Road Trip Vancouver Island start:

Monday: Road Trip start!!! I am excited. I think we will have two amazing weeks ahead us. We started around 10am. We went for a walk at the waterfront. Around 11am we arrived at Fisherman´s Wharf, a really little and cute place in Victoria. We met with Kerstin and looked a bit around and waited for the opening of the shops and restaurants. Mario and I, we wanted mussels. I do love them. So we had to wait 30 minutes and finally I could enjoy fresh mussels. After this we went to different beaches, went swimming and visited the Beacon Hill park, a really great and nice park. Even in april u already can see so many different flowers. We continued to Government House and after this tot he Craigdarroch Castle. Two places, where I was glad to see them, but I definiltey didn´t have to see them. So, not a MUST-SEE! But… while we were at the Government House, we took part in a film. Actually we didn´t take part, but we saw how they were producing a film from a bit further away. Some romance… Anways. In the evening we had supper at an Irsih Pub in Downtown Victoria. I had Bangers&Mash, really delicous.

Tuesday: Because we´ve ssen almost everything in Victoria on Monday, we decided to drive a bit out oft own to go for some hikes. We did two Hikes on this day, one was moderat, the other one difficult. Both hikes were really great. We started around 10am, picked Kerstin up and drove to the Goldstream Provincial Park. The first hike was a 4km long hike with an elevation of 250m. The two cool things about it were the waterfall in the beginning and the railway at the end, it was an old wooden bridge, where in the past trains passed it. Unfortnunaley we weren´t able and allowed to walk or even cross the bridge anymore, because of the fact that a 16 years old boy commited suicide in januar, terrible… Jumped of the bridge. So they put a fence around it. But u can easily walk around the fence, I guess the fence is more like: „Don´t cross here, this is a warning“. But because someone was working on the fence we didn´t cross, we decided to come back Wednesday morning. After this really great hike, we went on to a much more tougher one. Then FInlayson Mount, close tot he Goldstream Trestle Hike. 6km, 450 elevation. The difficult part about it was, that it was very steep and also u had to climb a lot. Anyway it was exhausting, but we all made it, even Kerstin, who said in the beginning: „I am not gonna make it“. Good job!!! Beautiful views from the top. After this we hiked down, also really tough, especially for my mind. Always pay attention, that u put ur foot in the right spot. We cooked in the evening and went to bed early.

Wednesday: Next destination: Sooke, about 45km away from Victoria. But first, we drove again to the Hike from yesterday. We went up and were lucky that noone was working on the fence, so we could easily cross the bridge. These pictures were taken here. Then we continued our drive to Sooke, stoped closely before the city and had lunch. From there we went tot he Potholes Provincal Park and went for another hike with a nice waterfal and a glacier lake at the end. After 4km hike to the Lake we enjoyed the swim in the lake. Wild nature, completely quiet, noone around us. I do enjoy this, especially after the time in Vancouver, wehre u have people everywhere around u. Anways, after this 8km hike with 240 elevation, we went to our AirBnB, which was directly close to the Park. In the evening we drove to Sooke and had dinner at a mexican restaurant, really great. Our waitress was a really nice 60 years old woman from columbia, we had a nice chat with here. Thanks for having us.

Thursday: We started this day a bit more relaxed. Left the AirBnB around 11am. Then we enjoyed our whole way from Sooke to Port Renfrew. A coast street where u got incredible views of the ocean. Mostly, because of the good weather, we were also able to see some parts of the USA. Really great. A nice drive, where we stopped several times to see the Surfers down at the beaches. We arrived in Port Renfrew around 1:20pm. We had lunch and walked a bit in the little city. But tbh there wasn´t a lot to see, so we kept moving on. Our destination was Lake Cowichan. We arrived there late afternoon, I went for a run and Mario ordered some food, what we picked up together later. Nice evening… Mario and I had a great chat with some beer😊

Friday: A really nice day. Today we started really early, because we headed out for two hikes. One of them, was close to Lake Cowichan. It is a 10km Hike with an approx elevation of 450m. „Bald Mountain“. So pretty tough. The weather wasn´t that good, but at least we didn´t have any rain. We were the only people, except of three womans, who hiked the trail. They were around 60 years old and in really good shape. We hiked some parts together and had a really nice chat about the West Coast Trail, Germany, the „Damali“ Lavendar Farm and about Van Island. Nice meeting u! In the end the 450m elevation and the 10km were worth it. We had a spectacular view from the top oft he mountain. I called my parents to share thsi incredible view over the Lake, the mountains. Really great.

