Month: June 2020

DO Go Chasing Waterfalls

On By Widow BadassIn Good Times, Move to Vancouver Island, See the Beauty, The Great Outdoors59 Comments

I am fed up to the gills with all things moving. Packing for a move, unpacking from a move, organizing new space, buying things for the new place, building furniture and storage solutions for the new place etc., etc. I still have a lot to do, but they are mostly little jobs (curtains, art etc.). All the big stuff is done and I am down to the little tweaks that will make my place more liveable. Hoorah!

And coincidental to my fed-up mood, the weather is fabulous. So you know what that means, right?

Time to explore my new neighbourhood!!! Specifically, the out of doors.

Yesterday I took the afternoon off to stroll down to the Departure Bay Beach area (check out my Instagram for those photos), and today was spent in search of a trail I could walk to.

One of the residents in my apartment complex tantalized me last week with a tale of going for a walk through the neighbourhood and ending up on a trail which included a waterfall! And today, I made it my mission to find out what she was talking about.

I had looked up local trails on my AllTrails app, and the Beach Estates Trail seemed to fit the description she had given me. It said I could access it from Departure Bay Road but I wanted to walk through my neighbourhood, like my neighbour did.

A short walk later, passing by many lovely homes, and I was on a public access trail that took me down to the shore of Departure Bay.

Emerging onto the shore, close to the ferry docks.
One of the large weathered logs often found on the shorelines of BC

I walked along the rocky shore for a bit, looking for access to the trail. Which was easily found. Or so I thought. Immediately I entered a lush paradise.

Do you know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby!

Well-maintained cliffside steps and stairs
Cool tree trunk

It was a beautiful walk, but where was the waterfall? I decided to check AllTrails to see where I was on the trail.

I’m the blue dot. Not even on the trail yet!!! Could this be right?

I persevered. Onwards!

Continuing my climb up the cliffside. Not a difficult trail at all. Good thing ‘cos I only had Birkenstocks on my feet.

And then suddenly….

There it was! THE WATERFALL.

I had to be on the trail now, right?

Yup, on the trail now!
Not too shabby, for being right in town.

I continued on the trail and within moments I was out on the street, and at the beginning of it all.

Trail Head

And an hour and twenty minutes later, I was back home. I’m so thrilled to have such easy access to all this gorgeous nature, without even having to get in my car. Walking to a local trail on the regular was a big part of my former life in Ontario and I am so happy and grateful to have a similar experience here, at my new Vancouver Island home.

Do you have a local trail you can access easily for a quick dose of Vitamin Nature?

Rock on,

The WB

A Move During a Pandemic, Part 1 of 2

On By Widow BadassIn COVID-19, Move to Vancouver Island77 Comments

On May 28, I left Ontario by boarding the first of two planes to get to my new home on Vancouver Island. I had been planning this move for about 18 months, and the pandemic had initially thrown me for a loop. Back in mid-March I thought perhaps my move would not go ahead as planned due to travel and quarantine restrictions. As the initial weeks went by and I sat glued to the news, I began to realize that my move could go forward so I was off to the races, again!

In short order I had secured an apartment, a mover, and a shipper for Edward the 3rd , and I began sorting and packing my stuff in earnest, once more.

On May 26, during a period of unseasonable high heat and humidity (!), my movers arrived and did a stellar job of denuding my home of its things. (Can you believe it was snowing only 2 weeks prior? Typical Ontario weather roller-coaster!) I felt quite bad for them to be working so hard in the 33C heat. I cranked the A/C and made sure there was plenty of ice-cold bottled water in the fridge. And then I got out of their way.

Have you ever seen a more neatly packed truck?
‘Til we meet again, on Vancouver Island!

My friend Joanne very kindly offered to take this newly-homeless person in, and we enjoyed each other’s (and husband Gilles) company to the utmost until it was time to go to the airport. One teary goodbye later, and after breezing through security, I was faced with these weird images of the usually bustling Pearson airport.

Never have I ever seen these screens so devoid of flights.
Part of me finds this eery. The other part wishes the airport was always this empty of people.

While flying, we passengers had to have our masks on at all times. Every middle seat (on 3 seater rows) was unsold, to help us distance somewhat during the flight. I had no one else in my row. A win under any circumstances! 😉

Good morning, Ontario! And au revoir!
Different airport (Calgary). Same lack of people.

The plane to Nanaimo was smaller, with only 2 seats per row. Again, the seat beside each passenger was deliberately left unsold, for social distancing. IT. WAS. GLORIOUS.

While I took the picture this propeller was busily spinning away yet this shot makes it look like it was not working. It was! Honest!
This planet we inhabit is absolutely breath-taking.
Approaching Vancouver Island. Propeller still working.

After settling in (for now) with my dear daughter and her man, it was time to sign my lease and finally see my new home-to-be, in real life.

The living/dining room space (and balcony) of my newly renovated 2nd floor apartment.
The galley-style kitchen, looking into the dining area.
The bath.
Yes! That is a sliver of ocean/mountain view as seen from my balcony.
View of Departure Bay from nearer the edge of the property (which ends in a treacherous cliff, so no safe water/beach access). The mountains in the distance are mainland B.C.

I’m just thrilled with this apartment, so far! I feel that I really lucked out. It’s a 2 bedroom. I didn’t include any bedroom photos as they are just empty rooms with a window and a closet, each. Easy enough to imagine.

And now I wait – not entirely patiently – for my belongings (including Edward) to catch up to me here. Stay tuned for Part 2!

Rock on,

The WB