Back to island life. BC style.

Another benefit of cold weather, it lightens the backpack as basically you're forced to wear more and more of your summer based gear!

Our hostel in Seattle had such a nice feel to it, leaving almost made us almost home-sick! The place had managed to creature a real home- ambiance which you really don't get with many lodgings whether it's a top hotel or a basic room only spot. This is great achievement that they've managed to pull. Great when you're staying put but pretty damn rubbish when you checking out at 6:30am.

With the feeling we'd just got up in the middle of the night, we shuffled down to the harbourside to edge further north by ferry at a swift but steady 30 knots. In doing so crossing the boarder into British Columbia (BC) Canada. The ride was smooth but unfortunately a non-scenic one due to low snow threatening looking clouds. Not even the exposed straits of Juan de Fuca, known as the edge of nowhere, raised a swell worth talking about, it was a flat as.

BC is going to have to be on best behaviour to get one up on New Zealand, our fav destination so far on this wee road trip of ours. Well Canada is supposed to be one of the most desirable places on earth to reside, so maybe.

Seattle had served us very well. We came to America's 42nd state with no real expectations as it's tagged as a gateway to places elsewhere but we really enjoyed our time there as both in and around Seattle there's a lot to see and do on the Northwest coast other than just fly in and out and ride round on the city's very slick ferry and metro systems.

Smoked salmon for breakfast. Not exactly the fine dinning experience you're now probably picturing but I was sat in seat no 4 on a public ferry. Mustn't grumble though as what I was assured of was that the salmon I was about to dine on, for this fine start to the day, was from the deep waters we were now actually riding on. Hopefully not caught too close to the docks. It's said that Alaskan salmon is, and will always be, under the shadow of pacific salmon. But given my present surroundings I was more than happy with my breakfast catch. Plastic cutlery was a little on the bendy side but way easier to use than to look for our stainless set located 'somewhere' in a stowed 65 litre backpack.

Docked and through the obligatory customs, thankfully no drama, we found ourselves sat at bus stop 70 Douglas Road, Victoria, Canada BC. The midday chimes rang out from a 60s looking tower next to the parliament building with a certain big-ben characteristic. Must be time for another coffee, surely.