Friday, August 27, 2004
Our 100th post, and we're back! Vacation Day 1
Monday 23rd August
Woke up early,and sneaked into building to send some final emails, checked on some statuses, and booked an airfare to Chicago for near end September.
Managed to sneak right out without anyone bumping into me.
We took Greyhound from Seattle to Vancouver. When we reached the border gates between USA and Canada, it really felt like we were back in Woodlands Customs waiting to go to Johore Bahru.
The immigration on both sides were a lot faster than the Asian counterparts though. A short 45 minute ride later, we were passing through familiar grounds.
I remembered some of the buildings when I first came to Vancouver more than four years ago with my good friend Layleng on a thirteen hour bus ride from Calgary.
Indeed I was correct. We were slowly being transported to the main train station.
I tried calling for the hostel's free shuttle service, but it ended its pick-ups early today. Oh well, I have the instructions on how to go there via the Skytrain and bus so that's what we did.
Checked into a private room. It's considered a private room even though we shared the room with another couple.
We went out and walked to the main shopping street, Robson Street. Sharon started her shopping almost within the first shop that we walked past! That's alright, since that's the main reason we were here in the first place, for a break.
We walked along the street for a few blocks. The famous Starbucks at four corners of the junction is no longer there. I think I saw only one now, with a competing coffee house the opposite corner.
Too bad for that, for I would want to take a quick 360 degree video of that junction just for grins.
An hour or so later, we went to this restaurant called Tropika. It supposedly has Singaporean, Malaysian and Thai dishes on its menu. I've previously read some favourable Singaporean reviews on some websites and decided to try them out.
Sharon ordered a Fried Bee Hoon and an appetizer of Carrot Cake, while i ordered a bowl of Laksa and a Roti Prata. Though they were not the usual ones we had in Singapore, we thought that they deserved at least a 90% grade.
The hostel that we stayed in was the one that i stayed in with Layleng too. It looked in almost exactly the same condition a few years ago. That's probably very amazing considering that they have constant influx and outflows of backpackers here.
Woke up early,and sneaked into building to send some final emails, checked on some statuses, and booked an airfare to Chicago for near end September.
Managed to sneak right out without anyone bumping into me.
We took Greyhound from Seattle to Vancouver. When we reached the border gates between USA and Canada, it really felt like we were back in Woodlands Customs waiting to go to Johore Bahru.
The immigration on both sides were a lot faster than the Asian counterparts though. A short 45 minute ride later, we were passing through familiar grounds.
I remembered some of the buildings when I first came to Vancouver more than four years ago with my good friend Layleng on a thirteen hour bus ride from Calgary.
Indeed I was correct. We were slowly being transported to the main train station.
I tried calling for the hostel's free shuttle service, but it ended its pick-ups early today. Oh well, I have the instructions on how to go there via the Skytrain and bus so that's what we did.
Checked into a private room. It's considered a private room even though we shared the room with another couple.
We went out and walked to the main shopping street, Robson Street. Sharon started her shopping almost within the first shop that we walked past! That's alright, since that's the main reason we were here in the first place, for a break.
We walked along the street for a few blocks. The famous Starbucks at four corners of the junction is no longer there. I think I saw only one now, with a competing coffee house the opposite corner.
Too bad for that, for I would want to take a quick 360 degree video of that junction just for grins.
An hour or so later, we went to this restaurant called Tropika. It supposedly has Singaporean, Malaysian and Thai dishes on its menu. I've previously read some favourable Singaporean reviews on some websites and decided to try them out.
Sharon ordered a Fried Bee Hoon and an appetizer of Carrot Cake, while i ordered a bowl of Laksa and a Roti Prata. Though they were not the usual ones we had in Singapore, we thought that they deserved at least a 90% grade.
The hostel that we stayed in was the one that i stayed in with Layleng too. It looked in almost exactly the same condition a few years ago. That's probably very amazing considering that they have constant influx and outflows of backpackers here.
