Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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  • World Trip 2006: Day 131 – Seattle, USA

    Sunday 6 August 2006
    Highlights: Major League Baseball match – Seattle Mariners Vs Oakland Athletics 7-6

    Take me out to the ballpark!!! The main reason for my visit to Seattle was to go to a Major League Baseball match, and today I witnessed the Seattle Mariners Vs Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field.

    What a match I got, Seattle started strong in the first innings scoring 2 runs but from the 3rd innings they were down getting as far behind as 4 runs by the 5th innings.   They came back very strongly to eventually win 7-6.  At the start of the game they sing the American anthem, at the ‘7th innings stretch’ they (by which I mean the entire crowd) sing ‘Take me out to the ballpark‘ and later ‘God Bless America‘.

    BTW Don’t buy anything at the ballpark; it costs $7.50 (plus tax) for a hotdog (around $10 Australian) without a drink!!

  • World Trip 2006: Day 130 – Victoria to Seattle, USA

    Friday 5 August 2006
    Highlights: None

    What a big day travelling, first I had to get from Victoria to Vancouver via ferry and bus.   They I caught a Skytrain to the Central Train station to them catch a Greyhound bus to Seattle.   I just made my connection on Greyhound, missing what have meant watching a 4.5 hour delay.

    Now for the American border, what can I say.   Well if you want to be treated like a criminal visit the USA.   Unpleasant border officers who grill you on why you can come to their country (a good question actually given their attitude i.e. getting finger printed and your photo taken like a criminal.   For this great service you then have to pay $6 US dollars.   What you don’t have any US currency??   Well obviously I was a pain in the ass to these guys; everyone living outside the US should have their currency.

    It’s time to start doing this to their citizens; I mean we should be fair and even handed.   I’m sure the baseball match will make up for this attitude problem Americans seem to have.   People here seem to like getting in your face, I witness a local getting kicked off the bus for nothing at all.

  • World Trip 2006: Day 129 – Victoria, Canada

    Friday 4 August 2006
    Highlights: Beautiful Butchart Gardens, British Columbia Legislative building

    Today is the last full day of the tour and the only event I had on the agenda was a visit to the Butchart Gardens.   These gardens were established on the site of an old limestone mining operation by the family that owned the mine.   It’s a very good way to bring the areas back to life.  The gardens cover 55 acres and have been open since 1904.   The colour arrangements and the different sections (especially the Japanese Garden) help you appreciate the natural beauty in nature.   While it was very beautiful nothing could top the tulips in The Netherlands I saw earlier in the trip.

    In the afternoon I walked around Victoria taking special interest in the Legislative building.   Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and holds around 300,000 residents.  Vancouver however is the largest city.

    Tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll make the greyhound bus at 2.45 pm from Vancouver.   I’m not getting dropped off at the station so it might be tight.   Otherwise I have to wait 4.5 hours for the next bus and I’ll get into Seattle at around 11 pm and still have a 1.5 km walk to the hostel 😦

  • World Trip 2006: Day 128 – Whistler to Cheainus and Victoria, Canada

    Thursday 3 August 2006
    Highlights: Ferry ride to Vancouver Island, Murals at Cheainus

    Some of our group managed to see a bear during their early morning walk, I doubt now that I’ll see one however that not a big deal for me having seen some in Europe. Today with left Whistler and headed for British Columbia capital Victoria which is located on Vancouver Island.   This meant I got to take a 1.5 hour ferry ride which allowed great views from the sea.

    The highlight of the day was Cheainus, a small town on Vancouver Island.   This town was a logging town which when the mill shut looked likely to fold the town as well.   Local artist however started painting some murals and the town began very famous in these parts.   The murals are some of the best work I’ve seen. Vancouver Island is the only piece of Canada below the 49 Parallel which was settled with USA after a border dispute.   Originally the USA wanted up to Alaska (ie. leaving about 30 kms to Canada)!

  • World Trip 2006: Day 127 – Kelowna to Whistler, Canada

    Wednesday 2 August 2006
    Highlights: Grand views of Nature at Whistler

    Not really a big day, we come into Whistler around 4.00 pm after a lengthy bus drive of over 9 hours to see the resort town that will be the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics.   This is mostly a town for the rich and shameless to live but it’s hard not to fall for the great views and beautiful apartments/hotels.   Tourists are everywhere.

    This is really a small town so it will be interesting to see how they handle the Winter Olympics in 2010.   I managed to call home and get some news; it seems my thoughts are starting to turn to home more often each day.