Friday 21st January, 2011
I can’t believe that I have been here over a week and all that has happened in that time. The journey is all but forgotten now but at the time, was a bit trying. The first flight went without a hitch other than the guy next to me constantly tring to stroke my leg and despite me elbowing him several times and telling him to stop he persisted throughout the whole 9 hr flight. I was very glad to be off the plane but then came the 2 1/2 hr customs queue at Washington which subsequently caused me to miss the connecting flight to Seattle. So instead of the stop over I had planned in Seattle, I spent the night in Washington and got the first flight to Seattle the following morning. Plan B was then set in motion and another flight there to Victoria got me safely through Canadian immigration (all of 30 seconds) and into the waiting arms of my parents. Like I said that is all forgotten now and I can try and sort it out with insurance when I get back.
The first couple of days I settled into holiday mode and only had minor problems wanting to go to sleep at 9pm on the second day here, but I blame that on altitude aclimatization here on the mountain side, rather than jetlag! Snow followed for the next few days and I quite enjoyed being stranded at the house with mum and dad not able to make it down to work. We set to making bread, marmalade and muffins and watched a number of DVD’s but I was relieved to see the snow retreating the following day before cabin fever really set in.
At the weekend we headed over to Vancouver Island on the early ferry and stopped for quintessential canadian breakfast of pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup. We ventured round the shops in Victoria and I bought a few absolute essentials! The really started to make its presents felt so we got in the car and drove up the Malahat to Nanaimo. Originally heading to Tofino we realised that the weather was going to put a real downer on the trip and fact that we had to be back on Salt spring for Monday morning meant that most of the weekend would be spent driving in awful weather so time for plan b again and Nanaimo was our destination. Called the ‘Harbour city’ Nanaimo is Vancouver Islands second largest city after Victoria and renowned for its outdoor culture. It has fantastic scenery, parklands and would be a great place to explore on a dry day. It was dark when we arrived so we settled into the hotel and walked down to a great little Greek restaurant just down from the hotel. I know they say you should never judge a place from the outside and that is certain true in this case. From the outside it looked really dark and there was the obligatory blue and white flag restaurant board. We walked in the door and I was amazed it was like a mini greek palace in a conservatory. The food was amazing an we were all stuffed when we left. I also got to sample a Greek red and I definitely approve.
On Sunday we started the day with wafel making at the hotel and then went out round Nanaimo. After a brief drive round the city, which was really more a town, we went to Chemanius. Chemanius is the town that is home to the world famous wall painting. I was here 20 years ago and when we arrived memories of certain areas came flooding back. We walked round the wall paintings, which are far more extensive then they were all those years ago. The skies had cleared and the sun was out and it felt lovely walking around taking photographs.
After Chemanuis we went to Duncan and we went for coffee at an organic cafe and then took the Totem tour. Basically, the Totem tour is a series of yellow footsteps painted on the pavements that guided you a round the40 plus Totem poles around the town, each one unique on its colours and carvings. A quick visit to Maple bay for a walk on the beach and more photo opportunities, although I didn’t manage to get one of the man falling out of his canoe, before returning to Salt spring on the ferry from Crofton.
Monday 17th May, 2010
I got out of the hostel in Auckland on Saturday morning, went to the Library to check my emails and then caught the bus to the airport. Not wanting to leave New Zealand left me feeling more than a little sad to be checking in my bag again America bound. At 1pm I boarded the plane after going through double security checks (for America only) and had a 12 hour flight unable to sleep again. Therefore my journey consisted off Brothers, Twilight: New Moon, Pam Ann: Live in London and my new favourite Australian film Bran Neu Dae. The Plane landed in LA at 6.30am and I went through Customs and Immigration with a very nice officer who was asking me all about England. He wanted to go but didn’t think he could face the flight.
Going into terminal 3 was a different story, the immigration people were just moody and I got stopped at the security gate and was told they ‘wanted to check my pants’. Having lived in Newcastle for the past 9 years and watched enough American TV to know that they actually wanted to check my trousers but I was still a bit taken aback. After doing all this I still had another 3 hours to wait but I had a book, my ipod and a Starbucks so it wasn’t long till boarding. Another 2 1/2 hours and I had arrived in Seattle with sleep deprivation really kicking in. It is weird to think that because of crossing the international date line I had arrived before I set off.
From the airport I got the light rail to Chinatown and walked to the hostel. As soon as I dropped my bags in the room I went for a shower to wake myself up knowing that I had to stay awake to go to bed tonight and minimise the jet lag. I did feel better after my shower and set off on my orientation walk. I walked up 3rd Ave and past the library and the art gallery then stopped for coffee at Seattle’s Best Coffee Co. (I am trying to avoid Starbucks in its birthplace) where I got talking to a lady that told me it was the cheese festival this weekend at Pike Place Market and I asked her about the buses (free in the CBD) and a couple of the visitor attractions. Someone on the plane mentioned a great seafood restaurant on one of the Piers so I am hoping to go there when Helen arrives (note the when not if). I walked down to Pike Place market but it was already 5pm and people were packing up, I wandered round a bit knowing that I could have a better look on Sunday. On the way back I found a great Thai takeaway so with my Prawn Pad Plik I went back to the hostel.
Finally giving in to sleep at 9.30pm I got up at 10am having slept 12 1/2hours and feeling like I had woken from hibernation. I caught the bus to Waterlake Centre and wandered round the shops before heading down to the market. Seattle is an easy city to navigate, with a better workout for legs than most. The lady in the coffee chop yesterday said that she, like many locals, had found routes through the buildings in the lifts to get up the streets. I am amazed that Hong Kong has outdoor escalators but cities in America don’t. I figured that I am more likely to get myself lost in the shops and definitely spend more money so I keep walking up the hills. It doesn’t have as many as Auckland.
