitely stay with our Zleep family again.

Anyways, having found a place to stay, we spent the subsequent days exploring the area by motorbike (well, scooter bike, but motorbike sounds so much cooler), arriving home each evening encrusted with sea salt, sweat, and sand, and sticky from gorging ourselves on fresh fruit, but thoroughly content.

On our first morning in Khao Lak, we rented our little scooter bike from the rental shop next door, which proved an invaluable investment. At 300 Baht ($12) a day, our bike was easily affordable and a great way to get around without relying on taxis. 

Similan Day 2

A few snaps from our last morning on the Similan Islands. We were scheduled to hitch a ride back to the mainland with the same tour boat that had dropped us off the previous day. After checking out in the morning, we had a few hours to kill before the boat arrived and decided on one last dip in the sea. On our way to the beach, we stumbled past a small unassuming sign for a lookout point. Of course we followed the path into the trees, where it soon became evident that the ever-steepening pathway was indeed more of a climb/hike than a gentle meander. Luckily for us - clad in sandals and beach ware - the hike, although steep, was fairly short, and the view was well worth it.  A few photos below, if you'd like to see.

 We don't always go hiking, but when we do, we make sure to bring our snorkels.

From Bangkok to the Similan

What a crazy 24h! We started off in Bangkok and ended up where we are right now, sleeping in a Bungalow on one of the Similan Islands in the south of Thailand. But, I'll start from the beginning...

Yesterday, our second day in Bangkok and feeling well enough to stay at a hostel [instead of hotel], we caught a tuk tuk (a motorbike-rickshaw-taxi hybrid that seems to be equally popular amongst locals and tourists, alike) and booked a room at a nice looking hostel. 

Bangkok

Bangkok! Day 2 in Bangkok and what a hectic few days its been. After arriving in Bangkok late yesterday afternoon, we checked into our hotel, showered our exhausted bodies, and promptly fell asleep for the next 15 or so hours. Our travels and a nasty stomach virus finally caught up with us in Hong Kong [our landing point before Thailand] and needless to say, it was a long night, marked by the ejection of projectile bodily fluids, and no sleep - welcome to the less glamorous side of traveling. Neither of us has ever been this sick while traveling, but luckily, the worst was over within the first 24h, and while we're not quite 100%, we were able to make it to Thailand in one piece.

Houses on stilts - the view from our hotel room, which made for a really cool contrast

Shenzhen & HK

I didn't have a real post written up about our travels from Guangzhou to Shenzhen and HK, but wanted to include a few photos we took along the way.

En route to Shenzhen

We stopped at an ancient village on the way to Shenzhen and stopped to take a look around

Guangzhou Part III

The rest of our days in Gunagzhou have been lazy and fruit-filled! Strolling around the community, admiring the beautiful (gigantic) houses, peeking through gates to see the size of the Koi fish in neighbours' ponds, kicking the soccer ball around, counting the many different fruit trees (so far: mango, starfruit, papaya, Mandarin), knocking down mangoes in our own backyard, and of course gorging ourselves on tropical fruit (perfection). 

Celebrations in the South

We've spent the past week or so in Guangzhou (Southern China) with J's family and Laolao (grandma) to ring in the Chinese New Year.

New Years dinner

Ni Hao (Hello) from Guangzhou

Last night we landed in Guangzhou (Southern China) to ring in the Chinese New Year and soak up the warmer weather (and if you're me, stuff your face with as much fresh fruit as humanly possible). Today is our first day here-updates on adventures to come soon!

Image sourced from here

Central China

We spent last week in Wuhan (central China), visiting J's grandparents and family.

It was a lovely few days staying with Yeye (grandpa) and Nainai (grandma) and consisted of lots of thumbs-up and sign language, as well as a few nights out on the town with J's cousin Tom. 

We walked along the Yangtze River, released lanterns into the night sky, and tried out the pubs in Wuhan (surprisingly many, but we only tried two).  Of course - most importantly? - we also got to experience the local food. A lot of the local food! 

Lanterns and the night skyline along the Yangtze River

Inside the Courtyard

Day 4 of Beijing was a nice contrast to our previously busy days. We were invited to have lunch with some family friends who own a typical Beijing courtyard house.

