ianbell
so tided - quick update.
Niagra falls were simply amazing, one of the most energetic and majical sites that i have ever seen. will post photos up when i can.
still feeling somewhat sick but getting better, just hoping that tomorrow brings even better feelings and a less blocked head.
Ian.
Life in Canada is not bad. I did find bed bugs in my bed last night, and kinda see some marks which I thought could be bites for some time…just seeing them is nasty. Only 2 more days of living in the hostel part before moving back to Roberts for 3 nights. Then it’s back to Neill-Wyrik for the student room (which is the same room…well design wise not the exact same room). I cant wait to get into my own room and have some privacy; get my stuff out of suit case and into draws and begin to make the room my own.
Yesterday at breakfast i asked on of the serving girls if there was any jobs going in Neill-Wyrik during the semester. She suggested talking to security…which i thought was a joke until i realized it was not a joke! Anywho i did not think too much of it, i mean having a job in the same accommodation your living in would be awesome but i guess you would not get to see much of Canada that way. However at breakfast this morning that same girl sad that there were positions potentially available with the move in crew (as the whole building closes down at this time to change / clean ready for the students and the new sem to begin). She said to go see Ryan about the position. As it would turn out as I was toasting my bagel literally seconds after the conversation he comes along to make a coffee. I was oblivious to this until one of the servers was like “hey…hey….you guy…” and was making head movements towards him. I thought the movements were to Boz of something…but it was very early in the morning!
So we got chatting with Ryan and he said the pay was $10 an hour and we would be getting people into and out of the lifts ASAP and getting them back down to the ground floor because there are 450+ people moving in all within 2 days using just 4 elevators! Only issue is that we have an university orientation day planned for the 1st, which is when we are suppose to move in and could be working. Not sure how we are going to work this one out just yet but im sure it will work out great.
Went to Kensington markets yesterday which is located in China Town - it was AMAZING! Like there was so much cheap stuff to buy; clothing, toys, random crap, fruit & vegies, more clothing…everything! I am really glad I did not buy my jacket in Australia, they had bigger jackets for $30! Im totally going to buy a Boston style jacket when it gets a bit colder!
On the way back from there found a shop called Lush. Boz thankfully let me use some shaving paste which he got in Australia from Lush so I bought my own. The stuff is amazing and I think the girl behind the counter liked me…or boz….i hope it was me! She insisted that we must come back to the shop as soon as it begins to snow so she can see our first time reactions to seeing snow! I hope to be back sooner! :)
Today is a loverly day indeed! Im not sweating as much (yet) and its a little less cloudy then other days. Still a bit tired tho…but whats new! Going to go catch up with Lindsay today in the afternoon and maybe see the CN tower - it would be a great day to see it that’s for shore!
That’s all for now folks! I’ll be sure to add more photos to the facebook album now and then see what I can do about a slideshow on my Tumblr!
Ian.
So my trip began 4 days ago and really the only time I have had to document it has been via photos snapped away whenever I could. These photos are on my facebook for all to see ( http://bit.ly/btaaYy ). However it is about time which I let you all know in text form!
After the 30hr+ flying which got me here I was, needless to say exhausted! Right after myself and Boz picked up our baggage and were leaving our the arrivals terminal we were intercepted by Rob. We had been talking online about the possibility of staying at his house for a few days until we got our bearings and were able to find more accommodation. We were going to go stay at his house the following night and just find a back packers somewhere close to the airport for that first night but he pleasantly met us at the airport and drove us back to his house.
As our first day in Canada we explored central Toronto by getting lost then finding our way. My scene of direction is well and truly out of wack - I constantly thing North is South and vice versa! After getting lost managed to locate our accommodation at Neill-Wyrik which is where we will be living for the next 4 months and also some of the buildings of Ryerson University. What i odd about Ryerson University is that it is not just a single campus with everything within this area, its literally like the uni is spread about within the CBD, there are other buildings, shops busy main roads running all around and through the campus (if you can even call it a campus).
Got my new phone SIM card for in Canada - it has unlimited text and phone calls, plus a whole bunch more other things for only $45 a month. For me that is great and it will work over the whole of Canada, so its perfect for this trip.
Yesterday we went to see “the Ex”, a large scale fair much like the Perth Royal Show but only on a far, far bigger scale. There was a building which looked like it could build and dock blimps inside…and there were 4 of these buildings! Many animals, bad products and performances were observed and good times had. We went for dinner in a building called ‘FOOD’. The building had to be as big as Garden City Shopping center its self…but was just full of every fast food joint around…was kinda sickening in a way - too much consumerism for my liking.
After this massive amount of food was eaten we once again began to walk around but the weather was begin to turn and get a little rainy. Nothing too bad but it was getting very, very humid. We walked to another section, not directly part of the Ex but was linked because it had a water park and such. Anyway almost everything was closed because of the rain and it being Saturday. However one ride was online and working very well, it was called Ontario Canada 4D - basically a movie with a roller coaster type seating which moves around in all directions and water, snow, wind all gets blown at / onto you. I was thinking it would be nothing to special…but it was AMAZING!!!! It was totally a tourist video (much like the ones promoting Australia in the movies) but I don’t care - it was truly AMAZING and showed me so much of Ontario (where Toronto is located).
Today consisted of seeing the Buskers market and then generally getting ready for our move into Neill-Wyrik as a member of the hostel community. The performances were hampered by on and off again rain. The first (and only good guy who we saw) was an Australian street performer who had an amazing ability to move his body in ways other then nature would have intended - good for his girl friend I would imagine! His tattoos were also somewhat fascinating as they were symmetrical and obviously lots of thought had gone into them and there meaning.
So am currently sitting on the 22nd floor of Neil-Wyrik with a mighty good night time view of the city scape behind me with access to internet being only in this top room…which is a small pain, but I’ll get over it I think! I plan to finish uploading my images to facebook and then hit the bed (which looks a little frail…but its $30 a night…what more do you expect!).
More update when I get time and net!
Ian.
I finally was able to complete my tax via eTax…it took me more then 4 hours! I HATE NUMBERS / TAX / STUPID COMPUTER PROGRAMS!! Anywho the fact of the matter is that I is now complete and I can awate the money which will arrive to me hopefully soon!
Ian.
As was promised this is my new blog theme. I am very happy with it, but as always will find things to change / add to it in the future.
Yesterday I went and saw the lady who litrally set me on my creative cource. Many years ago she lived accross the road from my house and on saturday mornings I would head over and she would teach me many things; drawing, painting, proportions, to take inspeeratio from nature…I could go on and on! She has moved into a old peoples home now with her health begining to fail further it is the better place for her to be. I guess I was expecting that she would have degraded to a much greater extent then she had when I heard the news she had moved…but I was plesently suprised. Her grand daughter had just recently given birth to a lovely baby girl - she showed us her photos with such pride.
I just hope that I get to see her again after my travels to Canada…Its not the kind of news that you would like to hear while being so, so far away…
My Canada prep is going very slow indeed. Everything is bought now with the exception of a few objects. I decided to take back the jacket which I bought at Kathmandu because everyone who I meet says to buy in Canada simply because it rated for the cold and wind chill, while the jacket which I got says it was suited to all of those conditions…it just added to the more things which I have to take over with me.
Tomorrow is packing test day…might have to buy a small camera bag instead of taking my laptop / camera combined backpack simply because its to heavy to take as carry on. Stupid Virgin Blue!
