old friends and new adventures

I arrived at Robin's boat long after everyone else had left and found her asleep with the light on in a pile of maps. After tapping on the window a few times to no avail, I hopped aboard, bottle of wine in hand, and just as I reached to knock on the door it opened up and a bewildered head popped out, a little sleepy but full of smiles nonetheless.

Robin was my flatmate in first year, an adventurous spirit with an incredible sense of humor. She purchased a sailboat this summer and a few weeks ago bid apartment life farewell and has been living it up on the high seas ever since.

We polished up the wine below deck, telling stories and catching up after far too many years in our separate cities. I stumbled home at 1am wondering how I could be so lucky to have such wonderful people and experiences in my life.

Today David and I pack our bags and get ready for our grand adventure across the country. Tomorrow we are going to take the bus to Horseshoe Bay, hitchhike to either Pemberton or Whister depending, then camp out someplace beautiful. I am bringing my camera with me along the way, and hope to make a small mini-documentary about the trip upon returning to Montreal.

Vancouver

I'm in Vancouver for ten days, visiting friends, family, and the boy before we take off across the country. The city itself feels kind of like a new house - beautiful, but doesn't have the warmth of a city with a lot of history. The landscape, on the other hand, feels old and powerful. It's pretty incredible. I keep staring at the mountains in disbelief.

I've been reconnecting with old friends - people I have not seen in years but that it feels like we haven't skipped a beat, going for bike rides, and today I went to the aquarium with my brother and sister-in-law. It is great to be here, and I will have to come back again soon.