Sorry if things have been a little quite of late. I am currently taking a bit of a break from the real world to take in some clean mountain air up in Canada. It’s my first time in North America and it’s been quite surreal experiencing things here in contrast to the U.K.

I flew into Vancouver last week, soon to be home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The first thing that hits you stepping into Canada for the first time (and flying over it) is the scale. Everything is bigger. The roads, the pavements, the buildings, the cars, even the tree’s are huge. Like most Brits, my only experience of North America had come from TV and movies. You don’t really get a proper idea of just how big everything is from that at all.

Vancouver

I stayed in a backpackers hostel downtown Vancouver for 5 nights which was pretty cool. Hostels are a great place to meet people, most of whom are pretty awesome. If you ever want to meet an Australian or a Kiwi, they are all in Canada. Seriously, I have met more Aussies and Kiwis that any other people put together. I met loads of people around the sofas in the hostel. Many had just arrived in Canada for the first time in hope of finding a job. With the winter Olympics just around the corner Vancouver is probably not a bad place to start looking.

Vancouver is an amazing City. Everything I usually hate about big cities like London just don’t occur there. I hate London because everyone is rushing around with no respect for anyone, everyone is so tensed and stressful. Its dirty, cramped and you are usually a couple of hours from the countryside. Vancouver is none of these things. There are 2.2 million people living there, but it not once felt busy or overcrowded. There is so much space everywhere that you just don’t realize quite how big it really is. Its also so clean. The roads and sidewalks get cleaned nearly everyday. The people are all chilled and laid back, no one is rushing around willing to stab you if they could get to where they are going that second quicker. The food was also amazing. Many restaurants offered Christmas hampers of their own cuisine for the festive season. All you can eat Japanese lunch is certainly one to look out for. The nightlife is pretty good. The Hostel we stayed at had a bar downstairs which was always full and screened Canucks games most nights.

But the best part about Vancouver by far is the scenery. It is so unique to have a massive coastal city that has mountains bordering it. Skiing mountains as well. On a sunny day, you can stand on a beach in Stanley Park and look up into the mountains and see a ski slope. You could Ski and Surf in the same day! Its insane. The flight out of Vancouver on a clear day was simply awesome. The view was probably the best thing I have every laid eyes on. Its worth going just for that.