So if you’ve been making the effort to keep up with my adventures, you will be well aware that part of throwing myself into Canadian society, has involved partaking in some of their (somewhat random) sporting activities. First it was volleyball… then dodgeball… this summer, we managed to get a team together to sign up for the summer softball season! Team sports are probably one the cheapest ways to exercise in Vancouver – who wants to pay $20 for a drop-in exercise class?? So excluding running up and down the beach yourself, or hiking in the mountains, team sports allow you to get your regular exercise, as well as being social! Bonus! I managed to get a group of 18 friends together (ok, i’m not THAT popular… friends of friends were included!) and we registered for the upcoming season through Urban Rec. Urban Rec is great as they have regular seasons of a variety of sports that any group can sign up to… be it friends, family, or co-workers. Basketball, ‘Soccer’, Floor Hockey, even Multi-sport leagues are all options!

The only issue was that the majority of us had never played before! Not only that, organizing 18 people, collecting money, and buying expensive equipment, was a bit of a stress at my end. But we managed to come up with an excellent team name, designed and ordered our own shirts through a US website called CustomInk, and with the help of Rosterbot to organize us, we started the season!

 

Lots of Twats

As we soon discovered, catching with your left hand takes a bit of getting used to! Not only that, turns out softball is a bit of a dangerous sport, and we’ve already had a trip to the emergency department (and a few broken bones) to show for it. As my 5 year old nephew pointed out, why is it called softball if the ball isn’t soft? Good question!! But we’re having tons of fun, getting some fresh air in the evening sun, and enjoying a few bevvies with friends… what’s not to love??

Team Emergency Trip

 

Twats with Bats

 

This summer marks my 3 year anniversary in Vancouver! The months of January – April can be relatively quiet in Vancouver, especially if the weather isn’t great. Vancouver lives for it’s summer, so what better way to get excited for the upcoming months that to plan our own little ‘bucket list’. I sat down with a couple of friends (some ‘seasoned’ tourists like myself, for others it will be their first summer), and we came up with a list of 50 things we want to do this summer…. so here goes:

1. Wreck Beach (clothing optional)

2. Paddle boarding @ Jericho

3. White water rafting

4. Wakeboarding

5. Horseshoe bay boat rentals

6. Kits Beach outdoor pool

7. Kayaking

8. Grouse Grind

9. Try mountain biking

10. The Chief

11. Big pot luck beach picnic

12. Weekly local hikes

13. Big weekend hikes including: The Lions, Joffrey Lake, Garibaldi Lake

14. Trout lake farmers market

15. Explore some local wineries

16. Various car-free days (Main, Khatsahlano etc)

17. Fort Langley

18. Various camping trips

19. White Rock

20. Steveston Salmon Fest

21. Visit the Okanagan

22. San Francisco trip

23. Weekend in Victoria

24. Bard on the Beach

25. Wicked

26. Outdoor cinema

27. Richmond Night Market

28. Festival of Lights

29. Scandinavian Midsummer Burnaby

30. Highland Games Coquitlam

31. Fuse @ the VAG

32. Raw Canvas

33. Granville Island Theatre Sports

34. Drive in movie

35. Vancouver Urban winery

36. MacMillan observatory

37. Vancouver Aquarium

38. Got to an outdoor concert

39. Dress up all fancy and have some cocktails in the cities fanciest bars

40. Reggae Night

41. Whistler dancing night

42. Go to Celebrities

43. Karaoke @ The Legion

44. Find a Motown/blues night

45. Throw a WORLD CUP PARTY

46. Canadians Baseball Game

47. Hastings Racecourse (Fascinators compulsory)

48. A visit to the gun range

49. Pitch n Putt

50. Seawall bike ride

 

Aaaaand… GO!

So following my previous post on Ultimate Frisbee, I have just attempted my second random sport in the last year… Dodgeball! And yes it really is just like the movie…

Oh Oh Oooooh!

 

There are actually several Dodgeball Leagues in Vancouver (e.g. Urban Rec, VDL), but we signed up to 604Dodgeball purely based on when we could register. Our team Multiple Scoregasms (!) turned up as the only team in matching uniforms (Embarrassing moment # 1). As a bunch of internationals (English, Scottish, Irish & Australian) and a couple of token Canadians, none of us had ever played before. Which fully explains why our whole team was knocked out within approx. 15 seconds in our first game (a lot of shocked laughter ensued) and we won 3 out of 30 games (Embarrassing moment # 2). 8 weeks later this win percentage has not improved. We are all athletic people but apparently Dodgeball is a serious sport and there are some geeks that mean business! However we are destroying everyone in ‘Rockstar’ (sportsmanship/fun) points. And we ARE having lots of fun – that’s the main thing right? So maybe a trophy will be on the cards after all… (even if it is for the sympathy vote)?

