Well thought I'd be chilling, host travellers and just doing my usual partying & maybe find a cool job. But shit that was soon forgotten as spent the next 6 months continuing the wild crazy time! In Aug went to the Shambhala Music Festival and a couple other festivals held during the summer. Then hit the beaches and hosted a bunch of Couch Surfers for Aug & Sept. But got kind of bummed out as had to pass on going to Burning Man as couldn't afford the cost & taking a road trip to Nevada as didn't want to drive my truck there. But then kinda started getting withdrawals to do another trip. So at the end of Sept was able to score a Ride share with Alix, a sort of hippie dude, going down east to Ontario. Then spent all of Oct traveling across Canada & got as far as Quebec City! This cool as got to hang out with Thomas from France a travel buddy met in Ecuador & Peru in 2009! So had a great time hanging with Thomas and meeting his cool Québécois & French friends
So after having an awesome time in Eastern Canada well returned home to Vancouver at the end of Oct! But then what happened but a wk later Thomas, my French travel buddy & who I just visited in Quebec City, tells me he’s coming to check out Vancouver for 10 days! But Thomas kinda liked Vancouver & the fun we were having so he hung around with me for Nov, Dec & 1/2 of Jan! So instead of my usual Couch Surfing activity of hosting different people well I hosted and hung out with Thomas.
I should tell you that my apartment is a studio, which for the uneducated, has the living room, bedroom and kitchen all in one room! But hey since both of us are quite flexible & managed. However have to confess that we did have the odd disagreement like all Bro’s do cuz it’s gets quite congested for 2 peep to live in hang out in 1 room for 2 months as neither of us were working so we spent the entire day pretty much hanging out together!
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But shit we did our share of going out as must have checked out almost all the pubs, clubs, concerts and generally had fun! Hell the second day we went out so I could show Thomas some sights in Vancouver! So where did we end up but at the world-famous Marc Emery's Cannabis Culture Headquarters store located in downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada at 307 West Hastings Street. So of course we had to visit the Urban Shaman & ended up getting Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds! http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/var021.htm Tthey were seeds from a plant growing wild in Asia. It kind of reminded us of Ayahuasca a drink made by Shamans in South America from some Amazonian plants!
So like kids we had to try it that night! But shit we ended up laying in a chair staring at the ceiling for a couple hrs until we could get our shit together to go out! Hey we didn't know the effects of these seeds except that it would keep us both fucked for a couple hours! We just had to peel off the hard outside coating of the seeds. Then leave it in our mouths for 10 mins so they soften then we chew and swallow it!
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The first weekend we went to the Fairview Pub to check this popular local Reggae group Mostly Marley. http://pa-in.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6611325923 http://turnerme.com/mostlymarley.shtml
Enjoyed the music so much that ended up going 2 nights in a row! The cool thing was not only the music great but a lot had to do with the chill atmosphere of the pub!
I later found out that Mostly Marley also play in the Rusty Gull Pub in North Vancouver which is a bus & seabus ride there on a Sunday evening! The trip is OK on a regular evening but on Sunday's the Powers to Be shut the Sea Bus down at 11 PM! However the music and pub close later that time. So have to catch a bus which only runs on the 1/2 hr! It's a lengthy run over the Lions Gate Bridge thru Stanley Park Causeway! So this is basically a night bus that brings u down town and then u have to catch another bus to where ever u live! So it got to be that on Sunday nights well had to go to the Rusty Gull to see them play there for probably 4 Sun in a row. Just got there to have a couple beers, listen to the music and dance! Would run in to some of the same people there every Sun like Paul, Muriel. Eve, etc a few times at the Rusty Gull. They all enjoyed the music, the beer & dancing too. Muriel worked as the rental manager at Seymour Ski hill! I also found out that Mostly Marley play on Tue evenings at the Yale Pub & the Lamplighter on Thur nights in downtown Vancouver! So you have more than one place to go to listen to the group if you love their music. I even suggested a Couch Surfing Tues Evening meeting one Tues so could listen to Mostly Marley play!
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On that same weekend there was also a Scavenger Hunt organized by a couple of ppl thru Couch Surfing! So Thomas and I tried it out with a bunch & It was a fun time as it was new to both of us. It was organized by Maxx and Ian who are from Winterpeg who all seem to hang together (almost like that there’s strength in numbers as feel they can only do things if together) even if they moved to Vansterdam! We also met Josh, Dan, Adam and a few others but can't remember their names. It was a lot of fun as we gathered at the Two Parrots Pub on a rainy Sat afternoon. We then setup teams of 5 or 6 in a group. Then for 2 or 4 hrs we ran around collecting all the items that we needed to get from the list we were given. We of course had our share of drinks and laughs. So except for some rain it was all great fun and we met some new friends!
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There are always Couch Surfing meetings every Tue evenings at different bars, etc so people involved in CS can meet locals and other newcomers to the city! So all a person has to do is login to the website and check the Community page for the local activities going on in the city! So of course Thomas and I decided to take a meeting in. Well the week we chose the meeting was being held at the Shennigan Bar a kind of dead bar on Robson St which is a hoity toity designer type shopping street that I never hang out. So we got there but couldn’t find any couch surfers so we had a couple beers and left! So I suggested hey head to the Vapour Lounge and do some 420 as love that more than drinking in fact cuz this is Vansterdam & 420 country!! http://www.mjguide.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=533
What I didn’t realize was that Tue night is Open Mic Night at the Vapour Lounge! The atmosphere at the Vapour Lounge at any time but it’s really cool and fun during Open Mic Nights! So anyone who wants to get up and play an instrument, sing, say a poem or whatever can just do it as all they have to do is get their names on the list! But basically it’s just an awesome Jam Session! We really enjoyed having a hit off a Volcano Vapourizer and listen to the guys just jamming but the longer the night the better the music sounded! But we realized that a person had to get there by at least 7:30 pm to get a good seat to see the guys jamming! Hell we enjoyed it so much and thought shit this is so much better than going to a bar like the Sheningan which is a dead bar! So we thought hey why don’t we suggest having a CS weekly meetling at the Vapour Lounge the next Tues. So posted on the CS Community page suggesting this however had to tell them that it would cost $5 for each hr u stay there cuz they have to make some money to pay their bills. But hey a person can pay $5 for a beer at a bar and have 2 or 3 an hr.
