I am in a cabin on the point at the front of this picture. Middle Point Lodge is just outside of Tofino in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. And I am sooooo lucky to be here. We have relatives visiting from the UK and they were to borrow the car to visit Tofino, Ucluelet and Long Beach on Vancouver Island - it is about a 5 hour drive from Sidney (near Victoria) - and at the last minute the night before they left, they invited me to join them. I didn't have to think before I said yes! Right now my aunt Dawne and her granddaughter (21) are out exploring Tofino and considering whale watching. And I am tucked into our cabin.It is pouring sweet BC rainforest rain. Sweet mainly because it is soooo BC, it makes things so green and because I am tucked in inside with no intention of going outdoors anytime soon. I am enjoying this interlude of having the cabin to myself.
A few reflections:
- This is great as while I could afford a room in the lodge here alone, I'd never be able to afford a cottage on my own --- splitting with them makes this moment possible
- I have wanted more spontaneity in my life, so I am happy I seized the moment
- I love the realization that this isn't such a long drive afterall... I think I got so tired of the Malahat when I lived in Victoria in the 80's and travelled the island 7 weeks out of 8 for a year and a half.... it had lost its charm.... now it has its charm back, and the roads are better than they were back then
- I am pretty sure I have not been in this area since I was about 4, or who knows, maybe it was 10, but I was a kid, and we camped as a family right on the beach at Long Beach...
- I shall be back, perhaps without the rain, lol
- I am contemplating the jacuzzi on our deck.... Elsa is interested in going out there with me, but my aunt Dawne thinks we are nuts.... I suspect we will do it at some point
- The lodge here is fantastic... we went up for breakfast (included and free from 8-10) and I stayed there until 2:00, curled up in a great big easy chair, looking out to the ocean, with a fireplace crackling behind me, and drawing... and, I admit, snoozing...
- Having great fun comparing countries and words with my travelling companions
- I am incredibly grateful for myt sister right now, as she happens to be at my mother's place, making it easy for me just to take off
- I love BC
- I need more nature in my life
- I am amused that I forgot my camera, as it means I am more present here (though delighted that Elsa will share her pics with me... and will let me play with her digital SLR camera at some point)
- I have been enjoying talking art with my aunt, as she only took it up 4 years ago (she is a very spry 79), and has been creating wonderful drawings and paintings... she has many tips for me for starting out at this point
- Dawne has lent me her set of graphite pencils for the afternoon, so I want to stop this and get drawing... these are so amazing, I can't wait to find a set for myself
PS - interesting outcome, as we had to cut our stay short by a night when we realized we had messed up dates and if we'd stayed as long as planned my cousin-first-removed would have missed her flight back to the UK. lol. After dropping her at Nanaimo to ferry her way back to YVR, my aunt and I had a messy, rainy drive back down the island on Thursday... but sand between my toes from Long Beach was awesome.
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