Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Last Night In Vancouver (When you go your way and I go mine)

Tara and I have spent our last two days in Stanley Park, a vast site with everything you could hope for in a park. There are hiking paths, Ocean-side walkways, free trolly rides around the entire park, the aquarium, sculptures, art exhibits and artists selling their work, beaches, and innumerable places to sit and relax on a hot summer day. There are also water parks and public pools, and multiple sets of playground equipment for the kids. All ages seem to enjoy something in the park, and that makes it a very pleasant place to spend a few days. It exemplifies much of the best that Canada has to offer, in my opinion, and I've tried to absorb as much of that as possible so I can take it with me.

Tonight we were able to meet up with my good friends Mr. Aaron Wyatt and Miss Laura Krahn who were checking into Vancouver just as Tara and I were checking out. Aaron has arrived to spend his next 2-5 years of study here, and I wish him the best of luck. Laura, like Tara and I, came to see Vancouver for the first time. Comforting to see familliar faces before we head off in a few hours. Fortunately it won't be long before we can meet up with another highschool friend since Matsutaro happens to be visiting his family in Osaka right now! We will hopefully be meeting up with him tomorrow night (technically the afternoon of the 30th, Japan-time) as we will be staying in a hotel in Osaka, which Nova has covered for us. Otherwise we plan to meet up once Tara and I have settled into our new apartment in Nagoya.

Thanks to all for keeping up with us so far. I don't know when we'll next be able to make an update, but at latest it should be on Thursday August 31st. If you're looking to keep track of us by the hour, here's the plan as we know it:

Tuesday, August 29th - Fly out of Vancouver at 11:30am (local time)
*the flight lasts just under 11 hours!*

Wednesday, August 30th - Arrive in Osaka at 2:20pm (local time)
- that should be 1:20am in London, Florida, Georgetown, Sarnia, and Toronto

Thursday, August 31st - We will be discovering our Japanese apartment for the first time, and should have internet access from the apartment lobby.

In the meantime, take care of each other, and take care of Canada. We quite like it and expect to return to it in roughly the same shape we're leaving it.
You'll hear from us soon!

-Ian

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck and take care of each other. I hope your flight is not too exhausting.

I love you both.

Dad

Daver said...

Well there goes my plans of re-arranging Canada in my own image, but I guess it's for good reasons.

Anyway have a great flight! And I hope to hear from you guys as soon as you can. I know I can say this safely, we all miss you guys! Oh and we all want to know what Japan is like, is it really smaller and more efficient or is that just a rumour?

Anonymous said...

Tara & Ian,
Just thought that I would let you know that mom and I will not be leaving to go back to Florida till 5:42 PM Wednesday. All flights into Miami are cancelled due to the huricane. Andrey and Eric are putting up our shudders for us.

Love Dad

Meaghan said...

you guys are in the aiiiirplane right now!!! whoooo. hahaha, I hope you're having a good flight :) and good luck when you get there!!!
love you guys!

Anonymous said...

hey.....r u having fun?
on the plane i hope
Cameron