#46 Animal visit

Info:

The last post was really long and hopefully somewhat entertaining. This time I tried something different. Under the following link you can listen to the first part about Squamish verbally in the toilet, in the bathtub, while jogging, cooking or doing nothing. 

https://tinyurl.com/yvhrsk9n

And yes, maybe I don't speak fluently and say um a lot and everything doesn't sound as cool as in your favorite podcast.... It's okay, it was my first try! :D

Squamish

Hi there!

On Friday it was time to say goodbye to my beloved campsite. Although the path, despite its short length of maybe 200 meters, was not long, but still very difficult, I really liked my spot. I had the most beautiful view in my imaginary bathroom! ⛰️😅

For mountain bikers Whistler was what Squamish is for people whose hobby is climbing. The various towering rock walls are a permanent meeting place for all those who enjoy climbing such walls. The most spectacular is probably the 700-meter vertical rock wall, which I don't think can be climbed. The search for a campsite in Squamish was also a challenge, but I was lucky enough to get the last spot. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of arriving on a Friday. My spot is very popular with people whose hobby is climbing. So many people of all ages (!) try to climb this rock wall, so there is always action. Although there were also many young people there, I didn't really feel like talking to these people, because I think I was the only one there who didn't climb. You were looked at a bit strangely if you didn't take a 30-meter rope out of your car and put on climbing shoes, rubbed your hands with the white stuff, and clapped your hands with a loud AH and started climbing. What's more, these people naturally only talk about climbing, so I wouldn't really fit into this group either. But everything's fine. A much bigger problem that bothered me at this spot was the lack of water. That was a real problem, so my 20 liter water canister suddenly became a gold bar in my eyes 😅. But then I found good opportunities to legally refill my water bottles. Another point was the distance. I need almost half an hour to get to Squamish, but the fuel I use is still cheaper than significantly closer paid campsites, and so I can always listen to short English lessons. 🤓😂

On the day of my arrival, I didn't do anything because of the time and for some reason, but my arrival and departure days are always in the best weather and after the first night, it's over. So this morning also started with fresh temperatures and rain. Somehow I then built a somewhat stable construction so that I could at least boil my coffee water. 😅 After the rain stopped around noon, it was off to Squamish. So I strolled along my way, sniffed a bit of ocean air, then went to the weekend market and then along the main road (probably). Oh, this city has nice stores, I stopped and went in so many times. There was a really nice old vintage store. It was so cluttered, with so many incredible things, and my "Cash for Rares - heart" was pounding! There were Disney plates with Cinderella and Snow White motifs and they were in perfect condition, I'm telling you! They are definitely worth more than 80€. 😂 Then I went to a second-hand shop, which was actually a real one this time. The one in Whistler was felt for very wealthy second-hand people. 🙄 In this store, I got five things for only four dollars. These included two swimming noodles for only one dollar each, otherwise they usually cost about eight to ten dollars. Can you believe it, what did I save there?! 😏😅 Second-hand shops are sometimes really amazing! I attached one swimming noodle to the back of my "luggage rack". I will eventually hit something and this should at least provide minimal protection. The other one is for my bed, so that the corners and edges of the wood don't damage the entire interior. It all reduces the value of the car! 😅 Since it was thundering again, I spent my hours in the car and finally installed my string of lights, as I finally found the suitable hooks.

The next day it was time for calf training again. Actually, I wanted to hike up to the point where the gondola ends, but then I changed my mind. In Squamish there are three rock peaks that can be climbed and at one fork in the road, you had to decide whether to go to the first and second or directly to the third rock. Of course, I didn't want to miss out and went directly to the third rock. I really underestimated this hike. On the one hand, the path was really insane and I really often got lost to find the further way. Moreover, it was incredibly steep and not really well-trodden. So it went uphill, sliding, pulling up on roots and rocks along the way. Eventually, I had to make a decision. Am I completely lost and turn around or do I try to go a little further. I then said that I would walk another 15 minutes and what can I say, the path actually led up to the rock. But this was no longer a hike, you really had to climb this rock. That was definitely also an interesting "hike". On the way back, I only climbed the second rock, as my strength was running out. I couldn't even really stop on the hike back down because as soon as I did, my legs started shaking because they were so exhausted. I hadn't had that in a long time. This hike/climb was definitely a real challenge and demanded a lot from me.

In the evening, I was lying in my bed and just as I wanted to say goodbye to this world and enter the dream world, I heard a little rustling and I just thought: Oh man, there's a chipmunk running around outside again. But that rustling was then for a very long time at my car and I just thought that chipmunks never stay in one place for that long. So the suspicion slowly crept in that the rustling was coming from my car and so I crawled out of my bed, opened the trunk to see something? Little Stuart. 🐭 Somehow this mouse managed to crawl into my car during the time I had my trunk open and the table outside and I was just getting my gas grill from the picnic table. What now? Who doesn't want to start emptying their car at half past ten in the evening? But the mouse stayed in the car. So I thought that the mouse liked my bread and that maybe I could lure it out that way. So I took a piece of bread and laid out a kind of trail over my table outside. While I was thinking whether just one piece would be better than a row (because the mouse could take the first piece of bread there and disappear again), the mouse came, took the first piece of bread and disappeared again and I just thought: Perfect!! 😂🙌 After 45 minutes, the mouse finally managed to get out of the car and I could go to sleep without a bed partner.

