Catching up with the Kiwi Contingent

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And so one sunny day it was time for me to say my goodbyes to Seattle. Still smelling of all the limes I had cut for the Mexican Fiesta I headed downtown and picked up my ticket. Then, as luck would have it, the nearest restaurant to the terminal was a very well-priced and suitably delicious Vietnamese place. It was a tough choice between the Pho or the Banh Mi... banh mi won on the day 😊

Memorial Weekend traffic delayed us somewhat, but without really much hassle I had found my way to Tim & Emma's apartment in Yaletown. They have a very sunny place with a great view over the park and river & were kind enough to loan me their couch for my time in Vancouver (twice!). Tim also loaned me his iTunes library and I stocked up.. long bus rides? No problem - I'll now be working my way through the Flight of the Concords again one by one 😊

Vancouver really pulled out all the stops weather wise and I was treated to long, gloriously sunny days. From the beaches of English Bay to the raccoons and lagoons of Stanley Park I explored the city on foot. I wandered past totem poles, skyscrapers, goslings & ducklings and more cyclists than I have seen in my life!. I visited the Granville Island Public Market and succumbed to a delicious carrot cake muffin and wandered the central city shopping malls, staring longingly at a number of items on sale.

Saturday evening was spent hanging in the park with Duncan & Sally, and then pizza back at Tim & Emma's. It's really cool to be able to catch up with so many people on this trip 😊

Day two and I set off on the seabus to Vancouver's North Shore. Whilst there I visited the Capilano Suspension Bridge and headed up Grouse Mountain. I was surprised that pockets of snow still appeared on the mountain, and even more so when I got to meet a couple of lazy Grizzlies. The views of the city were pretty amazing, though a little cloud prevented the photos from doing it justice.

All in all it was a nice quiet weekend in Vancouver, but next up was Whistler where adventure beckoned!

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