EUROPE-BOUND! - EuroTrip 2012 - Day 1

So once again, as it pretty typical for me, I delay, and delay, and now I've been here 5 days before actually making a post on here, so that people back home that refuse to get Facebook (namely my family, included both my parents and grandparents). Regardless, I do want to look back and read about this trip years from now, so here goes nothing. DAY 1 SUMMARY. Flew from YEG (Edmonton) to LGW (London-Gatwick) - London has 6 airports, so this happens to be one just south of the city by 45min. Made friends in the airport. Mike x 3 (Each from Edmonton on the same roundtrip flight June 11 - August 6th) as me. Slightly diffrent travel paths, but both attending the EURO's and the OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES. Spent the day in the rain (in typical London Fashion) enjoying what we could on foot, as we walked to their hostel. After having a couple beer with them, I headed with my backpacks on , back into the ity to meet up with my mate from Katimavik (Dallas) who I'm going to be staying with later this month during my return visit for Wimbledon, and again in July for the Olympics. Had another beer, and was sent on my way via the train to the airport north of the city this time. London - Luton. Small airport, and the train doesn't connect you to the actual airport, and a combination of multiple events, not limited to a later than advertised departure of the shutte bus, no notice of needing said shuttle bus, and missing my stop led to me missing my flight. Argh. Day 1. Off to a bad start here. Another flight booked, I used the Wifi there for 7.5 POUNDS / 3 hours. Hmm, I need to find a hostel or somewhere to spend the night. Watching the Russia vs. Poland EURO game. Ended 1-1. Great result for the co-host POLAND. After coming up empty on the Hostel / Employee room at the Holiday Inn next door, I explored CouchSurfing again, and found a local who was willing to pick me up, put me up for the night, and drop me back off THREE HOURS before my flight so I would be nice and early for the 8am flight the next morning. DAY 2 -

Time to Start-Up Again

Another Year gone by without a post, and this will be the last time that happens. I've come to relize that my life is actually quite interesting and I want to re-read it many years down the road. Alright... what has Jacob been up to... 2011 - in a nutshell. Year long relationship (ended Feb 2012), California Roadtrip (8 days, 6700km with my best mate Justin) was the highlight of the year. A couple Edmonton Eskimos games (Canadian Football League), many Edmonton OILERS (National Hockey League) games, and BOAT LOADS of Edmonton OIL KINGS (top level of Junior Hockey - Western Hockey League - aged 16-20) games. Much of last year was spent at the PINT OFF WHYTE (avenue) - and became Justin / Eric / my preffered 'Adult-Beverage-Location' - we also called it HOME, more often than not! 2012 has been a year of some heavy changes. The WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY TOURNAMENT was held in Edmonton, and Lauren C, Justin, my mate from Blacks Jordan, Eric, and other friends attended a few of the Denmark, Czech games. New Years Eve my mate from the Vancouver Games (Lee) came up with his girlfriend from Saskatoon. we made plans to have a Eurotrip. I changed careers in February and have parted ways with the Photography shop I managed. I took 5 weeks off, and took a step back break from most of my regular habits. I've since returned to the hotel that I used to work at, and was recently approved for a 7 week Leave-Of-Absence to make that Euro-trip a REALITY. I'm GOING TO THE LONDON GAMES!!!! ticket booked!! (UEFA 2012 European Championship included in the trip as well!) Another post soon!!

Olympic Summary

So many things to post about. Let's start since the last post... oh 19 months ago! I always knew deep down that I would somehow forgot to update this, then get so far behind that I just had to give up. Not so. I'm gunna give this a VALIANT effort.

FEBRUARY ->> 2010 VANCOUVER OLYMPICS SUMMARY:
Alex Bilodeau won the very first GOLD MEDAL on Canadian Soil, I went to the Medal Ceremony with Britney Chipiuk. We hung out with Max Marshall, and a guy who Brit was dating that worked for Bell. We went for Chinese food in this sketchy part of Van, and it was raining. LOL... Oh that things that you remember. Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue won the Pairs Figure Skating Gold Medal, Joannie Rochette's mom passed away just days before she was set to perform, and still managed a very courageous Bronze Medal.