After this, we moved on to Duncan, a 30min drive. We had lunch at a chinese restaurant. Was pretty good. Afterward we moved on into the direction of Nanaimo. Half way we started the second hike of the day. The „Banon Creek Falls Trail“ was so far the less exciting and coolest hike. We hiked around 11km for almost nothing. Well, I have to admit we saw a really great waterfall at the end, but that was that. Nothing else on our way. At some places it was really steep and especially the last part was really tough. Anyway, I don´t regret it. Nice hike too.

After this one we headed to our AirBnB in Nanaimo. The day was really exhausting and we were really happy when we arrived at our BnB, until we saw the building and especially our room. Unbelievable!!! Everything was dirty, the floor was sticky, the dishes weren´t clean at all and the whole room smelled of smoke. Disgusting, just disgusting… So we I went down to the reception and complained. The women admit that this is not acceptable, after she saw it and offered us a „fresh renovated room, where noone has slept before“. When we entered the room, weh ad the same problem. I really think, she lied and just said it with the expectation that we woulnd´t complain anymore. While discussing with her about a refund, a discount or anything else, Mario was looking for some other places for the two nights. We called a Hotel in Nanaimo and luckily we could get a room for two nights. So we decided to leave the BnB directly and moved to our Hotel. I could make a deal with the woman and she agreed to our proposal to get the whole refund. When we arrived I was just happy to sleep in a clean, non-smoking and nice room. Now I had to deal with the whole refund. Annoying! Anyways… Let´s talk about the good things.

Saturday: The good weather, which weh ad the last couple of days, ended… Unfortunately. Until 3pm we dealt with a lot of organisation. Refund, planning the next couple days and stuff like that. After this we met with Luca, happy to see her again. Luca bought a car and is currently travelling on Van Island until she moves to Ontario. She is gonna work there on the same farm like I did. We ate our first Nanaimo Bar, too overhyped, but really great and I did like it a lot. Walked a bit around and enyojed the bad weather. TBH Nanaimo doesn´t have a lot to offer. I mean, a city with almost more than 90.000 people living in it, could offer more than just the things we saw. But definitley nice for a day trip (when the weather is good). In the evening Mario and I cooked Sirloin Steak with asparagus and potatoes and for 9:00pm we booked a spot fort he swimming pool. Really nice to relaxe in hot water, especially because the last weeks, we only went swimming in the cold ocean, the lakes or some rivers. Always really cold, but we just enjoy it and wanna go for a swim in every lake, which we pass. Already got 7😊

Sunday: We had breakfast in our Hotel (was included) and then we met with Luca again. We went for two small hikes on this day. Why? Two reasons: 1. I have a blister on each foot and it really hurts when I go for a hike and 2. The weather was so shitty. The first hike was about 1,2km long and we saw a really great waterfall and further some nice trails. After this we went for a 5km hike with an elevation of 130m. SO nothing… We walked on railways, jumped into the lake while it was raining and enjoyed the trail. Meantime, I really enjoy to go for a swim in the lakes. Further it was also cool, that Luca joined us. Hope we will see us soon again. If not, we will go for a hike in the „Dammer Berge“😉. We went seperated ways. She went back to Nanaimo and will go to Vancouver soon. Mario and I went on to Port Alberni and we sleep at Bills and Millys place. Two 70 years old folks, who are retired and just enjoy the country live. They made a really nice supper for us and tomorrow morning they will prepare a breakfast. Mario and I really enjoy our time here and we get along really great. I am happy to call myself his travel buddy. If you wanna know something about him, check him out on instagram: @marioschrenk (safe, ohhh man ey @mario)