The snow and ice still seem locked in and the rivers still had ice on them.
The sun was in the east, so I was getting reflections of what ice melt there was.
All very magical as I wait to see the sea.
We fly into Vancouver for about 1:30 Vancouver time. Time shift begins.
Getting there was easy, arriving in an international airport with a little open fence around the baggage claim was interesting. I suppose it must be big city attitude to see it all as very insecure instead of relaxed.
I stayed with cousins for that night, toured Granville Market with a two year old. She brought a delightful perspective to everything I looked at during the visit.
I somehow managed to set of the house alarm by opening a window during the night and realized it only after I shut the window. Time shift has to take the blame as I woke up at my usual 6am, meaning 3am Vancouver time. Small flurry of activity in the master bedroom as alarm company phones in to see if all is well.
Sorry. Usual houseguest mantra.
The next morning is a big travel day.
Planes was so yesterday. Literally.
Today is light rail transit, buses, then the ferry to Nanaimo.
The light rail in Vancouver is beautiful! You have to understand that I am a train freak and love any kind of rail travel.
Of course, if you are travelling on the "subway" with a backpack, big shoulder bag and a forty pound rolling suitcase during morning rush hour, you are asking for mild aggravation. The train is four cars long, utterly packed but I squeeze myself in near a door and do alright, all things considered.
Coming out at a main junction with bus stops on all four corners, looking for a number that shows me the bus to Horseshoe Bay and hope it runs on time, I climb aboard and take in the views.
Passing big deep green forests on the way, I can see the inspiration and mystery of the dark green blackness, hanging mosses, ferns and needles. Cathedral height of the trees passes out of my view from the window of the bus.
Houses are perched everywhere, nestled into this wild greenery. They all have a "view" to die for.
Goodbye mainland! The receeding mountains are, for want of a better word, Majestic. They seem to plunge straight down into the sea. Snow is in the nooks and crannies, smaller and smaller.
As we are crossing, the grey skyes turn to rain and the view is dissolved to runnels of mountain, sky and sea, all the same colour.
The ride takes about an hour and a half. We arrive and the rain is pelting down, so I park myself in the terminal Starbucks and email my family to say I am here, safe and sound.
The car I rented is collected and I get myself to the house where the key is being held for me.
I am housesitting for the duration, so I come bearing a tome of instructions on how to get in, get out and when garbage day is.
The alarming trend of the day before continues as I manage to misunderstand the instructions and set off the alarm. This is not too disturbing to me as I seem to have set off every alarm I have ever encountered. I know that if I re-enter the code ( since I probably made a mistake) it will stop making THAT noise.
No, no and no.
I await the call from the alarm company which does not come. Relaxed west coast view? Wait for the robber to call?
I call.
They can't help me unless I have a password ( I do not) and have called out the police.
The policeman that comes and takes my ID but not my freedom, since I waived at him throught the window, is very nice if not more than a mildly amused at my dilemma.
As luck would have it, it is the perfect time of day for this to happen. The owners are in New Zealand and the time shift is just right for being able to email them to get help. I drive to the mall and find a Starbucks (thank you) and wait for an answer.
An hour later, sloshing in coffee, grocery shopping done while waiting and answers finally in hand, I am able to return to the house and disarm the sound.
Sleep comes easily to the exhausted and I wake up at 6am, eastern time, again.
The view is stunning.
I think that I have managed the first day, relatively well, don't you?
