tofino.

A few weeks ago my manager, Erika, and I were discussing my last day of work ( :C )  and as I was walking out of her office, her voice trailed out, "okay, but you should really go to Tofino before you go." 

So, we made the journey through winding island roads, stopping at old-growth forests, filling up our water jars in streams, until we arrived at this small slice of heaven.

Tofino is a dream.  Without even looking too hard we saw multiple bald eagles, male and female swooping around each other and then disappearing over the mountainside.  Or, on the journey into town, driving along, and I look up to see a big black mass hobbling across the road, upon which I started yelling, "ahh a bear a bear a bear a bear!!!"  You can also do things like go whale watching, or visit the hot springs, but we were content to wander through the village and sit along the beach.

We stayed on Poole's Land, once a hippie commune, still in the process of transforming into a camping site.  Our opinion of the place slowly improved as we saw the tree houses, and hillside pyramid cabins. We had our tent all set up when the owner approached us, asking if we wanted to stay on the abandoned schoolbus.  It was free. So, without much consideration, I spent the night on this bus, complete with woodstove and comfy loft bed. 

Despite it's shabby appearance, it was actually pretty comfortable.  And now I can add, and then cross off, "sleeping on abandoned schoolbus" on the bucket list.