Well I am writing this post at the airport in the departure lounge. They have free Wifi (hint, hint YXU!)
John got the 10:00 shuttle even though hisight was scheduled to leave at 1:10 pm. Everything went great... for a while.
First, John thinks he left his iPod cable at Gerald's. So he has a useless iPod until he can buy another cable - if he can find one. Then, without thinking he packed his special shampoo and skin cleanser in me! He should have known to check them because they are each over 250 ml in size! He wondered why everything fit so much better this time than the last! He checked his luggage easily and got his boarding passes and found that the United flight to San Fran is delayed until 2:50pm. No worries, he should still have 2 hours to catch the Air New Zealand flight at 7:00pm.
John then proceeded through to security where they found the stuff. Yes, the shampoo and the skin cleanser! They never escaped the eagle eyed staff!
John decided to go back out and buy a new little bag and to check it. As an international flight he is allowed two pieces of checked luggage. He is hoping now that the weight of all that other baggage doesn't burst the containers in the bag he bought in the airport. Then he had to go through ssecurity all over again - they gave me, the red backpack, a full body search.
However, it was no problem clearing US Customs. John dresses well when he crosses Customs and Immigration lines and he is just connecting in San Fran.
Anyway, here he is sitting in this lounge, looking glum, smelling cheap after shave on the guy in the seat behind him, listening to flight calls for other airlines who appear to be on time, seeing a clear blue sky he never experienced in Vancouver when he might have been able to enjoy it, and looking at the 15 people tapping a way on their laptops as I type this. hahahaha Never mind! It is always good to get the travel problems out of the way at the beginning of the trip. Not to worry, I'll tell him a few bad jokes and all will be well.
Here is some video
TRB
Monday, November 30, 2009
Grey Cup Sunday
First off, what a game! John watched it in his hotel room. Lucky he didn't turn it off after time expired because Montreal won after a penalty on Sask with no time remaining. It was good to see Montreal win after so many failures ion Grey Cups lately, but it was sad to see Sask lose in the way they did.
Earlier in the day... I worked on the blog while John slept in. Afterward he took the camera and took the shuttle and SkyTrain into Vancouver. It was so overcast that apart from the mountains that John saw from Gerald's place one day he hasn't seen one here. That must have coloured his perception.
He arrived downtown and could not find a visitor's centre and no one knew where to find one. He spent the three hours he did have starting off with a good breakfast in a Crepe place. Then he started just wandering around the downtown in the drizzle. He walked Robson and Granville Streets and several blocks on either side until he arrived down at the waterfront.
He was about to come back when he saw a Tourist Info place. They were at least able to show him how to get back on the SkyTrain. Arriving back at the airport for the shuttle he waited for an hour and only just made it back in time for the big game.
He was abe to talk to Gail and was able to watch the Amazing Race to see his favourite team, the Globetrotters get eliminated.
All in all, not the best fo days. But then, some days are diamonds and some are stones.
TRB
Earlier in the day... I worked on the blog while John slept in. Afterward he took the camera and took the shuttle and SkyTrain into Vancouver. It was so overcast that apart from the mountains that John saw from Gerald's place one day he hasn't seen one here. That must have coloured his perception.
He arrived downtown and could not find a visitor's centre and no one knew where to find one. He spent the three hours he did have starting off with a good breakfast in a Crepe place. Then he started just wandering around the downtown in the drizzle. He walked Robson and Granville Streets and several blocks on either side until he arrived down at the waterfront.
He was about to come back when he saw a Tourist Info place. They were at least able to show him how to get back on the SkyTrain. Arriving back at the airport for the shuttle he waited for an hour and only just made it back in time for the big game.
He was abe to talk to Gail and was able to watch the Amazing Race to see his favourite team, the Globetrotters get eliminated.
All in all, not the best fo days. But then, some days are diamonds and some are stones.
TRB
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Goodbye Vancouver Island
After a great time on Vancouver Island's east and west coasts with many great experiences, conversations, and laughs with Gerald and Karina in our memory it was time to get myself packed up and head onward with John.
