Day 14 - Last official Day on the tour :(

What today is all about - Flowers, Rain and all things Pink... well in Eileen's world

Woke up yet again to rain! Surprise Surprise! I was running a little late because of the late night and my sudden desire to straighten my hair … what was I thinking!!! It was pouring!!!!  I missed the time for the bag pull but they ended up coming back from me… giggle…. 

Butchart Gardens Entry

We made the 40 minute trip to Butchart Gardens which was our main stop for the morning before boarding the ferry to head back to the mainland. 

Sunken Garden

So I am going to bore you with the history of the gardens because we got the run down so this is unofficially my journal I have to share all!!!  Haha

Sunken Garden

The gardens were originally started as quarry which mined limestone which is something the area is rich in. Mr Butchart moved his family there and then when the quarry was exhausted the Mrs Butchart decided to refurbish the gardens with top soil brought in from all over in horse and carts.

Ross Fountain at the top of the Sunken Gardens 

Slowly the garden took shape and eventually turned into the Sunken Garden which is the main attraction with the beautiful fall colours and various little ponds and then of course the beautiful fountain – the Ross Fountain. 

As the years progressed they added to the gardens with the Italian, Rose, Japanese, the Star Pond, Fireworks viewing area, and a few other smaller additions along the way. 

With over 1 million plantings it makes for a amazing viewing especially in Spring.  With 3 main fountains in the garden, from the Ross fountain at the sunken garden, to the Fireworks viewing fountain and then the most famous in the Sturgeon fountain.  Which has a boar in it!!!  Weird

So we got to wander in the rain for 2.5 hours and enjoy the beauty of the gardens.  With the Japanese gardens and sunken gardens my favourite and the little lookout at the end of the Japanese gardens were also my favourite. 

We wandered around the gift store for a while and found some really cute but expensive stuff but I did find a very cute gift for mum and the requisite postcards.  Also some Rogers chocolate…  dammm shame about that one!!!!  Haha but I did share with Tania to cheer her up.

We made our way to Sidney... This is definitely not the same as our Sydney it is just really a barge stop.  It was pouring with rain so I didn’t stay outside long.  Just took a couple of shots. 

Instead I sat inside and Tania used my puter for internet access – yep wifi on the barge you have to love that.  I did my survey – apparently I was brutal but I am big believer in being straight forward and offering a honest opinion to allow room for change. Especially feedback for Frank because it was his first tour with Cosmos and has definite room for improvement especially with optional tours and sick roomies.  Tania thought I was a bit harsh but I think I was straight forward. Although Salena got a glowing reference as well as the Columbia Icefields ice driver matt and dieter the tour guide of the mt edith cavell tour. 

I can only hope that people are that honest with me when I become a tour director.

We got back to Vancouver rather too quickly I felt and feeling like time is slipping away so fast.  I think it is was about 2pm and feeling like please stop the clock and stop it from slipping away.  

While we were waiting to depart Salena got up to say a few words and she was almost in tears and it reminds you why she was so fantastic.  It made me so sad to leave such a wonderful person behind. 

Robyn then got up to read a poem that she had done with Pete and Marilyn.  It was a lot of fun and reminded us why we had gotten on so well. I felt like one minute the tour was just starting and in a matter of a hour it would all be over and it coming to end too fast. I didn't like it at all...  I wanted to do it all again. The only thing i would probably change would be see more of Banff and try to get the group to do drinks a couple more times during the trip like we would later tonight because it was so much fun and great way to get to know every one. 

We arrived back at the hotel around 3.30pm and said goodbye to everyone also getting their emails so we can keep in touch.  Also found out which ones were on facebook who I hadn’t already added. We also organised dinner with the ones that weren’t doing the dinner cruise. Also this was the saddest moment of my trip is when i said goodbye to Salena and handed back her baby. I really can't thank her enough for what she did for me. It was above and beyond and i am forever in her debt for what she did. It also shows what kind of person she is that would do that sort of thing for a complete stranger. We both had a bit of a teary and I also gave her everything I had in my wallet as a bit extra gratuity because well she deserved it.  

 

I got on the phone and rang around for the camera to see who had the body available also if they had them in stock and pricing.  I took off on the bus to broadway again but just the opposite direction to MEC.  Almost tempted to go back especially for more wool socks which have been a god send.  Went to Broadway camera after a stop at London drugs and determined what price they would do so I had some bargaining room. 

