The 75 km West Coast Trail Hike

If you are looking for a fun and challenging weeklong hike to write home about then consider the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The West Coast Trail is a 75 kilometre long hiking trail situated on the southwest side of Vancouver Island.  It used to be a trade and travel route used by First Nations.You should be a reasonably fit and/or experienced hiker to go on this trail. On average it takes 5 to 7 days to complete the hike where you can enjoy the scenery of the pacific coast, the cool sea air and wildlife. Last summer I hiked the West Coast Trail and it was a great experience.

One Year, BC

Curse my busy procrastination; where does the time go! It feels like it has been non-stop since my return from Europe back in the summer of 2013. Upon my return I went on a week-long hike at Algonquin Provincial Park then decompressed for six weeks at Sauble Beach, Ontario. Sauble Beach is the longest freshwater beach in Ontario and I have spent many of my younger summer years growing up there. During those weeks I chilled out, jogged and swam all the while working on my re-entry into the Canadian job market. After Sauble I spent a short time in Ottawa hanging out with friends, eating sushi and playing Catan before being slingshot across the country to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Western Uplands Trail Hike

Three days back in Canada from my year in Europe, traveling to twelve countries and living on an Adriatic island I’m off again trekking in Ontario’s backcountry with my hiking buddy Andrew. No rest for the wicked.

“I’m getting too old for this.” That’s what my body fresh from a sedentary lifestyle was telling me as I hiked over 100 kilometers over 8 days zigzagging through Algonquin Provincial Park’s Western Uplands trail. Though if I’ve met people in their late 60’s doing Double Ironman competitions and people in their 70’s biking across Canada then I shouldn’t complain. The hike was a good way to get rid of the kinks in my body and quoting my hiking buddy Andrew, the hike will “make you lose your brain or bring it back.” We have done the trail together on our previous Algonquin Adventure but a slightly shorter distance (77 km) and a different route.

Cranes Over Berlin

Berlin, the capital city of Germany with a population of 3 million people is under construction. Almost everywhere I went there were construction cranes peppering the skyline and the photos I took with my camera. Compared to other cities in Europe Berlin is young and is most recently notably known for the Berlin Wall which fell (Aug 13, 1961 to Nov 9, 1989) to mark the end of the Cold War.