Doing the tourist thing

So I've landed and I've been here four days now. Customs and Immigration were a bunch of tossers who got excited at the fact I was a student here for 34 days and couldn't suss out how I was actually able to fund the whole thing myself through working hard back in Britain.

Aside from the unwelcome border, this city and this part of the country is absolutely a m a z i n g. And I mean, mind-blowing. The scenery, the neighbourhoods, the people, the hospitality, what there is to do... everything's just fantastic.

Some random observations from the past four days over everything I've done -

• Everything's bigger. I know I should have expected that but come on, every single road is like a dual carriageway. Portion sizes are huge. Stores are massive.
• Canadians don't mind driving far, like, at all. A 45 minute drive as courtesy is completely normal. Drives only get tedious around the 6 hour mark.
• Maybe that's because the scenery is so good! This city has a backdrop of the most amazing mountains, forests and is intertwined with the clearest creeks, streams and lakes I've ever seen. The character is amazing - floatplanes land on the river regularly, people kayak and canoe between these, cruise ships and the SeaTrain.
• And you know what? Canadians don't think that's anything special. They're too used to it so I seem like a right prat when I stand there in complete awe of a plane which actually lands on water for a purpose other than ferrying tourists and rich people.
• Public transport isn't shameful or second-class. People actually leave their cars at home in preference to the SkyTrain, bus or walking. And they do it regularly. That's unheard of in Britain!

I'm exhausted from today which I'll tell you all about very soon. There'll be more random Canadian musings within the week!

An End Has A Start.

I'm writing this sipping rose at 37,000 feet over the northern territories of Canada, at the start of what I hope is a rather beautiful month. The scenery outside is amazing - we came over the Pennines, Hebrides, over to Iceland and Rekyjavik, Greenland and finally Labrador, from rugged mountains to Artic tundra and back again. (All while dossing in a leather seat watching Slumdog Millionaire - isn't air travel just wonderful?)

I read the Lonely Planet guide to British Columbia (BC) before and think I'm going to try kayaking. It's been ages since I last did it and can't think of a more beautiful place to do it again. Though, camping and canoing are close seconds... And yes, I can rough it despite my usual dependence on hair products and cleanliness.

I'll post this as soon as I land and find somewhere to do it, so I'll catch up very shortly.

Oh, and my landing and customs card assures me I can't take animals in handluggage. Who'd have thought?