canuck68's VirtualTourist Home Page

Hi
I'm from Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, Canada. I had not traveled a lot just in the United States and parts of Canada. However, my dream came true when I traveled to South Africa one year ago as the guest of some friends who live there. I went again in Nov/Dec. 2006 and have just come back from my third trip.
I am a senior and enjoy reading,
going to the gym, my computer, and of course, my family and friends.

As a footnote, I went to South Africa again in Dec. /08 to Jan. /09 and loved it just as much the third time. It was interesting and fun to enjoy Christmas in a warm climate with some different traditions.

We often go down to the Harbour Quay where there are lots of shops. My friends and I sit outside at one of the many tables and have a coffee and enjoy people watching. It is very busy in the summer so a fun place to be.

We are blessed with lots of water in Port Alberni and great views. Another nice place to sit is at Victoria Quay which is on the Somass River and pictured below.
There are benches along the river and it is a great place to sit on a sunny day. It is also the spot where we watch for bears catching fish at the end of the summer.

I like to take pictures and I am still learning. I have had my camera for about three years so I still need lots of practise. However, I enjoy sharing with my friends.
This fellow in the picture to the below let me get right up to him. Any closer and I would have fallen off the wharf. It was a cold foggy day.

I have not traveled a lot much to my regret. I have been down the west coast of the United States as far as Mexico and twice to Hawaii. I did not have a camera so I don't have any pictures. I have not seen a lot of Canada and hope to go east at some point.

I have had the privilege of visiting South Africa twice in the last four years. If you have read my South Africa pages, you know I fell in love with that wonderful country. It's a very long trip from the west coast of Canada but very much worth it once you get there.
I love the people, and the amazing beaches, mountains and animals. All of it is so very different from Canada. I find I look at things differently since visiting the townships and seeing the soup kitchens. We take so much for granted here.

I really enjoyed the people I met, the ever changing scenery and, of course all of the animals and birds which we don't have in Canada. It is impossible to be bored in a different country from your own.

.I was amazed at the animals and how close we could come to them.
I would like to say I was not nervous but that would not be true. In the picture below we are very close to these lions and I was thankful they weren't hungry and we just lying in the sun being lazy.

I very much enjoy reading and confess I did a lot more of it before I discovered the fun of computers and the internet.

Recent books I have enjoyed are:

"The Kite Flier" and "A Thousand Splendid Sons" by Khaled Hosseini.
"Left To Tell" by Immaculee Llibagzia. And
"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert.