Only in Canada

Now I suppose as I did it for the USA, it would seem like I'm favoring one country over another (which I'm not, I think that both these huge huge countries are awesomely amazing, full of some awesomely amazing people), so I suppose it's Canada's turn!

First thing, for a country that doesn't seem to like the USA that much, they really do seem to rely on them for a lot:

Just a small taste of products made in the USA. Although, when something is Canadian, you really know about it:

BEEEERRRR!!!!

But my personal favorite:

The pride and joy and....

...ooooooohh!

But some of the brands that we know aren't Canadian, still get the mark....just to name a few:

Just a few more that I wanted to chuck in there:

Cos it was so hard before!?!

This might just be a Jasper thing...but you were warned!

I know it's cold...this is Canada!

So anyway. Not that I'm mocking either country, cos as I mentioned they are both awesome. I kinda wish England could be more like Canada, in the fact that Canadians are proud but quite about it, unlike the States were they're proud but very very load about it. Unlike us, we're load but very unpatriotic. If you meet a Canadian who isn't proud to be a Canadian, well, they're not really a Canadian, trust me. But I know many English that aren't proud to be English.

Another big differance between Canada and the States (cos they really is a lot of similarities) I don't think I've ever played flip cup in the States, yet in Canada it has a theme song. Also, beer pong is as popular, but there seems to be a lot more rules to it in Canada (or they just stick to the rules more then the Americans!?!?).

Anyway, more on me right now. I've been back in BC for a week now, and nearly on the island for a week. Loving it here, it's not as cold as Jasper or Ottawa but I can still snowboard, and the Kobetitch family have been awesome to me.

So had a weekend in Nanaimo including a drip to Cathedral Grove:

Then a trip down to Victoria for a night and a day:

The road trip from Victoria to Campbell river was pretty sweet too:

Since I've been in Campbell River, we've been to the rain forest (not tropical), Elk falls, had a beach fore (it took A LOT of work), a walk down the beach where there was a lot of bald eagles (funny how I've never seen any in the States...think it's time to change your National Emblem), a comedy show, and I got my snowboard up Mount Washington today (even though my head hurts like a mo fo) for some night riding.

The Jeep made it feel like we were in Jurassic Park ...minus the dinosaurs (just the minor details). Of course I was Jeff Goldblum in this scenario.

It did get darker whilst we were there

So anyway, need to get up (fairly) early tomorrow as Becca is flying back to the mainland to head back to Jasper early Sunday morning. All the best to ya (I know how much luck you need in Jasper) and hopefully we'll be meeting up again in the land of Oz.

I have been starting to plan the next leg of my trip, so I could be leaving Canada fairly soon. Wish STA would've got back to me sooner, but at least they finally have, so I can start planning the Asia section of my tour.

Just before I sign off, two more Canadian things:

This is Arrogant Worms…this is so true of Canadians.

Too excited. Go Justin…Canada's finest! 11th February 2011

Another typical day for Mr Sheen.

OK, so my body's still on Ottawa time, and I'm finally on Vancouver Island (which is three hours behind Ottawa). This is the first day I aint seen snow in over two months, this is also the first time I've seen rain in over two months!

My journey here didn't quite go as planned. I blame me and Becca and a lack of planning...as in, there was none. I left Ottawa yesterday with no problem (and I got to watch the end of "The Social Network" on my flight), and got to Vancouver last night, with no problems....getting the ferry proved to be the problem. After riding the SkyTrain all over Vancouver, and being told the original ferry I wanted to get stopped running at 9, by Becca (at 10:10), so before getting the bus to Horseshoe Bay, I tried to get to the other ferry terminal (Tsawwassen) which would leave for the Island at 10:45...great, now the SkyTrains don't wanna work...looks like I'm spending the night in Vancouver. Now I wanted to be cheap and get to the Island as early as possible, so I decided that I'd just leave my stuff in the Samesun Hostel (where I stayed last time I was in Vancouver) and pull an all nighter, and just try and hit bars until as late as I could. Sweet plan, bars are open till 4 in Vancouver....shame that they only serve alcohol till 2....I drunk a lot of water last night! I don't ever remember pulling an all nighter that sober EVER!

I managed to stay there till 4 this morning (thank you to all at Roxy's Burgers, down Granville street, especially as I didn't even spend a single penny in there), then picked up my stuff from the hostel, then headed to MacDonald's for an hour, where I drunk my iced Mocha and read the paper (I can't believe Torres has actually gone to Chelsea, fair play). Got on my bus at 5:30 from Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay, then got my ferry at 6:30 to Nanaimo (or Departure Bay). Best mess up ever, I'm so glad I got to arrive on Vancouver Island through the day.

