Vancouver

Wed 04 Mar 2009
Seke temples all over the world have free meals on Tuesday night

Sitting patiently at the gate lounge for my flight from Montreal to Vancouver, I thought nothing of not yet having an allocated seat on my flights across the country. Eventually my name was called and I was allocated a seat, 33D. Back of the plane - great! :- (

Before too long the flight was boarding and I gathered my notebook charging nearby and made my way to board. At the gate the drama started, "sorry sir, this seat does not exist. Please take a seat."

O, no, these guys have overbooked the plane as is supposed to frequently be the case in North America. Luckily, I did not much care, at the worst I would have to make a fuss about them providing power and internet to me for the extended stay in Montreal so I could get some work done.

Meanwhile a mature couple from the US where making a ruckass about connecting flights and their bags being on board. A "supervisor" was called. The rest of the group, sensing futility, bid our time. At this point I was not holding any document related to boarding the plane…

After 10 or so minutes the gate guy, someone shut down was still awaiting the supervisor as he called my name along with about 3 other people. He was not in a hurry to serve us as he tapped the computer and eventually produced some new boarding passes, "Nayler", he said and handed me a new pass. "Please board the plane promptly." Briskly directly and hit the air bridge. I was on! Taking the time to leave behind the US couple now engaged with management about getting on this flight, I checked my new seat …. 1A!

I was going to cross the snow laden country of Canada in First Class. Perhaps luck, out of season travel or the state of the economy this was a very nice travel addition to having 4 seats to myself on the 747 from Bangkok to Rome.

Greeted warming my the cabin crew, they could see my joy at the stroke of luck…. And what a ride…. First class meals, touch screen tele's with a range of movies… and a power point! Wide seats, tubs of ice cream for desert and hot baked cookies… which I crushed up "Cold Rock" style for inclusion in my ice cream tub.

2.5 movies, 3000 calories, and 4 hours of smiling service later we were starting to descend into Vancouver. What else I could I squeeze from this. A smiling stewardess had been trying to pass out the remaining cookies… I went the loo and saw her in the galley. "Are you going to throw out the cookies?" I enquired … and with that simple question I was soon making off with a big bag of choc and blueberry chip treats! My Couch Surfing host would surely love this.

Vancouver airport is close to the city, but the public transport doesn't really make you feel this. My couch host Laura was "downtown" and had a unit with her boyfriend. Two buses and a "sky train" (which goes underground) later I was at entrance to her building. I had the address, the unit number, but what number was I to ring to get her apartment. I then lost about a hour, trying to find a hot spot, so I could skpe call her, email or otherwise get the missing detail. In the end a guy came out of the unit complex. He was happy to call her home number. She had realised the missing information too and had emailed it.

I was in!

Laura was immediately a friend. Tapping at the computer she was still busy with the days for work, assisting with the creation of a charity organisation. I soon had WIFI access, a coffee and a view over the downtown area. This spot was fabulous! The cookies were produced to the delight of my host. She loved cookies and immediately demolished a fair portion of them.

Day 2.
In the morning I spent some time with Laura and boyfriend Steve before getting my bearings on the streets. Targeted for re-development, the area was chokers new rise overpasses and the home of the Vancouver ice hockey team… all with in a block or two. As I strolled down to and along the water, I found the urban renewal had not displaced the beggars,. who asked for cash in numbers not less than 10.

To view this city with open eyes included wonder. At a nearby marina, I watched on as a comic act in nature developed. A large seagull had managed to land a starfish, but this tough little creature was not easily swallowed. I wondered about the symbolisism as much as the humour as the gull tried to manage the 5 pointed created into his month. Was I the seagull, now seeking stardom…. Was it easy to choke on stardom. Many "dead early" movie stars and musicians had proven this possible. I accepted the warning as the feathered diner eventually got two of the legs of the starfish into his throat and stood as though trying to suck the starfish dry….  Would be soon be the next victim of stardom?? I had a pressing appointment, so I would have to rely on cable news to report it.

The next order of the day was to meet with the 3 top 50 finalists for the best job in the world at the nearby Steamworks Brewing company bar and restaurant. I reported this meeting for ChannelWhitsunday.com but otherwise enjoyed meeting these diverse peoples. The best job in the world certainly obtained a cross section of people. Erik the relaxed online paper editor, Marsella the chatty tour guide and Anny the poised marketing graduate. They were a little tired from the media attention of being selected to the top 50 just 24 hours ago. I enjoyed a beer, while they didn't and took the opportunity to let them know more about my neck of the woods, which they might soon spend 6 months.

All too soon it was over.

I returned to my couch hosts and the night was filled with fun and interest as we went for a free feed at the local Sikh Temple. As it happens they offer food Tuesday nights. It was bit of tradition for Laura and Paul and it was yum.

Laura and I also took the opportunity to head to the Tuesday night Couch Surfing meeting, where I had the opportunity to meet travellers from around the world in the every Tuesday night event. This is something we had not managed to get going in Airlie Beach, as our small community only has so many hosts.

All too soon my time in Vancouver was over and I was off on a transport tri-combo to jet off to Edmonton.


Related Links:
Report on Vancouver trio