Long Amtrak Train Trip Starting 26 August!

A bus from their house to Richmond and then on a Skytrain to downtown Vancouver's Waterfront Station. The fares were cheap and even cheaper in USD. And I loved the tap and go using my credit card. I am kind of a urban-phobic and cities and their ways scare me. Weird, I know. My friend sensed that and so he decided to guide me to downtown Vancouver and show me around.

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Arrival at the Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver. And we immediately went out for a walk--a long walk.

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Forgot to mention, before friend and I did our long walk after arriving to downtown Vancouver, I checked into the hostel (Cambie St. Hostel, Gastown) and dropped off my main backpack in the room. The entrance to the hostel had a putrid smell--and not from pee--and so I was dreading what was inside. I had never stayed at any hostel before in my life--and probably never will again. I don't think the overall experience was too bad but just not for me. Maybe I will change my mind later.

The bottom right is my bed. Across from me was a grouchy sounding middle aged man who had a blanket drawn all the time. When I asked if the hostel provides towels, he had a big laugh and said maybe you could rent from them; which I did for $3 CND. Anyway, I probably spent no more than 4-5 hours total in the hostel room despite booking for two days. This was a 'Mixed Use' room where females too could stay and in my last few hours, I took a good shower, packed up and left, a big lady climbed up to the bed across from me. I told her she can have mine as I was leaving early morning hours and don't want to awake anyone. I spent the last night past midnight at the restaurant (The Cambie) below the hostel and the hostel's lounge.

GPS: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EMYpHZbjWE2ukvGK7

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First day in downtown Vancouver (Sept. 3, 10:53 AM) as I walked and walked and walked with my friend almost to Stanley Park. My friend is tall, slim and in excellent shape. Me/wife met him and his wife on an 18 day Panama Canal cruise two years ago from Miami to Seattle. Cruisers on long cruises often become lifelong friends. Half of my friends are from different cruises and they live in different parts of America/Canada.

There were several ships at the port (Canada Place) in downtown Vancouver. Here is a Disney ship:

GPS: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LHrAKzj4PSsU7UE36

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Still Sept. 3. As much I appreciated my friend's company in downtown Vancouver, I couldn't wait to be on my own! I was already exhausted from the previous many days of travel and the morning long walk without a morsel of food in my tummy was proving too much for me. So I asked him to let's eat something and we ate tiny fish tacos. The night before, we had split a side order of nachos near his house. In general, I ate very little over the ten days since leaving South Carolina. Part of that was to avoid the bathroom on the trains.

After he left me, I found my kind of place, The Cambie Grill just below my hostel. I didn't have the energy to venture out farther. Besides, that, I had spent considerable time in Vancouver between 1999-2003 so there wasn't much of an appeal. I probably would have skipped going to Vancouver had my friend not invited me once he heard I would be in Seattle as the terminus of my train trip. But I am glad I went to Vancouver.

The guy with hat turned backward only chatted with me when those ladies were gone for a few minutes. I was in no mood to chat with anyone anyway due to the fatigue and conflicted about what to do after the two-days in Vancouver. He initiated the conversation. I find it annoying that some people are like that: When they don't have anyone to talk to then they start talking to you. And stop talking to you when they find ladies around.

GPS: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DKm5swkSfKe9FTUt6

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The luxury cruise ship Seabourn Encore with Stanley Park and North Vancouver in the background.

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A view from Canada Place: Vancouver is a gorgeous city.

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This is the largest cruise ship I have ever seen. As I walked along its length, it felt like walking along a side walk with city block with apartment buildings/rooms after rooms.

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My second and last day in downtown Vancouver. I walked a lot that day and went past the Aquarium in the Stanley Park. I had seen the Aquarium before when wife and I went to Vancouver in 2004. I'd say it was the best aquarium I have ever seen. And somewhere on a bench in the Stanley Park, after much conflicts about what to do next, but due to the fatigue and budget reasons, I took out my phone and booked a morning flight back to South Carolina for the next day.

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Back to The Cambie Grill under my hostel, relieved by my decision to fly back, I rewarded myself with a Chicken Chowmein which was delicious but wasn't too filling/bloating: I knew I had a very long day of travel back to home the next day before I would reach home in South Carolina.

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At the Cambie St Grill, I stayed past midnight. It was incredibly loud there. Chatted briefly with some locals who found my travel story very interesting. I had already checked my main backpack with the hostel that evening after a good shower--and the shower facility was really good. The flight was leaving close to 11 AM but I wanted to just get out and be checked in at the airport and just sit there.
As I didn't want to wake others in my hostel room, I stayed in the hostel's lounge from midnight till almost 5, then I collected my luggage and walked to the Waterfront Station. I was told the Skytrain runs 'constantly' by a local tourism booth at the Canada place. As I tried to open the Station's doors, it was locked; it was about 5 AM. A security lady came to me and told me the Station doesn't open till 6 AM. She asked me about my flight time to which she said you have plenty of time. But I just wanted to get out to the airport asap. A cab pulled up. I asked how much to the Vancouver Airport? He said $30 CDN and he would take credit card. I said fine. He immediately turned off his meter but told me he'd still only charge $30 CDN. Fine by me. He dropped me off at the airport which took only about 25 minutes; hardly any traffic.
I checked and got Boarding Passes from Vancouver to Chicago and then Chicago to South Carolina. The security checks were pretty easy and relaxed compared to what I had experienced in the Seattle Airport two years earlier--maybe because not that many passengers.
I had 1:10 minute stay at Ohare arriving on Terminal 1 but the plane taxied a lot before we disembarked. The time was reduced to about 45-40 minutes. My flight to SC was to leave from Terminal 2 and someone told me I'd have to take the airport shuttle. I panicked and looked for the shuttle but an official told me that I could just walk to Terminal 2. I am a brisk walker and made it to my gate in about 15-20 minutes. Turned out, I had plenty of time left to depart. So having assured my flight, I booked Uber to pick me up at my airport in South Carolina. The flight there landed around 9 PM. The Uber showed up; wasn't the best experience with that stinky ghetto driver and her stinky car. She didn't even want to start the AC in the car--it was pretty warm. And got lost taking me home as she had turned her Uber GPS to something else. I didnt give her a very good tip--about $8 on a $79 base rate. Wife said I should not have given even a Cent!

So that's it. I will add some final notes.

But here is the pic of the hostel's lounge in Vancovuer.

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