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So posted the following on the site!!!
OK we’ve done the CS weekly meeting scene at bars so now who’s up for a meeting at the Vapour Lounge Open Mic next Tue night Nov 16! Hey CS`ers don’t be a JamTart cus life’s about Experiences & Fun!!!!!!!
Yeah have done CS weekly meetings at bars!!! So for a hoot why don`t any 420 lovers & closet 420 ppl try a CS meeting at the Vapour Lounge (upstairs) 307 Hastings St W (next door to New Amsterdam Cafe) Vancouver? Head there quite often but Tues for Open Mic Night are especially chilled & fun with live music (u decide if it’s cool) & awesome vibes (guaranteed)! But if u go on Tue nights u have to be there by at least by 7:30 or 8 pm or u won’t find a seat as it’s a Vansterdam tradition! Also for anyone who’s too cautious to indulge well that's cool too as just come, hang out, chat & inhale!
Cus when in Vansterdam well u have to try the Volcano’s at the Vapour Lounge at least once especially on Tues for the Open Mic Night! Costs $5 / hr to use the volcano’s and/or bongs but have to bring ur own greens!!! But hell if u stay 3 hrs it’s still cheaper than downing ½+ doz cervezas! Figure both the vaporizers and music are awesome especially cus the more u use the Volcanos the better the music sounds. Plus if u have any talent u can sign up for a turn at the Mic as everything sounds so greeaaaaat when the vaporizers are working A OK!
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/marc-emerys-cannabis-culture-headquarters-vancouver
btw sorry but this is a BYOW (Bring your own weed) joint cus u can’t buy greens or expect distribution ppl running a business there. So get off your ass & get your stash around the city like most 420 lovers do in a new place!
Regardless my buddy & I will be there so may have to put on our own CS get together!
...................
So after I posted this on the Vancouver Couch Surfing group I got a whole bunch of negative feed back that totally pissed me off! I was really disappointed that there were so many Friggin Conservative people on the Vancouver CS group! I knew that Europeans living in Vancouver on a Work Visa are not 420 friendly. They are more alcoholic Piss Tanks who get pissed and rarely smoke! Some say they smoke but shit what they do is not really smoking 420 cuz after one toke they’ve had enough! Hell real smokers like to smoke more than drink given a choice!!
I wanted to tell them all to just fuck off as I wrote but didn’t post what I thought! Cuz thought wtf is it really worth it, fuck no ! Cuz whe the hell cares!!!!
Didn't realize that the CS Gestapo were monitoring this site. Shit think most people are old enough to decide what they want to do without u guys giving us a sermon! So lets forget my suggestion and u guys can go back to having meetings at exciting bars which I have no trouble going to. My CS buddy and I went to Shennigans or whatever on Tue but shit it was so exciting with ppl that ended up watching a hockey game for 1 beer and left yawn!
But hell I was just throwing out a suggestion (hope didn't overstep the CS Vancouver rules???) but won't damage the site or upset the stuffy ppl who monitor this site.
Hell 90% of the CS on this site are cool but hell the other 10% are friggin stuffy CS Gestapo's.
So forget my posting as a suggestion for a CS Meeting! Shit I'll keep saying what I want as don't give a Fuck (sorry CS Gestapo for my blastemy)! So will keep off this website with future suggestions for doing things & leave postings to the 3 or 4 stuffy ppl who seem to run this site!!!! I've bit my tongue cus like and enjoy most ppl but I could but won't name 3 or 4 ppl who I've never met but run this site (they deserve praise for what they do but like can u cut ppl some slack as most ppl are travelers who want to enjoy Van city and what the locals do. Hell wonder if maybe I posted for a church meeting instead that I'd be OK??? But if I use the wrong language or make the wrong suggestion then I may be striked dead or blocked from this group site for my view of life!!! So thought I'd join Vansterdam but was blocked by the monitorers!!
Sorry for saying what i think (shit hope we never meet up cus I may not be able to control my words ha ha) cuz like I'm just a fun loving freespiritguy who likes to enjoy life!! So anyway u guys probably mean well but does everything have to be monitored cus we already have 1 gov't! Like what would happen if a couple of bad words are used? Wondering can anyone create a CS Group maybe for ppl in CS Vancouver who just want to enjoy life and not be critized? Heck most ppl using this group site are new to Van city so are not familar with things here!
So after that episode well got pretty turned off with the CS Community group! But suck it up a bit cuz CS is about meeting & hanging out having a good time with cool people who like to meet others & scoring a free couch to save money is a far second!
Got the following msg got from the Vancouver Couchsurfers Monitor why they deleted my posting about a CS meeting at the Vapour Lounge on Tue Nov 16. Also some of the replies on the thread. God was pissed when I first read this but now I think shit don't really care cus there are narrow minded conservative thinking ppl in this town. Hell always thought Van city was one of the most chilled and liberal cities in the world. I was fuckin disappointed that ppl thought like this.
Your group post has been removed
Dear FreeSpiritGuy, Your recent post in the group Vancouver CouchSurfers, in the thread OK we’ve done the CS weekly meeting scene at bars so now who’s up for a meeting at the Vapour Lounge Open Mic Night next Tue, has been reported by a member as a violation of CouchSurfing's Terms of Use. For your records, here is a copy of the post:
Yeah have done CS weekly meetings at bars!!! So for a hoot why don`t those of us who are 420 lovers & closet 420 ppl try a CS meeting at the Vapour Lounge (upstairs) 307 Hastings St W (next door to New Amsterdam Cafe) Vancouver? Head there quite often but Tues for Open Mic Night are especially chilled & fun with live music (u decide if it’s cool) & awesome vibes (guaranteed)! But if u go on Tue nights u have to be there by at least by 7:30 or 8 pm or u won’t find a seat as it’s a Vansterdam tradition! Also for anyone who’s too cautious to indulge well that's cool too as just come, hang out, chat & inhale!
