Head over to Angelinas cafe to get wireless internet to call family on skype
using webcams. It's a bit hit and miss but we could get a video conference
going. Battery runs out so can not update blog!

Birthday Boy

Doug's Birthday. 35! Plan to do a proper bike ride today. Pick up a map and ask about routes. Shop assistant estimates 1 hr to 1hr 40 max to cycle to the top of the trails from where we are staying. It's a long slog up the streets and a longer slog up the mountain gravel track. Takes us 2hrs 15 mins - we thought we were reasonably fit! Hopefully the descent would be quicker. nope! took is 40 mins to do the first two sections and the guy in the shop said he did the lot in 18 mins! Cut the ride short as Doug had to get into Downtown to sign his contract with Accenture, (view from the Accenture office overlooking the city, ocean and mountains is amazing - shame I'll be working in Burnaby which is a sprawling metropolis!!).

We take a stroll down Robson street, Downtown is bustling with people leaving work, shopping, eating, drinking and people watching.

Bump into DarthBear!










Have a meal at Clound 9 a revolving restaurant with great views of the surrounding area. Order a bottle of champers with our meal to celebrate our new life, a new job and Doug getting a bit past it!

As it completes its 1hr 20 rotation we get a good view of Mount Baker in the USA - it must be huge as it is covered with snow.


Sample more of the local microbrewery in downtown and head home - Fall asleep on the Seabus.

Kitsilano

Pick up small SUV hire car we booked (so we can get the bikes in). They have upgraded it to a Nissan Pathfinder. It's a monster. Feels like driving a truck. Drive over to Kitsilano (or 'Kits') beach. This place is buzzing. Everybody comes after work and down to the beach. Lots of sailing boats appear and tour the Burrard inlet. What a great place to unwind after work.
We can see why it is so expensive to live here.

We met Frank and Sue to discuss our requirements for a house and where we can
afford. We'd like to stay on the North Shore because it's close to the
mountains but it's very expensive for houses here. They've pointed us in the direction of Lynn Valley so as soon as we hire a car, which I'm hoping will be today or tomorrow, we will go and check the area out. The realtors emigrated to Vancouver 4 years ago and they've invited us to their bbq this Sunday so looking forward to that.

Ride into downtown over Lions Gate bridge and through Stanley Park.

Stopped at Prospect Point for the view and then cycled round the park to English Bay.






Lovely beaches with loads of people out cycling, roller blading, walking, running, playing beach volleyball, sunbathing, swimming - you can leave work and be on the beach or in an outdoor pool in 10 mins if you work in downtown... wow this place gets better.










Evening - Ate out in a rather nice Italian Restaurant in Lower Lonsdale.

Visited HR to apply for Social Insurance Number (for work). Trip into downtown
to activate bank accounts.
Build up the bikes.

Exploration

2am Stephen rings about the car not realising it is 8 hours behind here. One of the girls from Friday wants the car. Better to get rid sooner rather than waiting on it.Notice from the apartment lights on at the top of Grouse Mountain. looks cool. Must be the ski run lights (no snow there this time of year though).
7am Wake up to glorious sunshine. Leisurly breakfast. It's going to be 34C here today, and it's going to be hot for the next few weeks.

Have a wander around the
area. Stop at Lonsdale Quay for lunch. They have a huge food market. Lots to choose from - English, Canadian, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamise or Indian food (sure I have missed some). All looks great. Hope to try all of them in time (already had the Sushi last time we came - great).

Sit outside on the quay with a fab view of downtown across the water
and listen to live music (not sure if the band's there weekly mind).
Walk up Lonsdale Street towards Grouse Mountain perusing the shops etc. 2pm Stop by at the Queens Cross pub after a a lot of walking uphill. Get chatting to a few locals - turns out two of them came from the Manchester area (Glossop and ...)
The Canadians we've met so far seem very friendly. They're all very open and seem to appreciate the place they live in.
4pm head back down the road and unpack.Fall asleep at 7pm again until 10pm. Wander around the town for a bit.

Departure/Landing

6:30 am - too much beer! Rush round getting our gear together. 5 suitcases, 2
bike bags and hand luggage filled with paperwork.8:30 am Arrive airport. Get the most miserable check in desk. Charged £512 for
our excess baggage (twice what I estimated!). Haggling not an option.

