Tuesday, November 18, 2008

OF GIANT FIRS, COASTAL RAINFORESTS AND I’M STILL IN CANADA

View from the top of the world

It is 6:00 am local time and Jane has just flown seven hours with a few more spent in airports in between. She arrives in her location, spends a lovely afternoon with friends and goes to bed at a reasonable hour. Fast forward to the next morning when she awakes in another new world, albeit one with a similiar climate to her own (moist, end of fall leaves still clinging to the trees, that misty, maple-y scent to the air) and marches down to the coffee house below the appartment where she's staying with friends. To look at her, you'd almost think she was functioning. She orders cappuccino and goes to pay for her purchase. For a moment she stands there gazing into her multicompartmentalized wallet. Hmm, she thinks: Euros? Pounds sterling? US dollars? She looks up at the waiting clerk: "I only have Canadian change. Will you take that?:" The woman looks at her kindly and not a little amused. "Yes, we find Canadian money actually still works in Canada."

I'm shocked! What's happening to me? So what if I've just flown across a continent? I'm still in my home country! This is Canada and I can use Canadian money! But, all that aside, it occurs to me what a huge disconnect a human can go through when journeying to multiple countries in a short period of time. Today the Pacific north west, tomorrow to south Pacific. Who can blame me if I get a little confused?

Ahoy, earth to Jane: Jane at Horsehoe Bay, Vancouver

Besides visiting Granville Island where I saw the most glorious knitting shop (closed) and wandering amid that market-infused pedestrian area I love so well, Colleen & Steve took John and I off to the deep Douglas Fir country to frolic in the tree tops on suspension bridges and canopy walks. Being a tree-hugger by nature, the opportunity to cuddle up to a 300-yr old Woody is something I love. I can't help but cherish anything that can live so long, stand so straight and so tall.

Jane&Steve: Don't ask!

So, there I am scrambling through the treetops and these suspension arteries  and what do I find? A young woman knitting! In the trees, at the start of the walking webbery. I asked if I could take her picture but wished I had also asked her name:

Random acts of knitting

From the entry 'Wild, Mysterious Australia'. Jane, it's lovely to hear my everyday world described through the eyes of a newcomer....it makes me look at things afresh. Looking forward to meeting you in Sydney shortly.

By Christine Jones on 2008 12 28