Roadside Surprise

Having lived on Vancouver Island for nearly a decade, I have seen a lot of live animals off the road. Deers and bald eagles are common sighting, but I had never seen a black bear on the side of the road before our trip to Tofino.


We spotted this black bear just outside of Ucluelet, a small town south of Tofino. The bear probably just came out of hibernation, hungry and determined, causing a scene on the only through road to Port Alberni. A few cars stopped including us, hoping to catch his prominent presence on camera. I grabbed my camera and stepped out of the car. Nick thought I was crazy as the bear turned around and looked at me right in the eye. I was no more than 20 feet away from him, and probably wouldn't have a chance to get away if he decided to come after me. I was determined to get a good shot of him. Nothing could stop me at that moment.

A Little African House on the Coast

I've been absent from blogging for a little while due to personal commitment. It feels good to be back to my normal routine. Let's pick up where it was left off.

What you see here is African Beach House Nick and I stayed at in Tofino. I searched for Tofino accommodations online, and very few nice accommodations came up within our price range. At the very last minute, I booked a cabin from African Beach House after obtaining the details from the owner over the phone. The owner sounded very friendly and trusting, and didn't even take any deposit or credit card information for our reservation.


After a 3 and 1/2 hours drive from Nanaimo ferry terminal, we finally arrived at African Beach House Bed & Breakfast. At first sight, "Oh god, we're staying at a run-down house..." thinking to myself. The owner came out immediately to greet us. His welcoming presence made us at ease. He led us to the cabin located behind the house you see in the photo. The self contained cabin was built with solid wood, fully equipped with kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom upstairs loft. Inside the cabin was tastefully decorated with an African influence. The entire property was surrounded with ancient cedar trees, providing tranquil ambiance during our stay. The best of all is its location. it's right across from North Chesterman Beach, easy beach access for morning walks or sunset watch.


I have to say it was quite pleasant to find such a hidden gem along west coast Pacific Rim. We would definitely stay there again.