Officer, Arrest that Mad Australian!
Look! Only one day after my previous post, I RETURN to continue my GRIPPING NARRATIVE.
SAN FRANCISCO.
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As I believe I'd mentioned, after our delicious breakfast Mary, Natalie and I hopped in Mary's SUV and drove up to San Francisco. I'd expressed a desire to go out to Alcatraz, so that was what we did first, hopping on a ferry and going out to see the island. It was great--very creepy, and the audio tour (I am sporting the sexy headphones in one of the pics) was excellent.
- I was feeling kinda ill again (not nauseous, though), so after our visit to Alcatraz, we
went down to the pier (um... the famous one), and sat down for Clam Chowder in a cute little restaurant. It was excellent--I am not sure if I've had Clam Chowder before--I probably have--but this was very good clam chowder. I also ate a lot of bread.
- After that, we walked up the street to the tram turnaround place. Um... the San Francisco trams, when they reach the end of the line, they literally turn them around on a but turntable, with two guys pushing it. It's pretty cool.
- We sat around and chatted for a while, then walked a little way up the street to the Ghirardelli (sp?) store. Apparently it's a pretty famous chocolatier, although I'd never acually heard of it. At the door, the lady was giving away free samples of their dark chocolate + caramel range, and apparently I am veyr nondescript, because she kept on offering them to me. I figured it would be impolite to refuse, so I accepted, like, three
free chocolatesbefore she finally twigged that it was the same person. Woo!
- I bought a small thing of chocolates for my hosts in Seattle, and then we headed back to Mary's place. I was dead tired, and all I wanted was a rest. Alas, this means I did not see San Francisco as extesively as I could have even in the one day I had, but I'll definitely go back there sometime and visit properly.
- At Mary's place, we watched the episode of Supernatural I'd missed whilst travelling, since she had it on tape. That was awesome.
- Around 8pm, Mary packed me lots of food for the trip, and we drove back to San Francisco, because I was getting back on the Coast Starlight to Seattle. The train was (big surprise) about two and a half hours late, but the shuttle coach to the train station was ontimeish, so I bid farewell to Mary and Natalie, thanked them profusely, and hopped on the shuttle in San Franfisco that took my to the rail station in a town about a half hour out. Then I had a long, boring wait until the train FINALLY decided to show around midnight (it was supposed to come in around 9.30, I think).
NOCAL, OREGON AND WASHINGTON, OH MY.
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I hopped on, and dammit, was stuck with an aisle seat. Nonetheless, I managed to sleep like six hours (i told you I was tired), and when I woke up, I grabbed my stuff (mysuitcase was checked again, so i only had carryon stuff) and headed for the lounge car I mentioned earlier. The one with the powerpoint. Yeah.
- The train hadn't made up any time during the trp, so we were still running several hours late, and I got to see some of Northern California spinning past.
- I chowed down on all the food Mary had provded me with, sandwiches, diet coke, fruit, fruit bars... it was awesome. When all that was done, I headed for the snack bar and chowed down on their food. Also awesome, albeit microwaved.
- I claimed one of the powerpoints and plugged my laptop in, proceding to marathon most of the first season of Heroes. Periodically I had to wrangle with a stupid train person (stewardess?) who kept telling my to unplug my laptop so people could use
the powerpoints. There were two, I was only using one, and only when the battery ran right out. Nobody was using the other for most of the time. Nonetheless, she kept telling me to unplug and I KEPT EXPLAINING that there was no need for me to do so because a) "there's a free plug" "but if people see your laptop
plugged in they may not realise" b) "IT'S NOT ACTUALLY PLUGGED IN RIGHT NOW" c) "I need to charge my laptop too, you know". Cue vast amounts of eyerolling, but oh well.
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At some point, we crossed into Oregon, and the trip continued at a slightly lower altitude and with less snow. I really have no idea when we crossed over into Oregon, except we were still running about two hours late, and I think it was around midday.
- There are a bunch more photos from the train trip uploaded. All in all, it was a pretty amazing train ride. It was frustrating how late it ran, because I was being picked up in Seattle, but if you are in no hurry, I highly recommend it. The trans are well-appointed. They have sleeper cars, which I believe are quite excellent and include two meals in the dining cart, but the seats are actually quite large and spacious, recline a lot and are fairly easy to sleep on, and the lounge car is brilliant.
- The trip up from LA to Seattle is roughly 34 hours, which I did as 9 hours from LA to San Jose, and then 24 hours from San Francisco to Seattle (it takes about an hour by train to get from SJ to SF), and I'd do it again.
- Anyway, eventually, it got dark again, around southern Washington, I think, so I didn't get to see much of that state, but honestly, once it got dark I went back to my seat and napped until Olympia anyway. At Olympia, my seatmate got off, and I phoned my hosts in Seattle to say I'd be in around 11.30pm rather than 9.30 as previously expected. Fortunately, they are night owls. Family friends, who lived in Brisbane for a while and were helped out by my parents.
SEATTLE.
- It was, by this time, late evening on the 5th of January. Ian picked me up from the train station and took me back to theirs, and I crawled into bed and slept until like 10am.
