Close calls, thumping hearts and the power of positive thinking

Whenever I usually start a journey anywhere, I do so with an uneasy feeling. I don't know if it's my cynicism or my unwavering pessimism, but I always fear the worst. Until I am on the bus, plane or at my final destination I always think something will go wrong. In my mind I run through the worst case  scenarios; they won't honour my ticket, i'll lose my passport, a wheel will fall off... 

As a consequence, I try to minimise the drama. I try to get to the point of departure as early as possible and eliminate as many disasters as I can. 

This trip has loosened my pessimism. 

I'm starting to feel more relaxed about travelling. I don't feel the need to arrive super early anymore. 

And at two points in my trip, timing has completely gone to pot! 

The first was before my flight from Edmonton to Toronto. Pat and I had left her house in Edmonton with what we had thought would be plenty of time to spare. The brutal Alberta weather had other ideas. The incoming snow storm was brewing; people were driving normally and so we were seeing spun out cars littering the edges of the highway. The traffic was slowing. Pat and I kept willing the traffic to keep moving. 

Eventually, we made it to the airport with 45 minutes until my flight. A quick hug then I dashed into the terminal. The Air Canada lady said I'd just missed check in and had to go to the ticketing queue to see if they'd allow me to check in. 

An elderly gentleman joined me in the queue and I quickly found out he was in the same predicament as I was. Well, not quite the same. He was highly doubtful that they'd let us on, but he wasn't that worried as he had a changeable ticket. I did not. Non-refundable. 

I was hopping back and forth and telling him to think positively. He gave me a raised eyebrow. The lady begrudgingly let us check in. I declared my love for her and we raced to security. 

Another long queue. The man gave me the raised eyebrow again. I countered by telling him to keep thinking positively. 

The queue moved steadily and eventually I was through. I raced to the gate just as the lady on the desk was issuing the last call for our flight. I powered through the gate...and then had to queue at the aeroplane door. My friend from the check in soon joined me and I raised an eyebrow to him. "You've restored my faith in the power of positive thinking." he conceded. 

My job that day was done. 

Less than a week later in Boston I almost reverted to my pessimism. I was sure my bus to New York was at 2.30pm. I was we'll prepared and got to the station just after 2.00pm. 

As I ascended the escalator I scanned the departure screens. I could only see a 2.00pm departure listed. 

A sick feeling swiftly rose in my stomach. 

Did I read the ticket wrong?

Can I make it still?

How can I change my ticket? 

I ran to the gate, found a queue and asked the lady which line it was. 

I could've declared my love for another young lady when she said it was the 2.30 to New York! 

Disaster averted again! This travelling malarkey is definitely keeping me on my toes. 

Let's go to the mall...

It has been a real struggle not to break into song whilst I've been in Canada every time someone mentions the mall. Yes, television has had such an influence on me that I want to recreate the Robin Sparkles song from How I Met Your Mother at the mere hint of a large undercover shopping arena.

And yes, I use the word 'arena' deliberately. Shopping seems to be viewed as, and engineered around a combat sport in North America.

I have seen blocks and blocks that stretch on for miles of retail outlets of some kind or another. When you think one has finished, fear not, another starts the next street down. What can they all possibly be selling, and selling enough of to keep them all in business?

Last week Pat took me on a visit to West Edmonton Mall. The largest Mall in North America. It was pretty big. It has its own water park, amusement park, pirate galleon, ice rink, sealife park with sea lions,  two crazy golf courses, and then all the shops to boot! The photo is me with the friendly alien character adopted by the amusement park. Pat and I honed our skills on the skee ball games. I think I'd just edge it in a UK v Canada tournament.

It was great to have a look round the Mall, the shops were good, we got some good food in the array of restaurants on offer, and most significantly it gave us a chance to stay warm. Trust me to arrive as the temperatures dipped sharply to their lowest so far this winter (noteably, the temperatures are rising now I've departed Alberta!). One day it was -27! I like to think I have experienced the real taste of the brutal Alberta winter. No pansying around for me... Extreme or nothing I say!