If you fancy a look at how it works you can check out the following video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiZCjH6ePq0

They are the first images that come up when you google ‘Canada’. The roadtrip that is at the top of the bucket list. Yes, this summer, my boyfriend and I completed the trip that was very top of my to-do list when I first moved to Canada… the great Canadian Rocky Mountains. And yes folks, it really is just as magical as it looks in the pictures. We decided on a route that would involve 29 hours driving in 6 days… sounds crazy, not ideal, but totally do-able! Vancouver -> Jasper -> Banff -> Camrose (to visit the in-laws!) -> Lake Louise – > Vancouver. Driving towards Jasper, 8 hours from Vancouver, we came towards Mount Robson…

Excited faces!

Mount Robson

We then took the Icefields Parkways (#93 Highway) right through to Banff, where we camped for the night. Now this is the drive that everyone talks about! Just sitting in the car (on bear watch!), with the most pronounced mountain landscape you’ve ever seen on each side, turquoise blue lakes, and lush green trees… it gave me the goosebumps. I really did feel like I was ticking off that once in a lifetime experience!

Tight for time, there were several major stops we took along the way. The Columbia Icefields & Athabasca Glacier, Athabasca Falls, and Peyto Lake were just some of them. Peyto Lake was one of my favourite stops… just a short hike from the car park gave you the most amazing take-your-breath-away views.

Athabasca Glacier

Peyto Lake

Following an 8 hour detour to stay at the in-laws for the night, we came back to camp in Banff for a night. Our plan was to go out for a few drinks and experience the nightlife, however we were so tired from the driving that we settled on a fancy meal out (Elk anyone?) and a wee booze at our campsite. The next day, at my request, we went for the famous Fairmont Banff Springs brunch. Pure happiness right there. Followed by a slightly sickly tummy from eating to much dessert before midday… oops! The Banff hot springs soon sorted this out though…

Our accommodation for the trip

Banff

Fairmont Banff Springs

Expensive hotels mean expensive cars!

Brunch… Plate 1 of many…

Banff Hot Springs

Our last stop was the beautiful Lake Louise. This was the one I was most excited about. Where, while dreaming of my move to Canada, I pictured getting married one day. Maybe because I had such high expectations, or maybe because the weather was crap… it didn’t totally take my breath away. But might also have been the experiencing 4 days of  the most beautiful scenery in the world! I was spoilt with afternoon tea in the Fairmont, walked around the lake a bit, and hiked/ran up to Lake Agnes Teahouse…

Lake Agnes Teahouse… 1300ft above Lake Louise

Fairmont Lake Louise

From here, we also took a trip to the scenic Moraine Lake. 14km from Lake Louise, under the Valley of the Ten Peaks, we spent an hour or so Canoeing on this stunning glacier-fed lake before the weather turned. We completed the trip off with a white water rafting tour with Wild Water Adventures… the perfect way to finish off the trip of a lifetime!

 

One of my favourite weekends of 2013’s summer was a little trip that 6 of us took up to the Beautiful Joffre Lakes. Two and a half hours drive from Vancouver, a little east of Pemberton, the full Joffre lakes hike takes approximately 5 hours, over 11km, eventually leading to a rocky campsite settled under Matier Glacier. And let me tell you, packing enough food and water for two days, as well as two tents, results in quite the strenuous hike! But totally worth it. The trail was stunning, passing past 3 turquoise blue lakes, and while the pit toilets are not the most glamourous end, it definitely feels like you are on top of the world.

We reached the top, picked the flattest of the rockiest surfaces, jumped in the freezing cold glacier-fed Upper Joffre Lake, cracked open our one bottle of red wine, made some sort of mush from vacuum-packed food mix, before settling down for the night. Not the comfiest night sleep I’ve ever had (3 guys snoring in my tent doesn’t help!), but the perfect Canadian rustic camping experience all the same.