Anyway down at the market and this place is crazy. Loads of stalls with all different kinds of cheese but yo have to fight your way through to them. This market is in every guide book and tourist leaflet for Seattle but also frequented by the locals for the fresh produce like seafood directly from the piers below. There are flower stalls and loads of people walking around cradling bouquets like babies or with them high in the air away from bodies. I ate at one of the seafood restaurants in the market over looking the piers, the aquarium and Elliott bay. I picked out some salmon and vegetables for dinner and after satisfying my market fix I walked back up the hill to the library for my 30 minutes free internet time.
Wednesday 6th January, 2010
God I hate flying. Not for the same reasons as most people, I can safely say that I trust and believe the statistics when they say you are more likely to get hit by a bus than die in a plane. No the reason I hate flying became clear in a series of events. Waiting in the airport, I understand that there is a lot to do behind the scenes and that everyone is panicking again about airport and boarder security but why do I have to be there 3 hours before take off!
Getting to my seat I realisation that I was sat next to a mother and screaming child with father and another screaming child behind. Then the screaming baby 2 seats infront. Unlike Helen I do have a cetain amount of tolerance toward these people, and I genuinely feel very sorry for the baby sceaming because her ears must have really been hurting and she was absolutely terrified.
The seats are really uncomfortable unless you pay a ridiculous amount of money to be slightly more comfortable in premium economy or sell a kidney to get to business class. Anyway, so back in economy with the screaming babies and we hadn’t even set off only another 12hrs to go.
I was excited about my adventure. I watched a rubbish film and then another rubbish film and decided to try and get some sleep. I sat in my seat for 8 hrs trying to sleep but wide awake with my eyes closed. I couldn’t get comfortable, the air conditioning was so loud it nearly made the screaming infants look like saints. People walked up and down the aisles and then again and again. The most annoying part was watching other people managing to sleep. How is that possible?
I resigned myself to the fact that I was getting no sleep and out of despiration to find something to do that wouldn’t be in the least bt taxing I watched Michael Jackson this is it. Well that was it. I only get half way through, thank god, and sun came up so I stared out the window till we landed.
So no huge dramas with engines failing or storms but I was pleased to be off the plane and safe for another 2 weeks. I did check my itenary at the first possible opportunity hoping that that was the longest flight. It isn’t. I have another to match it from Auckland to LA lucky me.
I know, you have no simpathy. Thanks.
I can’t believe that I have been here over a week and all that has happened in that time. The journey is all but forgotten now but at the time, was a bit trying. The first flight went without a hitch other than the guy next to me constantly tring to stroke my leg and despite me elbowing him several times and telling him to stop he persisted throughout the whole 9 hr flight. I was very glad to be off the plane but then came the 2 1/2 hr customs queue at Washington which subsequently caused me to miss the connecting flight to Seattle. So instead of the stop over I had planned in Seattle, I spent the night in Washington and got the first flight to Seattle the following morning. Plan B was then set in motion and another flight there to Victoria got me safely through Canadian immigration (all of 30 seconds) and into the waiting arms of my parents. Like I said that is all forgotten now and I can try and sort it out with insurance when I get back. 
The first couple of days I settled into holiday mode and only had minor problems wanting to go to sleep at 9pm on the second day here, but I blame that on altitude aclimatization here on the mountain side, rather than jetlag! Snow followed for the next few days and I quite enjoyed being stranded at the house with mum and dad not able to make it down to work. We set to making bread, marmalade and muffins and watched a number of DVD’s but I was relieved to see the snow retreating the following day before cabin fever really set in.
At the weekend we headed over to Vancouver Island on the early ferry and stopped for quintessential canadian breakfast of pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup. We ventured round the shops in Victoria and I bought a few absolute essentials! The really started to make its presents felt so we got in the car and drove up the Malahat to Nanaimo. Originally heading to Tofino we realised that the weather was going to put a real downer on the trip and fact that we had to be back on Salt spring for Monday morning meant that most of the weekend would be spent driving in awful weather so time for plan b again and Nanaimo was our destination. Called the ‘Harbour city’ Nanaimo is Vancouver Islands second largest city after Victoria and renowned for its outdoor culture. It has fantastic scenery, parklands and would be a great place to explore on a dry day. It was dark when we arrived so we settled into the hotel and walked down to a great little Greek restaurant just down from the hotel. I know they say you should never judge a place from the outside and that is certain true in this case. From the outside it looked really dark and there was the obligatory blue and white flag restaurant board. We walked in the door and I was amazed it was like a mini greek palace in a conservatory. The food was amazing an we were all stuffed when we left. I also got to sample a Greek red and I definitely approve.
On Sunday we started the day with wafel making at the hotel and then went out round Nanaimo. After a brief drive round the city, which was really more a town, we went to Chemanius. Chemanius is the town that is home to the world famous wall painting. I was here 20 years ago and when we arrived memories of certain areas came flooding back. We walked round the wall paintings, which are far more extensive then they were all those years ago. The skies had cleared and the sun was out and it felt lovely walking around taking photographs. 
After Chemanuis we went to Duncan and we went for coffee at an organic cafe and then took the Totem tour. Basically, the Totem tour is a series of yellow footsteps painted on the pavements that guided you a round the40 plus Totem poles around the town, each one unique on its colours and carvings. A quick visit to Maple bay for a walk on the beach and more photo opportunities, although I didn’t manage to get one of the man falling out of his canoe, before returning to Salt spring on the ferry from Crofton.
