Hey All!
So I've finally had some time off and gotten out of Port Alberni thanks to a great friend! I had 6 days off and was really looking forward to taking these days off as a chance to get out of town and see some new things! G, a friend I met while working in Bella Bella last December lives only about an hour away. She was so kind enough to offer to come pick me up and house me for my days off, and show me around the Comox/Cumberland/Courtenay area. We did SO MUCH!
Friday, when G came and got me we made our way to Coombs for lunch and to shop at the market. We ate at Cuckoo Trattoria and Pizzeria. A beautiful old home converted into a restaurant with a wood fire pizza oven and fresh pasta. I had the Spaghetti Carbonara - my weakness is a good Carbonara, and man was this one delicious! We grabbed some things and headed back to the Fanny Bay area where her new home is and I got to meet her spouse and her 2 black labs. If any of you know my mother, you know how she was feeling when I got to look after Scout and Spirit for a couple days! Friday was also my first time eating Venison and Dungeness Crab! C got the deer himself the week before, and the crab was also local. Another incredible meal! So spoiled!
Saturday and Sunday were spent dog sitting while C and G worked, so that was some quality relaxation time to say the least! I took the boys for some walks, chilled out on the couch, and checked out the park that is dedicated to their subdvision. It is situated on the oceanfront, with picnic tables, a big fire pit and a huge covered bbq pit! Such a cool amenity to have with a new home. It was really good to have some days off to do nothing, when you don't have much time off in between work I find that you spend the days off preparing for the next long stretch of work.
Monday and Tuesday we got some great touristy stuff in! I am SO appreciative of G and her family. We spent a day ferry-ing to Hornby Island, an incredible vacation destination 2 islands over from Vancouver Island. It sounds far, but the ferry's were only 10 minutes or so, and we had to drive across Denman Island to get to the other ferry to Hornby Island. Hornby Island is very hippy-like, and attracts people who want to live in a very rural-island setting. Just getting to Vancouver Island and back is a trip in itself, requiring planning around a ferry. It has roughly around 1000 residents year round, but can quadruple in size in the summer months since it has become quite the vacation destination. One big attraction is Tribune Bay Beach. It was a white sandy beach with warm shallow waters. Just incredible. Our day spent there in November was incredible and warm (and had maybe 4 other people on it), I can only imagine what its like in the summer, G said it is PACKED with people all summer long. The other attraction we checked out - Helliwell Provincial Park. A loop trail took us around the bluffs overlooking the Strait of Georgia and Tribune Bay Beach. What a beautiful place. It was late in the afternoon, the sun was setting over the mountains on Vancouver Island, and sounds of rushing water and Sea Lions barking away from below the cliffs were clear as a bell. It was amazing to just sit and take it all in.... no traffic noise or noise pollution, just nature. We saw a TON of Sea Lions too, or a "raft" of them, thanks Google! We watched them go from one side of the island to the other in smaller "rafts" of 5 or 6, and once that "raft" was out of sight, another was coming. I couldn't believe how many we saw, and neither could G (since a couple would be amazing to me hahaha), there had to of been at least 20-30 - no joke! No whales though, story of my life..... One day, I will see a whale breach!
My last day was spent with G showing me around the Comox/Cumberland/Courtenay area. These places are all separate towns but are literally 2 minutes from each other, it's so strange! Cumberland is a very cute, small coal mining town that G and C used to live in. There is one small down town strip that has some lovely (delicious) stores! Dark Sides Chocolate that is all fair trade and has fantastic coffee and in-house made truffles. A bakery is just across the street with incredible glazed donuts and other fresh baked delicious-ness! We were standing outside talking to a friend of G's when all you could smell was fresh baked doughy goodness *insert Homer Simpson drool*. Courtenay had a bigger city centre, and still one big main drag of stores. Hot Chocolates was another great stop that has yummy chocolates, oils and vinegars - a great Christmas shopping start! Comox is a much older community with lots of retirees. We stopped at IHOS a gallery of a local artist where I spent some more money. Good thing I had lots of OT on this coming pay check hahaha.
In the evening G took me to a co workers house for a potluck/movie night. I can honestly say, nurses know how to throw a potluck. Back home we have fantastic get togethers with great food and even better company, we always have such a great time! Out here, it's the same! The food was fantastic with SO MUCH to eat, and everyone had a great time. Not to mention, everyone welcomed me with open arms.
And then like a snap of the fingers, I was back at work on Wednesday night. My time off flew by, much like it always does. G and her family were so incredible to me, giving me a place to crash, feeding me INCREDIBLE food and showing me around, I had SUCH a great time and loved being able to hang out with her more since we only crossed paths briefly in Bella. I'm hoping we get another get together in before I head on home (which is only just over 5 weeks away! Where did that time go?!).
On my next few days off I think I will be embarking on some day trips to Tofino/Ucluelet with my roommate for some good sights, good company and some good food!
