Vancouver - Whistler
Highlights
Well, that was easy. Got the call over the PA at 7:40 that the walk-off passengers could just ... "walk off." The detailed staggered tumeslots had been abandoned and everyone was invited to "come on down." We weren’t quite ready and actually needed a few extra minutes for @Mac to do the final sweep of the stateroom. Definitely don’t like to leave anything behind.
Funnily enough, tucked right up under the bed was a plastic bag with a pair of black leather shoes in it - not ours by any stretch of the imagination and we did wonder how long they had been there! Naturally enough, left that little stash behind for @Allan to deal with.
The whole walk off thing was quite bizarre really. We just .... well ... walked off. Literally. We were the only ones dragging our bags down the corridor, were the only ones in the lift and joined a single passenger at the assigned meeting point in the #Casino. Nothing but a sign pointing to the gangway had us heading the 25 steps to check out with our #Medallion one last time. We had our passports ready - had our #Canadian visa ready - and we were stunned because absolutely nobody cared. We walked for a good 10 minutes down the gangway and through a maze of empty lines, greeted and farewelled at the same time and found ourselves outside! No security checks, no baggage scans (my three bottles of red were safe), no passport presentation- just a long line of smiling #Canadians saying hello and goodbye.
We do have a furrowed brow hoping that when we go to leave in a couple if weeks we are not sent to the naughty line trying to get home to Australia.
The process was all so smooth that we were heading to the bus station at 8 o’clock for a 9 30 SkyLynx departure. There were plenty of representatives from Security and Tourist Information outside #Canada Place to make sure you knew where you were heading. After a couple of offers of help, we thought it was "time" to remove the tell tale #Medallion and #Princess lanyard that had been a constant necklace for 23 days. It was only a 600 metre drag of the luggage for us - amd other than a road closure, a slight detour, a step in a puddle and light rain we did okay.
I went off to find a local #IGA to pick up a couple of essentials and was back in plenty of time for the early arrival of the bus. We were grateful to see him there 30 minutes early - we were wet and cold and the comfort and warmth of the bus was appreciated. Got great seats up the front, got the view of the 'sea' from the left hand side and ticked off the known landmarks - #The Lion’s Gate Bridge, #The Big Orange Bridge and ##Squamish, #The Chief and the #Gondola that took us closer to #Whistler and @Mindy and @Ian.
Arrived a little early - just 10 minutes, but were certainly jumping around from foot to foot, warding off the cold until we were reunited with the real locals. Balloons announcing every milestone of birthdays and mothers day, flowers, rum, chocolate and loads of hugs - that warm welcome warded off the cold.
Straight to lunch at the #Ramen Restaurant snuggled in a booth and getting our heads around plans and commitments for the coming weeks. All I can remember is that somehow @Mac is going t8 mark out some running tracks and be a timekeeper at an upcoming Districts meet.
A few more groceries at #Nesters, a review of my major task which is to get the summer garden planted and the luggage was hauled upstairs and after some hasty unpacking I was curled up around @Mac's suitcase which was on the bed - and I was snoozing. I had been up since 2.30 am - awake because I didn't want to miss the alarm. It's always the way when travelling - that night before anxiety.
Did wake up in #Whistler a little disoriented - I could hear cheering downstairs and couldn’t quite make out where I was. Soon had it sorted and discovered it is ice hockey season and it is play-offs. Meant we were 101 engaged with our #Canadian teachers trying to follow a new sport.
Dinner was not quite #Concertos - but there were snacks and appetisers, a choice of wine or rum, easy and relaxed toasties for dinner and all followed up with a good dose of our favourite #Vietnamese style coffee and strawberry chocolate. No live entertainment on offer, but we did watch a movie. You know, we think it is BETTER than #Concertos.
And here I am - 11:15 just tucked up in bed recounting the day - @Mindy and @Ian have just called it quits and @Mac has TWO devices simultaneously connected to the high speed internet here - and may be downstairs saving his world for hours!
A beautiful welcome back to #Whistler despite the overcast skies and drizzle of rain. Of course, one of my first questions was about "the bears." Yep, they are just waking up from their winter slumber and are hungry- the newspaper reports that there is a grizzly active here in our neighbourhood and @Mindy mentioned a black bear was ambling through their school playground last week. Just a normal day-to-day encounter in Whistler’s springtime. I’ve just had a thought - we have those two little bells we scored at the museum in #Aomori - might come in handy.
Weather: predicted max Vancouver = 14 Whistler = 8 - definitely don't think we enjoyed the max in either spot
Steps: 8 988
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