Cus when in Vansterdam well u have to try the Volcano’s at the Vapour Lounge & get Baked at least once especially on Tues for the Open Mic Night! Costs $5 / hr to use the volcano’s and/or bongs but have to bring ur own greens!!! But hell if u stay 3 hrs it’s still cheaper than downing ½+ doz cervezas! Figure both the vaporizers and music are awesome especially cus the more u use the Volcano's the better the music sounds! Plus if u have any talent u can sign up for a turn at the Mic as everything sounds so greeaaaaat when the vaporizers are working A OK!
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/marc-emerys-cannabis-culture-headquarters-vancouver
btw sorry but this is a BYOW (Bring your own weed) joint cus u can’t buy greens or expect distribution ppl running a business there. So get off your ass & get your stash around the city like most 420 lovers manage to do in a new place!
Regardless whether everyone bails or not well my buddy & I will be there to have our own CS get together! So be on time cus not into saving seats like nice ppl ha ha cus too many flakes who don't show!!!
CouchSurfing is a community, and we have removed this content at the request of CS members. When posting in the future, please be careful to respect the guidelines of our community. If you have any uncertainties, our safety pages have more information about website abuse. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, please contact us and explain your concerns. We protect our members' freedom of expression within the guidelines of our Terms of Use, and we're happy to review this post if you feel that it was not website abuse. Thank you for your attention, The CouchSurfing Team
Post removed.
This post has been removed by an administrator.
Here is some of the posts that other people posted in response to having my posting removed!!! Some of these replies made me wonder where the f*ck do these people come from (sure not Vancouver where people are pretty receptive to 420). Shit some replies made me wonder shit what year are we in- the 1940’s ??
I am at a loss. I sit shaking my head. Couch surfing IS for people who like to travel right?
The US still has its head up its ass when it comes to their draconic War on Drugs right?
You can be denied entry into the US (or US airspace for that matter which would REALLY limit travel) for any reason they deem fit. In fact, immigration laws for both Canada (yay sheep!) and the US (good job bullies!) state that persons who simply admit to past drug use can be excluded by the decision of the border guard they encounter; this decision will be supported by his/her supervisors. This will go onto your "file" and pop up each time your plate or name comes up in the system.
Ah, but surely the Internet is SAFE?
HA! Words like chronic, 420, blunt, weed, herb, kind, sativa... can be monitored for use - oh SO big brother like - Conspiracy theorist? No. Definitely not. BUT I have had been there when friends (sample size of 2) have been turned away at the border... and have had one friend turned away and BANNED for years!!! (admittedly she was going down there for a job... BUT the point is... the border knew she was going down for a job BECAUSE THEY HAD COPIED OF EMAILS SHE'D SENT AND RECIEVED!!! Note to those using email to procure illegal employment)
Again, I sit here and wonder... not being against those who use... but confused as to why those who do would be so reckless as to risk something that they hold so dear... travel.
I hope that you have a lovely lovely night, and that you consider what I have said. REMEMBER... you have NEVER USED drugs before... EVER! and that the dogs are probably smelling something from the previous owner of that bag that you bought at a yard sale!!!
:o)
Remember, marijuana is still illegal in Canada, and is DEFINITELY NOT legal in the USA. Please refrain from posting details about events like this on the public forums.
I have nothing against those who imbibe, or imbibing in general, but the CS website is not the place to post the details for this type of event.
1) Is the title of this post insinuating that a Jam Tart is an insult or otherwise undesirable? Cuz... I like jam. And tarts.
2) @ Rain; is "kind" a watched word now?? WTF I must be living under a rock, what is happening to our English language!? Next thing you know they'll be banning "the" :P
3) Cover charge at a weekly meet, noooo!! Mind that many travellers are on a budget, and need that cash for non-negotiable travel expenses like flights or buses. Drugs, gourmet dinners and 'must-see' experiences must be carefully evaluated. The Tues meets are often a networking opportunity to just talk and listen, and we don't require entertainment or 1/2 doz cervezas for that. BYO-anything parties are always cheaper, but we still factor in the cost of 'groceries'.
4) Whether one indulges or not, simply being in that environment will stink up our clothes and bloodstream for future border crossings, job interviews, military service or serious sport performance, or even taking a Greyhound. Some of us cannot afford to pollute our bodies with tracable substances.
5) This is likely too culturally-specific an event for a general meeting venue, like holding it at the opera or tea house. I hope all the 420-folk have a nice evening, and for the rest we'll perhaps call up a regular haunt and find an alternative. :) Options are nice.
Jennifer
P.S. I am not going to get started on the border-cop rant...
Wonder who the f*ck this Jennifer is?? Hope never meet her!!! So here’s some of what I wanted to post to tell these conservative assholes (but didn’t cuz thought what’s the use?)
OK Let's forget having a CS meeting like this cuz don't want to cause waves tho I love to as I've been labeled anti establishment and unconventional (yeah I know I probably belong on a deserted island or in dark Africa, I usually wish)! But like meeting CS ppl so don't want to be judged by ppl who don't know me or want to know me! cuz most ppl on CS are cool and the monitors do a good job and work hard.
My first thought was to reply to some of the Gestapo/George w comments and to correct misconcecptions but shit can’t be bothered cus will be raked over the coals for my use of words, etc!
Btw It may help if u re read the posting cus the so called cover charge is for the use of the equipment so they can stay in business as u don’t have to buy anything there like beer or drinks for $4 + at bars. So figure out how much us spend on drinks over a 3 hr evening!!!!
I would have posted this on the Vansterdam group but wasn't able to join cus maybe I'm too much of a jerk or something!! ha ha.
btw Jamtart means
A person who is unwilling to participate in what they perceives to be risky, embarrassing, dangerous or foolhardy activities.
Sorry if I sometimes use words that many don't understand but hey just write how I talk. Gutter talk!
