On y va ! (A MUCH NEEDED escape from THE GREENEST CITY on the planet, also the world's 3rd most livable one) My A...!

North Vancouver air

 OMG, I haven't written anything on this blog in ages.  What happened?

Supernatural British Columbia

Well, the mixture of living in Stinktown and having to translate dozens and dozens of German patents to English doesn't seem to agree with me.

Go ahead!  Inhale ! 24/7 !

Less hair, more wisdom ;-)

Enough gory pictures. This morning I was still translating and when the time came to pack the panniers and attach them to the bike, I realized that all my travel accessories are in a backpack in a car out of reach.  Electronic cigarette, sound-suppressing head-phones (think 10 hour flight), power outlet adapter (those puny 110 V plugs won't work in Europe).  NONE of it I have.  OMG. NEED an e-cig.  Fortunately, City Vaper is right on my route to the SkyTrain, and I take the train to the airport with my emergency nicotine deliver system in my pocket ;-)


Something has changed. The YVR free internet (the one that installs spyware to track traveler's movements) actually works this time.  The last 3 times I was here, it didn't do anything.  Did CSIS finally put its foot down, reminding the YVR idiots that if the WIFI doesn't work, CSIS can't install their spyware?.












Not even an hour later, I have a boarding pass (bulkhead row ;-) and the bike is bagged.  The strangest thing happens when I am waiting for the luggage handlers to carry away the bike from the over-size luggage counter. 

 Two people push their BOXED bikes to the counter (Think, partially dismantling your bike and having to take a taxi to the airport because otherwise the box is too much to handle), and since I had seen them in the Air Transat line-up, I mention to them "With Air Transat, you don't need the box. You can just ride here".  The guy in the couple looks at me and says "I know you. We met before. At the ferry!". 
 I don't know what is more embarrassing, not remembering him or having to ask "Which ferry?", admitting that I have taken plenty of those lately (you just wait ;-)) 

After he says "Langdale, you were there with a Bosch e-bike" I finally realize which ferry, and dimly remember talking to someone about the bicycle.  I'm also able to point at the item lying on the ground 
mostly hidden in a shiny plastic bag and Fragile tape and say 

"There it is!"  They're flying to Paris as well. OMG, this world is tiny. 

One of the store at YVR actually carries active-noise-cancelling headphones and power adapters (with a mini-air-freshener built in. WTF????).  I might just have to cough up some cash before the flight.

But in general, I can feel the relief already. Fabulous food. A country that does not kowtow to cars and the oil industry. And even fresh air. Talking to people whose priorities aren't FUBARed. (Fucked up beyond any reason)That's what I'm looking forward to. Only 11 more hours!  I wish George would be here to travel with me ;-)

'keep on rocking in the free world'    (YES, that's meant to be ironic; thank you Mr. Young!)