Our first entrepreneurs odyssey house sitting opportunity of this blog.

We put it out there on Facebook that we were looking for house sitting opportunities in the Vancouver area before we left home in March and almost instantly had a fantastic offer from a couple whom until last week had never met.

Days 98 – June 8th.

MS Oosterdam docked alongside Canada Place in Vancouver early morning on a fine day. Our disembarkation was swift and once outside we waited to meet with Brian & Shasta whose house we will be looking after while they are away.

Arriving at Canada Place in Vancouver

The drop off, pick up zone outside the cruise terminal is very busy and congested but eventually Shasta appears and we head to the car where Brian waits and pack in all of our luggage, still far too much even though we’ve reduced it by one carry on we need to eliminate more.

Bowen Island is exactly that, an Island which is just off the mainland and next to Vancouver Island. Shasta has to stay on the mainland while we make our way to Horseshoe Bay to catch the ferry. On the way we stop off at a couple of vantage points.

Crossing the bridge we sailed under this morning

The ferry takes only 15 minutes from Horseshoe Bay to Snug Cove on Bowen Island and they run quite often from early morning to 9.40pm after that you’re stuck on either side.

BC ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island

At Snug Cove we drive off and not long after we arrive at the ‘Village Violinmaker’ the name at the bottom of a gravel road which leads up to the house.

Bowen Island’s Village Violinmaker

First impressions are that this area is very peaceful and laid back. The house is nestled in a forest of Cedar trees, Canadian Maple trees and others which create a beautiful backdrop to the home on all sides. We unpack our luggage and settle ourselves in our new home for the next month.

Later that afternoon we had the chance to listen to Shasta and some other ladies singing in their group ‘Here Comes Treble’ at a community cohousing home in Vancouver. A gathering of friends have a sing-a-long together and we are made very welcome and we experience our first ‘Pot Luck’. At the get together everybody brings a plate which is then explained as we go around the group and then we can all enjoy. The idea behind the ‘pot luck’ is exactly as the name implies, pot luck as to what you can get to eat, just like we have a ‘bring a plate’ to a get together or bbq.

Shasta in “Here Comes Treble”, our first “potluck” at the cohousing get together

Back at home we chat for a while and then call it a day.