Day Eight - On the road again

Woke up today nice and early to pack up and get ready for a 3 hour whale watching tour. I was picked outside my hotel after storing my luggage and taken to the docks in Victoria Harbour. I was suited up in a big puffy life suit. Basically a full body life jacket. 

It kept me dry and warm. A group of 10 of us were loaded into a zodiac (a big rubber boat) I was wedged in between 2 women in the 2nd last row from the back so my chance of getting a decent picture were shot. It didn't matter though in the end. It was a 3 hour boat ride and we saw no whales. We left the port at 0900 and by 0930 I had to pee. It was a beautiful, scenic boat ride. Fast and very rough. At first the excitement of a possible whale sighting was enough to distract me but by 1030 I was tortured by my expanding bladder. For the next 2 hours I couldn't think about anything other than my extreme need to pee.  At around 1130 the captain, feeling regretful about not finding us whales, asked if anybody had time restrictions. I was the only one who spoke up. I had a bus to catch. So Buddy puts me on the spot and says how about we extend the tour by 30 mins? What the hell was I going to say with 9 other sets of eyeballs staring at me?? So we went across the imaginary border into US waters in search of Orcas. Still nothing. So now we turn back at high speed but he pauses about 30 mins out from the port to prepare us for rough and open waters. He was not joking. As we continued on, the boat was bouncing off 10 foot swells and not only did I feel like I was riding a pissed off bull but I had serious concerns about rupturing my bladder. I truly could not get off that boat quick enough. Needless to say it's a good thing there wasn't a line to use the restroom. 

I managed to pick up my bags and get to the chartered bus on time downtown Victoria. It took me to the ferry, across to Vancouver and to Vancouver Airport where I rented a car to drive to Whistler. It was a beautiful and very scenic drive through the mountains.

 I had music playing and the windows open and I felt free and content. I may have belted out a song or two... or 34.
My hotel room is a little swanky  and definitely more comfortable than an air mattress in a tiny tent. The shower is like a cascading waterfall but warmer.

 I picked up some food for my in room fridge, salads that I have missed and a bottle of wine that I have missed more. I am in a beautiful mountain town full of beautiful people and hundreds of mountain bikers and I don't even want to leave my room!