So I've finally had some time off and gotten out of Port Alberni thanks to a great friend! I had 6 days off and was really looking forward to taking these days off as a chance to get out of town and see some new things! G, a friend I met while working in Bella Bella last December lives only about an hour away. She was so kind enough to offer to come pick me up and house me for my days off, and show me around the Comox/Cumberland/Courtenay area. We did SO MUCH!
Friday, when G came and got me we made our way to Coombs for lunch and to shop at the market. We ate at Cuckoo Trattoria and Pizzeria. A beautiful old home converted into a restaurant with a wood fire pizza oven and fresh pasta. I had the Spaghetti Carbonara - my weakness is a good Carbonara, and man was this one delicious! We grabbed some things and headed back to the Fanny Bay area where her new home is and I got to meet her spouse and her 2 black labs. If any of you know my mother, you know how she was feeling when I got to look after Scout and Spirit for a couple days! Friday was also my first time eating Venison and Dungeness Crab! C got the deer himself the week before, and the crab was also local. Another incredible meal! So spoiled!
Saturday and Sunday were spent dog sitting while C and G worked, so that was some quality relaxation time to say the least! I took the boys for some walks, chilled out on the couch, and checked out the park that is dedicated to their subdvision. It is situated on the oceanfront, with picnic tables, a big fire pit and a huge covered bbq pit! Such a cool amenity to have with a new home. It was really good to have some days off to do nothing, when you don't have much time off in between work I find that you spend the days off preparing for the next long stretch of work.
Monday and Tuesday we got some great touristy stuff in! I am SO appreciative of G and her family. We spent a day ferry-ing to Hornby Island, an incredible vacation destination 2 islands over from Vancouver Island. It sounds far, but the ferry's were only 10 minutes or so, and we had to drive across Denman Island to get to the other ferry to Hornby Island. Hornby Island is very hippy-like, and attracts people who want to live in a very rural-island setting. Just getting to Vancouver Island and back is a trip in itself, requiring planning around a ferry. It has roughly around 1000 residents year round, but can quadruple in size in the summer months since it has become quite the vacation destination. One big attraction is Tribune Bay Beach. It was a white sandy beach with warm shallow waters. Just incredible. Our day spent there in November was incredible and warm (and had maybe 4 other people on it), I can only imagine what its like in the summer, G said it is PACKED with people all summer long. The other attraction we checked out - Helliwell Provincial Park. A loop trail took us around the bluffs overlooking the Strait of Georgia and Tribune Bay Beach. What a beautiful place. It was late in the afternoon, the sun was setting over the mountains on Vancouver Island, and sounds of rushing water and Sea Lions barking away from below the cliffs were clear as a bell. It was amazing to just sit and take it all in.... no traffic noise or noise pollution, just nature. We saw a TON of Sea Lions too, or a "raft" of them, thanks Google! We watched them go from one side of the island to the other in smaller "rafts" of 5 or 6, and once that "raft" was out of sight, another was coming. I couldn't believe how many we saw, and neither could G (since a couple would be amazing to me hahaha), there had to of been at least 20-30 - no joke! No whales though, story of my life..... One day, I will see a whale breach!
My last day was spent with G showing me around the Comox/Cumberland/Courtenay area. These places are all separate towns but are literally 2 minutes from each other, it's so strange! Cumberland is a very cute, small coal mining town that G and C used to live in. There is one small down town strip that has some lovely (delicious) stores! Dark Sides Chocolate that is all fair trade and has fantastic coffee and in-house made truffles. A bakery is just across the street with incredible glazed donuts and other fresh baked delicious-ness! We were standing outside talking to a friend of G's when all you could smell was fresh baked doughy goodness *insert Homer Simpson drool*. Courtenay had a bigger city centre, and still one big main drag of stores. Hot Chocolates was another great stop that has yummy chocolates, oils and vinegars - a great Christmas shopping start! Comox is a much older community with lots of retirees. We stopped at IHOS a gallery of a local artist where I spent some more money. Good thing I had lots of OT on this coming pay check hahaha.
In the evening G took me to a co workers house for a potluck/movie night. I can honestly say, nurses know how to throw a potluck. Back home we have fantastic get togethers with great food and even better company, we always have such a great time! Out here, it's the same! The food was fantastic with SO MUCH to eat, and everyone had a great time. Not to mention, everyone welcomed me with open arms.
And then like a snap of the fingers, I was back at work on Wednesday night. My time off flew by, much like it always does. G and her family were so incredible to me, giving me a place to crash, feeding me INCREDIBLE food and showing me around, I had SUCH a great time and loved being able to hang out with her more since we only crossed paths briefly in Bella. I'm hoping we get another get together in before I head on home (which is only just over 5 weeks away! Where did that time go?!).
On my next few days off I think I will be embarking on some day trips to Tofino/Ucluelet with my roommate for some good sights, good company and some good food!