Last Day in Vancouver

Day 23 - Friday 8 October – Vancouver
Temperature 14 °C & Overcast with light showers

Make and mend today, first job get the laundry going, then we seal the box for another package home. Take it to the Post Office – overweight by 49 grams. Back to the hotel, open the box and take out one item, seal it again. This time it is 1.909 Kg so it passes the maximum limit and will cost only $22.

Found a new place for breakfast, great value and greater range then Red Umbrella so the Grove Inn Restaurant 1047 Denman Street looks like being our breakfast stop for the next few days. Emptied the drier and folded the washing. Found some good books in the laundry, will read them and have them back before we leave.

The Grove Inn

Final maintenance item was hair cuts for us both. We were assigned a 'stylist' each and for just over $40 we came out quite spruced up. Dinner at the Grove Inn, read the book, watch TV and yes, plenty of water for me.

Day 24 - Saturday 9 October – Vancouver
Temperature 16 °C & Overcast with light showers

Breakfast at the Grove Inn and we head off to try the other Hop On-Hop Off company. This one has buses dressed up as trams, the voucher was part of the cross Canada package so thought we may as well use it. Buses appeared to be in better mechanical shape and the commentary varied considerably. The final leg was driven by Brian Q who made up for all the mediocre commentaries we'd heard. So good in fact that we made a date to ride with him again in the morning.

The Kid's Market Granville Island

Bath-tub Ferry - False Creek

Lazy afternoon and an early dinner at the Grove Inn. The cook was asleep on his feet, I think he'd been there since early morning and there was no-one else in the restaurant, we felt almost guilty for getting him to cook. Meals were OK but I think he was operating on auto-pilot. The fact that there's an open kitchen made it all the more obvious he didn't have his heart in it.

Day 25 - Sunday 10 October – Vancouver
Temperature 20 °C & Bright Sunshine

Last breakfast at the Grove Inn, the waitress even remembered our order from the previous day. Back to the hotel, packed and checked out, we left our luggage and wandered down to the HO-HO pick-up point and met up with Brian Q. Travelled the Red Route to Canada Place and filled in a half hour at the 'Official' Mountie Retail Store – Jenny bought a Mountie Moose. Back on the HO-HO Blue Route and then the Stanley Park stops on the Red Route. Back at the hotel about 2 pm.

Mountie Moose

Amazing Laugh - English Bay

Amazing Laugh - English Bay

Retrieved the luggage and ordered the taxi, it was there in a flash and we were off to the VIA Railway Station. We are somewhat early – like five and a half hours EARLY. The reception was friendly, professional and most helpful. We exchanged out vouchers for tickets and then went across to the check-in where we were told our two suit-cases could not be taken into our cabin. Not to worry, here are some free 'tote bags', just take out what you need for the night and then check your cases through to Jasper. Oh, you don't need to carry those bags, we'll deliver them to your cabin. Also at 5:30 the Panorama Lounge will be opened and we'll provide live music and refreshments until boarding time of 8 pm. What a contrast to the check-in at Sydney Central for the Indian-Pacific !!

VIA Railway Station

VIA Railway Station

VIA Railway Check-in Desk

More too come soon !!