From Squamish to Vancouver, Rainforest Hikes & Nanaimo’s Reality | Night 9 and 10

The morning fog rolled down from The Chief into Howe Sound, casting the valley in a twilight movie scene (literally), damp, cool, and exactly what I needed to prepare for the day ahead.

We started the morning with tea and snacks, before loading up the Roadtrek and heading south. The Drive into North Van was quick with little trouble - I have always liked the traffic here - I have found people assertive but efficient and friendly - and certainly don't take kindly to those who don't get those rules. After a lovely late afternoon get together in Vancouver with friends, we made plans all together again to meet at the UBC Indigenous Farm Collective on the campus for a tour of their beautiful gardens.

My good friend Mark suggested an evening hike at the Lynn Valley trailheads - a rainforest tucked right inside the city. We wandered beneath towering old-growth cedars, redwoods, and firs, roots twisting beneath our feet, surrounded by flourishing ferns and giant slugs - that's what we jokingly called “cockslugs” (yes, really). The natural stream beside the boardwalk flowed strongly, surprisingly powerful even after a long drought.

Locals bring their giant water vessels here to fill from a spring with a long history of healing. Instead of closing it off, the city wisely marked a “use at your own risk” sign, encouraging connection rather than restriction.

After our hike, we were ravenous and too close to Surrey to pass up a visit to the Malaysian Hut - a tiny family-run spot that’s been a local favourite for over 25 years. My sister and I visited there last year while in the area and stumbled into this place - we trusted the reviews and nearly got everything on the menu. SO, being this close to it again, I knew this was a place James had to visit. The food was insanely fresh and flavourful. James barely spoke; he just devoured everything. The owner somehow mentioned she remembered me from the year previous - I think it was a hell of a marketing tactic but I loved it anyway - Google reviewed her five more stars, and we somehow still ended up with leftovers - perfect for later.

As the sun began to set, we headed to Iona Beach near the airport to catch the sunset with hundreds of others. After an intense beach walk hunting for the perfect piece of driftwood, we returned to the Roadtrek to enjoy those leftovers alongside some sous vide steaks I’d prepped before leaving home. We watched the sun sink behind the clouds and mountain range, ships and planes coming and going, and even caught the nearly full moon rising.

I booked us a ferry to Victoria for the next day. Also excited to visit some friends who invited us to explore the Indigenous farm at UBC in the morning. Looking forward to the experience.

That night, we slept in a university chapel parking lot, doing our best to avoid overnight parking fees and accommodations. Hehehe.

We woke up peacefully in the church parking lot with no tickets, just quiet and warmth. Our first stop was a Starbucks inside a grocery store. The coffee was… well, James was less than impressed. Not exactly the morning pick me up we hoped for. He's become accustomed to this local roastery lifestyle.

Next, we visited the Indigenous Education and Research Centre at UBC. At its heart is a beautiful garden designed around the Medicine Wheel - a sacred symbol of balance and connection to the natural world. This garden grows traditional Indigenous plants chosen for their cultural, medicinal, and spiritual importance.

More than just a garden, it supports Indigenous food sovereignty by providing a space where traditional plants can be sustainably harvested. It also serves as a living classroom, offering respectful access for all to learn about and use these plants in traditional ways. Walking through the garden, we felt the deep connection to Indigenous knowledge, healing, and the land’s spirit. It was humbling and grounding.

After heartfelt goodbyes and promises to meet again, we left feeling lighter, more connected, and full of vitality.

The morning passed beautifully slow as we made our way to the ferry terminal to catch the boat to Victoria. And believe it or not, we were early! We parked on a quiet local road near the shoreline, sharing space with a handful of other RVs. We struck up a chat with some friendly beachcombers, instantly recognizing their artist souls. They joked about never finishing their work - classic artist problems.

Once we finished our gin and ginger drinks, we lined up for lane 2, exit 22, and waited to board.

The ferry was massive. I don’t get motion sickness on ferries (thankfully!), though boats in Cabo got me once or twice, so that’s a win for the day! Because I am about to aggressively whale watch.

Leaving the dock, the scenery reminded me of Northern Ontario’s Agawa area, only with much bigger islands and towering mountains. The sunny boat ride was stunning. No whales. Damnit.

Back in the Roadtrek, we joined the traffic heading out of Victoria toward Nanaimo for a quick snack and to hit a laundromat. I Googled “laundromat near me,” picked the first result, and boy, did we get more than we bargained for.

Nanaimo was not what I expected. Beneath the gorgeous landscape and thriving businesses lies a harsh drug epidemic fueled by meth and crack. The reality was jarring.

After paying six bucks to wash one load at Super Save, James and I decided to gas up and grab food before heading to Ucluelet. I kept my camera down because it felt intrusive. The situation was so raw and vulnerable. People here were at their lowest, far worse than what I’ve seen back home in Brantford.

While waiting for the laundry to dry, I googled Nanaimo’s drug problem and stumbled on something called the “Black Rabbits Epidemic.” At first, I thought it was some kind of community initiative or art project - nope. Turns out, it’s just a cheeky nickname locals use for the explosive breeding problem of black rabbits in the area. Like, they’re multiplying faster than you can say “breeding like bunnies.” I swear, I saw three giant black rabbits on a lawn bowling site and couldn’t stop laughing - clearly, these bunnies weren't a joke. Wrong epidemic to focus on tho.

After filling up with gas and grabbing food, we stopped at a McDonald’s near the laundromat. While waiting for our order, we saw a girl walk out, sit on the curb right outside, and light up a crack pipe - just like that. No shame, no hiding. If playgrounds were still open nearby, I’m not sure it would’ve mattered. Walking past gave me such an uneasy feeling. James gave me a serious look and said, “You don't go anywhere without me, and watch where you walk.”

No joke. Our laundromat was near the train tracks, where medical waste disposal buckets sat ominously close by. It’s out of control.

The sun was setting as we left Nanaimo. Driving out of town, I was amazed I didn’t get road sick despite limited visibility. Just outside Nanaimo, plumes of smoke darkened the horizon, not clouds, but wildfire smoke. We passed a smouldering lake with visible flames nearby. Roads were closed and homes evacuated.

The scale of the wildfires hitting this beautiful part of the world was hard to comprehend as we drove past. It took a minute to really see the scale of things - especially as someone who gets road sick SUPER easily.

After driving in the dark and silence - chatting quietly to one another - we made it to Ucluelet. We had no idea what it looked like or much else about it.

We found a public park called Big Beach, tucked behind a residential area, with trails, restrooms, and public access to the water. We slept like champs after a long day of travel, excited to discover where we really were when we woke up. Check out the gallery below from this leg of the trip - and a YouTube video for you below!