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Published: November 4th 2010
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I started out in Victoria again. Took the bus to Langford and from there it was hitch hiking. I wanted to make it to Sproat Lake and go camping at least once while I was in Canada, I even had bought some gas for my stove so I would almost say I was prepared. Which is a big thing to say for someone who once went hiking in the mountains in jeans, doc martens, a muesli bar and no light for two days.... but that is a different story.
I just had dropped my bag on the ground in front of the petrol station at Duncan and Spencer and was
invited to get a ride to Nanaimo. Not really sure where I was going, my ride drove me around, dropped off her aunt in a trailer park and left me at a mall. I got another lift within seconds and got dropped off in the middle of a 4 lane highway. I crossed (sketchy!), walked down an exit on the road towards Tofino (or Tof City) and Uclulet (Ucee) and was stuck. It is weird experience standing alone in the middle of nowhere, knowing that bears are around, dancing
from one foot to the other so not to get cold and singing boten anna from bass hunter to keep the critters away.....Eventually a family van pulled over, I jumped in and was introduced to 3 toddlers. They drove me all the way to Cathedral Grove, where we spent an hour looking at rediculous tall trees. I love that forrest, it is dark and dense and you cannot see where these trees end in the sky. One is over 70m tall and 800 years old. Tane mahutas canadian cousin.
A short drive on and I made it to my campground. By this time it started to rain so I quickly put on my raingear and pitched my tent. I realised that indeed I "almost" was prepared because my raingear was not water proof or repellent at all. Camping! I love it. I tried to start a fire but it rained too much, at least I could use my stove and cook up some ichiban. Eventually, I decided that I was far too wet to keep hanging out outside. Spooked about the bears and coughars I took my rope all my food and cooking gear and went to find a tree,
in the dark, of course. I realised that I had no clue how to get a rope over a 4m
high branch. Four meters doesnt sound like an aweful lot until I stood there in terrential pouring rain, in the darkness, trying to throw a wet rope that high. Just throwing didnt work, so I tight a heavy knot on the end. I threw it, spun it clockwise and anticlockwise, spun it. Nothing worked.
I talked a lot to myself, very loud...sort of hoping that this would keep the animals away while I was trying to hang up the goodies. I managed to get the rope stuck between the branch and the trunk a couple of times and eventually, when I was ready to give up and toss the food bag into the secured garbage tins, I succeded.
Later I learnt that there was a rather nasty bear attack just a month earlier, when a black bear got into someones tent and started chewing on his head.... But I was fine, it rained all night, my tent nice and cosy but everything else wet.
I got up in the morning, when it stopped raining for a little while,
packed all my stuff, skipped breakfast and was on the road again....waiting....noone stopped...for hours. Rain definealty doesnt help your cause when you are trying to get a ride. People do not feel sorry for you, they just feel sorry for their seat covers. But as always, you will get a lift eventually,and mine was a GMC station wagon tank, a rental car appearantly (these are pretty much the only ones that will stop in heavyrain). I had a very good ride with a first nations fishieries minister guy who went to talk about fishing at a first nations workshop. This is why I love hitching so much, you meet people you would normally not meet. We talked a lot aboutfirst nations and maoris, settlers, the whites etc. Also, I was very happy to get a ride as I saw a black bear on the side of the street about 5 min after I got picked up. They look so cute when you sit secure in a car....
I eventually got dropped off at the co-op in Tofino. I had no idea where my hosts (friends of friends) lived.
I had a bit of a hard time to get hold of
them but eventually got picked up within 5min, we went shopping and they drove me to their place, a mansion, with central heating, a gas fake wood stove, a hottub, and the first people I ever met that said thankyou for the opportunity to host me because they found everyone in NZ so friendly. Needless to say whe had a great time. I totally am in love with Tofino. It is small, it has some very beautiful, remote beaches where hardly anyone runs around, a beautiful rain forrest, nice locals and appearantly heaps and heaps of walks. The waves break nicely on the beach and I just felt happy and comfortable the moment I arrived. And then there is the 'groovy movie store'. A DVD rental shop that also sells chocolate, various musical instruments and rents out bikes....
I went on an adeventure trip with Ryan's brother and one of his housemates, trying to find an inlet and a shipwreck. We never made it, instead driving around for hours on logging roads, turning left and right and right again, and got lost multiple times. We had a way marker somewhere (turn right at the goose) but the damn
brid moved and flew right over our heads. Eventually, I do not know how, we made it to Kennedy Lake, stopped at a car wreck and decided to turn around again, in order to make it before sunset.
We were out on the main road within 30min and even saw some deer on the reaod and a blue heron flying by. Truely a great adventure, I think getting lost is the main part 😊
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Nancy
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Photo of tofino harbor
Your picture of Tofino harbor is stunning! Did you use a special filter? It doesn't even look real......perhaps just the way the light was at the time. Thanks for sharing.