Vancouver is very beautiful! Adam and I had a really good time, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we want to make another trip next year.
We did loads. I brought home many lovely memories of the family, the places we visited and things we did / happened. I brought home many pains and aches too!
There’s so much to tell, so here it goes…
29 June 2006 - Thursday
Busy day with last minute shopping and packing. Then off we left to the airport at around 4pm (flight is at 5.47pm! - Adam’s fault). Good thing Adam has an Elite pass, we get to bypass long check-in and security check queues.
At security check point, after our carry-on bags were x-rayed, the officer told Adam she has to search his bag. Off we went to the side with the officer. She took everything out from Adam’s bag but can’t find what she was looking for. Then she took the bag for another round of scanning.
She came back and said ‘I found what I was looking for’. We were standing there waiting, it was a lighter!. Damn it, we forgot we can’t take lighters on board in the US. That lighter was for our camping stove. It was confiscated, no fuss and off we went to board our plane.
Arrived at Vancouver airport around 8.45pm, went through customs and off to the baggage claim area. Our 2 rucksacks are on a carousel but not our suitcase. Waited another 5 minutes, nothing!
We went to the airline counter to tell them we have one suitcase missing. I was so worried that I will lose all my stuff in that suitcase. We were then informed that the bag didn’t make it with our flight and that it is coming on the next flight, arriving at midnight! We were pissed but Adam’s cousin, Ben, is already waiting for us therefore we can’t kick up a fuss there, though the airline did promise they would send the suitcase to Kitsilano (where we were staying with Adam’s aunt).
We left, met Ben and off we went for the pre-wedding BBQ hosted by the groom’s dad. Met Adam’s family there. Everyone was warm and lovely, food was yummy.
At 2am we got a call from the airport telling us our luggage has arrived and a cab would send it over at 8am. At 6am the bloody bell rang, cab driver was there to drop the luggage.
This came…
Adam thought the case burst open which is why it was taped, I doubt that would happen. Once I removed the tapes I noticed one of the locks were broken. Farking US Immigration in Houston broke it for an inspection!
In most airports they have signs put up telling you to unlock your bag for possible checks, if you don’t the officers will break the locks. We didn’t see any signs posted at that terminal and the stupid cow at the check-in counter didn’t tell us to do so either. I was (still am) furious. Continental, you wait til I have time to deal with you!
Day 1 of vacation, my spirits are down =(
30 June 2006 - Friday
The beaches (Jericho Beach, Spanish Banks and Kitsilano Beach) are just 15 minute’s walk from the house, so we decided to walk to the beach and spend some time there. The weather was perfect. It was about 24C, sunny and windy.
There were many people at the beach. The scenery around the beach is just beautiful. We had a stroll and stopped at the Jericho Sailing Club for a drink at its patio.
The view from the patio. Ahh… nice!
In the evening, Adam’s mum, Sue, treated us to dinner at a very fancy Japanese seafood restaurant, Blue Water Cafe at Yaletown. She even booked a 6-seater limousine to take us to and from the restaurant!
Food was delicious, company was great! It was a wonderful night out with Sue (Adam’s mum), David (Adam’s step dad), Penny (Sue’s sister) and Malcom (Penny’s husband).
Adam with Sue on the way to Yaletown
1 July 2006 - Saturday
This is the day England lost to Portugal. We watched the match at home with the family. Adam’s cousin brothers, Ben and Adam, and Adam’s girlfriend Linda, was over as well. The guys were in a bad mood after the match, so we thought a walk to the park would be good.
We played abit of volleyball until my wrist hurts (it swell a little and was red - it then turned blue-black after a shower!) then we switched to football, until I busted the nail of my right big toe and it bled. What a day…
Oh! This is also the day of the wedding. Church ceremony starts at 7pm. Everyone at home was busy getting ready at 5pm and by 6pm our transport arrived.
Got to the church at 6.45pm, took some photos and we were ushered to our seats.
The church where wedding ceremony was held
The Bride (Jemma) and Groom (Al)
The wedding dinner was at a Country Club. Dinner starts at 9pm and dance after that.
Al, Ben, Jemma and Adam at wedding dinner
Adam’s cousin, Adam (as well) and his lovely girlfriend Linda.
2 July 2006 - Sunday
Too much drinking the night before, therefore the plan was to rest at home but got calls from the guys asking us to go the beach.
At 3pm, Ben, Adam and Linda picked us up and we went to the nearby beach to meet up with more friends. Most of them played beach volleyball but I didn’t join them as my wrist was still hurting.
Enjoyed the afternoon by the beach, doing nothing much. People-watching most of the time and then we headed to The Eatery for some sushi. Delicious sushi and yummy spicy buffalo wings.
3 July 2006 - Monday
It’s Whale Watching Day!
Adam and I drove to Steveston where the Whale Watching Tour operators are. Steveston is about an hour from Vancouver and it’s a fishing village famous for fresh seafood and Fish & Chips.
Arrived at 12pm for lunch at Shady Island Seafood Bar & Grill. We picked a table at the patio overlooking the Steveston Harbour. We both had a Halibut & Chips each and I ordered a Bellini (Peach Shweppes, Rum, Champange, Sangria). The food and Bellini is very yummy for my tummy!
Our meals arrived
The boat left the harbour at 2pm. We first saw many Bald Eagles. Then we came by a small island with many seals basking in the sun with seagulls. We arrived at Pender Island about 2 hours from Steveston where the Orcas are.
One came pretty close to our boat and we got a good look at it. It was awesome! 5 minutes later, another did a side flip! It was just amazing. We saw a pod swimming by, they will come up occasionally for air.
This is the best shot of a whale we manage to take
On our way back to Steveston, the tour guide pointed out Bill Gates vacation home on Pender Island.
