What a difference a year makes.
At this time a year ago, I had just finished shaking off the cobwebs and the jetlag from Atlantic Adventures – an unforgettable trip through three provinces in 10 days that brought incredible scenery and countless memories.
Now I'm back in more familiar territory: the west coast of B.C. for a 10-day, early July sojourn. Summer holidays in southwest B.C. are a lot of fun, and it will be the first time I've been in the Lower Mainland for an extended period of time in the summer in four years.
As you read this, I should be on Vancouver Island. It's actually my first time on the island since I moved to Estevan in 2000. So, this is long overdue. There's been a ferry ride. (I'm not sure if it was one of those "fast ferries" that were all the rage in B.C. in the late 1990s, and eventually became a source of rage when they proved to be not-so-fast and not-so-affordable).
Obviously, a community like Victoria or Nanaimo will have gone through a lot of changes since my last visit. And my interests will have changed a lot, too. The museums and the history that wouldn't have intrigued me as a teenager are now something I enjoy. The businesses that were there 25 years ago that I didn't pay attention to might be ones to visit now, even if my time in the city is limited. Restaurants I'd visit now are those that I might have walked past without a second thought in the mid-1990s.
I'll be looking for that cool independent eatery to enjoy a great meal, some local craft beer and an experience I can't get elsewhere.
Vancouver Island is a lot more than just the bigger cities. There are a lot of really cool small towns and small cities on the island, with their unique businesses and attractions.
And, of course, there's the scenery. The proximity of the ocean. The mountains and the hills. The scenic drives.
Back in 1991, my family spent much of our summer holiday on the island. I was the impatient kid who couldn't wait to get to the next destination. Why would it take two days to get from Nanaimo to Port Hardy on the northern tip of the island when it's 387 kilometres? Why all the stops?
I didn't ask "are we they yet"? I was 12. I could tell we weren't there yet. No giant sign that said "Welcome to Port Hardy". But the pace drove my ADHD mind crazy.
Now I wish I could have those days back. Enjoy the drives. Enjoy the scenery. Recognize that I might only get one chance to see what I'm seeing. Granted, when I was last on the island in 1998, I didn't think it would take 25 years to get back, or more than 30 years to see the areas north of Nanaimo.
I'd have put the map away and enjoyed the views.
And when on the ferry, I should have enjoyed staring at the ocean and how you can see for many miles. But I usually enjoyed the views of the screen at a video arcade.
We won't make it to the entire island during our time here. As much as I'd like to see Tofino and Ucluelet, there's only so much time that we have. Some other trip.
And as you're travelling along, you're always thinking "geez, next time I'm here, I want to stop and see that attraction" or "I have to have a meal in that restaurant."
Vancouver Island is another example of what I've said before: there's so much to see and do in this country. Living in the second-largest country in the world, you're bound to see some magnificent scenery. Oceans, mountains, glaciers, dense forests, there's so much to enjoy. Or you can savour Saskatchewan's plains, rolling hills, sunrises and sunsets that seem to last forever.
Hopefully, this won't be the last time I'm on Vancouver Island for the next 23 years; it's been too long to wait and there is just too much to see or view or enjoy.
But the common denominator of every holiday is they're too short and they pass too quickly, and before I know it, it will be time to get back to work.
