Day one

Well, I'm sitting in a coffee shop in Vancouver as I write this. It's started raining again but nowhere near yesterday. I arrived an hour or so late and had to get a cab from the airport to the cargo warehouse to import my bike before customs closed for the day. I really didn't fancy trying to carry all my gear by hand in the pouring rain to a hotel, so I was reliant on getting the bike.

After waiting a while, then running five minutes to customs and back in the rain to get my docs stamped, then waiting some more, I was presented with a large crate! Fortunately, a nice guy at the warehouse had a screwdriver and a hammer (otherwise I would still be there now) and we decrated the bike. It was't even dusty, let alone scratched. By the time we were done I had a bit of an audience, most of the guys were bikers themselves. After being advised to mind the greasy roads and wished lots of luck, I had the bike packed and I headed off into the Pacific Coast rain.

I put some fuel in the bike and wobbled off through the Vancouver rush hour. After managing to ride all the way through Vancouver I found myself in Stanley Park, so I pulled over and consulted my maps and guide book. Eventually I found a hotel and it had an underground car park which suited me pretty well, so I checked in. By this time it was 7pm, so about 3am according to my body. Canadian burgers are probably the best I've tried, so I went out in search of cow in a bun. After a burger and a beer it was all I could do to stay awake at my table, so I headed back and crashed out.

Until about 2am. As always happens when I fly east to west, I was wide awake most of the night.

So today will be mostly about coffee and adrenaline I think. I'm not sure whether to head toward the ferry, or (as I don't need to be there until Friday) head up toward the Sunshine Coast and spend a little longer in beautiful British Columbia.

Hopefully the rain will hold off today.

Cheers,

Frase.