Ferry Cross The Mersey

Cindy and I recently spent a couple of days in Victoria, British Columbia. We headed north from Bellingham, drove across the border and headed west to Tsawwassen to catch the ferry to Victoria. We lined up with the rest of the cars and patiently waited our turn to drive onto the ferry, and then watched as people got out of their vehicles and headed to the terminal.

As novice ferry waiters, we followed suit and found ourselves surrounded by various eateries, gift kiosks and coffee shops. Eventually it was time to get back in the car and drive onto the ferry, which we both expected would be spent in the car. Again we watched as practically everyone abandoned their vehicle and headed up one or two flights of stairs, and again we followed.

We were surprised and pleased to find out this ferry was more like a cruise ship than a transportation vessel, with multiple places to eat, comfortable seats, work stations for those with laptops, play areas for children, and even (for an extra fee) a quiet room with over sized chairs and wi-fi. I'm sure we looked like Ma and Pa Kettle visiting a big city, as I just couldn't stop looking around or wanting to walk all over the ship to see what else there was. It was a beautiful day and smooth passage as we threaded through the Gulf Islands and saw many small lighthouses, such as this one on Prevost Island.

An opportunity to see the Vinyl Cafe Christmas Show at the Royal Theatre and spending time in Victoria was the destination. The show was, of course, wonderful and Victoria, the City of Gardens and a favorite destination of tourists from around the world, was beautiful. However, as with many trips, it was not the destination that brought the most happiness, but rather, the journey. Ralph Waldo Emerson put it best when he said "Life is a journey, not a destination.”