Canada’s west-coast province, famous for its beautiful scenery.
As Christmas is fast approaching I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about shopping in Port Hardy. Although it’s a small town there is still quite a bit of choice when it comes to places to spend your money and one of the best things about living in a small community is that there are lots of products that are made right here on the North Island. 1) Drift & The West Coast Community Craft Shop – Located upstairs…
For the second time in the space of four days I am sat in candle-lit darkness. It is not uncommon for rural areas in Canada to experience frequent power cuts, especially if power lines are surrounded by trees like we are here. Last year, several times, my residential area was affected by trees pulling down power cables and blocking the route into town. Once in a while the power outages go beyond my residential area, affecting the entire region; today…
It’s been a little over a year since my last blogpost and as usual it feels like everything and nothing has changed. I continue to search out new ways to pass the time on the north of Vancouver Island. This week I discovered a different aspect of the small-town spirit here in Port Hardy as the town came together to celebrate Halloween on the day of the dead in the form of a Pumpkin Patch Walk. Last year I didn’t…
Despite working on average more hours than I have ever worked before, I can’t help but notice that since moving to Vancouver Island I am far less stressed than before. While some of this is due to leaving behind a source of negativity, a lot of it has to do with being close to nature. As I have mentioned before, Northern Vancouver Island is a wilderness destination. It’s an outdoor lovers’ paradise with hiking trails, fishing, and an abundant rainforest…
I have always been intrigued by people who choose long or complicated commutes to work. When I lived in France I commuted on a packed urban train for what should have been 45 minutes but door to door was more like 90+, including time spent waiting at cold and over-crowed metro platforms. It was a battlefield to force myself onto the train and I am surprised I didn’t lose a limb to the doors, fighting the masses to climb aboard…
Last weekend was Labour day weekend, marking the end of the summer holiday season and the last long weekend before the hard labour really begins. I’ll be cutting back my hotel hours and spending many of my days supply-teaching in the local schools. With the extra day off this weekend my brother and his girlfriend decided to do as the Mainland West-Coast locals do and hop on a ferry across to the island for some family time, although I’m convinced…
There is nothing quite like a storm when you live by the ocean. Admittedly our little piece of the ocean is often so calm it could be mistaken for a lake but on days like to day it comes alive. We have had rain non-stop for almost four days straight and I have been anticipating the storm since day one when the ocean turned steely grey, reflecting the clouds above and every now and again the wind picked up, creating…