4 July 2006 - Tuesday
Squamish - here we come! Squamish is an hour drive from Vancouver and it is situated between Vancouver and Whistler. Squamish means Mother of the Wind, and is the outdoor recreation capital of Canada.
To get to Squamish, we have to take the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway. As its name implies, the highway takes you from the coast of Howe Sound to the snow-capped mountain of Whistler.
We camped one night at The Stawamus Chief. The Chief is the 2nd largest freestanding piece of granite in the world and has made Squamish one of the top rock climbing destinations in North America.
This is The Chief (photo taken from car’s sun-roof)
We did a day hike (about 30 minutes) from The Chief to Shannon Falls. It is British Columbia’s 3rd largest waterfall, a cascade that drops over 1000 feet. This is also the place which attracts thrill-seeking ice climbers who scale the falls when it freezes in the winter
Photo of Shannon Falls
The campsite from the parking lot is only a 10 minute walk. Therefore we were able to pamper ourselves with more luxuries like a bottle of red wine over dinner.
5 July 2006 - Wednesday
Camping Day 2
We left The Chief in the morning after our morning coffee and had breakfast at Starbucks in Squamish before we start the streneous hike to our night’s stay at Garibaldi Lake.
Garibaldi Lake is the heart of Garibaldi Park, a British Columbian provincial park in the Coast Rocky Mountains, just 70 kilometres north of Vancouver.
The hike from the parking lot to our campsite is 9km with an 810 meter elevation. We have to carry everything from gears to food with us. We also have to carry our trash down as there’s no dumpsite at the campsite. We only took what we need, a change of panty is considered a luxury.
There’s no tap at Garibaldi Lake. We need to drink the water from the lake. We got a water treatment bottle with us for that purpose alone. Since there’s not tap, that means there are no flush toilets too. They have pit toilets which makes taking wet wipes an essential.
That’s me with my walking stick
It was a difficult hike for me. The elevation was a killer. I was so tired that I turned into a negative hiker. My most used quotes:
- No more! This is the last time we are doing this…
- I don’t know why I agreed to this =(
- I am tired Darling….
- We are not camping anymore if ever we need to hike more than an hour to our campsite!
Adam was very patient and supportive. Sometimes he would carry my rucksack for me and sometimes he would run up put his down and run down to get mine… so sweet of him. (I did apologise later when we got to the campground for being a baby =P )
4 hours and 40 minutes and many whinning and complains later, we got to Garibaldi Lake. (Thank God!!!) There were still snow at the campsite and the area is cold.
Garibaldi Lake
Set up our tent, had dinner and went to bed at 8.30 pm (yes, I was that tired!)
6 July 2006 - Thursday
Woke up in the morning to a surprisingly cold day. The whole area was foggy and cold. We were supposed to stay for 2 nights but my back hurts from sleeping on ground mats and my body is aching from the hike. We decided to leave but not before we have our morning coffee.
That’s me by the lake. Water for coffee comes from that lake. The blue bottle is our water treatment bottle.
Packed up and ready to descend the mountain. 9km down, I am sure it would be much easier.
3 hours on, we are back to the grounds, with aching legs and back and not smelling too nice (no shower for 2 days… hehe).
Mission accomplished, we are happy.
Off we head to Whistler to get accomodation for the night. We need a shower, a good night’s sleep and some much required rest.
On our way, we saw a sign that reads Brandywine Falls (I know it’s not a winefall!) We stopped to see and it’s a km hike to the waterfall. If we can do 9km, we can do another km, so we parked our car and started walking towards the fall’s viewpoint. It’s beautiful!
Brandywine Falls
10 minutes at the viewpoint and we left for Whistler. I was getting hungry at that point and we need to get moving before I get grumpy.
Whistler is the top ski resort in North America for the past 6 years and will be hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics. Once we got there we got ourselves a Studio (with king-sized bed and full kitchen facilities) at the Blackcomb Lodge & Spa, and it’s right in the middle of the ski village with restaurants, bars and cinemas!
This is the view from our room.
After our much needed shower and change of clean clothes, we headed to the village for some drinks and then dinner at a nice restaurant.
7 July 2006 - Friday
Spent the morning walking around Whistler Village, window shopping and checked-out at 11am.
We did a day hike to the glacier-fed Cheakamus Lake. It’s a 3km hike with minimal elevation change and would take us about an hour to get to the lake.
Me at the start of the hike. The view is so beautiful already.
Cheakamus Lake which overlooks Fitzsimmons and Spearhead Mountain Ranges and Cheakamus Glacier.
This is where we stopped for picnic. Lovely view and freezing water!
Satisfied with the view, we left Cheakamus and drove back to Vancouver. On the way back, we saw a black bear at an elevated open forest area by the highway. We didn’t stop for photographs as it’s not a designated viewpoint area.
We travelled on the Sea to Sky Highway. As its name suggest, you can see the sea, mountain and sky at most viewpoints.
This is my favourite viewpoint. The snow-capped Tantalus behind Adam
8 July 2006 - Saturday
A day of packing our stuff back into that suitcase with a broken lock. We put everything in and taped it back.
In the afternoon, Adam was up for something educational, so we went to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. He suggested the activity and he got bored of it sooner than I did. We could have gone somewhere more interesting (maybe less educational) and more fun!
We had a leaving dinner at home with everyone - Sue, David, Penny, Malcom, Jemma, Al, Adam, Linda and Ben. It was goodbye to the cousins.
9 July 2006 - Sunday
We left the house at 9am and it was goodbye to Sue and David, Penny and Malcom. It was a teary one. I don’t like goodbyes.
So, it’s see you again! We shall meet again, maybe in Mexico 