Karina had a swim meet and Gerald was timing the swimming so John and I decided we would take the early ferry to Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver) from Nanaimo rather than the one to Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver. We would have had to fnd our way on the Skytrain and bus to get to the hotel south of the airport if we had gone to Horseshoe Bay. However, we didn't know that our choice meant that Gerald would need to drive us about 25 minutes to get to the ferry terminal rather than just being down the road. He said a taxi would have cost $40. As usual, Gerald was so kind.
We said our heartfelt thank you's and goodbye's and walked on the ferry. BC Ferries is a good service, The boats are clean and the service seems very efficient. John put me down and had a traditional breakfast as the ocean swept by. I asked a crew member (who turned out to be the purser) where I could buy a bus ticket to my hotel and she said she didn't know but in came by in a few minutes with a print out of the directions. They were right on. She later came by to check if it was the information I needed. The two hours melted by as we gazed at the ocean and passing ferries going in other directions.
When it was time to get off, John got me onto his shoulder and took the suitcase and was lined up to get off when an announcement came, "Would the gentleman going to the bus please report to the purser's office?" John immediately realized that he had forgotten the video camera. The purser had seen it, picked it up and was keeping it safe. When he got to her office, she said, "Did you forget anything?" with a smile. Now that IS amazing service! If anyone from BC Ferries sees this, the purser on the Coastal Inspiration deserves a raise!
Then it was off to find the municipal bus to get to the hotel. It was windy, cool and raining lightly. The driver was not scheduled to leave for 30 minutes but very kindly allowed John and I to get on early and wait even though she had to leave the bus. At departure time there were only four of us onboard and it looked like it was going to be a very pleasant trip. With just a minute to go, a ferry from Victoria arrived bringing the entire population of the city who all wanted to take our bus. In fact about half couldn't get on even though it was one of those big articulated buses. John thought about the London buses crammed with Western students he had seen going to the campus in the mornings.
I had to sit on John's lap rather than having a seat to myself. John thought he might miss his hotel because so many people were standing in the aisle he couldn't see out. However, after asking people around if they knew the hotel, it turned out not to be a problem. At least three people saw the hotel and told John to pull the cord to signal the bus driver to stop. People in Van are either very, very cool or somebody wanted a seat! Probably both!
John carried me across the street, in the now soaking rain, and registered at the hotel, the Sandman in Richmond. It is highly security conscious - you even have to swipe your room card to use the elevator. They also give you an ID card that is required before you can charge things to your room. Not only that but they actually charge the Visa immediately when you take your room and add an additional $100. They promise to refund it if you haven't used the extra charges.
John laid around on the soft king sized bed while I worked on this blog and uploaded videos. If you haven't seen them you can look back to earlier entries.
TRB
Karina had a swim meet and Gerald was timing the swimming so John and I decided we would take the early ferry to Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver) from Nanaimo rather than the one to Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver. We would have had to fnd our way on the Skytrain and bus to get to the hotel south of the airport if we had gone to Horseshoe Bay. However, we didn't know that our choice meant that Gerald would need to drive us about 25 minutes to get to the ferry terminal rather than just being down the road. He said a taxi would have cost $40. As usual, Gerald was so kind.
We said our heartfelt thank you's and goodbye's and walked on the ferry. BC Ferries is a good service, The boats are clean and the service seems very efficient. John put me down and had a traditional breakfast as the ocean swept by. I asked a crew member (who turned out to be the purser) where I could buy a bus ticket to my hotel and she said she didn't know but in came by in a few minutes with a print out of the directions. They were right on. She later came by to check if it was the information I needed. The two hours melted by as we gazed at the ocean and passing ferries going in other directions.
When it was time to get off, John got me onto his shoulder and took the suitcase and was lined up to get off when an announcement came, "Would the gentleman going to the bus please report to the purser's office?" John immediately realized that he had forgotten the video camera. The purser had seen it, picked it up and was keeping it safe. When he got to her office, she said, "Did you forget anything?" with a smile. Now that IS amazing service! If anyone from BC Ferries sees this, the purser on the Coastal Inspiration deserves a raise!
