Beautiful British Columbia - Our first experience

Just when we thought all would be fine now... we touched down in Vancouver...we were so excited about getting our Visa's. The 'agent' that met us was lovely and all the staff at the Vancouver airport were lovely. I still cannot believe that they did not want to question Tim about his suitcase that was full of tablets and syringes...at least we know that we have a back up career if we ever need it! HaHa - Don't worry Nan we are only joking.

So we passed through customs in a breeze and then on to the agriculture section to declare Roxy and the dog food we were carrying. We got to the counter and Roxy lovingly gazed at the staff and they told us to go straight through. They did not even check her license or papers. The dog factor certainly gets you places we have decided and you could easily make a vest and stick it on your dog and pretend they are working dogs.

So now it was off to Immigration. We were in a very long line and waiting for what seemed forever but then I think when you haven't slept in 34 hours everything feels like that. A man walked in in a customs uniform, walked straight up to Tim and I, who were last in line, and asked us for our documentation then took it and walked away. Tim and I looked each other not knowing what just happened, whether we were meant to follow him, or stay in line or what, so we just waited. About 10 minutes later he came back to us and said "your work permits are all there stapled into our passports, just make sure you are out of the country by the expiry dates or apply for other visa's". That was it, as easy as that! For the next two years we are Canadian. How cool!

So off to the hotel we go. We went to the Taxi rank and found a wheel chair accessible taxi. Now the airport taxi's we learnt are different to city taxi's, and they all work certain zones. The airport taxi's are not very big and we wondered how we were going to fit all our luggage in as well as us and Roxy. A taxi pulled up and said he will not put luggage on seats and will not have the dog in the car unless she is in the back with Tim where the luggage had to go. Now at this stage I was getting very tired and grumpy and had no patience with this kind of man so I told him to go and we would find another Taxi that could accomodate us. So he left. We asked the traffic controller to find us a taxi that would take Roxy and our luggage. We saw the traffic controller speak to all the accessible taxi drivers and each of them one by one were not ok with the dog and the luggage. At this point it popped into my head what Claire, friend who I work with, said that the taxi drivers are not very nice. Eventually we got a taxi. On our way Roxy, luggage and all! Looking forward to bed at this stage.

So we arrived at our hotel only to find out the room was not accessible even when Tim contacted them and asked them specific questions about the accessibility and they assured Tim it was all accessible. So unfortunately we had to move hotels. Tim madly looking up other hotels and calling them. I was getting irrate at the staff at the hotel because they told Tim it was accessible and it wasn't (possibly went over board but I was very tired and the thought of having to catch another Taxi when we had so many problems before and this time we also had a hoist to transfer as well)

So we ended up getting two taxi's, the first one arrived and refused to take any luggage only Tim and Roxy and there was no way I was going to fit in all the luggage in one Taxi plus a hoist. Tim and I were getting angry at this point and the hotel staff could see how mad we were. My Taxi came and refused to take luggage. This was my breaking point. I walked into the hotel and started crying. This turned out to be the best thing I could have done! The hotel manager came out and said he would take the luggage in his car and he also gave us money to pay for the Taxi and our first two night accommodation at the new place.

So we were on our way to the new hotel. The drive in the Taxi was good it gave Tim and I time to settle. It did not take me long to start loving this place as I looked out the window in the Taxi and saw all the beautiful houses. The blue stone house is as common here as the weatherboard houses are in Geelong. Every house here is so nice that the cheaper houses look like a mansion.

So we arrived at our new hotel. We are now staying at the University of British Columbia campus in the conference centre accommodation, right next door to a theological college, Tim Edwards would be proud! Our room is perfect, better than the other place and the campus is stunning and lots of room for Roxy to run around and lost of grass to wee on. Very happy with our move and very happy there is a bed not to far away.

The carer came not to long after we arrived to put Tim to bed and she was lovely. All good with care, no issues. which was a relief to both of us! Finally time for bed!