I have been looking forward to reaching Canada for such a long time, taking the train through the landscape from coast to coast, it came as a bit of a surprise to get here.

Initial struggles with jet lag and time difference, things I haven’t had to deal with so far (and a particularly bored/grumpy security guard at the airport) didn’t get me off to the greatest of starts in Vancouver. My first day lasted for 41 hours! I cannot make sense of the crossing of the international dateline still and it hurt my head for quite a while. After a 14 hour flight and a connection from Brisbane to Sydney, getting up at 3am and arriving in Vancouver 3 hours before I left Sydney was a bit too much to deal with. I was very grumpy. Then I got shouted at by a tram driver as I could not get out of the door! Everyone is meant to be friendly in Canada aren’t they?

Vancouver Waterfront, Louise Kenward 2014

Springtime in Vancouver, Louise Kenward 2014

So I had a few days in Vancouver, finding Stanley Park and that Spring is in full bloom helped, as did discovering how long the day is here. It is still daylight until after half past eight at night so shops and cafes stay open. This was brilliant.

Downtown Vancouver, Louise Kenward 2014

Time on Vancouver Island also helped me adjust and recuperate. Taking the ferry across from Horseshoe Bay and the bus from Nanaimo to Tofino is one of the prettiest journeys I’ve taken. Across the water, through islands and a mountain drive through rainforest, mountains and lakes, streams like the ones you see on salmon adverts…they really look like that!

Tofino beach, Vancouver Island, Canada (Louise Kenward, 2014)

Arriving in Tofino the sun was shining. Day two and I got sunburned. I’ve been in Australia for 3 months, South East Asia and Indonesia several months before that and it’s in Canada that I get sun burned. No one can quite believe the weather though, which makes me feel a little less stupid. I spent the day on a boat, bear watching and looking for whales. The beautiful black bears were much more obliging than the grey whales we followed for three hours. It was a chance to see the fabulous coastline, however, of Vancouver Island’s west coast, which is stunning. I also now have to return to Tofino to cash in my free ticket for a whale watch, issued as recompense for missing them this time. This will be no hardship.

Bear watching, Vancouver Island (Louise Kenward, 2014)

Black bear eating breakfast, Vancouver Island (Louise Kenward, 2014)

Tofino, Vancouver Island (Louise Kenward, 2014)

Vancouver Island, Louise Kenward, 2014

I have a feeling I’m going to like Canada…

Tofino sunset, Louise Kenward 2014