Then it was off to find the municipal bus to get to the hotel. It was windy, cool and raining lightly. The driver was not scheduled to leave for 30 minutes but very kindly allowed John and I to get on early and wait even though she had to leave the bus. At departure time there were only four of us onboard and it looked like it was going to be a very pleasant trip. With just a minute to go, a ferry from Victoria arrived bringing the entire population of the city who all wanted to take our bus. In fact about half couldn't get on even though it was one of those big articulated buses. John thought about the London buses crammed with Western students he had seen going to the campus in the mornings.
I had to sit on John's lap rather than having a seat to myself. John thought he might miss his hotel because so many people were standing in the aisle he couldn't see out. However, after asking people around if they knew the hotel, it turned out not to be a problem. At least three people saw the hotel and told John to pull the cord to signal the bus driver to stop. People in Van are either very, very cool or somebody wanted a seat! Probably both!
John carried me across the street, in the now soaking rain, and registered at the hotel, the Sandman in Richmond. It is highly security conscious - you even have to swipe your room card to use the elevator. They also give you an ID card that is required before you can charge things to your room. Not only that but they actually charge the Visa immediately when you take your room and add an additional $100. They promise to refund it if you haven't used the extra charges.
John laid around on the soft king sized bed while I worked on this blog and uploaded videos. If you haven't seen them you can look back to earlier entries.
TRB
Back to Nanaimo
After a very restful night's sleep, John and Gerald woke to a beautiful clear bright blue crisp sunny day. I am saying this because it is the ONLY blue sky I have seen since we arrived. John woke and took a video of the dawn breaking over the trees from the balcony of the cabin.
Once Gerald had awoken and green tea made (the coffee machine did not have filters for the coffee we had brought), they sat on their balcony experiencing the moment. Then they were off for a walk along the Wild Pacific Trail. The views were incredible to start with but and became progressively better. The surge of the ocean waves crashing over rocks set against the azure sky took John's breath away.
They met two women walking what Gerald called their 'ugly' dogs. They were shar peis, the ones with all the wrinkles. One woman said the dog who came up to us was a chicken and didn't need to be on a leash, because he never ran off - at which point he ran off - down the path the way from whence they had come. We had to stifle our laughs as they coaxed, cajoled and begged the dog to come back so they could continue on their journey. John said children and animals always make liars of us all.
They walked by a Coast Guard place and lighthouse that is still run by people and not automated. Then it was back to the cabin to check out. We looked for a place for breakfast but it was 11am and we got a Mexican brunch. John had black bean soup, and a chicken tortilla wrap. It was good but hot.
Then we took the long (about 3 hour) ride back to Nanaimo through the same gorgeous country that we had just travelled over the day before, past Kennedy Lake, over the pass to Sprout Lake all the way to Port Alberni. We got gas and a drink there - Gerald had a dark roast coffee and John had a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Gerald said it was no wonder John was fat. hahaha
Finally back in Nanaimo, we went to get the crabs with which John was going to say thank you to Gerald and Karina for their hospitality. They got four jumbo crabs, took them home and returned the rental car. Gerald prepared the crabs for Karina's arrival and all three of them sat down to a feast of crab and stir fried vegetables. It was delicious! And the three had a great time talking about schools.
It was time for bed and John was happy to fall into his, knowing that tomorrow was going to be another full one.
TBD
Once Gerald had awoken and green tea made (the coffee machine did not have filters for the coffee we had brought), they sat on their balcony experiencing the moment. Then they were off for a walk along the Wild Pacific Trail. The views were incredible to start with but and became progressively better. The surge of the ocean waves crashing over rocks set against the azure sky took John's breath away.
They met two women walking what Gerald called their 'ugly' dogs. They were shar peis, the ones with all the wrinkles. One woman said the dog who came up to us was a chicken and didn't need to be on a leash, because he never ran off - at which point he ran off - down the path the way from whence they had come. We had to stifle our laughs as they coaxed, cajoled and begged the dog to come back so they could continue on their journey. John said children and animals always make liars of us all.
