Day-trip Vacation

"Where can we go for a week for two-thousand dollars?"  I didn't tell her I wanted to sit on a beach during the forenoon, and hike in the afternoon, or that we preferred a European plan to an all-inclusive.  I didn't tell her, and she didn't ask.  Instead the agent at Flight Centre bit her lip and said, "Ooooh, you know it's spring break right?"  No, of course I didn't know it was spring break.  What significance does spring break have in my life?  Turns out spring break means that a quicky vacation to a hot spot for two-thousand dollars means Mexico, all-inclusive or nothing.  The dream of Hawaiian black sand beaches popped like little soap bubbles in my head.  Puerto Rico sunk below the horizon like the sun setting on a cloudy night.  The Dominican was right out, and the French Caribbean might as well have been on Mars.  Mexico or bust huh? 

Today was the first day of our "Day-trip Vacation".  We went to Buchardt Gardens for the better part of the morning, and then had lunch at a cafe in Brentwood Bay.  Tomorrow we can't go anywhere, because we have our last day of swimming lessons, but on Sunday we're driving up to Parksville to walk on the beach.  We're going to go to all the tourist hot-spots  within two hours of Victoria.  Well, we're also spending a weekend in Vancouver.  It's funny how we seem to have done so few of the things we thought we'd enjoy doing here on the island.  Now with only three weeks leave remaining before I have to go back to work, I want to fit as much in as I can.  

Buchardt Gardens is beautiful no matter when you go, but today it was extra special.  It was almost deserted.  We passed maybe eight other people the whole time we were there.  We stood in the middle of an empty sunken garden, and watched the magic fountain with only two other people.  

Una was fascinated by all the greenery, and sampled as many textures as she could reach.  She's really very curious about her surroundings now, and we're trying to get her outside as often as we can.  We'll work some hiking into next week, and she'll even get her first ferry ride.

So what if we can't wiggle our toes in warm sand and wade into caribbean-blue water, while slurping icy coconut drinks and sampling ceviche.  At least we can get to know our little part of the world a little bit better, and maybe save something for a proper vacation in the summer time.