James’ First Post

Two weeks in and starting to get settled!!..ish

We have accommodation sorted for the year, a nice two bed apartment on the 3^rd and top floor of building that is part of a complex of similar buildings set in a leafy suburb of Burnaby.

We now are able to use our HSBC account that we set up whilst in the UK, initial teething problems of debit card not working because pin number not recognised, all good now which is handy for such things as shopping and ummm money!!

We can with the help from our budding anorak of a son (meant in a loving way) traverse the Skytrian and bus network without constantly having to look like a tourist and get out the ‘Metro Vancouver Tourist Map 2016/17 version’, although the trusting parent in me and slightly old fashioned traveller I am still can’t help but take a peak every now and then and satisfy myself we are on the right route!! We also have our Compass cards for payments, a novel Idea in this area is that you have one card that you can preload with money, use on all buses and sky trains and not have to worry if it will be accepted by the bus or train company you’re travelling with as they are all one company. Who knows it might catch on elsewhere!!!

Of course we are still learning too such as best places to shop for food, best car hire options, so far it seems to be MODO, a car sharing group which we have joined which so far so good seems good, and of course the best places to eat and drink, all very important lessons!!

As mentioned by Emma in the previous posts we should be returning from a camping adventure in Wells Grey and Mount Robson national parks by now but due to wildfires raging throughout BC those plans were unfortunately altered along with the plans of thousands of other holiday makers. So on Tuesday we embark on a new adventure up the Sunshine Coast on an adventure along with the other thousands of holiday makers all vying for those elusive camping spots in places where reservations do not exist and it is really first come first serve, GULP, I can feel tensions rising already… The weather is supposed to be hitting 30+ degrees by the weekend too life under a canvas seems so inviting!!

Chances of spotting wildlife = Favourable, Great Views = Definitely, Sunburn and heat exhaustion = Highly Probable, Sleeping in the hire car in a layby!! = Only time will tell.

Overall the first two weeks have been excellent, we have manged to do a lot and have been very lucky with the weather hitting 22/23+ degrees most days, Nah Nah, sorry couldn’t help but gloat, Tee He.

My most memorable quote so far comes from myself. After falling of a rock whilst climbing up to first peak on Squawmish Chief as mentioned by Emma previously, I got up shook myself off, looked around and said “well that’s embarrassing” in a very British tone!!

Message for Coach James, hopeful of bear activity in the next couple of weeks, watch this space….