Blogs from Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, North America - page 13

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Mutti und Vaddi (Tascha und Ben) wollen spontan noch die abenteuerliche whalewatching-tour mitnehmen. Sie sind frueh auf. Heute ist mal wieder check-out time. Sarah, sophie und tessa machen sich ein lecker ausgedehntes fruehstueck mit eiern, tomaten und toast. Ben und tascha kehren zurueck, ohne auch nur einen wahl gesichtet zu haben. Heute morgen haben die boote nicht abgelegt. Stattdessen haben sie eine robbe und die weimers gesichtet. Wir verlassen das HIV (Hostel International Victoria) und nehmen den Bus zur Schwartz Bay. Unsere faehre geht um fuenf uhr und wir stehen schon an deck und winken den weimers zu, die mit ihrem van die faehre boarden. Auch anka nimmt die gleiche faehre und schon bald sind wir eine grosse deutsche laermende clique. Wir lassen uns von den weimers empfehlungen fuer die Rockies geben und schwatzen ihnen mueckenspray ... read more


Der heutige tag steht unter dem zeichen der weiteren reiseplanung. Nach dem fruehstueck wird im plenum die grobe reiseroute fuer die rockies festgelegt. Das leidige dauerthema ‚auto mieten’ wir auch endlich abgehakt. Am Montag dem 10. koennen wir ein ‚full-size’ auto bei alamo in vancouver abholen. Erleichterung. Heute regnet es und auf den sofas ist es fast zu gemuetlich um rauszugehen. Irgendwann schaffen wir es trotzdem uns zu erheben und zu dem second hand laden „Value Village“ zu gehen, in dem wir schon mal waren. Dann wird eingekauft, da wir unsere reibekuchenkuenste ins unendliche steigern wollen. Im lebensmittelladen werden wir von einem deutschen madchen, namens anka, angesprochen. Sie ist seit dem morgen in Victoria und weiss nicht, was sie machen soll. Wir nehemen sie mit ins hostel und sie wird mit reibekuchen gefuettert. Bei dem blick ... read more


Andras gets only one week of vacation a year (one!) but with a brand new passport in his hand, and an underused one in mine, a trip outside the border was imperative - so hello Canada! For the longest time American citizens didn't need a passport to cross back-and-forth over the 49th parallel and the city of Vancouver is similar to Seattle in so many ways that in order to feel like we were actually "going someplace else" we ferried across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the decidedly more European feeling city of Victoria, on Vancouver Island, and spent our time there rather than on the mainland. As the legislative seat, the atmosphere of Victoria certainly puts the 'British' in British Columbia, at least as far as two Yanks are concerned, and if one ... read more
Legislative Building
Mist on the Lake
Legislative Building at Sunset


Finally here and able to enjoy a full day of enjoying the Island and discovering its points of interest and the neighborhoods throughout the different cities. This is a large island with lots to see, from Victoria to Sydney and everything in between. This is a beautiful green country with a people who seem pleased with themselves and you know you got to admit, I would be pleased also. Other then the high cost of everything, it was still worth every penny paid.... read more
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D -1 I am stepping onto a plan to Sudan on Saturday, which begins my 6 month United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) tour with the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). It is my goal to share a comprehensive blog on my time spent there. But before I can do that I feel I must provide some background on the mission. And the best way to do that is to forward those interested to the mission website: http://unmis.unmissions.org/ Meanwhile I suppose I should start packing... ... read more


Here it is less than 30 days before I leave. Lots has happened yet still many more things to do before I go. Got my visa for India after three attempts. Now it is time to get some new clothes and figure out the packing thing. Bought a new camera, digital, so have been playing with that to learn its various features. That's it for now.... read more

North America » Canada » British Columbia » Vancouver Island » Victoria February 12th 2010

Day 6 - Tues Feb 9th An early start this morning at 6am - urgh, wasn't this travelling lark supposed to be relaxed! A variety of transport modes - a sky train, a bus, a ferry, a long walk with our backpacks and finally a hire car and we arrived in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Jake had to get used to driving an automatic car on the wrong side of the road. We are used to this from Germany, but here, in an American car you obviously have to sit on the other side of the car, which was weird. Also, one observation with the roads here is that when you come to traffic lights and want to turn right, you can do so if there are no cars coming even if the lights are red!! ... read more
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Aaron's little brother Kyle has been staying with us since the beginning of December. It has been great having him here; we'd come home from work and there he'd be like a piece of familiar furniture waiting for us. Alas it was his last weekend with us so we decided to take him away to Victoria for the weekend. Last time we went with Lach it was a fly-through visit, and we barely had any time to do anything. This time we decided to go for 2 nights and relax a bit more. We took in the Museum of British Columbia, ate out at our favorite spots and even joined in on the very tacky Ghost Walk tour. ... read more
parliament house lit up at night
beacon hill park
lake at beacon hill park

North America » Canada » British Columbia » Vancouver Island » Victoria November 30th 2009

Woke up at 8am for breakfast at the Blue Fox with Matt and Nina. Alan took us to the 1:00 ferry to vancouver where we took a bus downtown. Following a series of buses and sky trains we eventually met up with our friends (Nick, Stefan, Heather, Matt, and Sharlene) for dinner. After a nice cook it yourself dinner at Sukiyaki, Aunt Wendy picked us up and brought us to Grandpa's house to sleep.... read more

North America » Canada » British Columbia » Vancouver Island » Victoria November 29th 2009

Matt and I left Port Alberni to begin our Central American trip. Both our mothers giving us words of wisdom as we left. One particular statement being We love you dearly, you are our favorite 2 sons. We decided to book tickets with Air Mexicana, the cheapest flight possible. If you read their reviews, you would know what we were getting into. Andrew drove us to Victoria where we visited friends for the day. Nina, Stu, Bonnie and I went out to dinner while Matt graced his grandparents with his presence. After, we all went to Swans for drinks which Alan paid for without us knowing at the time. Good start to our trip. ... read more




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