today i watched a bear climb to the top of a tree

woke up late and hurriedly packed (as usual) for my final run (on this trip) out of toronto. Said my goodbyes to Kathy (Marty's girlfriend) who together with Marty have been so nice, hospitable and accomodating to me during my whole stay. I truly don't know if i can ever repay the kindness.

one note on Kathy - she's bloody amazing. she has been to more countries than most people know exist. the collection of lonely planets and rough guides are one of the things people comment on when they come over to their place. well my friends, anyway.

Marty gave me a ride to the airport, which was great cos i don't know HOW i'd have made it with all that gear. I have a rope and some gear for climbing so i chucked everything in the bike bag. Conquest (the airline i flew with) let you take a bicycle free ON TOP OF your normal baggage allowance - awesome! from now on i'm promoting them. Conquest and Jetsgo! (the guys who flew me from NYC-toronto for free). Conquest's A319s have leather seats (cool!) but you have to pay for the headsets (uncool). food for the flight is a sandwich, cookie (you have to be careful not to say biscuit, its a muffin-like thing here, as it should be) mini-pretzels and vegetable salad, all packed in a box that looks like you ta pao-ed a 2-pack chicken from KFC.

the woman sitting 2 seats from me (the seat next to me was empty, as usual. i'm starting to think they give the mats breathing space or something) was HUGE. and it was amazing - right off the mark when the seatbelt light went off, she brought out a plastic bag that looked that she spent $60 at carrefour and started eating. and she didnt stop. all through the flight she stopped munching once - to fall asleep and snore. it was fun just watching.

landed at Vancouver airport and met Cin Dee, who almost immediately started planning my iternary. it was scary, it was like she thought i had a month here or something. Cin Dee and her husband stay in a bungalow with a garage, looks all american from the outside, but it felt downright malaysian inside. the kites from kelantan hanging in the guest room doesnt help much either :) after i cleared my uploads, we went off to Grouse mountain, a ski resort on the north part of vancouver. there was a tram up the mountain but it cost over $20, which was a lot more than we expected, so we just climbed the mountain. the route up was a moderate hour and a half hike up to 3700 feet from 900 feet. forget bukit timah. slogging up this baby and taking the tram down a few times is fitness training on overdrive. it was fun, and it was amazing seeing the fir trees and the view, after flat-as-an-A-cup toronto and windsor. at the top they had a restaurant place and i walked around the (now dirty, muddy and ugly) ski runs. there was still some packed snow around so i was happy to see that :) and there were some bears in a pen that were climbing trees.

after an exhilarating tram ride down (it was way cool, i wish i couldve jumped off and done a flying fox though) we took a scenic run through vancouver at night, and i saw UBC and the district where the rich people had beachfront homes. we went to an all-you-can-eat sushi place ($12) and pigged out like only 3 hikers after a shacking climb can. i'm so full and tired now i'm pretty sure whatever i'm typing now is bloody boring. laters.