Distance = 356 km        Gas = $36.88 ($1.26/L in Abbotsford)

Mile 0 – the official start of the Trans-Canada Highway

The Empress Hotel

Parliament building

My host, Annemarie

Wildlife in the front yard

Ferry to Vancouver

The view from behind the wheel

My Merritt host, Katie, with her dogs

Victoria is a gorgeous city, and even more beautiful is the little country suburb of Metchosin, where I was staying with family friends to start my journey. Left this morning and caught the 10 a.m. ferry to Tsawwassen and drove straight to Merritt, where I’m spending the night at a friend’s here. I lived in Merritt a few years ago, and it was kind of nice to arrive on the first leg of my journey and kind of feel like I was coming home.

I was going to write a post before I started off about what to bring on a road trip, but then I realized, I have no idea, and I found this list of the 100 things you should pack, and it seems pretty solid. That being said, I didn’t pack most of the stuff on the list, and will soon discover, I’m sure, what I should have brought. I have clothes, a cooler, a swiss army knife, duct tape, a credit card, my camera and some hand wipes. So far, so good.

The trip has got off to a good start. Great weather – even in Vancouver – and so nice to see old friends along the way. Between a gas stop in Abbotsford and arriving in Merritt, I pretty much had The Civil Wars on repeat while I drove the two hours to get here. Why are they not played more on the radio?

Tomorrow, Nelson!

NEXT POST: Merritt to Nelson