G'day. Guess what everybody? The trips started! I'm writing this on the Greyhound as we speak. We just went round a sharp corner and it made it really hard to type, and there's a small child crying that he wants to go home some were near the back of the bus. I'm sat up front near the driver. Cos its ment to be safe or something. That and the Templetons waitress is also on this bus, and I don't want to have to make arkward conversation with her for the next three hours. Anyway, guess you want to hear about the last few days.
Wednesday. The big good bye mean at Templetons. SO, I got up fairly late, got my hair cut, walked Chloe to work, and then went and did a bit of shopping downtown. I purchased one pack of re-writable CD's and non of the clothes I needed. And, as I had ended up in town far to early, I had to sit around for ages waiting for the time of the final meal. Team Family's final meal kicked off at 6, I arrived a couple of minutes early, and, to my suprise everyone was already there except Piers. We talked and ate, and it didn't really feel any different from any of our other meet ups. After the food the five of us (Me, Rosie, JP, Piers and the newest member:- Joe) headed for our final drink at Tafs. It was up to its normal high standards, no one else in there, the guy who owns it practically mothering his customers ( we were made to moved from a table that seated 8, to one that seats 5, even though we were literally the only people in there). It was after our first drink, that the usual exceptionally high standards of banter becan to wain a bit, as the first person left. Piers, who had an early start the next day was the first to go. He hugged JP, like he'd never been hugged before, and scarpered. Next to go was Joe, who may or may not have hugged JP good bye, I was outside smoking at the time, so I'll never know. But he did hug Rosie goodbye, before trotting off towards the hard streets of china town. Leaving only me Rosie and JP. Suprisingly, we weren't ready to leave JP yet, and so bought some beer, and headed round JPs. We watched an episode of You Have Been Watching ( a program hosted by good ol' Charlie Brooker, its good, but a tad odd seeing him trying to be chummy with guests). Then, it was time for me and Rosie to go. It was hugs gallore, some teary eyes, but sadly no crying, no matter how hard me and JP tried to enduce it in Rosie. I actually came pretty close to making myself cry at one point. Me and Rosie took our last walk down Granville, with all its neon sighs, hopped on the skytrian and headed to our respective homes. I got back, pinned a note on the house door about my hastily constructed leaving party for the next day and went to bed.
Thursday! My leaving doo at the house! Would it be a success? Only time would tell. Me and Chloe lied in till about half 12, then I went to purchase my 'Discovery Pass for the Greyhound. After some faffing around I purchasded it, then we headed to the bank. On the way past we randomly saw minor A list celebrity Seth Cowan. More on that in quote of the week. My bank was no help because I got surved by Dennis, who's English is so bad he's of no help what so ever. Stupid China town banks. After that me and Chloe headed downtown to grab a burger at the furniture warehouse. Its a well known fact that I never pay for the skytrain, I like to rebel against the system by not paying for fast efficent cheap public transport. Its also a very eassy thing to do, as there are no barriers, just people checking you have a ticket on the trains.... Or at least I assume thats were they are, because I've never seen one... until that faitful Thursday. Chloe spotted one stood with his back to us on the train. We kept our cool and got off at the next stop. He also got off at that stop, and was walking just infront of us, we tried to keep our cool again and watched... as he put his hand a bin. Turns out it was a homeless guy who had found/stolen/killed a man wearing a green skytrain secuirty jacket. After this me and Chloe enjoyed our final $5 Furniture warehouse meal. Chloe had some italian chicken thing, which looked really good, and I relised I would never have the chance to eat one myself. Sad face. We got back and chilled for a bit before the start of my leaving party type thing. We headed down to the kitchen, to discover the only peolpe down there were Damian and Joe. Twas not looking good. Soon most of the Europeans had joined us, and I made my way through my cans of Kariboo (6 for $10). People started to get drunk, we found a half decent radio station... people seemed to be having fun. But no sign of the Japanese contigent of gathering. Then one of the Japanese guys came into the kitchen (who's name I don't know) baring crisps and coke. He said he would go and find the other Japanese guys, next thing I know when I look up, pretty much all of the Japanese guys and gals are in the kitchen. It was a bit like a Pearl Harbour, but with party rings and alcohol and general merth. Yoshi (Who me and Chloe are convinced will one day make the best Mum in the world) had made a massive pot of Japanese curry which she dished out. In the great traveler tradition every one got extremely photo happy, you could probably reconstruct the entire night a movie, by stitching all the photo's into frames. The drinking continued until about 1ish, when things started to slow slightly. Then it was bed time. I was feeling pretty drunk, but happy. I think around 20 of the 25 residence had turned up. Amazing what a crappy not on a door can do.
I woke up this morning, far to early, about 8:30 ish, excitited and sad and nervous about my trip. I packed all my stuff, me and Chloe cuddled until about 10 ish. I collected, and cashed my last pay cheque. Then me and Chloe headed to the Greyhoud, ate a Mc D's burger. Said our goodbyes, then I headed out and boarded the 2:15 to Seattle. I won't see her again until 5th of June, in New York. :-( It was the hardest goodbye I've had to say so far. And trust me. They've all been really hard.
So the bizzare travel twist of the journey has already happened. When you get an American Visa from Canada as a non Canadian resident, you have to pay $6 for it. If you fly in, your airline covers this for you. Anyway, the computerised till was broken. So we all had to sit and wait in no mans land for 45 minutes while they fixed it. Being told were to sit, and generally bossed around my border security. Eventually the valiant Border secuirty guard Mr Jacobs managed to fix it and I'm now back on bord the bus writing this.
So in Conclusion. I'm really going to miss the friends I've made in Vancouver. I've only known them for 10 months, but we've been through a lot together. The low's of job hunting, the highs of travel, snowboarding, relationship success's and failures. And lots. And lots of meals at the Templetons. Having the common link of ditching your life back home, in hope that you'll find work a job on the other side of the planet means you can get on with pretty much any other traveller, intrests, music tastes, and religous views become irrelivant.
God bless you JP Shooter, and all that sail on you!
Godbless you Joe, and all that sail on you!
Quote time!
"Oh Canada! You stupid idiot."
Rosie shows her feelings on having to leave Canada... I think.
Me:- "Huh, that guy looked exactly like Seth Rogan"
Chloe:- THAT WAS SETH ROGAN!"
Seth Rogan, was chilling outside the Brickhouse, not 25 meters away from my residence. Random.
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