Flotsam

This is a very different phase of the trip, I keep having flashbacks to florida roads, wide open plains, the rolling solitude of life on the empty road. I’ve got over city fear, induced by what felt like a lifetime of tiny rural villages and small towns, a city no longer feels so dangerous and unsettling. Both bert and I felt this in Portland, the first time we walked out of the hotel we lasted less than a block before diving into a safe-looking bar.

I’ve spent the last few days wandering around the city and soaking up the atmosphere. It is an incredibly cool place, with downtown effectively on an island surrounded by steep, snow-capped mountains, with houses built right onto the lower slopes. Cruise ships routinely blast their horns as they leave their berth, helicopters buzz past the skyscrapers, floatplanes dive steeply down creeks to land amongst cruise ships, ferry-buses, container ships and paddle steamers. The usual low layer of cloud puts a lid on the city, cutting off the tops of the mountains, the glossy green skyscrapers disappear into the cloud sometimes, the strings of road lights descend out of the clouds on the mountains. The gloomy grey lid makes the city appear a half-formed science fiction dream, unworldly and unreal. Somehow you can tell that it’s a wilderness city, I guess it’s the wild sea and mountains forming the backdrop, or the planes and helicopters, you can feel nature waiting at the gates.

It’s the sort of city where turning a corner will reveal a stunning view in the gap between buildings, the only place I’ve seen similar is Edinburgh, and this place has the same sort of feel to it, but modern instead of renaissance. I’m going to ride north tomorrow to explore a little, past the houses huddled on the shoreline opposite downtown. It’s a bike friendly city, apart from the high theft rate, the shoreline path is full of cyclists, skateboarders, runners, walkers. It’s a bit like Edinburgh but with the amplifier turned up.

I’m glad I’ve rented a room in downtown, it feels kind of like I’ve moved here and I get flashbacks to making the big move to Edinburgh, it has the same feel of boundless possibility. Just like then I found myself staring half-drunkenly into the bar mirror at myself and saying “Kelv, you are in Vancouver!” This bout of introspection was stopped by Jo turning up in her cycling gear in the suit bar, flirting with everyone she could find in order to get directions to a student bar nearby, where she picked up an elderly british holiday couple whilst I was getting drinks. She is one of those people who crazy people on the bus make a beeline for I think. I prefer my ‘stay away’ field. We had a good night, slowly getting a little drunk and watching the students line up for the production line of martinis that their vouchers entitled them to.

I’ve returned to solo traveling mode without any glitches, I find I read a lot more, getting through a book a day and feeling a little lost if I don’t have one. I also seem to spend an awful lot less time waiting outside shoe shops and hearing the words ‘single speed’.

The realization that I was solo once more was brought home to me when I went to the cinema, after buying my ticket I realized that I was following a mad old woman in a purple nylon jacket up the escalator and into the cinema, that I have become part of the city’s flotsam, I am one of them. As part of this I have discovered the cheapest food in Vancouver, street meat, which can be pretty cheap. Sometimes disturbingly so. Still, it’s filling and tasty.

Amazingly I’ll be back in the UK in only 6 weeks time, which I think will pass quickly. I will have a lot less money than when I left, but I don’t regret spending a single penny, cent or dollar. This trip has brought truly priceless experiences so far, and each day continues to do so.

Interestingly both Jo and I have the same blind spot with traveling solo. I can happily spend all day in a bar solo, especially with a book, see a movie, chill out by the water, whatever. But I struggle to go into a busy bar by myself on a Friday or Saturday night, somewhere that you can’t just sit and read a book. The thought of just standing there by myself leaning against a wall puts me off every time.

It’s cool to spend a few days exploring the city but I’m starting to feel the moving-on itch, I think I will miss the riding so am planning a few long rides / short tours out of Toronto to visit various people and places. If I had the money I would definitely be heading up to Alaska, but I don’t, so I won’t. Next time. I'll have to make do with the train to Toronto in the meantime.