Two weeks ago, when I published a post about our summer adventure, I featured a few of the gorgeous sites we witnessed along the way. Besides enjoying and appreciating cooler temperatures, we were awestruck at the beauty of nature that combined ocean, rivers, streams, forests, trees and scenic vistas. But something has occurred to me in the weeks that have followed. And that is, no matter how beautiful the scenery, what I remember most vividly are the people we meet and connect with on the way. So rather than provide you with yet another travel log of our trip showing some of the sites, this time I’m talking about the people. Besides, if you really just want to see the sites, simply follow me on Facebook.
When we first began planning our trip months ago, we knew we wanted to drive somewhere cool and spend several months. While there are certainly several options in the U.S. that are lovely and cool during the summer, we had something else in mind. For a while now we had talked about joining our friends, and fellow bloggers back on Vancouver Island. Plus, friends that we met over 30 years ago now lived in Kelowna (about 250 miles east of Vancouver City.) At the time (way back in December 2020), it seemed like a perfect way to avoid the summer heat by spending a month on the Island and a month in Kelowna. Of course, that was all decided before the Delta Variant of COVID got involved.
Of course, as an optimist and even through the Canadian/U.S. border was closed to all nonessential travel, I was hopeful that it would open by the time we planned to arrive. After careful discussion with friends in both locations it was determined that August was the best time to be on the Island, and Kelowna was wonderful in September. Surely, everyone everywhere would be vaccinated by then, right? Wrong!
I’ll spare you all the boring details but let’s just say it wasn’t all that easy. We ended up forfeiting our first eight days at an Airbnb on the Island and the requirements to gain entrance to Canada on the 9th was a bit of a tap dance. Yet, in spite of the excessive heat on the west coast and dodging smoke and wildfires along the way, we arrived at the island, ready to settle in and experience life as a part-time, semi-retired digital nomads. And guess what I learned? What makes a trip especially sweet is the people we gather with as days go by.
So that’s the big message in this post (in case you were wondering what it was!). But for those of you who are like me and like obscure facts and statistics, a survey done by Big 7 Travel asked people about their Bucket List Destination. The survey reported that countries with naturally beautiful scenery or world-famous landmarks came out on top. Specifically, 22% wanted white sandy beach while 52% said iconic cities. As far as I could tell, no one mentioned visiting friends or loved ones as a bucket list destination.
Interestingly enough, the survey said that people were more likely to add a
destination to their list if they saw it on social media. Plus, they claim that 33% research their holiday destinations on their Instagram feed. But what I found even more intriguing was that the average number of destinations on a bucket list is 11 with most people hoping to visit at least seven of them during their lifetime. Why not all 11? Again, no mention of friends or other people, although I don’t know specifically what the actual questions were in the first place.
One thing I learned about myself during this trip is that I have a strong preference for gatherings that include meals and conversation. Yes, I love to walk, ride my bike, take excursions and consider myself fairly active, but given the preference I would nearly always choose to have a coffee, lunch, dinner or happy hour with interesting people talking about a variety of subjects. Sure, I like to talk about blogging, writing or travel—but there is no end to other topics I like to discuss. (If you’ve been reading this blog for long you know that too!) I clearly prefer to have my social gatherings
the social, and my physical activities by myself or as a couple.
Proof of this is in the photos I’ve included. Before crossing the border, we stayed a few nights in Sequim WA with Thom’s cousin, Garland and his partner Tom. There we had dinner with another cousin named Dwayne that Thom had not seen since he was a kid.
Also traveling to Vancouver Island from California was Janis (from Retirementally Challenged) and her husband Paul. We didn’t travel up the coast together but we did cross into Canada back-to-back on August 9th. Once on the island we met up with friend and fellow blogger Donna (Retirement Reflections) and her husband Richard. Completely unexpectedly, we met the landlords of our vacation rental, Doug and Linda who turned out to be fantastic hosts. Not only did they enjoy good conversation as much as us, they invited us (and all our other friends) to Happy Hour and dinner on several occasions on their large outdoor patio. We now consider them friends for life.
On one occasion, Judith (from Dr. Sock Writes Here) put together a meetup for including me, Donna, Janis as well as, Erica (from Behind The Scenery), Deb (from the Widow Badass), and Ann (from the Unretired) for a hike and then a gathering at her house. Afterwards we invited spouses to join us for dinner. Unsurprisingly, all our husbands included got along famously.
There were also several gatherings with just the women and one or two of the couples. Looking back, it made our three weeks go much too fast. An additional pleasant
surprise was connecting with the seaplane (called a floatplane in Canada) pilot named Shannon. We spent two and a half hours with her as she shared a view of the small islands around Vancouver Island that few people get to see. Priceless.
