The Sihk Temple

Wednesday morning arrived and I was finally off to the airport… it was long 5 weeks without seeing Marc. We hugged for a long time at the airport. a long time... We spent the next few cool and rainy days around Vancouver before deciding to head out, go through Nelson and then north, home bound. Before we left though we met up with Anthony and Brandon, a friend of Marc's, at Nelson the Seagull Cafe. I couldn't leave without seeing Anthony again :) I may not get a chance to see him before he goes back to France in the spring. He will find a place in Van to live, look for work and play bike polo before his visa expires in the spring. 

Later we decided to join Brandon for a free meal at the Sihk temple. Strict rules, it was a little scary. But the food was delicious. Basically, the people of the community serve leftover food from weddings and other events to other people of the community because they do not believe in their people going hungry. So they open up the temple as a soup kitchen and feed the people. There were sinks for both male and females to wash their hands before they ate, and it is important to use the correct sink. When meal time we lined up for a full tray of food. Way to much food for me to eat. And of course, it is rude not to eat it all. But we were warned by Brandon of the british military man turned live in hindu soup nazi? with cold blue eyes he watched as we tried to finish our food. He gets pretty mad at those who don't finish… But yelled at us instead for talking. because, and I quote, " you come here to eat! not talk!" But in reality it wasn't the talking that kept me the last one there, it was the trying to finish the tray of food. I guess you can't win. But I was grateful for the delicious food. And what an experience! 

Where the road goes.

• • News flash: bad day at the orchard, (bad three days) Sonny thinks Im "bad cherry picker" and that I smoke to much. After yelling at me one day and not talking to me at all the next day, I decided I had enough of this. hopefully spend one more night here then try to get into the street market tomorrow and sell me some goods. Then off to the next town to try me some more picking. With someone who is nicer. Anthony will be peacing out to Van soon… its been fun but now I guess we part our ways. P.S. I don't smoke. 

  
  

  • I met two really cool lesbians and an Aussie, who's the posse glue...( long story ) taking the girls with me to the next destination so they can pick up hot chicks in white shorts. Trying to convince Australia to come, because she's like, my sister where has she been all my life...? and also because I'm kinda devastated to lose Anthony tomorrow... But ALL the girls are working on him because in reality he's more of the glue then Australia is because he's a guy and balances out all the femaleness. We'll see what happens... And the adventure continues.... But I'm making money at the market today, huzzah! And a didge player from montreal sat next to me and is entertaining me while I sit on the sidewalk trying stop people from stepping on my jewelry!! and he gave me flowers, oh happy day.

  
  

  • Went to the beach after the market, met a "french" guy who I think is actually faking french but oh well.  And told me about a potluck at the nude-y beach tomorrow, so bring my friends down for some free food. !woot! Can't turn down free food! but also invited us for supper so we did that too. He talks waaaayyy too much and its a little exhausting. He hooked us up with a job near Oliver so after the potluck on nude-y beach and getting all muddy we all drove to this crazy hippy campground with snakes, bears, playful dogs and snuggly cats. The next morning we drove to Oliver only to find out that this place he sent us didn't actually exist and crazy french guy ditched back to penticton on his bike…?….. but hey, thanks for all the booze you left in my van… and the bucket of pasta! yummy…. we tried picking prunes but it really sucks. 25 dollars a bin. That takes ME 6 hours to fill! hmmm.. just enough to buy me some supper at the end of the day. The place where we are camping has a real toilet and a shower, but is other wise a scary rundown crack shack looking place…. which evidently had a shoe box full of weed in the closet..  where are we??! But there are three kittens and four adult cats who are very affectionate. It is delightful. 

  
  

  • Tune in next week for the rest of the adventures in Oliver. 

  
  

  
  

and the journey continues....

As we prepared to leave to Vancouver,  Mark found a couple to rent his car while he was gone,  so we were able to take only one vehicle to Van. James was going to hitch a ride with us to Oliver, but soon left as the day got later and later and Mark found an old friend he wanted to spend some time with before he left. So James picked up his bags gave us all hugs and said good-bye. I was disappointed to not have him for part of the journey. And when we drove away the next day I really felt I missed him.