- The next morning, Arian (Ian's partner) dropped me into downtown Seattle (well, to the Space Needle because I wanted to see it again). I wandered around that area, surprised by how familiar it looked (considering it's been six years since I was there last), then hopped on a shuttle downtown and wandered around the shops. I had to buy sheets for my bed at college, and I figured it'd be easier to do that in Seattle. I also went down to the Wharf (which, again, I recognised and it was crazy--kinda like going home) and had some food, wandered aorund Macy's and Nordstroms (found Brass Plum on the top floor and almost bought some stuff. Again, I RECOGNISED the Brass Plum section of Nordstroms). Arian had said it'd get dark around 5pm and given me directions to get back to theirs by bus, so I hopped on one and found my way back, bus then a bit of a hike, without too much drama.
- There was no-one home when I got back because Ian had gone skiing with their son, their daughter was with a friend, and Arian, as I discovered when she got back about ten minutes later) had taken their dog for a long walk.
- Anyway, everyone was going to be out that night, so I got the house to myself. I settled in on the couch downstairs and watched A Good Woman, which was interesting but I kinda wish I'd watched Scoop instead.
- Ian and their son got back at some point and fed me dinner (WOO), and then I went to bed.
- In the morning, Ian dropped me back to the train station, which was where my coach up to Vancouver departed from. I was panicking a little about whether I had all the documents to get into canada, because I didn't have proof of funds and I'd looked on the consulate website that morning and they'd been a bit ambiguous about whether I'd need them and in Australia I'd decided I didn't, but oh NO what if I did?
- Ian wasn't particularly helpful, being all, "well, if it happens, you can come back here, but you should be fine... right? here's my mobile number, just in case... I know sometimes customs officials can be a bit funny about these things, but don't worry, you should be okay. Probably. Right?"
- They did lend me a quilt though, woo! We have to supply all our own linens (bar a pillow) at college, and I was so not digging the idea of buying a quilt.
- Anyway, off went the coach, and I bid farewell to my beloved city of Seattle, but I'll be back down there once, hopefully twice, before I leave North America, so I don't mind too much.
- The coach ride was... well, coachy. At the border, they got us all out with all our bags and sent us through customs. The customs guy was directing people who needed clearing across to immigration. He asked me my purpose, I said study, he asked for my study permit, I said I didn't need one (I don't), he said, ok, off you go. I was like, huh? I don't need... to be stamped or something? Uh, apparently not.
- Baffled (he hadn't even asked to see my letter of acceptance to UBC) I snuck back into the immigration line (what?? I wanted to do things right!) and asked the immigration officer about it and explained I'd thought they might be interested in, you know, the proof that I had a place to study or whatever. She said they'd cleared me for six months in Montreal and I was fine and she didn't need to see anything else.
- So, all that worry for nothing. I need to stop panicking about immigration. I keep vastly overestimating their care factor. I did the same thing entering the USA.
- Anyway, we hopped back on the coach, and an hour and a half later, arrived in...
VANCOUVER.
(I know, FINALLY)
- I have to admit, I was not entranced by my first sight of the city, but in my defense, I was tired and cranky and had just been on a three hour bus ride. I hopped in a taxi and we headed for UBC proceded to get very lost driving around the campus looking for Place Vanier. I should explain, there are two residences at UBC that have meal plans etc: Totem Park and Place Vanier. The others (eg Marine Drive, Fairview and Gage Towers) all have kitchens. I'd opted for a meal plan out of sheer laziness (shhh), which turned out to be a decent idea, because the meal plan food is actually pretty awesome. And if I were cooking for myself, it would be coffee and instant mac&cheese for every meal.
- Anyway, the taxi driver managed to find Totem Park, and I was like, NONONO that is not MY residence (already keying into the rivalry between Totem and Vanier on which I will speak more later, no doubt). So he called a friend who drove UBC more often and the friend directed us to Place Vanier.
- I thanked him and paid and probably left him an inadequate tip (I DO NOT speak tipping, and what's more, I
OBJECT to it) then headed into the commonsblock and checked in. They told my my building and room numberand sent me off with a key and a mailbox and an orientation package. Thank GOD, only two of the buildings in Vanier have lifts, and mine is one of them. I was NOT in the mood for bag-drag stairclimbing. I probably would have thrown a tantrum.
- Anyway, I found my room, and proceded to mess it up as much as possible, then wandered down to investigate the food options, which, as I said, were impressive. I made my first Vanier friend, a Mexican girl named Lis who was also on exchange, and we had dinner together, then I went back to my room and SLEPT A LOT.
- That was the Sunday. The Monday morning at 9am I had my first class.
- Oh yes, they throw you in the deep end.
- My first class was Canadian Literature in English, and it was, well, classy. Very similar to Australia. We had to discuss what made up Canadian Identity, though, and since I'd only been in canada for, oh, THREE DAYS I was a little stumped and said as much. The class was very understanding. :p
- My second class was Governance of Canada (yes, my MWF timetable is a BARREL OF LAUGHS) which is simultaneously difficult and easy. On the one hand, it's a first level class (that I get advanced credit for, WOO), so all the stuff about "what is politics" and "this is how the Westminster system evolved" is child's play for me. On theother, the actual Canadian aspects, I know absolutely nothing about. Who was the last Prime Minister? I have no idea. What are the parties? No clue. What do Canadians vote for? Beats me. What are the major issues? God, please just ask the next guy.
So now I am in SUNNY VANCOUVER (/sarcasm), I'm going to take a break and pick up the narrative later. Watch out for GALA Orientation, more FOOD, some TOURISTING and BUYING OF CLOTHES, and a bit more whining about classes. I KNOW. RIVETING.