Now that we are on the mainland and in Kelowna, we have already had three dinners, two long e-bike rides, several walks along the waterfront and a handful of great conversations with our longtime friends Deb and Kenn and their friends (and now ours) Amanda and Derek. And we haven’t even been here a full week. Who knows what connections we will make in the month ahead?
Over and over the doctors and news sources say how important it is to stay socially engaged in these times. I’m happy to say that despite the difficulties of getting to Canada, what I will remember the most is all the people we spent time with. Perhaps the SMART perspective is to make sure that when planning any trip (including our Bucket Lists) we remember to include old and potentially new friends. And as the author Tim Cahill says, “A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.”
I missed this post for some reason, perhaps we were getting ready for our travels to Arizona. I thought about you all meeting in BC, Kathy and remembered how much fun we had on our various meet-ups. After the whirlwind trip to San Diego and Arizona, flying no less, I agree wholeheartedly about staying longer in each location. By now you may be back home and I hope you created some new memories and deepened your relationships. We keep meeting bloggers who live in AZ and we plan a long winter road trip after Christmas. We can bring the dogs in the car (no trailers, too much snow!) and stay with various friends and family! We’ll have to meet up with you and Janis while we are in SOCal! Have a great Sunday evening!
Hi Terri! No worries…that happens to me all the time. And yes, you would have fit right in there with our crowd. So wonderful to meet people in person. We aren’t home yet, spending time with other friends in Kelowna BC until the end of the month. We’ll be heading home then when it has cooled off in the desert!! And yes to getting together if you make it to SOCal….we could all meet up in San Diego for sure! ~Kathy
Such a great message! Friends are so important.
Thanks Annie!
I couldn’t help but smile back at all the people in your pictures!
So true about how lovely it is spending time with friends and how it is so fun to meet new people while travelling. Happy travels in Kelowna!
Hey Marnie! I so wish we could have connected with you IRL during this trip Marnie. But maybe next time? And I’m very happy my photos brought a smile to your face. Talk soon! ~Kathy
Kathy, you are smart to stay in one place for extended periods of time. We learned early on that moving quickly isn’t nearly as rewarding. Yes, you can cover a lot of ground and check a lot of boxes (if that’s your thing), but meeting people and learning first hand about various lifestyles is more interesting to us. We have learned to embrace the ‘quality over quantity mentality.
Hi Suzanne…yes I think our needs and desires definitely change as we get older. And you KNOW I agree that “quality over quantity” is something I completely agree with. ~Kathy
Hear, hear, Kathy! Meeting people, making new friends, and rekindling with old ones have been highlights of our travels as well (and it is always the main reason we return to Massachusetts or Belgium) – and what we remember and talk about most. I sometimes say I’d like to fly around the world and only stop in places where we have friends, to (re)visit all of them! 🙂
That being said, I like meet-ups with just one other couple the best as they provide more quality time and less overwhelming senses. And, I like time in peace with Mark and on my own as well. A balance would be perfect!
Hi Liesbet. I so love seeing all your meetup friends on FB so I know you agree! And that “balance” you mention is critical. Donna asked one time when we were together if I was an extravert or an introvert…and I obviously enjoy being with people A LOT but the thing is, I don’t really like large gatherings of people because the conversation tends to be rather superficial. Far better to be small groups to or one-on-one to actually talk! Plus I don’t think that you can be much of a writer if you are too extraverted….we need our quiet and peace to do any writing. So which am I? My answer to her was “I’m a Gemini”. (a little of both?). What do you think of yourself? ~Kathy
I’m definitely in between. Maybe an omnivert? 😉 Pretty much like you. I enjoy being with and seeing friends, but I crave me-time and need peace and quiet to work. No music or distractions.
I’m a bit apprehensive about big gatherings and am definitely nervous before doing a TV, newspaper, or Podcast interview. A friend of ours ran this personality test (similar to Mayer-Briggs) and it was confirmed that I fit somewhere in the middle, with a slight tilt towards extravertism.
Oh I like the idea of an omnivert :-). That fits me pretty well. And while I’m a little nervous before doing interviews (much more comfortable putting my ideas down on paper rather than just off the cuff) I actually enjoy them. It is a chance to talk about my writing and hey, most of us writers do that huh? Do you remember what that personality test was? I do love those…
It was a spin-off of the Myers-Briggs, very similar to it. My friend is certified to take those tests off people, but only in a professional environment, so she gave us a similar set of questions to follow the rules.
I’m the same – had to do a podcast (in Australia) last night and was nervous at the beginning, but then, everything went much smoother and at the end I enjoyed it. 🙂
Kathy another wonderful article. Thank you for the pictures. I’m smiling as though I was there with you guys. So true about the bucket list. When we plan a trip the calls from family and friends start coming in…when are you leaving? Where are you staying? Before you know it we have a family vacation going on. Sometimes Darrel and I will sneak away without telling anyone…hehehe.