From the street, the house is completely hidden save for a large, brightly painted door that opens into a passageway and into the courtyard.

The setup of courtyard houses are interesting, with several detached rooms (a kitchen room, dining room, lounge room, etc.) each separate and bordering the courtyard. It was really interesting to see, so different from many of the types of buildings and houses I'm used to.

Front door (from the inside, not street side) of the courtyard house

The Great Wall

We conquered the Great Wall! Well a small part of it (but details, details).

We woke up early(ish) and headed for the subway, which would take us to a bus, which in turn would take us to... the Great Wall, about an hour from the city. Foolproof! After making a quick detour for breakfast, we were soon on the subway and bound for the bus station.

We managed to figure out where the bus station was (on the other side of a very busy overpass) and sprinted (literally, sprinted) between breaks in the traffic in order to make it across the road in one piece (I've seen people sprint across the pedestrian walk on a green pedestrian light just to make it across the road). We arrived just in time to find out that the last bus had already departed and there weren't enough people leftover to fill another bus. Uh oh. Fortunately, all was not lost and we were able to organize a ride to the wall. 

We ended up going to a part of the Great Wall that's less well-known/touristy (albeit a bit steeper). It was pretty surreal to be driving along the highway with the Great Wall snaking up and around the mountains in the distance ahead.

When we arrived, we bundled up, bought our tickets, and set off. We climbed from the entrance (Beacon 8) to the very top (Beacon 13) of that section of the wall. Despite missing the bus, the day turned out perfectly; the sky was clear and sunny, it wasn't too cold (except at the top, where the wind cut like a knife), and there were only a handful of other people around (fewer and fewer, the higher we went). By the time we reached the 13th beacon, we had the place to ourselves, sitting on top of the Great Wall, peering out over the mountains, and taking it all in.

We took our fair share of photos and began the descent back down (maybe grumbling about the number of stairs). By the time we got back on the subway for the long ride home, we were tired, but happy, reminiscing about the day's adventure.

Forbidden City, Beijing

Yesterday we hung out at the Emperor's palace (AKA The Forbidden City by Tiananmen Square).

Bright eyed, we excitedly made our way over to Tiananmen, where we were stopped in our tracks at the sight of the security line (security in and around Tiananmen is insane!) just to get into the Square. Sandwiched amongst the hoards of other eager tourists, we debated whether to grab breakfast and come back, but by that point, we were already halfway to the security checkpoint and decided to sit tight.

The front half of the security line, from our viewpoint.  You get herded between the railings and once you're in, there's no getting out from there.

Hello Asia; Hello Shanghai

Note: sporadic internet access (and laziness) prevented me from posting these in real time, but maybe we can just pretend they were posted throughout the trip and not six weeks after the fact. Apologies in advance as most of these will be very photo heavy posts; much of the photo credit belongs to J.

你好 (Hello).  We're in China! We booked last minute tickets and a week later, we were Shanghai-bound to spend Chinese New Years with J's family. So far, we've spent our first few days in Shanghai recovering from jet lag (16-hour time difference) and eating our weight in delicious food (lucky for us, and unluckily for our respective BMIs, J's uncle is a chef).

A Temple in downtown Shanghai (old world meets new world), which we visited during one of our first days in Shanghai

Seattle, Olympic National Park, & Life Lately

It's been a good long while since I last updated the blog; we've gotten swept up with jobs and work, Christmas preparations, friends visiting, and exploring around Van.  But, with Christmas break and a week off from work, we decided to explore a little further afield and get away for a few days: hello Washington! (Seattle and Olympic National Park, to be exact).

In typical fashion, we decided and "planned" (I use the term loosely) our trip to Seattle at the last minute, chucking a few things in a backpack, and heading for the US-border.

We arrived in Seattle in the early afternoon and spent the remainder of the day playing tourists (examining our map at every street corner and trying not to look like tourists) and exploring downtown Seattle on foot:

• We ate local grub. 
• We stocked up on Chinese looseleaf tea (flowering tea, anyone?!).  
• We got lost in the crowds at Pike Place Market, an interesting combination of genuine art and cheap trinkets
• We watched the sun set over the harbour, and
• We went to see both the Olympic Sculpture Park (where we promptly got kicked out for sneaking in after-hours) and the iconic space needle, of course