If you get down to Victoria (and you obviously will), I quite like the local brewpub.
http://www.spinnakers.com
Long distance driving holiday
- Thread starter Alan
- Start date
If you get down to Victoria (and you obviously will), I quite like the local brewpub.
http://www.spinnakers.com
OP
OP
Thanks, I will look out for it. I've been enjoying all the local brews this past 3 weeks.
Sea Kayaker
Recycles dryer sheets
Yeah, the miraculous lack of biting insects is just one of the litany of reasons why PNW summers are very tough to beat. 
OP
OP
This was our last day staying in Sidney, and what a fantastic 2 weeks it has been. Today we went into Victoria for the 3rd time after hearing from some er.org friends a few days ago from the US who were on route to Victoria. We had not actually been to Spinnakers yet so arranged to meet them there for lunch and spend the afternoon with them. Great recommendation, an excellent place to eat and drink.
A fantastic end to a wonderful stay on the island. So many good memories, so many photos. In fact while we were walking back into town from the pub we were telling them that at this place a few days ago we watched a sea otter fishing and eating his/her catch for quite a while, then after eating the third catch the otter climbed out, right past us and walked along the road a short distance then off into town down a side street. Just as I telling them about it I looked up and saw it coming from town, crossing the road in front of us. We all watched it clamber over the rocks into the sea, then come swimming up right by us.
Tomorrow we drive to Whistler......
bbbamI
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
It otter know better.....
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OP
mh
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I'll also add a thumbs up for spinnakers here - really great beer !
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Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
Sea Kayaker
Recycles dryer sheets
Sounds like you found my neck of the woods somewhat agreeable, eh Alan?
I'm guessing what you saw was a river otter, Alan. They are the juvenile delinquents of the animal world in the northwest, making even raccoons look staid.
Sea otters would be on the west side of Vancouver island and don't leave the water at all, IIRC.
Sea otters would be on the west side of Vancouver island and don't leave the water at all, IIRC.
OP
OP
Very enjoyable indeed.
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We thought it looked smaller than the sea otters we saw in California so I've just Googled it and you are correct, it was a river otter. Very long tail as well.
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OP
We have now completed 2 weeks in Whistler and taken 2 days to drive to Canmore via Kelowna where we will be for a month (and have 2 sets of visitors to come stay with us as we are in a 2 bed condo).
Whistler was marvelous and we did loads of hiking in the valley trails and also on the tops of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. We even went zip ling and loved it. (The longer lines crossed from mountain to mountain over Fitzsimmons creek).
Lots of stunning photos but one of my favorites was from a hike we did in Joffre Lakes Park, an hour north of Whistler. The park consists of 3 lakes which you get to while hiking about 1,250' up to the base of a glacier, along excellent, well maintained trails. The attached photo is of Lower Lake which is only a few minutes walk from the car park.
Whistler was marvelous and we did loads of hiking in the valley trails and also on the tops of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. We even went zip ling and loved it. (The longer lines crossed from mountain to mountain over Fitzsimmons creek).
Lots of stunning photos but one of my favorites was from a hike we did in Joffre Lakes Park, an hour north of Whistler. The park consists of 3 lakes which you get to while hiking about 1,250' up to the base of a glacier, along excellent, well maintained trails. The attached photo is of Lower Lake which is only a few minutes walk from the car park.
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Ronstar
Moderator Emeritus
Stunning photo, Alan! Enjoy the rest of your megatrip and continue to keep us posted.
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OP
Thank you so much for meeting us and for taking us on a tour around the town, wine tasting, and that fabulous restaurant overlooking the lake. We had a great time. Attached is a photo from our table where we ate some wonderful food while sitting outside.
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OP
While in Canada I have been using Google Maps on my iPhone to navigate the tricky bits in the cities like Vancouver. It doesn't use much data and I signed up to an international plan with my carrier AT&T, for 30 days at a time, costs $30 and gives 120MB of free data then $0.25/MB over that, plus some free and low cost texts and voice calls.
I have never been close to the 120MB limit so far but as we were on our way to Canmore on Saturday we received a text message from AT&T saying we had just reached $100 of international data usage. DW, who was navigator at the time turned made sure that data roaming was off and we arrived in Canmore no problem and no need for Google Maps.
After we had settled in I clicked on the toll free phone number in the AT&T text message and spoke to a customer rep who explained that my plan had expired on August 1st (the day we arrived). I explained that I was online now and looking at that plan which started on July 3rd. She agreed that it had started on July 3rd so I asked if AT&T used a different form of arithmetic to the rest of world because July 3rd + 30 days = August 2nd. She immediately apologized and said that she would have the fees refunded, and asked if I wanted another 30 days to begin on August 2nd. (I do since we are here for another 29 days and having her set it up saves me from going online and doing it. - you can only buy 30 days at a time).
I can only assume that when purchasing a 30 day package that some minion has to enter the start and end dates because I can't see how a piece of software can do the arithmetic wrong like this
I have never been close to the 120MB limit so far but as we were on our way to Canmore on Saturday we received a text message from AT&T saying we had just reached $100 of international data usage. DW, who was navigator at the time turned made sure that data roaming was off and we arrived in Canmore no problem and no need for Google Maps.
After we had settled in I clicked on the toll free phone number in the AT&T text message and spoke to a customer rep who explained that my plan had expired on August 1st (the day we arrived). I explained that I was online now and looking at that plan which started on July 3rd. She agreed that it had started on July 3rd so I asked if AT&T used a different form of arithmetic to the rest of world because July 3rd + 30 days = August 2nd. She immediately apologized and said that she would have the fees refunded, and asked if I wanted another 30 days to begin on August 2nd. (I do since we are here for another 29 days and having her set it up saves me from going online and doing it. - you can only buy 30 days at a time).
I can only assume that when purchasing a 30 day package that some minion has to enter the start and end dates because I can't see how a piece of software can do the arithmetic wrong like this
Numbers is hard....
aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
Maybe the Canadians use a different calendar than us in the lower states?
REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
Maybe the Canadians use a different calendar than us in the lower states?
+1
I think there is at least one day difference in the exchange rate.
Hard to have a bad meal with a view like that.
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OP
OP
Maybe the Canadians use a different calendar than us in the lower states?
You are probably onto something there. It would be typical of AT&T to use an excuse like that.
We have been very fortunate to have had such a beneficial exchange rate this past few months. Only 4 weeks left to go in Canada, and I see that an election has been called.
Hard to have a bad meal with a view like that.
+1
Meadbh
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Hard to have a bad meal with a view like that.
Old Vines Restaurant | Quail's Gate
Welcome to my neighbourhood.
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This is our last weekend in Canmore, AB. We have had a great month here, loads to do locally and in easy reach of Banff National Park to the east and Kananaskis Country parks to the west. DW chose it as the prices for 2 bed rented condos were much cheaper than in Banff, which is an easy 20 minute drive from here.
Monday we drive back into the USA, to Glacier NP for a few days there.
Monday we drive back into the USA, to Glacier NP for a few days there.