Feb 21 --> wait in line 2+ hours to get into LIVECITY - downtown to watch the Canada vs. US men's Ice Hockey game.. sadly, we lost, but I made one of the best friends I have to date there. Justin Mohr and I happened to be standing near each other during the game, and because most Canadians when we lose an international ice-hockey game, don't want to party, the PACKED HOUSE suddenly was pretty empty. Martin Brodeur played lousy for Canada, and after the crowd departed and the wait time for a beer was less than the 1 hour line-ups experienced during the game, Justin and I quickly figured out that we lived quite near to each other in Alberta (he lives 40 min south of Edmonton), despite us both being in Vancouver just for the Games. He had flown down on a whim that wkd just to get a taste of the action. He had his backpack on and was ready to fly out that night. So we went to Starbucks charged our phones (where to this day other than a major sporting event have never seen a place where the girls bathroom had no waiting line, yet the guys had at least 7 in front of me). To be fair it was the Starbucks on Granville and just off Georgia, quite a busy little spot. I will never forget his BBM once he got to the airport telling me that he had screwed up the dates and that his flight wasn't until 3 days from now. He had to overnight Greyhound to Banff, where his parents drove down to pick him up because he had to work on Tuesday. (this was a Sunday). EPIC FAIL. Anyways, we've long since been best friends.

Olympic MADNESS

Wow... it's been some time since i was actually able to get in here for an update... lets do a quick catch-up, before I head off to work today!

TUES 17/FEB

Currently off to work in the next few min.. I work again the same shift 240pm - 1110pm. perhaps will load some pictures tonight! =)


MONDAY 16/FEB

Today, was a day of work. that's the quickest summary of the day. It involved missing buses, and narrowly making it to work on time for 240. I closed with Martin the frenchman, and had another fantastic shift with Christen (the Assistant Manager at Pacific Center) We all swapped out and took breaks checking what the Team Canada Hockey game score was (8-0 over Norway) .. FANTASTIC! Edmonton friends and co-workers came to visit. My hair-dresser HUI and his mate Rodney.. as well as Catherine from West Ed with her crew. I showed her a quick tour of the store.. it's so well laid out, and ORGANIZED!! haha

Martin and I finished up quickly just in time to get out the doors by Robson Street to catch the nightly fireworks / fire blast show. The music was loud, and the street was PACKED. A few THOUSAND people were there again.. I loved it. Granville Street was also full of people, but that's normal now. I got hungry, and saw a 24-HR IGA Supermarket that was open! AWESUM! so i was there until well after 1am shopping for some groceries.. it was REALLY BUSY in there... who knew people late night shopped for Tomatoes and Milk? Haha. Headed Home on my bus, was almost the only one on it.. and then 15 other people, very intoxicated, got on, and well.. off we went. #10 Night Bus to Granville... =)


SUNDAY 15 / FEB

Shortform. Attended the Victory Medal Ceremony (CANADA'S FIRST GOLD MEDAL TO ALEX BILODEAU!!) with Britney Chipiuk from HighSchool who lives in Surrey with her bf now. Went out with them for CHINESE food at this place called FOO HO HO

it rained... ALOT


Wait for the updated version of these other days!


SATURDAY 14 / FEB



FRIDAY 13 / FEB


THURSDAY 12 / FEB

Yaletown Torch Lighting!!

11. February

the 2nd last torch lighting overall, and the VERY FIRST TIME the Olympic Flame had ever been in Vancouver!! I putzed a little bit during the day, and then headed downtown to meet Christina, so we could go pick up Curtis from work, and head over to Yaletown for the Arrival of the Torch.. This city is BUZZING... People are EVERYWHERE in their Olympic Gear.. whether it be from CANADA, or RUSSIA.. or even the NETHERLANDS!! (Yay Dutchies!!). Everyone seems pumped and excited! So we braved the crowds, and headed on over.. after the SkyTrain was a lineup was appearing to be at LEAST 15 min, just to get ON it, we decided to just walk the extra 15 blocks or whatever. My 7D in tow, and Christina's $2000 massive 70-200 f/2.8 lens in her backpack, we arrived, and stood patiently in the growing by the minute line.

2 lines were formed. 1 for people with bags, 1 for people without. Christina and I each had a camera bag, so we just brought Curtis in our line. I saw Artee Thompson handing out RBC gear, a Katimavik mate of mine from AGES ago, and got a quick pic with him before continuing in the lineup

There was METAL DETECTOR SCANNERS to get into the event, which was MADNESS, but made sense for an event of that kind of magnitude.

Passed the Coca Cola HAPPINESS HOUSE, and saw the wicked displays by PANASONIC and their 3D technology. Samsung had a huge display too. Oh, and everyone was given an RBC TAMBOURINE.. haha

it was fantastic to say then least. the dancers and the songs. the mayor of Vancouver came to speak.. After 106 days on the road, all the Torch Relay work had been completed.

gotta run.. will post the rest of this story later.. womens Preliminary hockey tickets await me at UBC stadium!

One word....OLYMPIC *SUPERSTORE*

And that is all you need to know about Day 2 in Van-City.
honestly.
I'm gunna be posting up some more pictures of the day, but I'm off to Granville Island, to meet Christina after work, and then THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY finally arrives in Vancouver!!!!

more to come later!

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.