Monday 30 November 2009 - The Great Vancouver Dreadlock Battle

We arrived in Vancouver at 10pm after our epic bus journey and made our way to our hostel where we had two beds booked in a dormitory. Fortunately, on arrival, due to some odd complexities with the booking system, we were allocated a private room with our own bathroom. Somehow we had booked 4 nights in the cheapest accommodation available and were given 4 nights in the most expensive. We were very happy (since we only had to pay for the cheap beds).

As you may remember, after finishing the Appalachian Trail, I undertook a battle to remove the two big dreadlocks that had naturally formed in my hair following months of neglect (the full of extent of which can be seen to the right).
I had made some slight progress, but it had become increasingly clear that if I wanted them fully removed I would need some professional help (from a hairdresser, not a support group). It just so happens that Vancouver is home to the legendary Knotty Boy Lock Shop - an international authority on all things dreadlocked. I called and agreed to go in for a consultation. The salon is located in the super-trendy Commercial Drive neighbourhood full of coffee shops, book stores and restaurants and I was encouraged that my initial consultation was not as negative as I had feared - they were confident that they could remove the dreads without having to cut my hair off. So the next day I returned for what amounted to a woman pulling my hair for two and a half hours (fairly painfully) but resulted in the removal of one enormous knot from my hair. I have one smaller dreadlock left that Lisa and I are going to work on over the next week.

As for the rest of Vancouver it was really very nice - the city is located on a peninsula and so benefits from lots of coastlines and water views. On Saturday we went for an incredible meal at the Twisted Fork Bistro (courtesy of the lovely people at Pretty River) which included confit duck, cod with chorizo, a caramel biscuity dessert and a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc. Roughing it? Moi?

On Sunday we took in lots of the aforementioned water views from Granville Market and some of the paths around Stanley Park. We saw some excellent totem-poles (the native art in Vancouver is really outstanding - lots of beautiful carving) and then did our first very Christmassy thing - a train ride on a miniature railway lit up with thousands of fairy lights and playing Christmas songs. Very festive.

This morning saw an early start to make our train to Seattle and some initial stress as we cleared passport control (who knew that you needed to pay $6 US to re-enter the States?) but having crossed that obstacle we have now entered Washington state - my 17th state of the trip so far. Looking forward to some good coffee in Seattle.

P.S. A particularly dull aside, but one I can't forget - Vancouver has particularly wonderful tap water - one of the first places to rival the good old Brummagem canal water.