— Vancouver & Vancouver Island

After over a year of full-time travel in Shaun (our trusty overlander truck/home), it was time to face the music—or rather, the to-do list. Life on the road doesn’t come with a garage, and while Mark is impressively handy (and determined), there’s only so much you can fix in a gravel pullout with a screwdriver in one hand and a YouTube tutorial in the other.

🧰 Enter Hans, the Mercedes Whisperer

Other travellers had whispered of a mythical being: Hans, a German mechanic on the outskirts of Vancouver who speaks fluent “Mercedes” We booked in for the first week of July and were pleasantly surprised to find Hans’ workshop nestled in the countryside near Fort Langley—lush, peaceful, and not surrounded by the usual ring of clanging industrial units. A bonus!

Mark and Hans had a good chat about Shaun’s aches and pains, but there was a slight hiccup: Hans was awaiting major surgery and couldn’t do any heavy lifting. However, he welcomed us to stay and was happy to advise while Mark did the work himself. In the end, it turned into a great arrangement—Mark got Shaun serviced (including tackling the foot brake valve), Hans shared his expertise, and we didn’t have to dip into our slush fund. Win-win!

🚲 Fort Langley for Me, Grease and Grit for Mark

While Mark disappeared into his happy place with oily rags and replacement parts, I hopped on my bike and explored Fort Langley—a charming historic town with river walks, cute shops, and a genuinely pleasant vibe. Yes, it may sound a bit unfair, but trust me, Mark loves tinkering with Shaun, and I love not doing that. Balance. I did bring him back a tasty treat from the bakery though!

It was Canada Day while we were there, a day for celebrating the birth of Canada. Mark spent the morning working on Shaun, and I took on the vital role of able assister and hydration coordinator. We later cycled into town together so Mark could admire Fort Langley too (and reassure himself the world hadn’t ended outside the engine bay).

🐾 Off to Vancouver Island – and a New Four-Legged Friend

With Shaun now in fine fettle, we ferried over to Vancouver Island (only Shaun’s second boat ride!) and enjoyed a beautiful sunny cruise through the islands—pure postcard material. We had arranged a house-sit in Sidney and were originally bracing for public transport + car hire, assuming Shaun might be off the road a bit longer. But with Mark’s efficient repairs, we brought Shaun along, which meant… more truck tinkering! Cue happy Mark.

Our hosts warned us their 14-year-old dog Kenzie had separation anxiety and shouldn’t be left alone for long. This meant no long hikes or Shaun-based day trips, so we hired a car for a few days and took Kenzie along for some scenic, sniff-filled adventures.

🐶 Life with Kenzie: Sniff Walks and Soft Eyes

Kenzie stole our hearts. She’s sprightly for her age but takes her walks at a dignified, sniff-heavy pace. Long hikes were swapped for leisurely ambles, and honestly, we didn’t mind. The house was lovely—three toilets! A proper kitchen! We aren’t used to this space! Best of all, a solid driveway for Mark to do more Shaun-related activities.

🦭 Seals, Sea Otters & a Slice of Small-Town Charm

Sidney turned out to be a gem. I cycled into town the first afternoon and was delighted to find a seal bobbing by the fish market pier waiting for scraps like a seasoned local. Sculptures line the waterfront, and I scoped out bars with ocean views. That evening, we left Kenzie briefly to check out Sidney’s Thursday night street market. The high street closed to traffic and opened to music, food stands, artisan stalls—and yes, I treated myself to a bunch of flowers. A rare luxury when you live in a truck!

🏳️‍🌈 Victoria: Rainbows, Otters & Peacocks

On Sunday, we headed to Victoria with Kenzie for a coastal dog-friendly walk (thank you, ChatGPT, for the great suggestions!). As it happened, it was Pride Day—rainbows, music, and happy crowds in full celebration mode. We didn’t linger too long since Kenzie isn’t one for parades and crowds, but the atmosphere was joyful.

Fisherman’s Wharf charmed us with colourful floating homes and tasty halibut fish and chips. While eating, we spotted not one, but two sea otters bobbing around like furry little boats. One even climbed onto a docked boat and peeked behind the engine. Magical.

Later, we wandered through Beacon Hill Park where we admired the world’s tallest free-standing totem pole, peacocks in full strut, and turtles sunbathing like pros.

🥖 Cowichan Bay & Chemainus: Bread, Murals & Tesla Magic

The next day’s road trip took us north to Cowichan Bay. The star? True Grain Bakery. That smell! We bought bread and sweet treats that made us feel like kids in a cartoon following the scent.

We lunched by the sea before continuing to Chemainus—a town famous for its large, historical murals. The story of its logging past is painted all over its buildings. We strolled, admired, and savoured a very necessary child-size ice cream (Canadian portions are no joke!).

A moment of tech marvel: We heard a dog barking in a parked Tesla on a hot day. Just as we started worrying, Mark saw a message on the screen: “I’m cool! AC is on, and my human will be back soon.” Love it!

🪶 Totem Poles in Duncan & Raspberry Heaven

Next, we cruised through Duncan, known for its impressive totem pole collection. With a sleepy Kenzie and rising temperatures, we admired a cluster of poles without the full walking tour. Nearby, I popped into a farm shop and emerged with the best raspberries I’ve ever tasted. Honestly, they deserve their own blog post.

🧽 Back to Mainland – With Heavy Hearts

Our house-sit came to an end, and with real sadness, we said goodbye to Kenzie. We’d bonded with her and loved the home, but the road was calling. We caught the ferry back on a misty, overcast day—no dramatic views this time.

Golden Ears Provincial Park was meant to be our hiking stop, but low clouds hid the peaks. Instead, I found a peaceful rainforest walk to Cliff Falls, surrounded by moss-draped trees and the calming rush of water.

🚛 A Truck Named Shaun Meets a Truck Named Oscar

We parked up at the home of a fellow overlander finishing his build. Mark follows his YouTube channel, Oscar Overtlander, and reached out when we realised we were nearby. Him and his wife gave us a lovely welcome—and their truck is a masterpiece. Best part? A tabletop made from wood from their own garden, preserved in resin. A piece of home that travels with them. 

🔧 Final Tweaks & Alaska Ahead

The last couple of days were spent doing more jobs on Shaun. Mark arranged for our diesel heater to be serviced—important prep before heading into the wilds of Alaska, where we might just need a little warmth. The guys at the workshop were friendly and helpful, didn’t charge and gave us some spare parts!

We went back to our new friends drive way, where he made a video of Mark showing him around Shaun, which will appear on YouTube later, watch out for the link!

The following day we went to Granville Island, in downtown Vancouver to have the generator serviced. Unfortunately, they could not fit us in their yard, so the service took place in a very public car park. Shaun attracted a lot of attention, as Granville Island is the second most visited place in Canada!!!

Granville Island is an interesting entertainment and shopping area, it reminds me of Covent Garden in London, especially when the buskers are doing their stuff. We enjoyed lunch there before leaving the big city, although driving through some of the suburbs was quite upsetting. We saw large numbers of homeless people, who clearly had drug and health issues. Vancouver is a city of contrasts, the haves and the have nots!

We left the Vancouver region feeling ready for some outdoor adventures. We do feel surprisingly attached to Sidney and Vancouver Island. It’s one of the few places on our North American travels where we’ve said, “We could live here.” We even peeked at property listings (don’t worry—Canada’s immigration rules won’t let us get too carried away).

Next stop? The Canadian Rockies and Alaska. Adventure, glaciers, and probably more tinkering with Shaun await.