They walked by a Coast Guard place and lighthouse that is still run by people and not automated. Then it was back to the cabin to check out. We looked for a place for breakfast but it was 11am and we got a Mexican brunch. John had black bean soup, and a chicken tortilla wrap. It was good but hot.
Then we took the long (about 3 hour) ride back to Nanaimo through the same gorgeous country that we had just travelled over the day before, past Kennedy Lake, over the pass to Sprout Lake all the way to Port Alberni. We got gas and a drink there - Gerald had a dark roast coffee and John had a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Gerald said it was no wonder John was fat. hahaha
Finally back in Nanaimo, we went to get the crabs with which John was going to say thank you to Gerald and Karina for their hospitality. They got four jumbo crabs, took them home and returned the rental car. Gerald prepared the crabs for Karina's arrival and all three of them sat down to a feast of crab and stir fried vegetables. It was delicious! And the three had a great time talking about schools.
It was time for bed and John was happy to fall into his, knowing that tomorrow was going to be another full one.
TBD
Saturday, November 28, 2009
To Tofino
Thursday Nov. 26 (posted on Nov. 27)
For the first time since we arrived there was no rain. The sky started off clear and then clouded over a bit. After a good breakfast of muesli, OJ and Coffee, John and Gerald set out. The first place that Gerald wanted to visit was starbucks. John had a green tea latte and Gerald a regular coffee. Going down the divided highway north from Nanaimo the mountains became visible. They were awesome! And after turning onto highway 4 west to Port Alberni they became even more awesome. Stunning with snow on them. We stopped at Cathedral Grove and walked amongst trees some of whom were little saplings in the year 1206. They let any trees that are blown over by the wind stay there as nursery trees for the new trees.
Then it was on to Port Alberni for Tim's. John had a strwberry, banana, coconut doughnut. Gerald had a tea biscuit. The road after Port Alberni was another wonderful experience. Twisted and winding among the mountains, trees and lakes, the road took the car on one direction after another all the time.
There was a bank of cloud alongside each mountain as if it had a feathery white necklace. They took the fork to the right to go to Tofino. Going through the Pacific Rim National Park they went immediately to Tofino. It is a quaint little village really. Very picturesque. They had a drink and a snack at a little restaurant. John said he enjoyed his veggie rolls (like sausage rolls with veggie stuff inside). They walked all around, going down to the waterfront and seeing what seems ubiquitous on the island - float planes, fishing boats and water taxis. They stopped into an artist's gallery. It reminded John of the artefacts he had seen in the Royal BC Museum.
Returning down the same road - Tofino is the end of the road - we stopped in the Park, bought our day passes and went down onto Long Beach to see the waves. They were rated as extreme today and it was a magnificent sight. We also went on a walk through the rainforest where Gerald told John the colour was green, green, green. A highlight was seeing two coho salmon mating in the small rainforest stream.
Finally we arrived in Uclulet where we found our cabins. Incredible place. Three stories with a living room, kitchen, a loft bedroom upstairs with a hot tub, and a bedroom in the basement. Gerald insisted thet John take the loft. Then it was off to dinner at a nice little restaurant before heading back to the cabin. I wrote the blog while John took his bath. After three days of walking, his legs are getting mighty sore.
TBD
For the first time since we arrived there was no rain. The sky started off clear and then clouded over a bit. After a good breakfast of muesli, OJ and Coffee, John and Gerald set out. The first place that Gerald wanted to visit was starbucks. John had a green tea latte and Gerald a regular coffee. Going down the divided highway north from Nanaimo the mountains became visible. They were awesome! And after turning onto highway 4 west to Port Alberni they became even more awesome. Stunning with snow on them. We stopped at Cathedral Grove and walked amongst trees some of whom were little saplings in the year 1206. They let any trees that are blown over by the wind stay there as nursery trees for the new trees.
Then it was on to Port Alberni for Tim's. John had a strwberry, banana, coconut doughnut. Gerald had a tea biscuit. The road after Port Alberni was another wonderful experience. Twisted and winding among the mountains, trees and lakes, the road took the car on one direction after another all the time.