So anyway this idiot is cancelling this idea so everyone can go back to having CS meetings at bars! Hey why don't we have them at coffee shops so we don't upset Non Drinkers or get blocked from going to the US???
Didn't realize that the CS Gestapo were monitoring this site. Shit think most people are old enough to decide what they want to do without u guys giving us a sermon! So lets forget my suggestion and u guys can go back to having meetings at exciting bars which I have no trouble going to. My CS buddy and I went to Shennigans or whatever on Tue but shit it was so exciting with ppl that ended up watching a hockey game for 1 beer and left yawn!
But hell I was just throwing out a suggestion (hope didn't overstep the CS Vancouver rules???) but won't damage the site or upset the stuffy ppl who monitor this site.
Hell 90% of the CS on this site are cool but hell the other 10% are friggin stuffy CS Gestap's.
So forget my posting as a suggestion for a CS Meeting! Shit I'll keep saying what I want as don't give a Fuck (sorry CS Gestapo for my blastemy)! So will keep off this website with future suggestions for doing things & leave postings to the 3 or 4 stuffy ppl who seem to run this site!!!! I've bit my tongue cus like and enjoy most ppl but I could but won't name 3 or 4 ppl who I've never met but run this site (they deserve praise for what they do but like can u cut ppl some slack as most ppl are travelers who want to enjoy Van city and what the locals do. Hell wonder if maybe I posted for a church meeting instead that I'd be OK??? But if I use the wrong language or make the wrong suggestion then I may be striked dead or blocked from this group site for my view of life!!! So thought I'd join Vansterdam but was blocked by the monitorers!!
Sorry for saying what i think (shit hope we never meet up cus I may not be able to control my words ha ha) cus like I'm just a fun loving freespiritguy who likes to enjoy life!! So anyway u guys probably mean well but does everything have to be monitored cus we already have 1 gov't! Like what would happen if a couple of bad words are used? Wondering can anyone create a CS Group maybe for ppl in CS Vancouver who just want to enjoy life and not be critized? Heck most ppl using this group site are new to Van city so are not familar with things here!
So along the way wtf if I scared off peep so big whoop! Cus if someone doesn't come cus of me well so what?? Hell why do u think I say what I do? Cus trying to push peep's buttons as don't really give a f**k! I'm a jerk but don't mean to scare off peep but if a few words scare off peep well than sh*t they should stay home! Cus wouldn't want any stranger wandering into East Hastings cus there are derelicts and drunks there & we wouldn't want peep from out of town to know we have shit holes here in beautiful Van City! So hopefully the dude isn't a 16 yr old kid plus so if 1 possible visitor gets scared off BFD! Hell when I go to New York, London, etc I don't post asking what should I do there cus like adventure & experience of exploring and finding my own things to do! Why can't peep read a guide book or check the web instead of always asking what is there to do?
Not pissed or whatever but shit if have to be on my best behavior on this page than I better stay off & just use it for what it's meant to be used to couch surf & not as an entertainment source for locals! Hell most of the peep running these CS groups are locals with NO life maybe including myself! Heck in other cities it's for travellers as we don't want to scare off the polite visitors! Hanging with CS Van City group was fun for a while but was getting kind of tired of having to be told to be polite ! Cus "I'd rather be Hated for who I am then Loved for who I'm not"!
Hell I'm an A**Hole who says what he wants & too stubborn so starting in the New Years I'll stay off this page & go traveling! Addios!
One week Thomas and I went to party at Flo's (a French friend of Thomas) for open house & met Flo's friends like Hanna and then to Anza club for Africa dance. It was there that I met Sanja a cool nice chick from Serbia. We became friends and hung out a few times cuz she liked to drink beer and smoke like me! The interesting thing about Sanja was that she was married to a good friend for convenience! They got married so they could get residence visa to Canada. The reason they did this is they tried to move to Australia but couldn't get a residence visa cuz they weren't married. So they got married and applied to get a residence visa to Canada. But they found out they didn't have to be married to immigrate to Canada. So now they're married and get along great! Actually they're both cool people! So hung out with Sanja for about a month and then she went home to Serbia for a month in Jan, 2011.
Thomas had 2 French friends come to Vancouver which I met as they were cool. So of course we had to party with them too!
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Hey so u want to go to unpretentious places to dance! Well my suggestion for what it’s worth is stay away from the downtown core area like Granville, Yaletown & Gastown & Kitsalano areas. They may be fun and good but they have expensive cover charges, lineups unless u kiss the door guy’s ass as they like to power trip! But the number one reason I dislike going there (tho have gone before) are the phoney, flakey people trying to impress everyone with their appearance and only talk to similar ppl or friends!
I’m not a big entertainment person but when I want to dance or hang out in a chill cool atmosphere with good vibes well I usually head to Astoria Pub. I'd go there on Thur nights after 11 PM and it was really chill to listen to some cool reggatone music and dance if u like cuz everyone does there!!
Yeah my favorite place to hang out, listen to music & dance is the Astoria Pub on Thur nights! The first time I went Thomas came along as we met up with Maxx and couple other people from Winterpeg. So would go to the Astoria pub on most Tue evening to listen and dance to some reggae/reggaton music.
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We put 4 days of insurance on my truck (usually leave my truck parked without insurance cuz dislike driving now) so Thomas and I went to Victoria and then Couch Surfed at SundanceCid and Bui's farm outside of Victoria. Then we drove to Naniamo thru to Tofino on the Sun. It snowed on at weekend in Nov. and hung out in Victoria for 2 nights couch surfing. On Sun morning it was snowing so we decided to leave Victoria& go to Tofino. But first we stopped in Nanaimo to have breakfast & called a couple of friends but no one was home! So after breakfast it was about 1 pm so we dropped into a pub for a quick beer! Well that was very interesting as there were a couple of characters there. There was the enibriated Native woman probably around 40 who was being hit on by 2 older guys! They weren’t too pleased when we arrived cuz she suddenly started talking to us! We mentioned that it was still about 2 hrs to Tofino so we didn’t think we’d have time to go there and back in time to catch a ferry back to Vancouver. So the Native woman invited us to stay over at her place! But we weren’t really interested in doing that cuz she was a bit too drunk for us! But the person we found interesting was the bartender! She told us she was from Fargo North Dakota which made me say “hell that’s a long way to come especially since u’r in Nanaimo”. So she said it was for a relationship & I replied well hope the guy was worth it! But she said Oh it wasn’t a guy but for a girl!!! This intrigued us cuz it seemed different for a girl that she was gay! Which made me think that she probably was Bi as she had alternated between chicks and guys in relationships! I’ve found that some girls who get hit on by guys tell guys that they’re gay cuz to keep guys at a distance! So after having a few beers and chatting with all the people there well we decided we should catch the next ferry! But before we left we decided to have a joint outside! So while Thomas had a cigarette and I had some weed and the bartender (think it was Melissa) joined me! The Native woman also wanted to smoke but never tried it so thought I didn’t want to be the one to introduce her to weed. So after getting a bit wasted we took off to catch our ferry.