Having said that, I have said I would like to go back to visit Edmonton in the summer. It does look beautiful, and although there was a certain charm to the city cased in snow, it'd be nice to venture out to see the sights properly.

And by going in the summer, I should escape Pat giving me the snow shovelling chores I had this week! I don't know how they do it!

Geology Rocks!

Well, my adventure through the Canadian Rockies had ended. I cannot believe that it has been and gone. I was so looking forward to that part of my trip, and the anticipation was so high that I was almost worried that it wouldn't live up to my expectations.

I needn't have worried.

Every description of this wonder of nature lets it down. There are no words to describe some of the places I have visited in the last week. Nature, I have concluded, is pretty damn awesome. Not awesome in the sense of "Dude, that song is awesome!", but awesome as in I was in awe of every vista my eyes were lucky enough to take in.
It was a complete assault on the senses. Yes it was cold, but that added to the thrill of being at these places. The air was so fresh and crisp that it took your breath away.

I lost count the number of times we piled off the bus, our guide John, not telling us where we were going, and then leading us up a steep trek, cursing as we watched our step. Yet then as a reached a clearing or a brow of a hill I'd look up and see the beauty laid before me. The picture above at Peyto Lake was one of those times. Without being too dramatic, there were times the sheer size and magnitude of the landscape, or the intricate beauty of a cascading, half-frozen waterfall, was overwhelming.

Then John would say "You like it?", in a slightly bragging lilt as he knew that he had these wondrous tricks up his sleeve. I don't think that these are sights that would ever grow old. They are places that have developed over millions of years, and I feel honoured to have seen them for myself.

 



This is the view I had as I walked up to the Athabasca Glacier. It was an incredibly humbling place. It was like trekking across another planet. There were signs to say how far down the hill the glacier used to stretch, so you could visibly see how much had melted over the past century or so.

There were also rings on the sides of the surrounding mountains showing the retreat of the frozen water. But you could still see the sharp blue water running under the surface of the ice on the sides and under foot. That was the scariest thing. As you got closer to the ice, you could hear the gushing ice water literally below your feet. I may have stood on a glacier, but I didn't want to test my luck with mother nature, so it wasn't for long!

The biggest noise that I appreciated was the silence. In that bowl of the glacier, away from the thin ice, you could hear nothing. No wind, no birds, no traffic. Nothing. It was this that added to the other-worldly-ness of the place.

I have always enjoyed seeing the beauty that nature creates, but this was one of the most awe-inspiring, achingly dramatic places I have yet visited.

If you get the chance to go, go. And take some woolies.

My old friend technology

As those of you who know me well are aware, I don't tend to work well with anything too technology based. It will come as no surprise then that over the past few days I have had a few choice words with my iPod and various other computers.
For reasons I am still not sure of, my previous blog had removed integral buttons (log in being one), and then found it fun to toy with me by displaying invisible pages, choosing when to work and not letting me post my pictures.
So I have cut my losses, abandoned my first blogging partner and moved on to pastures new. So welcome to my new platform. Same ramblings, just a different address. I will email and Facebook to let people know, but please let anyone else know.
Thank you for reading, please comment to keep in touch; I really appreciate hearing from familiar faces!
...proper blog update coming soon!

Wherever I lay my hat...

