Have you ever wanted to just lay on a hammock in the back of a new found friends garden looking up and being able to see every single shining star looking back at you?

I went to Canada to see one of my oldest, closest, and most attractive friends - Jennifer Lyons. As well as seeing a lot of Victoria and Vancouver it was SSI that will always be closest to my heart. The views on the ferry ride alone are enough to make your eyes water!

Public transport is virtually non existent on the island so a car is a necessity! I’d recommend getting a large robust one because you’ll need it for driving up the mountains! The road to Mount Maxwell is a gravel type path that lasts for about 9 kilometres complete with potholes and jagged stones. It’s a long arduous drive but I cannot really put into words how breathtaking the view is! From there we went to Mount Bruce (driving over Mount Tuam on the way there) and the view from the summit was truly beautiful. If you only decide to venture up one then this one is the definitely the more amazing of the two! We could see almost the entire province from up there. The ant sized ferry leaving port, the hills and mountains surrounding and protecting us, the low cloud draping the scene with a touch of silk… It was akin to being in charge of the world, looking out, surveying the land, maintaining the peace…

This has to be one of the friendliest places I have ever been to! Everybody welcomed me, chatted to me and confided in me as if though they’d known me for years! I even spent a long time sitting on the bonnet of the car discussing life and love with a great and cute new friend called Mindy.

There are even a few lovely coves on the island… Secluded and gorgeous if you want to catch some of that summer sun they make an ideal stop! My suggestion is to check out Beddis Beach if you get the chance!

A few days later I had a familiarisation flying lesson in Victoria and I chose the option of flying over SSI! The place looks even more fantastic from the air than it does from the ground and it was terrific being able to pick out landmarks and places I had been! :) This sort of flight is very economical – less than £40 I seem to remember – and it’s a great introduction to flying! If you ever go ask for Steve or Jennifer (yep THAT Jennifer) who are both fully qualified and experienced flying instructors… trust me… from the moment you climb into that cockpit you’ll be having the time of your life!

For the truly definitive guide to this perfect island check out www.saltspringguide.com which is run and maintained in part by my aforementioned friend Jennifer Lyons… it’s even won some awards!