There was a bank of cloud alongside each mountain as if it had a feathery white necklace. They took the fork to the right to go to Tofino. Going through the Pacific Rim National Park they went immediately to Tofino. It is a quaint little village really. Very picturesque. They had a drink and a snack at a little restaurant. John said he enjoyed his veggie rolls (like sausage rolls with veggie stuff inside). They walked all around, going down to the waterfront and seeing what seems ubiquitous on the island - float planes, fishing boats and water taxis. They stopped into an artist's gallery. It reminded John of the artefacts he had seen in the Royal BC Museum.
Returning down the same road - Tofino is the end of the road - we stopped in the Park, bought our day passes and went down onto Long Beach to see the waves. They were rated as extreme today and it was a magnificent sight. We also went on a walk through the rainforest where Gerald told John the colour was green, green, green. A highlight was seeing two coho salmon mating in the small rainforest stream.
Finally we arrived in Uclulet where we found our cabins. Incredible place. Three stories with a living room, kitchen, a loft bedroom upstairs with a hot tub, and a bedroom in the basement. Gerald insisted thet John take the loft. Then it was off to dinner at a nice little restaurant before heading back to the cabin. I wrote the blog while John took his bath. After three days of walking, his legs are getting mighty sore.
TBD
Gerald can cook!
Thursday Nov. 25 (posted on Nov. 27 - no Internet access)
We woke up about 7:00am. Gerald and Karina had already left - Karina to work and Gerald to do some errands and pick up a rental car for our trip to Tofino tomorrow. I took the opportunity to work on this blog and try to edit some raw video, make some movies and upload them to the blog. John spent his time looking out over the deck to Nanaimo Bay, watching the float planes taking off and landing and the ferries coming and going. After two hours I still could not upload a single video. When Gerald came back he said that perhaps it was Internet traffic and to try to upload them late in the evening when most of North America is asleep.
John agreed with Gerald and we watched Gerald prepare a delicious lunch of barbequed marinated chicken and brown rice. In the afternoon, Gerald and John took the camera and went on a tour of Nanaimo. They went to a park that looked like a rinforest. It has been very rainy on Vancouver Island lately and the little stream was gushing huge amounts of watwer. There were two amazing waterfalls and they followed the stream right down to the ocean. John said that hard poart was climbing up the rail on the way back and he was ut fo breath at the end. Gerald laughed.
The tour continued as they went down to the waterfront for a cappucino. They also talked to a guy who owns his own fishing boat but doesn't fish, just sells fish. By this time it was getting dark and after agoing back to the car, they camew back to the house.
Gerald then made dinner. It was incredible! It was a curried seafood stir fry. There was salmon, clams, oysters, and prawns over a bed of brown rice. It seemed very healthy at the same time as being delicious.
Gerald and John were enjoying a glass of wine and watching Criminal Minds when Karina got home. She is a swimmer and the national swimming championships are coming to Nanaimo and both she and Gerald will be either swimming or working at the event. Both of them work really hard. Even though Gerald had taken a vacation day, as head of HR, he had to send multiple emails to organize an arbitration hearing for Dec. 30.
John felt that his day of activity was making him feel better physically already.
TBD
We woke up about 7:00am. Gerald and Karina had already left - Karina to work and Gerald to do some errands and pick up a rental car for our trip to Tofino tomorrow. I took the opportunity to work on this blog and try to edit some raw video, make some movies and upload them to the blog. John spent his time looking out over the deck to Nanaimo Bay, watching the float planes taking off and landing and the ferries coming and going. After two hours I still could not upload a single video. When Gerald came back he said that perhaps it was Internet traffic and to try to upload them late in the evening when most of North America is asleep.
John agreed with Gerald and we watched Gerald prepare a delicious lunch of barbequed marinated chicken and brown rice. In the afternoon, Gerald and John took the camera and went on a tour of Nanaimo. They went to a park that looked like a rinforest. It has been very rainy on Vancouver Island lately and the little stream was gushing huge amounts of watwer. There were two amazing waterfalls and they followed the stream right down to the ocean. John said that hard poart was climbing up the rail on the way back and he was ut fo breath at the end. Gerald laughed.