The next morning, a few of us scrambled up the rocky slope up to the glacier. After hearing the crash of ice during the middle of the night as the glacier breaks off and falls down the mountain, it was not the safest I’ve ever felt, but pretty ‘cool’ (!) all the same, with amazing views from the 2721m Joffre Peak. Fresh air, great company, and jelly legs… what better way is there to spend a weekend…

Earlier this summer, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weekends away in the beautiful Sunshine Coast. My boyfriend was there for a month doing a placement with med school, so it was the perfect opportunity to explore the area. The Sunshine Coast is about 2 hours Northwest of Vancouver, and is accessible only by ferry. We stayed outside a town called Sechelt, in a gorgeous house that belonged to the family of one of my boyfriend’s friends. Pretty good deal! Until my boyfriend conveniently forgets to mention that we would be required to dog-sit for the weekend. Anyone that knows me is well aware that I am not a huge fan of dogs (understatement?), and to make it even better this was not one of those cute harmless dogs. Nope, this was one of those ugly ones with the mushed up faces, who like to bark and scratch at your door literally ALL night long, and s*** all over the cream carpet at 4am. I thought my boyfriend was going to boot it over the balcony he was so mad. Real nice romantic weekend.

Despite this, we did get to explore Gibsons, Sechelt and the surrounding areas. When the weather is nice, it is absolutely gorgeous. The first weekend I went up there we camped at a cute little family campsite, fell asleep in front of the campfire, played golf, and visited Skookumchuck Narrows.

The following weekend happened to be my birthday! Following an amazing breakfast out on the patio, we headed out for a 6 hour kayaking trip from just past Half Moon Bay, through Smugglers Cove and out to Thormanby Island where we enjoyed a picnic and beer on the beach. The water was unbelievably calm, and we were followed by seals for the majority of the way. Not a bad way to spend a relaxing weekend… And almost enough to get over my dog-sitting experience!

Frisbee an actual sport? You’re having a laugh right?! But we’re in Vancouver, remember? Yes folks – welcome to the world of Ultimate Frisbee.

It all started after I received a text from my friend, who – ‘as the only “athletic” person she knew’ – was requesting my presence as her team was short of girls. Yes I can run around, but I am possible the worst Frisbee-thrower I have ever seen. Yet, with some gentle persuasion from my boyfriend, and promise of alcohol (she knows my weakness), I was somehow persuaded…

So, what on earth is Ultimate Frisbee I hear you ask? Possibly the geekiest sport I’ve ever played? Yes. But also kind of fun, spending a summers evening running around a park in the sunshine, with beer and babies at the sideline. Part of the Vancouver Ultimate League, “Ultimate” (eliminating the Frisbee part makes it sound cooler!) is non-contact team sport, with 7 players per team (4 men/3 women) on the field at a time.

The best way to describe it is as a mix of three sports: football, soccer, and basketball. The objective is for one team to catch the disc in the opposing team’s endzone, much like football. Each score is worth 1 point. The field is about the same length as a soccer field (110 m), but about half the width (37 m), but there is still quite a bit of running around. The person holding the disc is not allowed to run, but can pivot like basketball. All other players can run, so the disc is moved by passing it back and forth from one player to another. This results in the disc moving forwards, sideways, and even backwards, similar to the way the ball is passed in a game of soccer.

 

It is a pretty social, laid back league. Most of the players are a bit older (mid 30’s/40’s) and bring their kids to the side of the field to run around while they are playing. We also drink beer. Some even try to sabotage the opposing team as seen below…

So while I might not be a natural, my throwing has actually improved! Which has helped me greatly when playing Canadian-style Frisbee-based drinking games. Bonus! When in Vancouver and all…

OK, so the bad news is that in just 3 days, my International Experience Canada work permit expires. No longer can I declare that I am a working HOLIDAY visa when getting the next round in, impulsively escaping from the city, or requesting all that time off work. Nope, will have to find another excuse for that.

However fortunately for me, I do not have to leave the country in 3 days time. The good news is that I just received through the post a brand spanking new work permit, valid until June 26, 2015. That folks, is 2 MORE YEARS that I can potentially stay in Canada for. I say potentially, because my family and friends back home are not exactly happy about this, so it’s just a reminder that I can choose to come home at any time. My options are now wide open. And my Canadian boyfriend is extremely happy!

The much anticipated document

I submitted my application online on May 28 through the CIC website, receiving a notice through my online account that my application had been approved on June 26th. At time of writing, processing times were estimated at 30 days. However when I applied, I think it was nearer 40, which meant I was looking at being on “implied status” for a few days until I heard a response, which wasn’t ideal.

“If a visitor, student or temporary worker applies to extend their status, prior to the expiry of that status, they may legally remain in Canada until a decision is made on the application. In this situation, the person has implied status.”

