Victoria: Hippy Capital of British Columbia

It was New Year's Day. It was 7:30am. My body was still reeling from the shock of being awake merely hours after festivities had concluded the night before. And here I was waiting in front of a hotel for a bus that was late in the chilly Vancouver air.

I left my cousin's apartment early and headed to the bus stop for the coach that would take me across the ferry to downtown Victoria on Vancouver Island.

I had heard conflicting reports about Victoria. It was either a quaint city which was lovely to wander around or it was boring with nothing to do. I was not really in any mood to see Victoria in a positive light - all I wanted to do was sleep and shower.

The journey to Victoria was smooth. Once the coach arrived, it was an easy hour ride to the ferry terminal then we disembarked for the journey across to the island. On the ship, I could see many people braving the fiercely cold wind outside looking for a perfect shot. I was perfectly content sitting on the ground next to an inconveniently placed power point waiting for my phone to charge thank you very much.

Back on board the coach, it took us to the downtown Victoria. Downtown is one word for it; another, more apt word is harbourside. Victoria is a small capital city. It does not have skyscrapers, the tallest buildings are the museum and the legislature building.

*Not my picture

It was 2pm and my accommodation was still up-in-the-air. I had arranged to stay with some friends-of-friends I'd never met and they still hadn't responded to my texts with their address. To pass the time I decided to have lunch.

I thought I was going to a small, homemade restaurant but I later found out it was a diner chain. I didn't care - it was warm, delicious fare. As soon as I sat down, I was served bread warm out of the oven while I chose my starter, main and desert. All for $12 (well, $15 including tip and taxes). I was beginning to realise how Canada might be dangerous for my waistline.

By the time I finished my meal I had found out the address and decided to walk. Big mistake. It was only meant to be a 20min walk but with roller bag, backpack, handbag and camera bag in toe, it was unwieldy and I felt conspicuous. I eventually made it and appreciatively spent the rest of the day relaxing and watching movies with my newfound mates.

On the second of January, I decided to spend the day wandering around the city. Victoria is a very walkable place and I loved absorbing the atmosphere of the city. It reminded me of the Brisbane suburb of West End - a hippy/indie vibe that's just a touch grotty. I loved the opportunity to walk in and around shops looking at curios.

The highlight of the day was dining at Nubo. My friends had said that it was the best Japanese in Victoria and I say it is the best sushi I have ever had in my life.

Including tip and tax, it came to $20 which I gladly paid for such a scrumptious meal. It was the generic lunch plate: sashimi, miso soup, tempura, pickles and many other sides. I've never really liked tempura; the prawns are subpar or the batter is soggy. This tempura was like seeing the face of God. And the sashimi! The Canadian salmon simply dissolved in my mouth. It must have been caught that morning because it was just so fresh.

After this, I decided to rent a bike and spent the rest of the afternoon riding around the seawall. I mean I don't always ride a bike on the road but when I do it's in a country where I don't know the road rules. I want to sincerely thank all Victorian drivers for not running me over and being patient with me as I tried to figure out 4-Way Stop signs.

Eventually I decided to rest, chained up the bike and ventured down to the sea shore. I spent a good hour navigating the crumbling path until I found a little tidal inlet. It was an overcast day and the inlet not very attractive but I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.

Maybe it was the endorphins from riding the bike or the pleasure from being to explore at my own pace, but the inlet I found felt like my own private Moonrise Kingdom. I dawdled there for a while, just taking pictures of rocks with my camera or simply looking out at the ocean at all the cargo ships going past.

The sun was setting however and I knew I had to get home. I had set myself the ambitious goal of riding to the Butchart Gardens the next morning and wanted to get a good night's sleep.

The Butchart Gardens are, by Google Maps estimate, an hour and twenty minutes bike ride away from where I was staying. Naturally I arrived after a two hour bike ride after setting off at 7:30am. It was a long, uncomfortable ride and I loved it. The bike paths in and around Victoria are fantastically flat but the closer you get to the gardens the hillier it gets.

The garden opens at 9am and I arrived at 9:30am very sweaty, very sore and with very weak legs. I felt such a sense of accomplishment and I could definitely feel the endorphins pumping through my body. I had heard good things about the gardens but I was still hesitant about spending nearly $30 on an entry fee when it was winter. My worries were needless though. The Gardens were gorgeous (well maybe not the dead Rose Garden but all the other themed gardens were spectacular).

DSC06763

DSC06762

I was fast becoming aware though that I needed to get back to Victoria so I could pack up and head back to Vancouver. If I was going to bike back I had to leave at 11am but my derriere was not in state to handle the journey back. The great thing about Victoria is that all the buses have bicycle racks so alas I was saved. Except for the fact I didn't have any coins and the ATM at the Gardens was broken. When I told the bus driver my tale of woe, he took sympathy on me and I got ride home on the bus free of charge. Classic Canadian kindness.

So I packed my bag, I said goodbye to my new friends and headed back to Vancouver for a night before flying out to Montreal the next morning. I had loved my time in Victoria. It was more down to earth than Vancouver and felt more authentic.

Still I was too excited to get to Montreal. Not so much to see the city but to do some laundry, buy groceries and finally unpack! One week in and exchange had already made me realise that I am not cut out for long term travelling. I like having a routine, clean clothes and making my own food. If I was carrying a lighter load and had more money, I'd probably be singing a different tune. But after lugging around my bags and sleeping on couches, I was looking forward to sleeping in a bed I could call my own.

My only regret about Victoria is not taking more photos. I wanted to spend my time outside experiencing the city, not wasting my time figuring out camera modes. Still it wouldn't have killed me to snap a few more shots. I'm not too fussed though - I easily remedy this when I return in the summer!