The tour continued as they went down to the waterfront for a cappucino. They also talked to a guy who owns his own fishing boat but doesn't fish, just sells fish. By this time it was getting dark and after agoing back to the car, they camew back to the house.
Gerald then made dinner. It was incredible! It was a curried seafood stir fry. There was salmon, clams, oysters, and prawns over a bed of brown rice. It seemed very healthy at the same time as being delicious.
Gerald and John were enjoying a glass of wine and watching Criminal Minds when Karina got home. She is a swimmer and the national swimming championships are coming to Nanaimo and both she and Gerald will be either swimming or working at the event. Both of them work really hard. Even though Gerald had taken a vacation day, as head of HR, he had to send multiple emails to organize an arbitration hearing for Dec. 30.
John felt that his day of activity was making him feel better physically already.
TBD
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Magical Victoria
First, I want to thank those of you who have left comments. I have read every one but don't know the blog well enough to be able to reply directly to each of them.
Well today John left me back at the hotel and just took his videocamera. Darn!
He went to take some videos and set out in the wrong direction. What he thought was the Empress Hotel turned out to be a new resort and spa that had the same general shape in the distance. When he got there he realized it was too new!
Well the Empress hotel was across the small inner harbour but it was not more than a 20 minute walk to get there. He got there taking very short video clips of quaint little things all along the way. He signed up for a city tour at the Visitor's Centre and then walked about the quaint downtown area taking short videos that will make a nice video collage. Too bad that his suitcase is too full to get souvenirs.
As he was getting closer to the Empress he saw the BC legislative assembly building and a large student protest going on outside. The protestors were all women. He talked to one of the women who told him that the BC govt was closing the midwidery program at UBC. After signing the petition (even though he is not a BC resident) he asked about Ontario programs. Apparently there are three: MacMaster, Ryerson and Laurentian -- just the progressive schools, I guess. Of course, Western has no such program.
By then it was getting cooler and there was a mist in the air and the city tour was leaving ina half hour. He just had time to go to the Chocolate Brothers for a cappucino. It was great sitting at the window watching the people walk by. No one was hurrying. This is BC apparently and life is more relaxed. Cars stop for pedestrians. Cyclists are everywhere even at this time of year.
The tour was excellent. In 90 minutes he saw wild seals, the richest real estate in BC, a development that refused to change the way they drove on the right hand side of the road for years after it was illegal in probably the world's first gated community back in the early 1900's. He saw a few of the thousands upon thousands of rabbits on the campus of the University of Victoria. He learned the history of Canada's first Chinatown and saw the narrowest street in Canada (4 feet wide).
After the tour he went with the recommendation of the tour guide and visited the BC Museum. There was so much to see: the stories of the Salish First peoples, BC natural history where he talked to a volunteer who was telling people about tidal pools. John was amazed that he still remembered his biology from the mid 1970's and had a great conversation with the volunteer who was showing people live sea anemones, fish, and other molluscs and crustaceans. He realized that so many of the sea creatures are the same on the west and east coasts.
There was also a big exhibit on the history of BC. John got quite a start when looking at the exhbits when he realized that he was looking at an old PET computer from the late 1970s. This is history he thought to himself and suddenly felt quite a bit older. Hec he even remembered the 8 track cartridges and those fancy IBM electic typewriters! He ended the visit watching a hilarious old Charlie Chaplin movie. Eighty years old and just as funny today!
After getting back to the hotel, he found Gerald in the pub - where else? They had a beer then he picked me up with the suitcase and Gerald drove us all through the fog to Nanaimo. We met Karina, Gerald's wife who is a principal and talked education through a nice lasagna dinner. By 10 o'clock we were all tired and headed for bed.
This was John's first real vacation day. He didn't have to carry me!
Will try to upload videos but it is very hard. John gave up after waiting over two hours to upload a 25 second video at London airport!
TRB
Well today John left me back at the hotel and just took his videocamera. Darn!