Hi Amanada! Thanks for bringing up something that is important. I realize that people with a large and close family have to choose where and with who to travel and visit much more than Thom and I–and obviously that can effect the trip in a big way. But I’ve also found that if we go and just spend time with people we already know, it is pretty difficult to meet new people and expand our circle. Sometimes that choice to sneak away just might be the best one…and time with just the two of you is also important. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy, You are absolutely right – it is about the people you meet. I remember our cruise we took a few years back. We met the most awesome people and became life long friends as well. We affectionately refer to them as our cruise family. We even inherited a “cruise son” out of the trip LOL. Great message from Tim Cahill and totally fits with the theme of this blog. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi Debbie! Nice to hear from you. And I like that idea, “your cruise family (and son!). And isn’t it nice to be talking about travel again even if just in a small way? ~Kathy
Yes, friends and family!
Yes dear friend!
Hi Cathy, our road trips are typically designed to explore specific destinations of interest, but sometimes we do plan intentional visits/meetups with friends and family. However, we do love the unexpected conversations with random folks that we meet along the way. Even if you don’t share pictures of your environment, I do hope you are taking lots. Person or place, a memory is a memory. Safe travels.
Hi Suzanne! As the idea for this post started forming in my mind I had to wonder why we don’t make it more of a priority when planning specific destinations? A big reason is that so often (at least for me) I/we haven’t stayed in one location long enough to really meet people. What do you think? And yes, we are taking tons of photos. It does take a bit of time to go back and decide which to keep and which to let go of, but that can be part of the fun too, can’t it. Anyway, my goal for our future is to stay put long enough to connect with more people because I honestly get so much out of it. Thanks for popping in here with your thoughts. ~Kathy
Awesome post, Kathy!
I can’t believe how quickly time flew past!
I agree that friends and family make everything more enjoyable and more meaningful!
I’m so sad that our time together on VI has ended, but I am delighted to meet up with again in Kelowna….soon!
Hi Donna! I don’t know about awesome but it was fun looking through the photos and picking which ones to use. Just looking at them all and remembering our good times was very memorable. So glad we got at least three weeks on the island and look forward to seeing you again soon. ~Kathy
Travelling to see friends or travelling with friends…both make the travel experience very special. It was great to finally meet you IRL, and enjoy some pleasant walks and meals with you and Thom.
Safe travels back home, Kathy!
Deb
Hi Deb! Yes it was wonderful to meet IRL and spend some time together. Although it honestly felt as though we’d done it before because we’ve been OL friends for so long. Thanks for your great hospitality. It was a fun day and a great three weeks. ~Kathy
I agree that it’s the conversations that make travel richer. I do love going to new places and being able to meet new people, or connect with those already known make it fun.
Hi Walker! Yes, and I’m guessing this is something so many of us have missed during the last year or so…and throw in some health challenges and it seems even more isolated. Hopefully you and all of us are able to move more freely in the months to come as more and more of us get vaccinated. ~Kathy
Fun to see you are making so many connections. Enjoy!
Thanks Mary! Seeing awesome sites is wonderful but great conversations? Priceless! ~Kathy
Travel is a privilege and a responsibility. I can only imagine the effort and time that you invested to plan and execute this trip. A 5 hr ferry wait is never fun. But the experience and being with friends old and new is a priceless reward. The overseas vacations I’ve taken have all been to connect with friends and family and I concur with you – what makes a trip especially sweet is the people we gather with as days go by. Welcome to BC, Canada and all its splendor from the bordering province of Alberta.
Hi Mona, I so agree. I do feel incredible fortunate to be able to travel during these times and have made sure that we travel carefully and responsibly as well. I wouldn’t want anyone to regret our visit. You do have an amazing country and we are so glad we’ve been able to visit. Maybe sometime we’ll make it to Alberta! ~Kathy
Great reflections oh wise one!
hahahaha… maybe it takes one to know one???? Just happy to call you friend!
And people who are visited like having visitors. Especially during a pandemic. Site-seeing is overrated inho. And tiring.
Hi Ann! Still sorry we didn’t get to see Hornby but next time for sure. And yes to I’m really glad you were all so hospitable to us visitors. So wonderful to mix the site-seeing with a chance to visit with you all. Looking forward to the next time already. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy – I’ve loved seeing all you blogging girls getting together (I’ve seen pics on some of the other bloggers’ posts too). The commonality that blogging brings is such a joy – and seeing you all sitting/standing near each other without masks is great to see too. Wonderful reading about all your social outings and the new friends you’ve made (not easy to do at the best of times – let alone in these weird covid days!) Enjoy the rest of your holiday x
Hi Leanne! Yes it is great getting together with others who share our interests isn’t it? And yes, blogging is one of those things that seems to bring some of us together in a great way. And YES to not needing a mask now that so many of us (all of us in the group!) are vaccinated. Definitely worth the time and trouble to make this a good summer. ~Kathy