Beautiful Victoria, BC!

August 8th and 9th (Can you tell we finally got internet access and are catching up on a few posts?!)

Let me say it for all the parents out there…The Victoria Bug Zoo is yucky. The bugs are huge, and contrary to the opinion of many youngsters, the fact that the tour guides pull the bugs out of the cages and let others hold them is NOT cool. Cal was entranced, but rightfully spooked at the massive, ugly mo-fo of a tarantula. Nothing cool there. Just hideous (see picture). We went on a lovely carriage ride after dinner, and Cal had an in-depth conversation, sitting in the front of the carriage with his new gal, Janelle. He explained his kindergarten situation to her and that Teddy is his best friend. She was appropriately enthralled. Austin an I may as well have been in Peoria. I think he had a crush.

But here’s the real deal…Zip Lining! We went early Sunday morning (well, 10:00A, but it felt awfully early) and headed up into the hills of Sooke, BC. There we found an incredible zip line park (is that what you call them?). They hauled us up the mountain in a very Jurassic Park-like ATV through the rainy fern forest up to a platform set high atop the redwood and maple trees. There we connected by safety pins to a wire the width of one hair (seemingly)and flew down a series of eight zip lines and one suspension bridge that almost had me toss my cookies. It was just about the coolest thing I’ve ever done personally, and to see the Boy Wonder exhibit zero fear, fight with a 16 year old to go first, and bomb on down the line was truly spectacular!
Austin loved it as well (see pictures of my two loves dangling 80 feet over rainy forest), and exhibited great style – lying flat for more speed or entering the zip line tuck…she was a natural!

Cal was the bomb! He never wavered, stepping right off the platforms and zipping right over to the other platforms, often as high as 80 feet up and 1,000 feet across. He was a little light, so often he didn’t make it to the platform (not an issue with me - I often sailed right into the tree), and the guides would have to perform a “recovery,” zipping backwards, hooking their legs around him and hauling him hand over hand to the platform. He was so incredibly jazzed and had the best time!