Days 54-56: Victoria

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After an action packed weekend in Tofino, it was nice to settle down in Victoria for a few days. Jared and Steph were nice enough to host me for a few days. They showed me around town and we had some fantastic meals and epic nights out. I was in awe as to how beautiful Victoria was, with the harbour, architecture, and natural surroundings. I made the most of my time there: partaking in a killer whale sight seeing tour, going on a hike with Jared, and visiting the Robert Bateman Centre Gallery. The whale tour was amazing, we got very lucky. The wildlife we saw was completely different than my tour in Tadoussac, QC. We saw several different pods of killer whales, including resident and transient groups. We were very fortunate to see a momma whale with her new born calf, only a few weeks old. The hike I went on with Jared was quite memorable, as we went deep into the forest and walked over abandoned train track bridges suspended over a hundred feet in the air. It has been confirmed that I am definitely afraid of heights; Jared not so much. The Robert Bateman Centre Gallery was spectacular; his works in realist nature paintings are like nothing I have ever seen. He is an avid advocate for environmental and wildlife protection. After a few days resting in Victoria, I realized how tired, though content, I was and decided it was time to start making my way home. It would take me almost 2 weeks to make the drive back, though with some strategic stops on the way back. I decided to take a different route on the way back, passing through Jasper, Drumheller, and Saskatoon, to keep things fresh.

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