I should have know better than to think that we'd get away with disappearing quietly. Doug's family and a good number of mine came to theairport - It felt like the Green Mile.
It's a great flight to Vancouver - you go towards Iceland, over Greenland, over the Hudson Bay but the best bit is when you start to descend over the Rockies, the view of lakes, peaks and valleys is ace and it looks like the plane is just skimming them. Then you get the view of Vancouver Downtown, Stanley Park, the Coastal mountains and the pacific.

12:30 PST land Vancouver 9 hours later. 13:30 Pick up bags and head for Immigration.

New photos taken for PR cards. Wait for our turn. Get talking to a man who is also emigrating from Blackburn.

15:00 Number comes up. Customs go through paperwork and stamp our goods to follow list. Took about 30 mins.
The realtors who found the apartment for us met us from the airport, helped us with our luggage to the appartment and bought us a welcome pack of food, maps etc to last us a day or so so that we didn't have to venture out to the shops which was nice of them.










Our apartment is in Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver although pricey is really nice though - very clean and modern, all open plan. Great views of the mountains and Two Lions from the balcony; named so because that's what they look like.











19:00 quick lie down - but seeing as it is 3am uk time we are out like a light.

More packing

Finishing packing, and sorting out paperwork required.
Had interest in the car from some passers by at lunch. They would get back after
checking insurance (I knew one wouldn't, as she was under 25).
Drove car to Stephens as no one got back by 6pm. Set up ste and Donnas webcam.
Rang O2 to check I was on the cheapest rate for Canada - then tried to ring Canada about the apartment - international calls disabled! Useless!
10pm Go out for a 'quick' beer to wind down.

Packing

Doug spent all day packing the bikes and our gear ready for the flight on Saturday while Karen took her mum to Liverpool on a tour of her hometown. Dougs bike took about 3 hours to prep and pack and by the time Karen got back at 6pm hers was about 45 mins (cos she is less fussy and Doug had worked out how to do it by then).

Family

Went to see Doug's Nan in Flint with his Mum. Also met up with Aunty Laura, uncle Brian, and cousins Donna and Abbey. Had lunch in Holywell








Dinner out with Stephen, Donna, Cam and Ellie at the Shandaar in Sale.
Later in the evening we set up Linda and Pat's webcam. Took a while with MSN. Works better with Skype.

5 Days To Go!

Manchester Town Hall - The venue for our party.






























So, in the last week we have been quite busy, mainly finalising our emigration party on 17th June, (at Manchester Town Hall).










The party came and went in the blink of an eye (well it did for us). It was great to say 'hello' and 'see you soon' to our family and friends. Quite a few turned out - luckily the bar just about managed to keep up stock with the seasoned drinkers.














Hopefully eveyone had a good time. Shapes were thrown on the dancefloor (even Doug's Mum was dancing), Matt dropped his seat, Marlon backflipped in reply - there was nearly a serious breakdance challenge....and Doug, well he was Disco Doug for one last time in Manchester.











Ians hobbit wig was popular at the party - every person sans hair was trying it on to see what it felt like to have a barnet! Itchy heads today?













More photos to come....

Getting home was another matter....we didn't order enough minibus space so had to forego our seat for the wiser family members - and queue.....for ages.....anyway - Matt, Clare, Ian, George and us two finished off in Rusholme for one last Ruby on the Curry Mile....home at 4 when the sun was coming up.

'Tender' was the word of the day for Sunday.

Vancouver, eh!

Just set up the blog. First post.

So, here we are....after 10 years of wanting to move to Canada, we have our belongings packed away, sold the house and left our jobs (well, ok then, Doug has a transfer).

Doug had his work leaving do on Thursday 8th in Manchester - a few beers down the German Beer Fest, then Toms followed by a quick in/out at Revolutions (empty) then some star spotting on Deansgate (Corrie/Hollyoaks according to Nathan). Finished off in Fab Cafe, (we weren't important enought for One Central) - Fab was a bit odd as all the lights were on..!? Sore heads the next day....I blame the Tequila Slammer.

Karens do was on the Friday - Beer Market, Slug and Lettuce, Cellar Vie, and One Central ....followed by a ruby at Spicy Hut...another great night finished in Rusholme.

Doug also went to the club weekend in south Wales for one last ride in the UK....(and it definitely was cos I twisted my ankle on the Saturday. doh.)..the weather was excellent - well over 30 - could have been in Spain!





so....We now have just under two weeks to tie up the loose ends before we fly to Vancouver on 24th June.
Karen: "Bring it on!"
Doug: "Sh*t!"