Vancouver

We left for Vancouver on Thursday 24 January.  It was an early start.  One of the decisions to make when dressing was how much clothing to wear given that it was going to be about 30 degrees warmer in Vancouver.  I figured that since we would only briefly have to tolerate the -30 degree temperatures I could dispense with a layer or two.

Hedy helped us quickly negotiate the quirks of the Air Canada check-in system.  Not unlike Air New Zealand’s system although I think Air New Zealand do it better (I would say that wouldn’t I).  We were quickly through security having said our good-byes to Graham and Hedy. 

On arriving at the gate we found that we weren’t going anywhere fast.  The flight was delayed as there was a problem with a system in the aircraft.  We found out later that due to the “cold soak” it had had overnight (-39 degrees if one includes the wind chill factor) the smoke detectors weren’t working.  The options provided to us were that they would know in half an hour whether we would be flying in the aircraft or going on another one that was coming in from Toronto, which would make it a two hour delay at best.  In the end we went earlier as they managed to get the systems all up and running.  The flight was quite full and we were near the back of the aircraft.  There was little room between the seats so a bit uncomfortable for me, made worse by the woman in front reclining the seat into my face.  I asked her if she could not have it reclined and she grumpily agreed. 

It was a budget flight like Air NZ but it was also a nearly six hour flight.  When we offered to buy the only decent looking thing on the menu it turned out they did not have it.  This is the other problem when you are at the back of the aircraft, you miss out on anything that is half decent.  At least they did provide water, fruit juice, tea and coffee and we were in an Airbus A319 which has wider seats. 

It was fine when we got to Vancouver.  It also felt remarkably warm despite it being around 5 degrees.  Getting into the city was really easy on a train from the airport and we then found a bus that took us almost to the doorstep of our accommodation.  We were upgraded into a very nice room that looked south with a nice balcony a huge bed in a separate room and lots of space to lounge around in.   

Our hotel was just off Davie Street which is one of the busier retail and restaurant areas serving  lots of apartments and houses in the inner city area.  It is about half a kilometre from the CBD and perhaps a couple of kilometres to Canada Place and the inner harbour.  We walked to Canada Place as it gives good views of North Vancouver and the harbour area.  While it was a bit gloomy and threatening to rain it was relatively warm (compared to Ottawa) and we spent a pleasant time watching floatplanes take off.  It began to snow on Grouse Mountain and then it began to spit.  We walked to Gastown - a tourist area with a neat steam clock.  In a little leather shop I bought a pair of very nice wool lined leather gloves which I had been searching for since going on holiday. We discovered that the man selling them had a New Zealand background but had never been to New Zealand as his family had immigrated to Canada many years ago. 

We then went to a nice restaurant called Forage where we had some rather good food in tapas style before going back to the hotel and bed. 

Grouse Mountain

Capilano Suspension Bridge

Yesterday (Friday) we went to North Vancouver via Seabus.  The day was very good with the sun out and it was relatively warm (8 degrees).  We took the bus to Grouse Mountain a mountain overlooking the city where Vancouver people ski.  There is a cable car or skyway that transports people to snow high above the city.  I assumed that the cost would not be too great as we were not skiing but we got a major shock when told that it would cost us $C45 to go up the cable car.  Having made all that effort we felt committed to going up it.  Despite the cost we managed to justify the cost by saying that it was beautiful being in the snow that we had seen falling the afternoon before.  Even with all the snow it was not too cold and we wandered around on snow which had been compacted and groomed.  It is a superb ski area right on the doorstep of the city with lots of trails.  There were not huge numbers of people there as I guess most were working.   After a light lunch we headed off for our next adventure which was to be the Capilano Suspension bridge.  When we got to the bus stop it suggested that it would be a half hour before the next bus arrived.  We had passed Capilano Suspension Bridge  on the way up so I thought it was only about three kilometres down the road which is walkable in about half an hour.  I was wrong!!  First of all the buses clearly went more frequently than one every half an hour and secondly it was further than 3 kilometres.  Nonetheless we made good use of the opportunity to look around at the houses, which were all very large.  We called in to look at dam and reservoir that supplies drinking water to Vancouver.

Tree top walk

We got to the suspension bridge about an hour before it was to shut and it too was very expensive to enter.  However, due to our late arrival we got 20% off which made the entry more palatable.  We walked over the suspension bridge (I am sure that 24 years ago there was little if any cost) before doing a tree top walk which was quite neat and very different to one I did in Australia a few months ago.  Finally we did a cliff walk where they had bolted on a steel walkway on to the side of the cliff and over the river which was thirty metres or so below.  Spectacular and a bit of thrill seeker walk that I expect is relatively safe, except if the rock gives way.   We had to hurry that part of the walk so that we could catch a free shuttle back to the city which we just managed to get. 

Attached to a cliff

That evening we ate at a Greek Taverna and had a meal that was far too large and I felt that I had left over half the meal on the plate. 

Today we walked the streets and I managed to buy some new shoes for what I hope is a reasonable price.   I think they were marginally more expensive than I paid for the equivalent shoes in the UK but I think they are cheaper than in New Zealand. 

Canada like the US gives you a purchase price then it goes up after they add the consumption tax.  This happens for any consumption goods including food.  So an item might seem relatively cheap but by the time you add the tax it is substantially more expensive.  Meals are even worse because not only is there the tax but there is also the tip you give to the server.  I discussed this with Graham who said it was an irritant to many Canadians but business was insistent on having it this way as any other way would confuse the Americans and somehow add costs to business.  Why worry about the Americans is beyond me.  To have it inclusive is said to be an impost on business as they would have to change their systems.  Given the computer systems already calculate the cost and business has to pay it to the government it seems a facetious argument.

After the shopping and walking sightseeing we returned to the hotel where we collected our bags.  The little bus picked us up and deposited us by the railway station and we were quickly at the Airport checking in.  Sadly it is the end of the holiday (well almost). 

It was a full flight and unfortunately the only two video screens that did not work were ours.  Fortunately I had enough movies on my computer and also I had watched pretty much all the decent stuff on the two flights from Auckland to London.   They tried hard to make it work but without success so they compensated us with some Airpoints. 

Going through immigration and customs was a breeze.  Probably the easiest of any country I have been in the past month.  Hardly a queue to speak of despite a number of flights arriving at the same time. 

The air in Auckland is warm and soft compared to the cold winter airs further north.  It also smelt differently but of what  I cannot say.