Category: travel

McCharles family, travel

Sooke Road Trip

Rick Mc

Rob and Yvonne invited me along on a road trip to Sooke.

First stop was Port Renfrew where they were able to (tentatively) book their annual fishing charter. Salmon and Halibut the goal.

I was able to book accommodation for myself and Brian the night before we start on the West Coast Trail — June 15th.

I’d forgotten how chilly and windy it can be on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It was cold here on the pub patio.

Floating dock had not yet been floated. It was already mid-May.

We continued the scenic drive towards Victoria where Rob and Yvonne had booked their favourite hotel — Sooke Harbour.

I’d stay there again. Two bedroom units for less than $200 / night.

Next day we had the typical morning fog.

I jumped on my bike for the long ride back to Parksville.

cycling, ethics, government, health & fitness, hiking, travel

I’m fully vaccinated

Rick Mc

😀 Send me ALL the vaccine passports.

I got dose #1 of “Covishield”, the Indian version of Oxford–AstraZeneca, March 18th. NO — I’m not worried about blood clots.

I was in the first 7.76% of Canadians to get jabbed.

When Alberta started allowing the second dose of AstraZeneca after only 4 weeks, I signed up. Got jab #2 on April 16th.

Sounds like Vaccine Passports are a terrible idea.

But it’s inevitable that something like this will become required for international travel for many months. Or years.

health & fitness, travel

Canadian Vaccine Passport?

Rick Mc

Though Trudeau is worried about unintended side effects, vaccine passports are inevitable for some months and years to come. International airlines will require them, for example.

About 250k Canadians have already downloaded the most popular app — so far:

CANImmunize app

High privacy standards.

The app is available for free on iOS and Android devices and on the web at canimmunize.ca.

I manually added my 1st COVID vaccine. That can’t be in any way official.

But governments may eventually adopt this app for travel. I’ll be ready.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

health & fitness, product endorsements, travel

Switching to Shoppers Drug Mart

Rick Mc

Shoppers Drug Mart is Canada’s largest pharmacy chain with over 1000 stores.

As I hope to become — yet again — a traveller, I’m thinking it might be better (in future) to have in-person access to all these stores.

Since I went on blood pressure medications a few years ago, I’ve been dealing with local, independent pharmacies. Good service, but they rarely have what I need in stock.

So … I’ve made a second trip back in person to pick up my DRUGS.

That’s been a hassle a few times over the years, as I travel so much.

The independents and Shoppers both now ship for free — but I have more faith in the big company.

Actually, I would have gone with Amazon Canada Pharmacy — but they haven’t launched that service yet.

ethics, health & fitness, travel

ESSENTIAL Travel to Banff

Rick Mc

I flew for the first time in a year — Vancouver Island to Calgary.

Essential travel to get my first vaccine March 18th.

Essential Doctor’s appointment next day. I hadn’t had an annual medical in over 15 months.

LAB TESTS Calgary are run by a monopoly ~ Alberta Precision Laboratories. Not enough capacity — obviously — as my first available slot was April 12th.

Happily, I could get lab tests in Banff March 23rd.

Travel out of Banff is non-essential, … so I better stay until my vaccine starts to kick in. 😀

Lounging-in-place in my US $60+ / night private hostel room. Only departing for essential food and drink.

And EXERCISE, of course. That’s essential too.