lickity list

Day 1 . Travel to Vancouver

Probably the roughest start to a cruise yet. With true procrastinator flare, the trip started with an all nighter before a 6:00 AM flight to Vancouver with a quick layover in Chicago. My brother, Drew, was getting on the same plane from Chicago to Vancouver, but wasn't aware of the somewhat new pay for baggage policy and had no way to pay for the $15 luggage fee*. Others in our travel party were waiting for gate-checked luggage, so it fell on me to run through O'Hare to the check-in terminal to deliver the $15 cash. It was a steady run, in my opinion, but the delay in our flight getting in coupled with what was more likely a solid jog or fast walk meant the bag was too late to be checked. The ticket counter employee informed us we had 8 minutes to throw all of Drew's personal effects into a garbage bag, beg our way through the security line and board our plane. With adrenaline on our side, we did just that - the only added detail is I begged our way to the front of the security line looking all the part of a total maniac only to realize it was an international flight and my passport is buried deep beneath the overflow of underwear and socks that didn't make the garbage bag cut. I quickly start throwing socks and underwear to the ground - all the while making those people I just cut in front of witness a horrible low-cut-jeans-crack-problem to finally grab my passport, get through security and board the plane with the sign showing 1 minute until the gate closed.

Part II: An expedition party comprised of Daniel, myself and 2 of my Denver cousins struck out on a self guided tour armed with bus routes and a general sense of direction. We hit up the bridge over Granville Island (we took a wrong turn and didn't actually make it to the market place) and then traveled north to Gastown, Chinatown and the nebulous neighborhood between we deemed Junkie town. If you ever need to learn how to sashay - I highly recommend the bikini clad woman walking the walk in Junkie town.

*Don't ask why someone would travel sans any form of currency (besides a checkbook) because it is a long story and I don't fully understand.