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New boots - check
New shorter length jeans - check
Waterproof jacket - check
Umbrella - check
Scarf - check

That is the new mental preparation list that I now go through each time I step out the door! I always knew that there would be a lot of rain in Vancouver however the relentlessness of the rain over the last few days has started to drive me a little crazy and I now realise that I need a little bit of sunshine in my life each day!!

On Sunday I had an adventure as I made my way from Vancouver to Victoria (on Vancouver Island). For a start, the rain had really started to come down hard and so with my backpacks tightly fastened to me I made my way via the Canada Line to Bridgeport for a bus transfer to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. The buses run every 40 - 60 mins and so I was absolutely thrilled to see my bus pulling out just as I was getting off the train! Never mind, being able to spend 47mins in the wet and windy bus stop is a great way to feel alive. The bus takes about 45mins to get to Tsawwassen ferry terminal and on my way we passed a number of pumpkin patches - they were all full of bring orange pumpkins, all ready to be harvested for Halloween!

The ferry trip from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay is about 1hr 35mins and I was lucky that the rain stopped falling for most of the trip which meant we had great visability of some amazing scenery. The ferry passed by a number of islands, some had houses built right on the waters edge just like something you would see in the movies. Arriving in Swartz Bay I then had to board another bus for a further 45min trip to the center of Victoria.

Waking up this morning, I decided to head out early to get some breakfast and explore Victoria. I almost did a little happy dance as I walked out the front door of the hostel to find the sky bright blue and the sun shining brilliantly...it almost felt like Christmas had come early I was so excited by the gift Mother Nature had given me!! I spent today:

 • Walking down around the harbour, completing a self-guided tour of British Columbia's

Victoria's Inner Harbour on a beautiful sunny morning
Parliament House where being the Royalist that I am took my picture with the Queen and Prince Philip (unfortunately Michelle the guided tour was running later in the day - you know how much I absorb the information during these tours)
 • Coming across my first Sequoia tree (Anna C - I've included some photos for you, unfortunately no hugging photos at this point as it's a little hard on your own!!)
 • Checking out what is claimed to be the largest totem pole in the Northern Hemisphere in Beacon Hill Park
 • Wandering the grounds of St Anns Academy
 • Exploring Chinatown and having a great lunch with consisted of vegetables, vegetables and even more vegetables - yummo!

Tomorrow I am off to Nanaimo for a night before heading back to Vancouver where, on Thursday, I will join a four night bus trip to see Banff and Jasper - I can't wait!!!!

For those of you who are reading this blog from your workplace happy Tuesday work morning, I'm thinking of you all!!

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