Goodbye YEG, Hello YVR

For those of you that are unaware of Airport Codes, YEG=Edmonton, and YVR= Vancouver
Newly Hired Flight Attendant at Emirate Airlines "Krysta Larson" meanwhile is laughing! =)
WHAT I'M DOING:
Staying in Vancouver just over 3 weeks during the XXI WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES, attending events, and working at the Black's Photography store Downtown Van-City.

WHEN: 09-February --> first week of March (return ticket not booked yet!)

HOW I'M DOING IT:
So.. where to start... About 2 weeks ago, I got the Green Light from my job to come on down to Vancouver and help out during The Games at our Pacific Centre location, as the mall hours increased from 10-7pm most nights to 930am-1100pm Monday-Saturday, which is a HUGE increase in the amount of staffing needed, plus the increased traffic from all of the WorldWide Travellers coming to watch the Winter Games.

I scoured who I knew in Van-City, and low and behold, remembered and offer made by a former co-worker of mine from this past Xmas that anyone coming down to Vancouver was more than welcome to stay with her and her bf Curtis. =) YEAAAER... Step 1: CHECK
I then needed a TICKET.... well... Good Ol' ScotiaGold VISA card points paid for that one! =D ... Step 2: CHECK
I hooked myself up with a few tickets via Posting on my Facebook Status that I was looking for tickets, and had a few friends, Anthony and Casey, come through with offers. =) Step 3: CHECK
I arranged a schedule with Lianne at Pacific Center, and booked the time off work. Step 4: CHECK
PACKED my bags, and said my "see ya laters", and hopped on the airplane...Step 5: CHECK

THE FLIGHT DOWN:
Well... my WestJet flight was supposed to leave at 2pm, but we were a tad delayed due to our plane that we would be taking ..err... not being there. It showed up about 35 min behind schedule... Not a big deal... i got to relax, and harass TELUS about my BlackBerry Storm 2 not letting me Activate it. *Sigh* .. Anyways, my seat selection on the left side of the plane which I had so hoped for a view of Downtown Vancouver as we landed.. saldy... let me down. Actually, the Pilot let me down when we came in to the left, and curved right to land... =( no view for me! (perhaps on the flight out... whenever that is... it's gunna be a daytime one, cuz I want pics of Downtown from the Air!)

ARRIVAL in YVR:
The Airport was SUPER busy (as expected 3 days before The Games hit town), and made to seem even MORE like sardines in a can when I went to retrieve my Luggage. They had put a Toronto flight on the same Baggage Carousel as our Edmonton one (picture about 150+ people all gathering around 1 carousel waiting impatiently... yeaaa) This was quickly rectified for me when I found Christina, already there waiting, Big Red "Nicole Ritchie" type Sunnies on, and a LARGE TIM HORTONS ICE CAPP w/ Chocolate Milk (FOR ME) in her hands!! Big Hug & a Thank You for that one!! Best Start to a trip ever! So then... as this whole thing took about half an hour, one of the funniest, yet BoneHead moves I've ever pulled happens about 10 min after I've already grabbed my first suitcase. If any of you have ever seen me travel, I always bring this LIME GREEN suitcase with me, and have NEVER seen another one... well.... out of the Carousel ...pops a bag looking suspiciously like mine.. hmmmmm..time to investigate.... *jaw drops*.... it IS mine... ACK!! i already took the other one and gave it to Christina to hold!!!! looks like i grabbed someone else's LIME GREEN SUITCASE... i sheepishly went and brought Christina my bag, explained, and with a red face.. returned the other one to the Carousel.. at which point not 20 seconds later a blonde haired Danish lady picks it up and looks straight at me... i mouth "SORRY".. and quickly avert my eyes... YIKES!

We then went outside where Christina could have some much needed nicotine! HAHA.


POST AIRPORT:
We head thru the VERY OLYMPIC decked out Airport, and head up to the SkyTrain.... The FARE was an unbelievable 8.75 to get to Christina's place which ISNT EVEN DOWNTOWN!! wow, OUCH!

CHRISTINA / CURTIS' PLACE:
after a 20 min SkyTrain, and 15 min Bus Ride... we arrive on King Edward Street, and Granville St. not too shabby of a commute. Hop off the bus, and find the house. If any of you have ever seen THE HOLIDAY and CAMERON DIAZ hauling her overpacked suitcase down that gravel road... well.. that's what Christina looked like pulling my suitcase (she offered to take the lime green one, because my other bag didnt have wheels.. so i carried it) It was pretty funny going down that back alley.
We get to the house, and Christina goes to open the door, up a couple steps.. and tells me they live upstairs... no big deal.. just a couple steps... I tell her "no worries, I can take it all up"... BIG MISTAKE.. haha.. at the top of the three stairs.. i look up expecting to walk right in.. and NOPE... there's FIFTEEN MORE STEEP STEPS waiting for me before i actually get into the kitchen.. hahaha.. what an adventure. So we drop my stuff off, after Christina nearly pees her pants watching me... and hurry back out with just a camera bag in tow... Time to Explore Vancouver... while my bus pass is still current! Yeaaa Saving Money already!.. we got on the bus with only 10 min of validity left on it! Downtown we went.

DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER
Granville street has nearly EVERY SHOP decorated along it.. (with Olympic Medals.. or GO CANADA .. etc.) it was great! I'm not sure what street we got off on, but here's the first thing i snapped a picture of Downtown..
THE HUDSONS BAY COMPANY... it was HUUUGE

We were on a hunt to kill some time until her bf Curtis was off work, so we walked by the Hudsons Bay Company, and laughed at the RIDICULOUS LINE-UP to get into the OLYMPIC SUPERSTORE


from there, into Pacific Mall, where we took some more tourist pics.
(that will get it's own blog at some point here in the next 3 weeks.

Headed over to Curtis' work building and waited before we decided on SUSHI for dinner! YUM. SO... i ordered instead of a sushi ROLL... a sushi CONE... it was wrapped in seaweed and ... well.. kiiiinda looked like an Ice-Cream Cone.. haha



POST DINNER:
took the bus back home, played some X-Box Fusion multiplayer battle games, (after Christina was done chopping zombies up with her sword on... errr.. i dont remember the name of that game...) and then played some WII FIT... to which a SNOWBALL FIGHT EXPERT battle ensued. it was a great time.. we all got really competitive! HAHA

The last pictures I'll leave you with for my first day is the one of "my room", and why I feel right at home here in this cozy house. Waiting for me on the bedside table was a WELCOME KIT, towels and a facecloth all ready for me, and a SKYLIGHT above my bed!! =D



The BEST Welcome Gift of All.