One of the great things about the Internet is that we can literally visit different places, make new friends,

learn new things, and start billion dollar companies, from the comfort of our own homes, using nothing more than our own personal computer.

Seriously though, Travelin’ Local’s mission is to provide its worldwide readers glimpses into locales and neighborhoods, as seen through the eyes of the locals who live there.

And then came Urban Panther, whose Guest Post today will knock your socks off. The pictures are to die for, and in case you didn’t notice she’s no slouch with the written word. Although this is not her local neighborhood, because she’s Canadian, that’s good enough.

Good enough too in that I also want to visit the Vancouver Islands after reading UP’s travel journal about her trip.

The Urban Panther is a Business Architect by day and a Writer by night.  She lives in Quebec, Canada, with her beloved Urbane Lion. She’s English and he’s French, so life is never dull! You can follow her adventures at Urban Panther’s Lair.

Pacific Island Paradise … in Canada!

A nice (read cheaper) way to travel, is going along for the ride on my boyfriend’s, the Urbane Lion’s, business trips. Of course, I’m selective. Trenton, Ontario, uh, no. (No offence to Trentonians). Vancouver Island? Oh ya, baby!

This involves a five hour flight to Vancouver, with the last leg of the journey over the Canadian Rockies. I am not a mountain person. Having the horizon blocked in all directions makes me quite claustrophobic. But even I have to admit that looking down on mountains is quite awe inspiring.

Upon landing at the Victoria Airport, we picked up our sah-weet ride! I haven’t been in a convertible since waaaay back in the day when my dad owned MGs. We actually have an MG in our driveway, but some assembly is required. Okay, a lot of assembly is required. The Lion took it apart a number of years ago, and there it sits. So, it was nice to roar around the Island in this puppy.

Then, it was off to Comox, where the Lion was giving a presentation at the Military Base.

However, the real vacation started when we headed out to Tofino in the Pacific Rim National Park. I have been to the Atlantic Coast many times, but this was my first visit to the Pacific Coast.

We stayed at the Wickaninnish Inn, and all I can say is WOW!

Let me repeat that. WOW!

The darling bellboy (is that what they are called?), Cory, showed us up to our room, and then spent a good five minutes explaining how the CD player, the coffee machine, and the remote one the TV worked, and the contents of the bar fridge. When all we wanted him to do was leave so we could scream with pure unadulterated joy.

Because this was the view from the two person bathtub.

And this was the view from our private balcony.

Throw in long walks on the beach …

Some sea critters …

And some uberly fantastic food ..

And we will be back.

We might have to rob a bank, or kill off some rich relative (of course, we’d have to have a rich relative), but we shall return!

P.S. no idea how I took this shot! Must have thought I was hitting the power button on the camera, but I think it sums up the mood of the trip very nicely!