Seasonal

The Christmas season in 2018 may be the most unforgettable for the past 10 years because of one big storm sweeping south BC. On Dec. 20, many people went to work or party in the morning as usual, after lunch, the big storm started to show its force. Many big trees, electrical poles were broken by the strong wind, and then fell down on the roads, on the houses, etc. The traffic was in chaos. Thousands people were blocked on the road and cannot come back home.

Unfortunately, I was one of them. When I finished my lunch with my colleagues in Port Alberni, I found I was stopped in the middle of the freeway to Nanaimo and cannot go ahead anymore. The staff from BC hydro set up a barrier to inform all drivers back to Port Alberni, because many big trees fell down on the road and they cannot clear it away in short time. So, the situation, which may not happen for past 10 years, was happening in this Christmas time. Thousands people were blocked in the both ends of this road between Port Alberni and Parksville until next day. The local hotels were fully booked, local restaurants were full of customers. I never met this situation before.  And, most strange, this is only way back home. Following the instruction, I drive back to Port Alberni and found a Starbuck to have a rest. With cell phone, I spent the time to read news and check the information of the progress for clearing the road. My colleagues came to have dinner with me again when they heard the news we were blocked here.

With the hope of opening the road at night, I didn’t order the hotel room until all rooms were booked. In the midnight, 1 am, the road finally was cleared and open. When I heard this news, I cannot wait anymore and drive my car at once to go on the way home. Finally I came back home at 3 am safely.