I thought I’d update on my accommodation so far. Beginning my journey as a hostel virgin, I was slightly concerned as to what awaited me after hearing at least one bad story from everyone I spoke to with hostelling experience.
Most of you know that I have a certain affinity with shelled creatures, so when I saw ‘Green Tortoise Hostel’ in Seattle, I knew where my first port of call would be. The location of Green Tortoise was perfect; a short walk from the station and right opposite Pike Place Market, the hub of Downtown Seattle. I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the room and the private bathrooms. And the curtain around the bed afforded a valuable sense of privacy. My roommates were a few lovely ladies from different parts of the globe. They weren’t rowdy, they didn’t snore and one even took me for my first trip to Target!
This hostel experience definitely took it easy on me.
The next one however was even better. Double bed, Frosties for breakfast and cuddles with the cutest baby ever in the morning. Nope, wait, that wasn’t a hostel; my eternal thanks to Sam and Sye for letting me stay with them in Ladner.
So, off on my Rocky Mountain tour. First hostel was Samesun Kelowna. Walked in the dorm room to be hit by a wall of boy smell. Probably didn’t help that the room was the size of a broom cupboard. Ah well, the beds must be comfortable then? Yes, to an extent. Once you rolled into the indent you weren’t getting out again easily. But for $24 and free pancakes for breakfast I’m not complaining!
And so to the latest. Just arrived in Banff Alpine Lodge. Looks amazing! Wood panelling, stone fires, the whole ski shebang! On the top bunk tonight so we’ll see how that pans out. But definitely smells better than yesterday!

Seattle-on-sea

Seattle-on-sea

The next post will show a view of the Seattle skyline from the Bainbridge ferry. I spent the best $7 Sunday morning on a cruise across the Puget Sound. The ferry took you across to Bainbridge, a traditional, artsy American town where I walked around and got lunch. Yet, the cost was worth the views from the ferry alone. Sat on the top deck on a beautiful, crisp morning to watch the skyline take form was breathtaking.
The Isle of Wight ferry has a contender to the throne.

The start of the journey

Friday morning was the first step in the journey of many miles. It was a strange feeling as I got to the airport; mostly due to my unrelenting pessimism as I was constantly worried that something was going to go wrong.
Fortunately nothing did and I made it to Seattle Friday evening in one piece. Although I did get stopped ‘randomly’ twice for ‘special’ security checks; once in Keflavik Airport and once for a thorough bag search in Seattle. The Isham name continues to mark me out I feel!
Anyway, got to Seattle and found my own way onto the Light Rail link, into the Downtown area and to my hostel. The hostel is nice and I have met a few nice people so far. I have been chatting a lot to a Vietnam war vet called Don who is travelling the country on his train pass to relive his youth. Great guy with lots of stories.
Saturday morning when I woke up it was raining. Can’t say I was disappointed. I think it was the first time I’ve been satisfied to see the rain. You can’t come to the Pacific North-West without a little rain. Fortunately it cleared up and I got to see some sights. The wind however was something else; I think the gales have followed me from the UK. Anyway the forecast is for more rain later so I shall be getting use of my waterproofs.
Yesterday visited the EMP museum… pop culture museum; sci-fi, horror, fantasy, rock music exhibits. Great visit, geeked out slightly. I have some great photos James! CITP I missed you guys…there was an interactive thing where you could pretend play instruments to make your own music video! We would have nailed that! Next time eh?!
So, that shall do for now. Hope all is well in the UK.
Be good everyone!

Seattle

Preparation, preparation, preparation...

So, the time is nearly here to start the adventure. I’m not sure where the past few months have gone. It seems not that long ago that I started allowing my daydreams to find their own shape, and now they are fully fledged plans about to take on their own reality.
The panic is starting to set in that I haven’t got everything I need ready, or I won’t be able to find my toothbrush, or any other last minute emergency. I think that my mind has raced through every single worst case scenario ever imagined. Even my dreams are getting in on the action… Dad and I in the airport collectively losing passport, wallet and phone. Maybe if I get the bad things out of the way in my sleep they won’t happen in reality.
The preparation seems neverending at present. I have half a mind to just take my toothbrush, ipod, passport and coat and just get on the plane to see what happens! My backpack is looking at me from the corner of the room daring me to start shoving stuff inside it. I have mental lists of what to take, but haven’t mustered the strength to see how much of that I can actually fit in.
Hmm, maybe tomorrow will be the practice run. Let’s do this!