Not ideal. Yet I know of course that I am extremely lucky, especially as I was never 100% convinced that this was going to work out. I have spoken of my permanent residency application in a previous post, but the whole process was so confusing, and when the majority of people I knew were consulting immigration lawyers, I had an underlying feeling that I was just making the whole thing up, and that it was all going to go inevitably wrong. But so far, so good. Some of my friends however, have not been so fortunate and are now sadly facing the possibility of going home, at least for a short while.

So for now, I just need to look into getting my MSP (Medical Services Plan) and SIN card renewed and i’m pretty much good to go for another gorgeous Vancouver summer. Perfect timing, i’d say…

Ladies and gents, meet Bev the Chev, my very first car purchase!!

Buying a car in Canada, never mind buying my first ever car, was an extremely stressful experience. First off, I don’t even ‘need’ a car. Transit here is relatively cheap (not hard compared to the UK) and when you have friends who have a car for those spontaneous weekend trips, one really isn’t necessary within the city. Yet, I found myself with a new position which required to have a car, and was given 3 months to buy one. Not easy when I don’t have a credit card, cannot finance because I am not a permanent resident, and have nobody to co-sign for me (sob!). All in a city where it is near impossible to save any money.

My budget was a very poor $3000. Never mind the 12% taxes which you have to consider on top of that. I searched for about a month by the time I managed to save this, dragging my poor boyfriend around the city to meet up with dodgy craigslist guys in car parks, or making appointments with sleazy car salesmen. Everything I looked at in my budget was at least 10 years old and really long (that isnt always a good thing!), or was clearly about to fall apart. My boyfriend was beginning to think I was crazy, with my high expectations and frequent disappointments (and tears!). Finally I found this 2004 Chevrolet Aveo. It’s not ideal, but at a young 9 years old, small, and A MANUAL… it was the one. But with 12%  and a whopping $500 documentation fee, and $200 ‘inspection’ fee (sorry, what?) – it came to over $1000 over my budget. The salesman wouldnt budge, and I walked away. I got eventually received a call from the guy a week and a half later, saying the price had dropped and they could do it for $3500. Deal done! Granted it has a few scratches and isnt the prettiest, but at that point I couldn’t care if it broke down the following week, I just didnt want to deal with this any longer!

Insurance is the killer here! All insurance is done through ICBC, so essentially you have no-one  to bargain with. You can generally pay monthly, 6-monthly or for the full year. Several people had told me that for your first time with them, you cannot pay monthly to begin, but thank goodness they let me, as my insurance for the year cost a ridiculous $3000. There are three types of car insurance here: pleasure, commuting, or business. I of course needed ‘business’ for my work, which added to the cost. The crazy thing is, is that anyone who has a valid drivers license will be insured to drive your car (unless they live with you) – with the catch being that if they have an accident, it will be YOUR driving record and insurance that will be affected in the future. You can also be eligible for a discount (5%) for each year of no-claims up to a max of 43%, but in order for ICBC to accept this, they need near impossible documentation from your previous insurance companies from the UK (See here for more info). I have been driving for ten years, but I am only going to be able to get 2 years worth of documentation from uk insurance companies. Keep your fingers crossed that they accept it!

On the plus side, ‘gas’ is slightly cheaper here, costing $45 (approx £30) to fill up my tank. So while I am now completely skint, for the very first time in my life, I have the freedom to whizz off wherever and whenever I feel like it! Just in time for all those summer road trips… 🙂

 

So I happened to be going through my facebook pictures recently for my latest craft project, which lead to me reminiscing about all the great times that 2012 held for me. A visit home, being promoted to manager, applying for permanent residency, the several visitors that I had…. Looking back at Vancouver summers when you are in the midst of 10 straight days of rain – it makes it seem like a whole other life, and makes you excited for all the adventures to come in the next year. My top moment(s) of 2012, however, had to be when my lovely (but slightly crazy) friends Ali & Becky came over to visit. Don’t tell them this, but it was an absolute pleasure to spend two weeks on the couch to have them here, and all my friends fell in love with them.

I worked a few days while they were here but did take most of the time off, to bike the seawall, climb Grouse Mountain, eat out, spend evenings on the beach, go to outdoor movies…

We made a weekend trip to Whistler, which included the Crankworx mountain biking competition, Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival, lake-jumping, and some sweaty drunken raving! Andrew (the only boy!) was loving it…

On top of this, it was our friend from York’s stagette weekend where we were lucky enough to head off to Sechelt Inlet on the Sunshine Coast to stay on our own private island. Absolute heaven!