We had a great time on Vancouver Island but didn't make it to Tofino which was a place that Thomas and I wanted to go to didn’t go. So we decided to head to whistler on one cold friggin day. We drove up one day checked it out and drank some beer and came back.
Since u 2 are kind of wanderers too well want to share a video that
want u to view as the music is very touching.
Heck this is what I’ve thought about life for years & when I got introduced to this video & song Wow it brought tears to my eyes!! (yeah I do have eyes between those tiny slanted slits!!)
So what this posting is about is to have u enjoy this video cus we're all travelers & latent Freedom Lovers! pls watch it and think about what it seems all people strive for in different ways in life – TO BE
FREE!!
I wrote a reference for Sundance Cid after she was so kind and nice to host us for 2 nights!
Hey u guys have to say 2 things to u!
First had an awesome time couch surfing with u 2 at your beautiful farm along with your 2 beautiful dogs Tia and can’t remember the older one’s name as u never mentioned her name cus of that wild & crazy Tia!!! Loved it all!
Second will finally figured out what why ur your CS nickname SundanceCid interested me! Love it as it it reminds me of one of my all time favorite movies “Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid”! Loved the movie and just thought heck I’d call u the Sundance Cid and Bui is Butch Cassidy! If u have a chance check it out cus it’s a kind of classic (Western but love them & it’s funny) from probably the 70’s!
So u’re the Kid and Bui is Butch! Hey they’re both cool like u 2!! Love your new Monikor but it’s just too bad that I just remembered it now! But hey better late than never!
Anyway we never made it to Tofino but did have a cool time/adventure in a bar in Nanaimo! Will tell u guys about it one day over a beer!
Thanks u 2 for being so hospitable and cool to host 2 idiots like us! Can’t say enough about the 2 of u – so won’t and will stop here!!
I have a good friend of mine Thomas Valmorin (from France as we met traveling in Ecuador & Peru in 2009 plus I visited him in Quebec City in Oct when he was working there) visiting me for 3 wks in Van City. So we did about all the damage we can do here in Van City ha ha! So figure hell let’s do a road trip to check out Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino & the rest of Van Island to see what’s happening. So yeah thought I’d be a nice host (rare but possible when the moon is right in the sky & my CS buys me a beer), put some insurance on my truck and take the dude on the ferry to see BC!
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When I came back to Vancouver I found out that Roger Waters (the co-founder of Pink Floyd who are one awesome group who were at their peak in the ’70, have since disbanded but Roger Waters is touring to sell out crowds and is well worth seeing). I wasn’t in Canada when the tickets for the Roger Waters show was announced and tickets went on sale! So I was on the outlook to buy a ticket and found
ads like the following for sale on Craigslist.
Roger Waters Live - Single ticket - $190 (White Rock)
Date: 2010-11-24, 6:10PM PST
Reply to:
1 hard copy ticket for Roger Waters Live on Dec 10 Section 307, row 11, seat 11
Cash only, 604-xxx-xxxx
I replied to this ad to try and buy the ticket. So the person called me the day of the concert. But unfortunately Thomas answered and told the person to deliver the ticket to my place and I’d buy it! Well the person must have thought piss on him and I wasn’t able to get a ticket for the concert! What a piss off!
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Thomas got a job working as a promoter to get ppl to go to the Republic Club on Wed nights for free! I'd go there along with a few other friends would go to support him but really dislike that place with a passion! I find the people who hang out there are really pretentious and like to show off!
I'd usually just go there for about 30 mins and then head over to the Corner Pub which is more my style as it was laidback and had live music!
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There is a Hindu Temple not far from my place which I would go to on Sun afternoons (when I got up on time) and enjoy free Indian food. It actually reminded me of times when I ate in India with metal plates and vegetable food. So I'd have Thomas come with me and Sanja came with us one Sun afternoon after hanging out and partying one weekend!
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I've gotten to enjoy the Trans Siberian Orchestra around Christmas & have seen them once in Seattle when I was working there. But in 2010 it seem they were playing at GM Place (or whatever the name is now). So thought heck why not get tickets for the concert. It just happened that Thomas was visiting me when the concert was on. So even tho he had never heard of them he came along & really enjoyed the concert! It really helped that we had seats on the 5th row so we got a great view! Thomas really enjoyed the awesome chick playing the violin as she not only played great& looked great but really bounced around. He was so mesmerized by this chick that he found her on Facebook and became her friend! (not sure why anyone would want to be friends on FB with someone you haven't or ever will meet! )
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One thing that was getting on my nerve was the Locals in Vancouver who have no life and respond to every posting on the Vancouver Couch Surfing Group site! One posting that really got me was when some guys were traveling from Vancouver to Mexico by car and posted on the Vancouver CS thread. So they got a bunch of replies by various local CS who probably never do anything but just check what ppl with lives do and so they make some ridiculous comments like the following!
Hell chances are any problem crossing the Mexican border may be a quicker less painful way to meet your maker than the slow death by boredom crossing the Cdn-US border.
