Mere hours left...

It's not as though I am the son of some diplomat who has been able to travel the world over, or even a run of the mill middle to upper class kid who got to see a new part of the globe every winter or summer break. I have been afforded the abilitiy to dip my toe slightly into the pond and get away a few times every year though for the 5 or so that I have been working in the travel industry. In the 8 days that I have spent out here in BC, I have been able to saturate much, see the equivalent to, if not more than during the 10 days that I spent this way in 2001, and learned a great deal. What currently matters and what should matter are now very clear. What I have learned about myself while being made very aware of what natural wonders we have available to us mean I can now take little for granted, including sight. The homeless crisis is overwhelming in some areas, but so is the imminent beauty of sand and sky, ocean and mountains all so close. Whistler or Tofino however touristy or even sometimes kitschy, dig a tad deeper and you find the locals and history that make them great little jewels. The fabulous areas of North Van or Kitsilano, although may have Toronto equivalents I have yet to find them or perhaps appreciate their proximity to me most days of the year. I have never needed a vacation as much as this, nor can I recall taking in such a lesson as I have during this time. Alas I will literally come down off this high tomorrow as I drive down the mountain, make the trip back home on Wednesday and bid farewell until we meet again, perhaps someday permanently in the however distant future.

Toodles