Six Months On

Time Has Flown By

Sun Oct 3rd

Hopkins Landing - Morning Light

After not seeing other spaniels for months,
we've seen several in the last week
It doesn't feel as though it was six months ago that we left the UK and moved in to our far from salubrious hotel quarantine accommodation in Toronto.  A week later as we settled in to our first month-long rental in North Van for the final eleven days of quarantine, Jack arrived. Looking uncertain and worried in the back of his crate, he leapt out at the sound of our voices, his joy clearly evident.  Transportation to the kennels, an overnight and long haul flight, albeit direct on a freight aircraft rather than via a stopover in Toronto, must have been quite frightening.  

Pet Air UK, the specialist company that organised his travel (with 1st class price tag!), said usually the owners worry more than the animals.  Probably true. Seconds after being let out of his crate, you would not have known what he had just been through.  It was only a week or two later when something playing on my laptop sounded like an aircraft, that he leap on my lap!  So not completely forgotten.
Looking back to Gibsons from 'the Bluff'


Six months on, we've explored the Sunshine Coast (in three different locations), Whistler and North Vancouver.  Despite some of the uncertainties of our tenure, Covid, finding rentals and living out of seven suitcases, we would not have changed a thing.  Except perhaps the quarantine hotel! 

We didn't know how it was going to work out, it was an experiment. However, it has reinforced our wish to stay in Canada.  

We have not yet heard if we got through this year's ballot for Permanent Residency and the last notifications go out this coming week, so fingers crossed.  We do though have the comfort of our Super-Visas which enable us to stay for up to ten years, and more opportunities to apply for residency.    

Gibsons has become our new Marlborough; small, friendly, good shops and services, arts & cultural events, quick ferry connection to Vancouver, stunning mountain and water scenery, a boat marina, plenty of hikes.    We're keeping an open mind where we will end up buying, but our preference remains the Gibsons end of the Coast.  


The video was taken from the Gibsons side of the Bluff, looking back to town. We are living by the blue blob (top right) and Gibsons is about 6k south of us.


The last few days have been focused on sorting the final removals and clearance of Eastcourt House ahead of the sale. More difficult doing it remotely but Fred keeps excellent lists! We are hoping to complete early November.  Just Fred's Audi Q3 and remnants of my wine cellar to dispose of, which I have decided not to ship to Canada.  The import tax and duty is close to the value of some of the wine!  Drop me an email if there's any interest in the Audi!

In contrast to Fred who's taking a break from tennis this week, I ran my first 10k on Saturday, since arriving in BC, not too shabby a time given all the hills in the way.  Certainly more slopes than Wiltshire, and that's not flat! I am on a mission ahead of the start of the ski season.  

On the subject of skiing, Nick and Lizzie, have put their ski-loft on AirBnB.  Details here.  If you're interested drop me a note.  It's well located in Creekside, only five minutes from the Gondola and close to Alta and Nita Lakes in the summer.   Amazing skiing, fabulous hiking and water activities in the summer.  More at Whistler Tourism.

Tuesday we head up to the top of the Coast to get the ferry to Powell River from Earls Cove, then across to Vancouver Island on another ferry to Courtenay where we are staying for a few days to explore.  A part of the island we've not yet visited but as it looks out over an inland archipelago with frequent whale sightings; we'll keep you posted.  

Geese flying across West Howe Sound



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