Hey TravelingMan know u mean well & u’r probably right so don't mean to make light of your concern, be a smart ass or have a Death Wish! So maybe should keep my views to myself but don’t know better so my opinion is those Gov't websites are like the Media & kind of blow things a bit out of proportion most of the time! Hell the border crossing may be a problem but bet thousands of ppl still drive thru every day with no problems! In most cases people need to have some Street Smarts & use common sense (which I may not have as once a fool always a fool). There were Gov't warnings about going to Mauritania but encountered no problems & many people were driving thru! Also warnings about Iraq but hitch hiked in Kurdistan Iraq with no problem & met Aussie riding his motor cycle thru Afghanistan! So yeah maybe our time may come as something could happen! But heck would rather take my chances that may have problems doing something (some ppl may think is a bit crazy) that I love & doing it my way than get run down by a drunken idiot or a gang shoot out while a bystander on the streets of Van City!
Cuz figure if it’s my time well it’s my time anywhere!
hell Dude u’r too polite as I think this twosome called Rain just need to get a life!!!! Feel that new comers to Van City should decide what to do as seems too many Vancouverites including myself interfere too much. Which is why I try not to attend many events even if I like to meet surfers & share cool fun places in Van City! Figure attending a few activities is great but there are a few ppl who’s entire social life seems based on this Group which is cool but we should let Surfers manage the group. Don't think there's this much interference in places like Toronto & Montreal when I visited CS groups there like we get from 3 o 4 ppl in Van City!
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Thomas introduced me to the song "Society" which I found very moving and posted it on CS to share it with other people who would enjoy it like I do! I found very moving and feel that in some ways it kind of symbolizes how I view my life and how I like to live my life!
Into the Wild! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRsu6802-RY&feature=fvst
OK for those ppl who think I’m a complete loudmouth Jerk well there’s a sensitive side of me too!!!
Yeah I know that I come across as a loudmouth Motherfu*ker! So I wanted to post this to those who I offend cus want u to really know where I’m coming from!! Heck this is what I’ve thought for years & when I got introduced to this video & song Wow it brought tears to my eyes!! (yeah I do have eyes between those tiny slanted slits!!)
So what this posting is about is to have u enjoy this video cus we're all travelers & latent Freedom Lovers! pls watch it and think about what it seems all people strive for in different ways in life – TO BE FREE!!
Into the Wild! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRsu6802-RY&feature=fvst
Then while u’r overwhelmed by this video want u to read some quotes I saw online (sorry for my Plagiarism) but they really hit home to me!
is there a more perfect song to represent a beautiful movie/man? NO
great movie, great song.....love the message. travelling is the best way to live
all of us can reach the limit. sometimes when you reach your limit, you explode. in the end we all are like time-bombs doomed to explode. but some of us don't live in the process. hopefully some of us do live
thats the way to live. great song really inspiirational movie and story
So what this movie is about is what I feel in life but it comes out expressed in my silly crazy ways (sorry haven’t seen the movie or book but will download it to watch & read while traveling insh'allah, yeah so slap my hand cus I download illegally too).
Heck if I pass on to the Big Highway in the Sky before my time well hope it’s doing something like that Dude did rather doing what society expects of us cus we do what Society expects most of our lives!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXomHHwha-w
so u have to watch this short video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahpfjb0YXg0
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Then in December there were a few parties happening so Thomas and I checked them out and really enjoyed ourselves.
Josh had a party for any 420 lovers and posted this on the Vancouver CS group.
Well Ladies and Gents, it's that time of year again: Emperor Jack Herer nipping at your nose with his Purple Kush robe, frosty temperatures that can only be melted with the tropical taste of Juicy Fruit and of course chrismahanakwansika (chrisma-hana-kwansika).
In celebrating this "joyous" time of year and for our monthly meetup, I'm opening up my apartment to you, my fellow tokers. This will be a POTluck as the title mentions, this means:
a) bring yo' pot cuz we's gonna smokes it
b) as with a traditional potluck, you are encouraged to bring your favorite munchies for everyone to try (they can be home made or store bought)
Start time: 7, 7:30, 8-ish? (we'll decide whats good for everyone)
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Then on the same night as Josh’s party well Kyle and his roommates in the Fun House in East Van decided to have a Bad Ass Santa party and posted this on the CS group. Well made it to both parties and they were both cool!!! Went to the party at Josh's place on Dec 17 along with Thomas, Sanja, Bollywood and their Serbian friend. Then went to Bad Santa party at Fun house of CS.
Santa is pissed because he is always giving presents but he never gets any!!! And no one ever recognized this injustice. So what we can do is make a party in the name of Santa and give him the opportunity to forget all this Christmas stress with a few drinks and people who love him. So help us give Santa the feeling that he is loved and come to our party.
To honor Santa it would be great if you dress like Santa Claus or if this is too much to dress red! This time dont think what Santa can do for you, think what you can do for Santa!
The party is at the Funhouse and it starts at 8PM.
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Don't know if this would work if a person wants to get loud & drunk. U sound like u'r not from Vancouver so probably have never heard of the Astoria Pub on 769 E. Hastings Vancouver. But it's the coolest place to go on a Thur night for dancing as it's so chilled! Most of the people go there just to dance & not drink too much cus they probably maybe wasted in another way.
So on Christmas Eve the Astoria put on a Free Turkey dinner dance!
Then tomorrow / Christmas Eve between about 7:30 and 9 pm if u pay the $4 cover well the DJ is supplying free Turkey dinner which is so cool! Kind of wish that I didn't have plans already!
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On Christmas Day evening went with Sanja to Orphans Christmas party at Erin's place in East Van. It was nice to go to a Potluck Christmas dinner with a lot of travelers/visitors to VanCity who had no family or place to go for dinner! Had a cool time cuz met a lot of CS people who wouldn't have met otherwise.
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One day while baking cookies, eating them & whatever well Sanja (a beautiful person & friend from Serbia who is a permanent resident of Canada now) and Thomas (a French buddy who is visiting?? My place for the past 2 months)
well we thought hey why not have our own Turkey Potluck Dinner & invite some friends! Thomas, Sanja, me, Bollywood, Josh, Christina & Lena her CS surfer & Dove came as we got wasted. Erin and Ana were invited but couldn't make it.
