Off To Vancouver

Waking up early Monday morning was hard, but I managed to wake up at 5 a.m. and take a cab to the airport. Much to my surprise, the cab ride costed $42 (I thought years ago the city regulated it to $20). He said that $40 was fine, and since that was all the money I had on me that’s what I paid. He was a nice guy, and for that I gave him a tip of -$2.

The flight was uneventful. Arriving in Vancouver 8 a.m. Pacific time, I was tired but managed to hit up a travel booth at the airport where they found me a hotel in downtown Vancouver for $130/night. I had tried booking earlier but all I could find were rooms for $200/night so I had left it until now.

I expected a real hole as I cabbed it with all my luggage to the Riviera Hotel on Robson. However, after looking at my room I was pleasantly surprised. It was much like the suite we had on our Seattle roadtrip with a kitchen (with dishes and supplies), living room, bathroom, and bedroom. It’s also in a great location as nearby are several Starbucks, many Korean and other kinds of restaurants, near the consulate, and right on Robson (the Edmonton equivalent of Whyte I guess). The hotel stuff was wasn’t mink and silver or anything but still, a great deal. So I have reserved it for the next couple of nights. Oh, by the way, I’m writing this email right next to the hotel from a Vancouverized “PC bong”, stocked with authentic Koreans running the place!

Downtown Vancouver.

Korean Consulate building.

Georgia Street.

Riviera Hotel in downtown Vancouver.

View from my suite.

Anyways, Monday morning I rushed to get a passport photo done (which I foolishly left until now) and then hauled ass to the Korean consulate. It did not go well. Despite my visa application being finished the first stage (which required my actual university degree being shipped to South Korea, etc) and took a couple weeks to do, they still want FIVE FULL DAYS to stamp my passport with the E-2 visa. So as I hand in my application/passport/photo she says come back on Friday. Well we have a problem since my flight leaves to Korea Thursday morning. Then I have to talk to whoever is running this gin joint and beg them to have it ready. After being verbally and emotionally abused, I am now waiting stressfully until Wednesday morning to call them as instructed and see if they can do it in time. Sigh.