We stayed at Naramata beach for the evening as Mark cleared out his car for the new "owners", and I single handedly killed the battery in my van. It was a fabulous night on the beach, watching the stars, swinging on swings, and dodging the sprinklers in the park! We finally left for Vancouver and after one fabulous conversation, a nap, some great music, a snack, and one pee break, we arrived. First time there, so I was pretty excited. I finally got to meet Mark's friend who will be traveling Europe with him, the beautiful little pixie called Tyese. Sweet little spitfire bubble of energy. We didn't get to visit long, she went to the airport that afternoon and waited for an available seat. Her energy really stuck with me, and I hope we meet again.... 

We spent the rest of the day organizing the van, and finding Marc a plane ticket. Both a success. $317 one way flight to London! And Tyese's family was very hospitable for the next few nights, until Marc's departure.

The next day we spent some time at a wonderful cafe, called Brown Dog Cafe. had some breakfast and a chai tea latte. Walked around for a bit and headed to Wreck beach, where the welcoming sounds of drums echoed up the stairway through the trees. The beach is beautiful, it is so secluded from the rest of the city... You cannot hear or see the noisy street, and the laid back atmosphere of people without a care in the world, freely lounging without clothing on. Its comfortable and free. People playing music, dancing, hula hooping... little naked children running in the sand, people playing fetch with their dogs.... couples holding eachother tight.... not afraid to let the world see their love.... This is where I will spend my days "away" from the city.

After dropping Marc off at the airport, well… "dropping" him off, finding out the flight was delayed, meeting up with a old friend of his, eating supper, talking some fun airport pictures, waiting around, and losing a boarding pass, we finally went to his gate, to eventually board the plane. 

I stayed in the lot where I had parked that night and slept there for a few hours. I didn't know where I would be going after the airport and in the dark, first time driving around the city and the first time alone there. I decided to set my alarm to move my van early in the morning.  After a while I drove and found my way to a park. And slept a little more...

I was fortunate to get news that a good friend would be arriving in Vancouver that morning. It would be nice to hang out for a bit! We went to wreck beach and then later on drove to the YWCA where Sally would be staying the night before moving in to her new place. She let me stay with her there where I didn't rest so easy as I was receiving messages from Tyese that Marc was nowhere to be found after "arriving" in London. After learning that the flight had landed 3 hours ago, she panicked wondering why she hadn't heard from him. more hours passed, and still no word. She waited all night for him at the station where they were supposed to meet. I got messages every couple hours. Poor girl.. Good thing she had whiskey.. They found eachother the next day. Marc's story is a very interesting one wondering around London all night long…. Maybe he will let me blog about it ;)

Sally and I had great adventures around the city. As we pulled out from the YWCA I noticed a chair in a big dumpster in an ally and thought how cool would it be to take pictures of it in different locations. :D So naturally I turned around, pulled the van up beside the dumpster, climbed up on the roof, yanked the chair out, passed it down to Sally, and the fun begins. We took our first photo right the beside the blue dumpster. It was junky and dirty and great contrast with the reddish color chair.  We put it in the back of the van and drove downtown to water front station. parked and lugged it to the train tracks… then a next to a stone building, then to great back ally. I was a spectacle, walking through crowds of tourists with a chair over my shoulder. :) We then took it to a park and took pictures of it in the trees. We powered out and were getting hungry so we had to ditch the chair, because there is no room for it in the van with me sleeping there. We had intentions of taking it to the beach too but, the chair was gone the next day :(

Sally and I had more great days together, exploring the city and spending time at the beach. Playing drums and singing! the adventures of mr potato head, finding our way to Stanley park by bus and back again, a bus driver who clearly didn't want us on his bus.. (LOL) realizing the struggles of being a goose,  nearly being robbed by a raccoon! and seeing WALRUSES!! Or could they have been seals….?  and learning the difference between Howe and Howard.  Ahhhh.... good times, with good people :)