Sorry for the late notice but would like u to join us at my place for a small gathering for a Pot luck turkey dinner on Mon Dec 27 around 6 or 7 PM!
Hey Ana,
I know u'r probably having turkey today or going to the Orphan potluck on Christmas day but this one will be smaller as there will be only about 9 o 10 of us as my place is small! So Sanja (don't know if u met my Serbian friend), Thomas and I thought one afternoon of having a turkey dinner (before it was suggested about an Orphan dinner) while getting baked and baking grass cookies! So thought OK let's invite some peep who are friends and who have had us over so there will be me, Sanja, Thomas, Sanja's husband, Christina & then she told us she wanted to bring her CS'er too, Josh (who had the POTluck dinner), Dove (if she can make it), Erin and possibly you if u can make it. I don't have much room but just basically want to hang out & have a Pot luck turkey dinner! Plus maybe have some weed and drinks just to chill!
Sanja has to work till 5 or so on Mon so we can have the dinner when ppl come probably around 7 pm. Bring some thing to contribute if u can as it's basically just a get together to enjoy each others company!
Have a French friend Thomas (he’s a CS’er too) who came to visit at the start of Nov and the crazy douche bag is still here! We met while traveling in Ecuador & Peru in 2009 & then I visited him in Quebec City in Oct when he was living there. But he is from Paris and tho he is crazy as hell well love the guy like a Bro!! It's crazy as all the chicks think he’s kind of hot with his wild French accent which is great! While I’m a ridiculous looking idiot but learned in life we have to play with the hand we’re dealt!! So yeah we make a weird combination like our personalities!
I do have to say I have a small studio apt so have only invited about 10 ppl but can always squeeze a couple more so don't expect comfort but maybe more coziness! It’s not about having a fancy dinner party but to hang out and enjoy new company for some turkey! OK so this is the first time I’ve cooked a turkey as my friend has to work so she can’t cook it!
So yeah come by if u can for as long as u can and hang with us!
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Vancouver has a lot of rain in the winter but a good thing is that it gets warmer when it's overcast & raining. But the funny thing about living in Vancouver is when the sun does come out in the winter it's sunny and it becomes cold for Vancouver. But shit no one complains about the cold as they're also excited it's sunny!
Well on those day I would take Thomas out to ride a bike! I happen to have 2 bikes well one wasn't actually mine but I was kind of storing it as too lazy to return it! I think Thomas was really getting into riding a bike! Hell he'd always like to practice riding with out holding the handle bars! He was like a fuckin kid pedaling down the street without using his hands! The odd thing wasn't him riding without hands (hell the reason I didn't do it was cuz I couludn't!!) but seeing how much fun he was having doing it!!! awesome!
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I realize that Thomas can be such an idiot sometimes (well OK most of the time lol)! He knows he has to call the airlines to change his flt by today! So one day we're out bike riding and going to take the sky train back. But
he wants to stop at Subway's to eat! Duh he had to call quickly or pay for another tkt to Paris from Quebec. I get so fed up with his i ways like what the fuck did he learn in his life? So I said I'm leaving u go as can't be bothered to eat at Subway cus dude have a lot of left over
turkey at home why buy a subway espec when time is limited.
So when we get home he tries to call on Skype but the signal is bad so he wants to call on my phone but has to wait till 7 pm cus then my calls are free! So at 7 pm the Fido line is having problems so he wants to use my computer to call using Skype! But shit I don't have Skype on my other computer so he'll have to download and install it on my computer! So I said this a fuckin important call so why don't u go to a pay phone so u'll know it's going to work this time! But he says why don't u let me use your computer well it wasn't about my computer but
it was an issue about making sure the call he's going to make is going to work and using a pay phone is the best guarantine!
So I told him fuckin use my computer than but if it's important pay the extra 50 cents for the call! So he said but will have to go to the ATM to get money to make the call! Shit he never asked so couldn't tell him that he's probably making a 1-800 call which is free so the
call will cost him 50 cents so why go to an ATM to get money (shit we stopped at an ATM already today so what the fuck did he do there? Order a fucking pizza, but regardless he could have taken more than $20 out cus it costs him probably $1.50 for each transaction)
So he stomped off without asking me where he could find a pay phone as I could have told him all this shit!
Yeah so that kind of shit happens between Bro's especially after hanging out together for over 2 months mostly 24 x 7 in a studio apt!
So thought shit would go to the Kaeoke CS meeting at the Biltmore one night but thought fuck would go to the Vapor lounge instead and get shit faced! Cuz thought had enough of the CS scene for a while!
*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************On NYE party went to a NYE party open to anyone at a CS person Avi's friend's place by Joyce Station. Sanja came with Bollywood around 10:30 pm and stayed for 1 hr.Thomas and I went to Flo's for drinks around 6 pm and Melissa (MissE) and Mike her room mate joined us and we all went to the NYE party. The party went Ok except for Christina who came to the party very drunk and passed out! Luckily Josh and Jimena the Mexican chick helped her as I would have except they were busy helping her. Plus what's her Eeva this local Vancity chick was acting like the guard and wouldn't let anyone help Christina!
Attn: Vancouver Couchsurfers Re: NEW YEARS EVE 2011
Posted 10 hrs ago by Avi from Vancouver, Canada
Hello friends...
I've always seen lists of options for things to do in the city throughout the year... perhaps I've missed it.. but I was wondering what options people have for New Years... I fancy a party.. but I'm not fancying paying hundreds of dollars to go to some club... I'd rather spend it on booze.. and invite all you lovely people over.. I've got a house; couchsurfer friendly. If we've got some DJ's and some people who wanna come and have a memorable night... let's do it :)
Or not, the objective is to have a good time.. irrespective of where :)
xxBottom of Form
Posted 9 hrs ago by FreeSpiritGuy from Vancouver, Canada (Permalink)
Hey was sitting here staring on my notebook as got a bit wasted at Erin's awesome Orphan's Dinner last night. So saw ur posting and agree with your theory about New Years as dislike Clubs at the best of times & espec New Years. Actually I never give New Year's much thought as probably party 5 or 6 nights a weeks so hell if nothing happens on New Year's that's cool with me! But can relate to your ideas! Thx for the idea!!