He went to take some videos and set out in the wrong direction. What he thought was the Empress Hotel turned out to be a new resort and spa that had the same general shape in the distance. When he got there he realized it was too new!
Well the Empress hotel was across the small inner harbour but it was not more than a 20 minute walk to get there. He got there taking very short video clips of quaint little things all along the way. He signed up for a city tour at the Visitor's Centre and then walked about the quaint downtown area taking short videos that will make a nice video collage. Too bad that his suitcase is too full to get souvenirs.
As he was getting closer to the Empress he saw the BC legislative assembly building and a large student protest going on outside. The protestors were all women. He talked to one of the women who told him that the BC govt was closing the midwidery program at UBC. After signing the petition (even though he is not a BC resident) he asked about Ontario programs. Apparently there are three: MacMaster, Ryerson and Laurentian -- just the progressive schools, I guess. Of course, Western has no such program.
By then it was getting cooler and there was a mist in the air and the city tour was leaving ina half hour. He just had time to go to the Chocolate Brothers for a cappucino. It was great sitting at the window watching the people walk by. No one was hurrying. This is BC apparently and life is more relaxed. Cars stop for pedestrians. Cyclists are everywhere even at this time of year.
The tour was excellent. In 90 minutes he saw wild seals, the richest real estate in BC, a development that refused to change the way they drove on the right hand side of the road for years after it was illegal in probably the world's first gated community back in the early 1900's. He saw a few of the thousands upon thousands of rabbits on the campus of the University of Victoria. He learned the history of Canada's first Chinatown and saw the narrowest street in Canada (4 feet wide).
After the tour he went with the recommendation of the tour guide and visited the BC Museum. There was so much to see: the stories of the Salish First peoples, BC natural history where he talked to a volunteer who was telling people about tidal pools. John was amazed that he still remembered his biology from the mid 1970's and had a great conversation with the volunteer who was showing people live sea anemones, fish, and other molluscs and crustaceans. He realized that so many of the sea creatures are the same on the west and east coasts.
There was also a big exhibit on the history of BC. John got quite a start when looking at the exhbits when he realized that he was looking at an old PET computer from the late 1970s. This is history he thought to himself and suddenly felt quite a bit older. Hec he even remembered the 8 track cartridges and those fancy IBM electic typewriters! He ended the visit watching a hilarious old Charlie Chaplin movie. Eighty years old and just as funny today!
After getting back to the hotel, he found Gerald in the pub - where else? They had a beer then he picked me up with the suitcase and Gerald drove us all through the fog to Nanaimo. We met Karina, Gerald's wife who is a principal and talked education through a nice lasagna dinner. By 10 o'clock we were all tired and headed for bed.
This was John's first real vacation day. He didn't have to carry me!
Will try to upload videos but it is very hard. John gave up after waiting over two hours to upload a 25 second video at London airport!
TRB
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A Day is 24 hours
Well, what a start to the trip. Janice took us to the airport in plenty of time for the 9:15 am departure. John packed so much into me I got him back by nearly dislocating his shoulder. He will know better next time!
As we waited in the departure lounge without being able to even see across Ramp 4 through the fog to the runway, John`s pilot training told him that there would be a delay. We did hear a loud engine roar overhead at one point and John told this military guy he was talkng to, that it sounded like a Dash 8 overflying the runway. At 9:30 the Air Canada sign at the podium said the ontime 9:15 departure of Jazz 7706 was delayed. Then it was cancelled. They sent us back out of the departure lounge and told us to pick up our bags (No, none were lost!) and call the Air Canada number on our cellphones to rebook. I didn`t have my cell phone. So, I went back to the ticket agent with my luggage and went through the whole process again. I booked on the next available flight 7712. It was to leave at 11:00am. I headed back through security and decided to make the video below. At 11:15 they said the flight had been delayed due to mechanical problems. The new time was 12:30, then 1:00pm, then 1:30. We finally took off at 2:00pm.
