After another very long train journey but not as long as the first, this one was only twenty hours. I arrived in Vancouver hoping the I'd bump into Mr Buble, highly unlikely but I had hope. I again got public transport to my Hostel, well just a train but still. I arrived at my Hostel pretty easily and efficiently. The main thing I noticed whilst walking from the train station to my Hostel was how many homeless people there were, for a country that was as forward as England there were loads. I then later found out the reason there were so many was because at that time of year Vancouver was the warmest province so they all went there in the winter.
I couldn't check into my room until one pm but I dropped my stuff off and and thought I'd wonder into China Town to pick up stir fry because the whole trip I thought that would be the cheapest, easiest and most filling dinners to do. I got to a Chinese supermarket picked up enough for breakfast and dinner for the two days I was in Vancouver plus a bit extra then headed back to the Hostel. I put my food away and just waited to get checked in. That night I knew there was an ice hockey game, it was Vancouver Giants against the Victoria Royals. As I was checking I saw the game was listed on the whiteboard behind reception so I asked the lady how I got involved with the Hostel and if anyone else was going? She said she wasn't sure but gave me a number for a guy called Matt and to call him to sort out the tickets but I'd had to get the bus there. Once I dropped my stuff in my room I went to find a pay phone to call Matt and arrange the tickets. I asked if he knew if anyone from the Hostel was going he said that no one had called him from the as of yet.
After yet another long journey I was pretty tired and decided to have a quick nap then I'd get ready have dinner and go to the hockey. After an hour I woke up met my room mate for the next two days. Another Kate but from Australia. I asked if she was going to the ice hockey but because she was just about to start working out there and just found a place to move into in a few weeks she couldn't really afford to go out. I got ready and went up to cook my food as I walked into the kitchen I noticed there wasn't a stove/oven nothing. I found Kate and asked if they had one and she they didn't but they had another HI Hostel around the corner did and they had been telling people they could cook food there. I did not leave enough time to walk, cook my food, get back and catch the bus to the hockey. I was so annoyed because I thought this is the first place I had actually aimed to cook rather than pay to eat out or eat soup! Ridiculous! I decided to just make my way to the hockey I left two hours to get there because well, my sense if direction is terrible. I got off a few stops too early and did not know what way I was meant to walk. There was no one walking around because I was in a very residential area. I finally found a shop and they directed me to the correct place. Ok good I was there, now all I needed to do is find the box office because Matt's office was next to it. Well, that took me another half an hour, it was crazy and I was really starting to feel the cold at this point (stupidly all I wore was my poncho instead of my warm thick coat, div). I eventually found the box office and said that I was looking for Matt, the woman looked so confused and I said he told me to go to the office next to the box office. She then realised where I needed to be and she said oh you need the giants office which is just round the corner. Finally, I am where I need to be I asked for Matt and he came out and took me to get my ticket. The ticket was only fifteen dolors and ninety cense when the tickets online where nineteen dollars so I've saved some money, yes! I was really quite hungry because I couldn't cook my stupid food and didn't have enough time to get something on the way so I thought well, I've saved money on the ticket I'll just get a burger and chips. I was sitting on the front row and before the game starts the players have to warm up (obviously) and I kept hearing this really loud bang which I finally realised it was the players hitting the puck's against the plastic side/window. The game was so good there was two fights nearly a third I did not realise how violent ice hockey was but it was so exciting. I understood the very basics of the rules but started to pick it as the game went on. About half way through the second period Matt came a sat with me and asked how I was getting on if I was enjoying it. Obviously I was enjoying it, I was bloody loving it. He also asked if my seat was ok and as he did two of the players smashed up to the plastic window then said er yeah your right in the action here. They had a mascot called Jack that walked around the arena throughout the game sitting next to people stroking their heads all that sort if stuff. He was then right to next to me seat then decided to sit next to me, he put his arm around me all I was thinking was this is cringe but quite funny. The game finished about half nine and unfortunately the giants lost but I really enjoyed it because I don't support either team I just went for the experience, which I loved and am now a new ice hockey fan. I walked back to the bus top near where I was dropped and all I could think was I wasn't sure if the bus I got in was still running or if it was a different one. I went back into the shop where I asked for directions previously to the stadium and he said I needed to get a different one because the one I got in had stopped running. One bus pulled up and I asked if it went to Granville and he said it did so I jumped on. I missed my stop but the stops are so close together I wasn't too far out of the way. I asked the bus driver where I needed to go and he gave me directions. As I said earlier there were loads of homeless people round where I as staying so I did not feel too comfortable walking but it was only ten pm so lots of people were out just starting their Saturday night, all I could think was I have two rape alarms both at the Hostel but as I say it wasn't that bad because it was quite early. I got back to my Hostel and got chatting to Kate about the game and she said she wished she had gone because it wasn't a NHL game so the rules where much more lenient and so there were more fights than the game she went to. I got to bed about one am.
I woke at nine am because I also got told by Kate that the Hostel had free breakfast that I forgot/didn't realise when I booked. So hang on I can't cook the food I have and the food I had for breakfast I didn't need because they had it free, what the hell!? Anyway I got up for breakfast and made sure I got my money's worth, I even took some for lunch, ha! I was told whilst in Vancouver to visit Stanley Park. I walked over there and it was beautiful! I walked around for about four and half hours and in that time I went up to a place called Prospect Point. As it was such a clear day you could see for miles. I was taking a picture of a mountain and as I did a guy told me that the mountain was in Washington State USA I couldn't believe I could see it from where I was, it was amazing. I really wanted to see if they done horseback ridding around the park because they had horse drawn tours so I decided to try and find the horses. I think because it was winter they weren't open, well if they were I sure as hell couldn't find them but never mind I had a really good walk around. I made my way back to the Hostel thinking tonight is finally the night for stir fry. I walked over to the other Hostel to cook my food and wished I was staying in that one it was do much nicer but hay ho I was only there for two nights. I had dinner went back chatted to Kate and her friend from Jasper for a bit. I then had an early night to prepare for my next day of travelling to Vancouver Island. When I got up had a quick breakfast, again stealing good for my journey. I double checked where I needed to go and realised I had to get a train, a bus, a ferry and then another bus, this was going to be another long one! I finally arrived on Vancouver Island in the afternoon and just wanted to get checked in do some washing, eat dinner and get an early night ready for the next day of hopefully wale watching. That's exactly what I did!