Japanese Gardens

She had the camera and reassured me that I can send it back to them or alternatively they contact Nikon Australia if they can to speed along the delivery if anything goes wrong. Also she was willing to negotiate again the HST bit me. 

Japanese Gardens

While I was there paying for it I got a phone call from my wonderful Canadian that would break my heart.  But because I was still being served I said I would call him back.  So rang him back when I got through with my new purchase.  Headed back to the bus and he told me that he has lost his passport so won’t be able to make it to NYC.  I was devastated and there wasn’t enough time to get another one.  So sad…  He was going to come to Vancouver but then realised that we wouldn’t have enough time.  It was worth a shot but I have a feeling if I ever want to meet him I will be coming back to Canada because Australia “is not exciting enough”.  Damm shame about that… haha

Japanese Gardens - the bamboo fountain thingy wade such a cool noise

Finally got back to the hotel but running a bit late for dinner because of the Friday afternoon Vancouver traffic.  So dashed upstairs but Tania had piked because she was too worn out which was understandable given what she had been through.  But Tracey and Carolyn was going.  Although Pete was being a big piker bum and going off to have dinner with other friends… how rude. Mind she was being a grumpy bum (she was allowed since it was our last night together) making sure I had everything for bed set up so I didn’t wake her when I came back up which of course ran me late for meeting everyone downstairs when I was already running late from buying the camera. 

As you leave the gardens - this was so cute 

So it was Brian and 9 girls…  haha and we headed down to Yale town… which it took a while to convince them because they wanted to go to Gastown but most of us had already done it.  We all headed off to Yale town the problem now was getting everyone to decide on what to eat and with Brain being a meat and 3 veg eater.  Pretty much the first stop was acceptable but only Brian was really enthused while the rest of us wanted to keep going. 

Bay of Islands 

So the next stop which was a BBQ place had a spruiker outside and told us about the $2 martinis and Tracey and I looked at each other and went I am in!!!  also the fact they would do separate bills and most places have done that so that makes dining with a large group easy.  We all got seated and at once the table noise just got louder and louder.  Also Pete kept on texting me about a gold penis in boytown…  haha

Bay of Islands 

We all reminisced about how the trip had gone also how well we all had gotten on. It was then I shared my little physic vision. She had predicted that the rockies tour there would be a really good comrade in the group and we would all get on really well and it would be the icing on the cake for the trip. Sure enough I had felt that and I had actually forgotten about that prediction until I had read a couple of notes I had written in my travel journal.  Also the fact that I would feel so at home over there along with finally feel better and more like myself. 

2 Cosmos = :) 

So I had my first Cosmopolitans that night which were ok …  bit too sweet for me but overall not bad.  So all in all a good night with $2 martinis and I somehow had ended up with 2 and no one else wanted it so poor me had to drink it. So I was pretty happy while feeling sad that this was our last moments together.

The girls with Brian hiding behind me 

We walked back to the hotel with Brian and surrounded by his harem… although I did the fire hydrant outside a fire station which I thought was so funny. Not a great photo… hard to take night time iphone photos and when you are laughing too much. 

and again ... hehe 

Finally made it back to the hotel and ran into Pete and a couple of people who hadn’t gone on the cruise but didn’t join us for dinner.  So we waited in the lobby for the cruisers to come back.  We headed up to Moxies and I think it took me an hour to get out of there. I just wish we had done a drinks night earlier it would have been great getting to know everyone but felt like it was very last minute.  I want more time!!!!

the last one for the western Canadian shores 

Finally made it out of there around 10.30-11pm I was so tired and my throat was getting really really scratchy which is not good!!!  Even the photo that Pete took of us … I look stuffed.

Me in Butchart ..  my skin looks so good haha 

When I got back to the room Tania was sound asleep so got changed quickly and headed off to sleep…  last morning together ..well some of us... sigh…  

Day 13 - Victoria - Vancouver Island

Today I awoke to very rainy skies… so went back to sleep for a hour or so as I figured there wasn’t much I could do until the skies cleared up.  Because I wasn’t going on the whale watching I went down for breakfast at the hotel as well to get Tania some dry toast so she had something to eat. Had a nice breakfast with Frank and Salena.  

The Stain Glass Windows 

Took Tania some toast. She was up and about also looking better which was a relief as i had been so worried about her. The girls were just leaving their room so they came in to say hi.  They also came for a personal tour of the directors suite….  They couldn’t believe how big it was.

The Stain Glass

I did some photo uploading to FB of the Columbia Icefields.  I can’t believe it had taken me that long.  I also backed up all the drives onto my 1TB drive as I didn’t want to take the risk of something happening while I was flying across the globe. 

