Kim's Nigella chocolate pavlova
After a fabulous last supper courtesy of Kim on Wednesday evening I loaded up my backpack for the first time. My packing list passed Beth's seal of approval (no mean feat, this gal is ruthless!) and I was ready to go. Kim and Beth spent the morning with me on Thursday, prolonging the inevitable goodbyes. We had a delicious brunch at Revolver cafe in Annandale, where I enjoyed my last decent coffee in a long while (yes, I have embraced the Antipodean coffee snobbery with gusto). Then they took me to Sydney Airport where we spent more time avoiding saying goodbye.
These women are such an important part of my life and are central to me feeling that Sydney is my home. With Beth 8 months pregnant it's even harder to tear myself away. We are both about to embark on a year of adventure, and although the internet makes the world feel smaller, I can't help but feel sad that I will miss out on being by her side during this time. Still, she has a fab bunch of people who WILL be at her side, and in a year I can finally meet baby Rosser-Yuen.
So then, 14 hours from SYD-LAX.
Watched: Ginger and Rosa, Dir Sally Potter
Read: 33% of East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
Ate: 'Beef stew'
Took: 1 zopiclone
Slept: 8 hours
Ate: two mouthfuls of 'potato cake', 3 pieces of melon (hmmmm, airplane food)
Layover in LAX: 4 hours
3 hours from LAX-Vancouver
Ate: Cherry Ripe from my bag
Read: to 56% of East of Eden
Watched: the sun set between layers of clouds
The contrast between the Virgin Australia and the Alaska Airlines flights was comical. Like the difference between Tetsuya's and your local dumpling house. Alaska is not without its charm but the plane is right out of the 70s, as are the staff, who never quite seemed to have a handle on their unruly passengers.
My... (hmmm, how to describe her. She's my Granny's cousin's daughter so I guess that makes her my third cousin?) Anyway, the wonderful Bronwen kindly picked me up from the airport and drove me to Helen's, where I was asleep in no time, exhausted from the trip and the very long day (crossing the date line messes with your mind).
On my first full day here I got myself a map and embarked on a large walk of the city, to orient myself and try to stay awake. Helen lives Downtown which is most convenient and makes walking everywhere really easy. I took a pilgrimate to Gastown where the original Fluevog store is situated and almost fell over when I saw John Fluevog himself upstairs on the mezzanine! He even popped downstairs to the shop floor, but I was too starstruck to go and talk to him. (For the uninitiated, he is a Canadian shoe designer who makes the most stunning shoes, of which I own 6 pairs and which are now firmly beyond my price range.)
Some of the fam
The Welsh-Canadian relos have been most accommodating, taking me out variously to dinner, lunch and evening drinks and sharing the delights of Vancouver with me. They are Helen's three children Bronwen, Gareth and Bryn, Bryn's partner Stephen and Bronwen's daughter Morgan. Auntie Helen is now 82 and has been regaling me with fascinating tales from various parts of her life. She was married to Taffy (real name Rhys, but he was Welsh so everyone called him Taffy) who was a mining engineer, so they lived all over the world, including Mount Isa in Queensland in the 60s. Their son Bryn was born at a Flying Doctor station there, and she has all sorts of stories of spending their days in the 40+ degree heat with only 'Kalgoorlie Coolers' (wet sheets over a fan) to keep them cool. When the roads flooded they would have no supplies for days and the first thing which made it through was always beer. Then milk and then medical supplies. (Sounds like some Australian priorities never change.)
They also lived in Rhodesia before it was Zimbabwe, Ontario, South Africa and several parts of Canada, where their children and even their dog tagged along with them. I could write a whole book of her stories! She was a child in Leeds during the war with my Granny, Doreen, and they are still very close: my Granny came out to Vancouver to visit last year. They were evacuated to the Gwrdu in Wales during the war together. I shall have to ask Granny to tell me some more of their childhood stories when I see her later this year.
Squirrel!
Loitering tankers offshore
Today I decided to re-acquaint my feet with my hiking boots so did a 18-kilometre walk round Stanley Park, a 1000-acre peninsular of coastal rainforest right on Helen's doorstep. Despite the grey skies and drizzle it is a stunning place and I came back with sore legs and rosy cheeks (and hopefully a desire to sleep through the jetlag tonight). Tomorrow morning Stephen is driving to Seattle so I will cadge a lift with him and be there in time for luncheon.
The Lions Gate Bridge
Stanley Park Totem Poles
Early observations can confirm some of the Canadian stereotypes I've heard. Everyone is wearing sensible footwear, fleeces and waterproof jackets. Also, judging by the power behind the shower, there is clearly no water shortage here.
One final thing to mention, my good friend Jill didn't even wait until I was out of the country for 24 hours before giving birth to her son, Billy. How inconsiderate! (However I shall forgive her as he looks adorable and I can't wait to meet him on his first birthday.)
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