So anyway, I'm currently with Becca, who's passed out, staying in Sara's (and friend's) house in Nanaimo. I haven't slept since I woke up in Ottawa yesterday, I could probably go on, but we're having a party tonight, and I know my body, I will be fine today and probably tonight, but I will suffer tomorrow (and just sleep through) if I don't! But before I do get a couple of hours shut-eye, here's MY day in pictures:

Parliament building in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday about midday (GMT -5)

I remember when they were just 10p

Goodbye Ottawa

Listening to Pink Floyd's "I wish you were here" at this point....so good!

So many police out at 3 in the morning...we only saw them arresting one guy though!?!?!

Yep!

Vancouver at 5:20 on Friday morning (GMT -8) (this morning)

Sunrise..well, sorta!?

The Island...about 8 this morning (Friday)

It was so windy on that "Sun" deck, but so worth it. Thank you Pink Floyd for randomly coming on my MP3 player and making the situation better yet again!

It's gone midday here now, so I've been up for about 29 hours now....only one thing to do...PARTY!!!! (but maybe SOME sleep first).

...Right no, the chipmunks theme tune has just come on and Sara's just said she's meeting us in a n hour...I will get some sleep...shower later, after food!

Groundhog Day

Can a wood chuck chuck wood!? More than likely, I dunno!?! But apparently a groundhog in Ontario couldn’t see it’s own Shadow today and this means that winter is coming to an end here. Shame that this is my last full day here, so it doesn’t really make too much difference to me.


So I’ve been in Ottawa just shy of a week now, staying with the Keenans. And I cannot lie, I’m having a great time here, kinda thinking a week isn’t long enough (even if the Keenans have had enough of me)…everyone, and I mean everyone has been great here (except for the creep who wanted to use my accent to help him talk to girls…I wouldn’t mind doing it usually, but if you’re just gonna stand and stare at them by the dance floor…well, sorry mate but you are a lost cause…in life as a whole!). But overall, Canadians are great!

So, anyway the last time I saw the Cassie and Caighalh was their last night in Jasper back at the end of December…good times:


So it was definitely good to see them both at Ottawa airport last Thursday when I arrived there at midnight. I’m just glad that they showed up, I’d’ve defiantly left me at the airport.

Been a pretty chilled out week, think I’ve caught up on most the sleep that I lost out on in Jasper (not missing work AT ALL). I’ve ice skated along the longest skating rink in the world, the Rideau Cannel, all 7.8Km of it…and back again, Twas a bit crowded, but still good fun…..only in Canada. A Sunday afternoon skate through a major city seems a lot more novel to me then a Sunday afternoon walk through the woods. Beaver Tails taste pretty good (just a pastry), kinda just covered in sugar and lemon (kinda like a pre-mature pancake day)…I some how still have all my teeth (cos there was a lot of sugar on that thing). Been out to a few local Ottawa bars (don’t worry Mum I wasn’t gonna drink on Saturday night….but…well Cassie’s friends were really nice to me)! Didn’t get to watch Saints loose to Man U on Saturday cos Local Heroes DID NOT have Setanta sports, although they led as to believe that they did! And we defiantly didn’t go bowling this week either, I’m pretty sure that I would’ve remembered it if we did!

$9 beer + TIP...Yeah right!?!?!

We also headed (slightly) over the providence boarder to Quebec on Monday to go to the Museum of civilization (not because we are cival, but because we need to learn how to be civil).

Whale bones

Parliament in Ottawa, Ontario, taken from Quebec

Concentrate

Faster...Faster!!!!

Crossing the bride back from Quebec to Ontario (kinda the same as Oregon and Washington) 

And, if you really thought that the Adam and Eve story was real, sorry but the Native’s believe in the Sky Woman:





So FYI – it snows it Ottawa and the snow’s coming down quite a lot today. Had to shovel today, fun for me – a choir for them! Kinda wishing I didn’t send all my snow gear to Vancouver Island so early!













Last night in Ottawa tonight. Think It’ll just be a (fairly) chilled out evening with Cassie, Caighlah, and their friends here (although Caighlah “just feels like being loud right now”). Heading off to the airport tomorrow evening to fly back to Vancouver (hopefully Air Canada still have "’The Social Network’ on their flights, it wasn’t an amazing film, but I enjoyed it and I wanna see the last twenty minutes of it) to meet up with Becca and Sara tomorrow evening on Vancouver Island. But before I go, big thank you to Dave, Wanda, Tyler, Cassie, Caighlah, Cory and Josh for having me here this week. I’ve had an awesome time. And I hope you have a great birthday tomorrow Wanda…and I really hope you decide where you wanna go.



Although, Caighlah is “now over her loud phase, and wants the tranquillity of it all, and is over the hump”…so tonight could go either way really.

I still can’t really use the internet cos the Keenans’ bill is pretty expensive for January. But I did just wanna post this online quick!

And some things just don't change:

I'm a week away from being gone from England for five months and I have now covered 2 countries and 11 States/Providences since leaving home.