The Monarchs 

I wandered through the Parliament building which was very pretty and lots of monarchy stuff. I had just missed the tour but decided I would forgo the next one at midday and just wandered myself.  You can definitely do that building fairly quickly… 

Entry to the Mammal Exhibit

So I took off to The Royal Museum of British Columbia in the pouring rain.  Wandered through the Mammals and got the left in the dark at one stage when the lights all went down in the lower exhibits.

Big Woolly Mammoth

I wandered through the history of British Columbia and Vancouver. They had created an ole town feel to the Vancouver exhibit and it was great. 

The sea lion which looked really realistic

But hard to photograph because no flashes were allowed and it was done all on the auto with no flash in very low light.  But it was really cool. 

Old Town Vancouver

Canadian Pacific Teddy in Polarised Texture

I highly recommend the $16 to go see it and it was perfect way to spend a rainy day. 

Canadian Pacific teddy pair with Vintage Eye Candy at 70%

I also wandered through the First Nation exhibit which was really interesting. I had always thought it was the fighting with the white settlers that killed most of the first nations but it was disease.

Capitan Curious really exists in a whole range of unique exhibits 

I was however, running out of room on the memory cards so I almost went back to empty but decided not to which I would regret later. 

Capitan Cooks Boat 

Carrying around the jacket, brolly and cameras was giving me sore feet.  But I decided since it was only 1pm that I would carry on and go miniature world.  It was cute little bit of fun. 

The Maritime Exhibit 

While I was on the way there I wandered through the downtown area which was really quaint.  Miniature world is a bit overpriced but it was a lot larger than I thought it would be. 

Story of the First Nations

There was a lot of local history as well as fairy tales in there.  But I did have to go through a camera a few times to empty some photos so I took the time to rest the weary feet while looking at snow white J. 

First Nations 

After I wandered around there for 2 hours I headed back to the hotel to empty the cards. Also took the time to relax and spoke to a friend in the states. I had a nice relaxing 1 hour break and the feet were feeling a lot better. 

Christmas Village at Miniature World 

I headed up to Beacon Hill park but only saw a little bit because of the fading light due to the pouring rain.  I saw the beautiful stone bridge which reminded me of the one in central park.  And it was really pretty with rain falling around and the autumn colours coming through. 

Nursery at Miniature World 

I headed back to city downtown and it was freezing right then…  Once it hit 5.30pm it was so cold.  But found a chemist/pharmacy and some stuff I needed for the next days because I had run out of my travel size stuff. 

Santa's Workshop at Miniature World 

Also to try get some isotope stuff and pink rubber to try something on the camera that Alison had found out. I went to maccas because I couldn’t find a Thai place which I was really craving and didn’t really feel like battling the long queue at subway.  I tell you even though there was a chandelier in there it was so dodgy even saw a drug deal go down so decided I was plenty warm enough and hightailed it out of there. 

World War 2 replica at Miniature World 

Went walking around bastion Square and went shopping for some souvenirs and got some shirts for me and stuff for the kids. 

England at the ports at Miniature World 

Headed back to the hotel and did the laundry and also some prank knocking on a certain someone's door giggle while I was running back and forth to the laundry. Repacked the suitcase so it was going to be easier at the Vancouver hotel to just transfer the clothes between bags and also did a mass throw out of stuff I didn’t need to take back to the States. As I was sitting there at 11.30pm thinking why I am doing this – I don’t really want to leave.  I love my new friends and the experiences that I have been so fortunate to have.  But sucked it up and got packed to leave early in the morning. 

Stone Bridge at Beacon Park

It was kind of nice just to have a day to myself which I hadn’t really done since Banff the week before. Wow I can’t really believe that a week had gone by so quickly. 

Stone Bridge at Beacon Park

The only thing that I was really sorry about and one of the reasons why I was looking forward to Victoria, was to catch up with my wonderful Canadian friend but his roster got changed and wasn’t going to make it back in time.  But he was going to try and catch up with me in NYC which cheered me up no end.  One of the reasons why I wanted to go to Canada was so I could catch up with him finally after 12 years. So I can only hope that he makes it down my way one day or I go back… personally I prefer that option. 

Crab apple trees at Beacon Park

Headed to bed about 12.30am (see this is why I need a roomie makes me get to bed early) ready for Butchard gardens in the morning and heading back to the Vancouver can’t believe it is our last full day on the tour.