16 Sep 2024
We took a full day tour to see the wild side of Vancouver island. We were met at our hotel and were driven in a large comfortable Toyota Highlander.
The guide named Alan was very knowledgeable about the island and regaled us with interesting stories about the natural wonders of Vancouver island.
Alan was thoughtful and responsive to our needs (toilets, mobility challenges, vegetarian food). He showed an interest in us and it was delightful to get to know him as well. He was a safe and careful driver (even through pouring rain). He provided water for our trip.
We stopped at several provincial parks and did short hikes to see:
* Waterfalls (multiple)
* Massive old growth trees
* Amazing views across Salish sea towards Washington state and across the strait of Georgia towards Vancouver
We also stopped at a charming town full of murals about BC history. We followed a walking trail through the downtown and saw at least 20 murals in about 30 minutes.
Lunch was in a large very busy market/ restaurant. It is famous for goats on the roof. We saw them.
Overall this was a great experience. It was a particularly interesting complement to the other main attractions of Victoria which are formal gardens and British architecture.