Actually, the next day I wanted to climb the gondola hike. However, I still had the previous day's hike in my calves and I wasn't sure if I could really do the tour, which was indicated to take three to five hours. So it was a bit more relaxed and fortunately in the Stawamus Chief National Park there is also the third highest waterfall in B.C. 335 meters of water flow down from the two mountains there. The part of the waterfall accessible to tourists is the largest section of the free fall with 198 meters. After this attraction, it was only through two different parks located in the city. On the one hand, the Rose Park, where I could observe two otters catching fish, and Brennan Park. Although I was just strolling, I still managed to walk a high number of kilometers on such days. 🏃

As in Whistler, there is also a lot to discover here, so I could actually stay longer, but my next destination was limited in time because the next day I went to ....

Vancouver

Actually, I didn't want to stop in Vancouver because this city is too big and stressful for me. On its own, it looks beautiful, but just as there are beautiful corners, there are also the deepest abysses there. It's the shadows that rob this city of its glory. Those sitting every 50 meters, shockingly some my age, and about to take the next, possibly even the last shot of their lives ....

But to get to Vancouver, you have to take Highway 99 from Squamish, which is not famous, but very well known. This highway is called "Sea to Sky Highway". The name comes from the fact that you start in Vancouver by the ocean and then drive higher and higher into the mountains towards Whistler. Just like on my last drive on this highway, I sometimes wished I had a third eye. One eye on the mountains and forests to the left, one on the highway, and one on the ocean and all the little islands to the right.😅 After some stops and the Vancouver rush hour traffic, I reached my destination. The Indian's (Vedesh) shared flat. He had invited me to Vancouver and since he had two days off, I was allowed to sleep on his couch. To live in Vancouver is actually utopian, I was aware of that beforehand. The Indian and his roommate pay $2500 for this apartment and it's partly falling apart. The shocking thing is that this apartment would actually cost $3500, but since the two still have an old contract, they pay the old rent. Leading a decent life in Vancouver is more than expensive, BUT a fantastic thing about such expensive buildings is that they have a pool, whirlpool, sauna, and fitness room. Needless to say where I spent most of my time. Sometimes you could simply hear me laughing out of the whirlpool out of joy. 😂 Finally, a shower and washing my clothes with a real washing machine. 😅🙌 It's the everyday things that you learn to appreciate.

Nothing special happened here in Vancouver otherwise. But that is mainly because my two hosts work as bartenders and their day is my night. So they always sleep until the afternoon and are awake at night. This wasn't quite so easy for me to stay up until three in the morning. We didn't actually do anything because of this time difference. While they were sleeping, I started my day in the whirlpool, prepared breakfast and coffee, and by then it was already afternoon. On the second day, Vedesh had to step in to work and so his roommate and I went to the beach for the sunset in the evening. After Desmond then went home with Maxi (the flat dog), I met two young men there and talked with them for a while.

On Saturday, July 1st, it was the "Canada Day," the official national holiday in Canada. In the 16th century, British and French founded various colonies here, which, by joining together the colonies in 1867, formed the present-day state of Canada. On this day, various attractions took place throughout the country. Of course, there was also a lot going on in Vancouver, but I hardly noticed anything about it. Actually, at "our" beach, the only fireworks display always took place, but now it was canceled for cost reasons. The other two were too far away. In my immediate surroundings, there were also no visible attractions, so in the end, Desmond and I sat at the beach for the sunset and toasted Canada with a cold drink. 🇨🇦

Today, Monday, it's time to continue driving. I'm glad to be leaving Vancouver again. Somehow I couldn't do anything here. I couldn't hike or drive anywhere else with my car. I have a spot in the underground car park that I definitely don't want to give up, in addition, both the kitchen and cooler box as well as the water and fuel cans can be quickly stolen and this probably happens faster in such a huge city than you think. Oh, and another point: the traffic is pure stress.

I couldn't really do much within the city either. I used Vedesh's key, but I never knew what he had to do the next day. So, for example, I couldn't just drive somewhere in the city and then suddenly have to come back quickly. My area was therefore the beach, where unfortunately on the second day I got a good sunburn. A negative aspect about traveling alone - you can't apply sun cream to your back. Maybe I'll come up with something for that. 😂

But on Monday, after three sauna sessions, two visits to the fitness room, and final five laps in the pool area, it was time to say "goodbye". However, only goodbye to Vancouver because Vedesh now had three days off and wanted to go camping for two days and decided to accompany me.

And so we drove on Monday to the (probably five hours away due to traffic here in Vancouver) .....

More about that next time.

Samuel

P.S.

I would also like to congratulate all the students of this year's graduating class. Good luck with your future careers.

I would of course also like to congratulate all the teachers for once again surviving all the exams and everything they have to read and hear.

As my next blog post will probably not be published before Thursday, I wish you all (at least in Saxony-Anhalt) a good start to the summer holidays!