East Hills

We wake up to spontaneous synchronized humming of “leaving on a jet plane”. It’s holiday day today and I’m looking forward to meeting holiday Royce - he’s a hoot. No pressure! We’ve checked in online, the Blacklane transfer to airport confirmed and we have the day ahead of us in anxious anticipation for our upcoming Vancouver to Japan holiday. This is our second Silversea experience (thanks Max and Ian for the recommendation) and we are so excited to share our holiday with my big brother and his partner Kay Chee. We are packed and ready to roll. Picked up by Blacklane chauffeur in a very nice Tesla with white leather seats. Off to the airport no traffic and no queues and within 15 mins we are sipping Champers in the business class lounge. Bit of a story, we are flying economy - we don’t have an endless travel budget unfortunately- but because we were bumped from business to economy on a domestic flight on my birthday trip last December very rudely, I complained and they gave us lounge passes which was a lovely way to start the holiday as Mike and Kay Chee had them too! The flight was bearable helped by exit row seats, extra legroom, my travel bag doubling as a foot stool and noise cancelling headphones. The food was fantastic - we ordered vegan meals and were served first, lots of snacks a yummy dinner and breakfast- couldn’t see any cutbacks or stinginess here! Straight through immigration with the new Arrive Canada app, picked up by a man with a sign - how fabulous and the worlds biggest SUV - all part of the cruise fare - as were the flights and being picked up at home. We booked an air BnB - 2 bed 2 bath and it’s very well appointed with a great outlook and we really enjoyed the terrace for G&T’s ( well Gin & Sicilian lemonade as the bottle shop had no tonic - another story) after dinner at Boston Pizza and the Canadian Caesar that I have been waiting 34 years for. Amazing! Not a salad. Vodka and Clamato juice 🥤. Very Canadian. I was on exchange here in 1989 as. Kindergarten teacher and it’s my first visit since then. The area is a bit seedy however we feel quite safe and it’s near the sky train station. As I sit writing this with my husbands dulcet times of deep sleep next to me it is very noisy as the air con goes through an open window - screened off but noise coming straight in. Not whinging - although I may tomorrow if I don’t sleep. A very long 4th of September that has gone for 40 hours by my girl math.Read more