We arrived at the new Pearson terminal, the first time John had been there. We had a new connection to Vancouver leaving at 4:00pm. The flight went well. The new information options are great! I watched a movie about a couple on their honeymoon in Hawaii with an evil couple stalkng them. I think it might have been called Perfect Getaway.
We arrived in Vancouver. Airport staff were everywhere to help. Almost none of them knew how we could get to the ferry to Victoria. Eventually we found the right ticket booth and got a bus to the ferry, BC Ferries newest one, Coastal Celebration, and took the 90 minute nighttime trip and got on another bus to downtown Victoria and then a texi to the Swans Suites hotel.
Had a chat with Gerald until 2:30 am Pacific time (5:30 am in London). And our 24 hour day was over!
TRB
Here is the video in the departure lounge at London Intl Airport (YXU) which is not to be confused with London Heathrow (LHR) in the UK.
Arrival at Vancouver
As we waited in the departure lounge without being able to even see across Ramp 4 through the fog to the runway, John`s pilot training told him that there would be a delay. We did hear a loud engine roar overhead at one point and John told this military guy he was talkng to, that it sounded like a Dash 8 overflying the runway. At 9:30 the Air Canada sign at the podium said the ontime 9:15 departure of Jazz 7706 was delayed. Then it was cancelled. They sent us back out of the departure lounge and told us to pick up our bags (No, none were lost!) and call the Air Canada number on our cellphones to rebook. I didn`t have my cell phone. So, I went back to the ticket agent with my luggage and went through the whole process again. I booked on the next available flight 7712. It was to leave at 11:00am. I headed back through security and decided to make the video below. At 11:15 they said the flight had been delayed due to mechanical problems. The new time was 12:30, then 1:00pm, then 1:30. We finally took off at 2:00pm.
We arrived at the new Pearson terminal, the first time John had been there. We had a new connection to Vancouver leaving at 4:00pm. The flight went well. The new information options are great! I watched a movie about a couple on their honeymoon in Hawaii with an evil couple stalkng them. I think it might have been called Perfect Getaway.
We arrived in Vancouver. Airport staff were everywhere to help. Almost none of them knew how we could get to the ferry to Victoria. Eventually we found the right ticket booth and got a bus to the ferry, BC Ferries newest one, Coastal Celebration, and took the 90 minute nighttime trip and got on another bus to downtown Victoria and then a texi to the Swans Suites hotel.
Had a chat with Gerald until 2:30 am Pacific time (5:30 am in London). And our 24 hour day was over!
TRB
Here is the video in the departure lounge at London Intl Airport (YXU) which is not to be confused with London Heathrow (LHR) in the UK.
Arrival at Vancouver
Monday, November 23, 2009
I'm Off!
Welcome! I am on John's back and ready to head out to the airport. Today I fly from London to Toronto to Vancouver then take the ferry to Victoria, the bus to downtown and a taxi to the hotel.
I am carrying John's laptop, video camera, and iPod. I hope I am not too thick (physically, not mentally!) to get through security. Wish me luck!
TRB
I am carrying John's laptop, video camera, and iPod. I hope I am not too thick (physically, not mentally!) to get through security. Wish me luck!
TRB
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Before the travels
Hello, I am John's Backpack and I will tell you the story of his travels.
He hasn't started yet but is very excited about going. He leaves on Monday November 23 at 7:30 local time to leave for the London, Ontario airport en route to British Columbia. One of his friends, Janice, is going to give him a lift to the airport.
I hope the security people will be gentle with me as John has entrusted me to carry his laptop, video camera and iPod. Together, we hope to send you some video from Victoria BC by November 25.
Until then here is a little video that Gail took at John's home.
Ciao for now!
TRB
He hasn't started yet but is very excited about going. He leaves on Monday November 23 at 7:30 local time to leave for the London, Ontario airport en route to British Columbia. One of his friends, Janice, is going to give him a lift to the airport.
I hope the security people will be gentle with me as John has entrusted me to carry his laptop, video camera and iPod. Together, we hope to send you some video from Victoria BC by November 25.
Until then here is a little video that Gail took at John's home.
Ciao for now!
TRB
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
