Luxembourg here we come!

I’m just off the phone from having a planning session for trip with my Mom.  A trip to go and see the place of my mother’s early formative teen years (13 - 16 years of age), where her perspective was broadening beyond her family, extending to include best-est girl friends, a boyfriend and trips to the edge of life,  I am ecstatic!

July 31 to August 15 is Mom and Daughter time.  It will be the time when we continue to get to know each other more as people.  To meet old friends and new. To share stories.  To create stories.  To see sites that will change our perspectives...forever.  August 16 to 23, on my own, is Me time.  I have no plans for that time which adds to the excitement.  

This will be my second trip to Europe.  In 1990 my sister and I visited our paternal grandparents (Harry and Gwyneth Sansom) in Spain for three weeks. That was 23 years ago!  Whoa!  I lost a decade as it still feels like 13 years ago.  This won’t be my last trip though!  

Our first week will be fairly full.  We’ll be visiting with Mom’s friends and seeing the places you see in her photos she posted here.  Our second week winds down and we settle into Luxembourg City.  I am hoping (I know you’re reading this, Mom) that we can jaunt down to Paris for a day and a night.  It’s only two hours away and my cousin Lisa has offered to be our resource.  She lived in Paris not too long ago.  Thank you, Lisa!  

The plane and train tickets are purchased.  The itinerary finalized.  Today, I rip apart my closet and have a serious discussion with myself about what to wear and then pack it.  Tomorrow, I call Mom on her 73rd birthday and scramble to tie up the loose ends here so I can relax while over there.  Tuesday, its a drive up to Nanaimo to catch the ferry to Vancouver, a bus to the airport and then....off I go!  Wednesday, I wake up and land in Frankfurt to then catch the train to Luxembourg City via Koblenz where I get to give my Mom a slightly belated birthday hug.  Fun!

The Launch

Well, here goes.  I flirted with this idea in December 2010 and now that I've quit my j.o.b. I am fortunate to be able to take a pause and play.

In the last 6 months I have turned 43, seen my youngest graduate and leave the nest, observed my only sibling's 50th birthday, the passing of my father and just recently, left a job that kept a roof over my head and gas in the Jeep.  Many life mileposts condensed into a very short period of time.  Each event lead me to realize I haven't been doing what I truly want to be doing.

The last four years have been short on fun.  It's been work.  It's been doing what's necessary to survive and keep up.  I forgot about the fun.  Use it or lose it and somewhere along the way I lost how to have fun and be fun.  Now is the time to flex the fun muscle.

I have been moving since I was born.  I have lived as far east as Belle Island, Newfoundland, as far west as Victoria, British Columbia and as far north as Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.  I've lived in many places in between and many places within those places.  Now, I'd like to see the rest of the world.

So far, I haven't picked where or how but I am full of ideas!  My mom says sometimes the biggest part of the fun is the planning.  She's right.  I'm having a blast setting up hollysvillage, updating the blog and talking with my friends about where to go and when.  How fortunate am I!

The Art of Blogging

The marketers say to research other blogs in the area you want to create a blog on to find your niche.  That one thing the others didn't think to address.  Travel is my chosen topic and Vancouver Island the testing ground.

In my pink fuzzy bathrobe I surf the web and find www.keira-ann.com.  Go there.  You'll like her.  Her site is clean, easy and delightfully fun.  It's a day-in-the-life blog and she appears to live an enjoyable life.  Maybe my pink fuzzy bathrobe and ginger tea won't be enough to draw folks in.

I'll continue my quest to find my niche.  In the meantime, I better get ready for my day at the office.

The Elusive Falls

I’m glued to the monitor, playing Bejeweled Blitz, sucked into Facebook.  I’m wanting someone to send me a message or post on my wall yet hoping they don’t as it would interrupt my brilliant plan to earn more coins.  Bored.

I check the Home page and see that Fearless of Ladysmith had returned from a trek with his dog.  Apparently, they didn’t find the ‘elusive falls’.  What falls?  Look at those pictures!  Where?  I halfta go there!

 Stocking Creek Park is 25 acres nestled between Chemainus Road and the Trans Canada Highway on the north side of Chemainus.  It is dense with cedars and ferns with a small creek running parallel to the highway.  This is the home of the ‘elusive falls’ which I will find and photograph. 

Parking and facilities are just past the entrance off of Thicke Road.  Take the trail down to the bridge and pick your trail.

As I was looking for falls, I took the high road and found the trails to be well travelled with the surrounding woods just as they should be, not full of litter and dog poop.  The air was warm and green as was the park. *Insert bird song here.*

As I walked I could hear the falls but could not find them!  After two hours I stopped to eat and stick my feet in the cool creek.  Off again, with a plan.  I’ll check one more trail then that’s it…I’ll concede.  Camera ready, backpack lightened I walked the trail on the lower left side of the bridge.  Lovely.  Absolutely lovely.  I felt very small yet protected walking at the feet of the giant cedars.  

 The sound of rushing water could be heard and it was getting louder and then it was right there!  The elusive falls!  Brilliant!  Triumph!  They were beautiful however I couldn’t take a decent picture of them.  If you know how or why I couldn’t shoot running water…please comment.  I’m an amateur photographer.

I recommend this jewel of a park for an easy afternoon trek.  Each trail is different.  The bird song was fabulous. 

Welcome to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Welcome, welcome!  Welcome to this beautiful spot I currently call home.  I say currently as I suspect Vancouver Island will not be the last place I park my bike.  Nor was it the first.

I grew up in Canada.  Almost all of it.  Army brat?  Nope.  Daughter to journalists who wanted to "see the country" and took me along for the ride...in the orange Volvo station wagon with the canoe on top.

I've lived in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Nunavut, NWT and BC.  I grew up in small towns and close to nature.  I remember thinking to myself many times how I would spend my adult life in one town, in a big lavish home and raise my family in the traditional manner.  Ha!  Not so.  I just couldn't sit still and only now have I accepted that I am nomadic.

There's the saying, "Do what you love and the money will follow."  Time to test drive that!

I love to travel for all of the obvious reasons.  Since moving to Vancouver Island I've decided to document the places I hike, bike and drive to.  A friend suggested I start a blog.  So, here it is.

Welcome to Vancouver Island, British Columbia!