Happy ho ho
greetings from another mt. pleasant cser. actually i guess my hood is technically called little mountain. just wondering what you are up to for new years? i have 2 groups surfing with me over new years, we were going to go to monmarte on main st. and the naam, but avi was talking about hosting a party? or was that you? anyway if you feel like coming along with us or you have any other ideas, let me know! hasta la vista, missee
OK this is like meeting a CSurfing so I checked the CS section in CS & found that u know ppl on CS who are cool and nice who know others who know u so this is what I found.
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Maybe scored a Gig to drive someone's car to Dallas, Texas. Not sure if I'll go or not so letting u know if u want to go or whatever?
I NEED MY CAR DRIVEN TO DALLAS, TX (Lower Mainland)
I am looking for a responsible person to drive my car from a Surrey/Abbotsford to Dallas, Texas.
If you are interested, please drop me a note.
Thanks.
So I replied cus it sounded like a fun gig like my road trip across Canada using whatever means I could and Couch surfing.
Hey
I'd be interested in driving your car to Texas! I have a couple of good friends in Texas who have wanted me to visit them. So this is a good opportunity plus have always wanted to visit the state.
I have a good driving record, responsible and careful driver. I used to work as a Software Developer with Alaska Airlines in Seattle, also with Saudi Arabian airlines in Jeddah Saudi Arabia, etc. So made some cash and made a few investments which resulted in me being able to quit working in the profession as got tired of the ppl in the industry.
Now I work at other jobs, volunteer in foreign countries and travel. So when I see an opportunity to do some traveling I check it out!
I realize that this isn't a job interview but am still sending u my resume to hopefully show that I'm not a vagabond looking to get a free ride some place.
Hope to hear back from u.
My email and sending my resume must have helped cus the guy sent me this reply
Hi,
Thank you for your impressive resume and introduction email.
Our family just returned from Dallas, due to health/medical reasons, we will be flying to Dallas, Texas. on Dec 31, 2010.
When do you want to drive our vehicle to Dallas?
What are your terms and expectations?
Regards.
I haven’t replied cus now realize that i have to go to see my Tropical Disease Dr in early Jan cus got this terrible itch from my trip to Africa in Apr and May. Also trying to get visas to countries for a trip from Laos, Tibet, Mongolia to Central Asian 'stan countries, Iran and UAE so can't use my passport. So kind of thinking if I do go it would be for maybe a week cus need my passport for visas and to cross the US border.
So wondering if I do go if any one wants to do a quick trip to Texas & find our way by Rideshare, hitching, bus or walking back! But to come U have to be an idiot & stupid too as well as being very flexiblethe way I travel cus to me it's all an experience and adventure. But may just have to pass on this gig as sure the guy wants an answer in a day or so. Just another spontaneous thing that I thought would be fun and different!
T
So I haven’t replied cus now realize that i have to go to see my Tropical Disease Dr in early Jan cus got this terrible itch from my trip to Africa in Apr and May. Also trying to get visas to countries for a trip
T
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We went to a Free Hug afternoon downtown during the Christmas season which was organized by Christina (an American Couch Surfing chick). Thomas and I didn't orginally intend to participate but rode our bikes downtown to hang out and watch them. But Thomas joined in while I basically just laughed and hung out! But it was a fun afternoon of laughing with Christina, Caio, Jimena, Josh, Dove, this German dude (can't remember his name but we met him at the Scavenger Hunt earlier), Dove, Thomas and I. We then of course retired to a bar later for some eats and beer!!
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Got invited around Jan 7 to a Serbian (Orthodox) Christmas dinner (tho it wasn't advertised as that). It was held by Bollywood's place (Bollywood is the husband of convenience of Sanja who are both crazy Serbs). So went there and had some awesome fish cooked by Bollywood. Of course Sanja wasn't there cuz she had left for Serbia to visit her family & friends for a month! But met up with Christina, Alesia, Lydia, Josh, Thomas, myself & this guy (think his name was Todd but regardless didn't impress me cus thought he was a bit of an arrogant jerk as didn't like him). Had a good time except gave the guys some special cookies to try & Bollywood kind of fell asleep! Think he should stay off the stuff tho he says he likes weed! duh guess he likes it so he can sleep!
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The 2nd party that happened at the Fun House was Jungle Party the night before Thomas left Vancouver. It also coincided with about 2 other parties - one at the same house as the NYE party. Also one party at these Brazilian guys place. But unfortunately I didn't go to either of the other 2 parties. But I had gone to this party with Thomas, Flo (Thomas's French friend) & this shit head American from Chicago (can't remember his name). Well during the party Thomas disappeared with Lydia as he was leaving early in the morning. So that was ok as there were a lot of ppl left. I was quite wasted but when I went outside one time. Flo and this American asshole (surfing at Flo's place) were bashing Alberto (a cool Mexican dude who was pretty drunk as he came from the Brazilian party). Guess this Irish guy who lived in the Fun House told Flo & his douche bag Surfer to watch the door. (can't understand cuz the idiot was standing there at the door anyway). However Flo and the fuckin American were telling Alberto that he couldn't come in cuz they thought for some reason that he was a dope dealer! (found out on CS the next day they said Alberto was going to attack them with a knife!) Shit I was pretty wasted but told the 2 guys (shit had come with them to the party) that Alberto was cool and wouldn't sell dope or use a knife to get into the party! Shit about a hr earlier I could remember Flo had talked to some friends of his to invite them to the party & shit they knew no one at the party! Well after all that shit I couldn't take it any more so left and went home!
I haven't had any thing to do with the CS bunch since that party in the middle of Jan!
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Hell Thomas had about 3 goodbye get togethers before he left Vancouver in Jan 2011. I organized one at the Cambie Pub which was well attended by about 10 people. Then Thomas didn't make his flight so he got a bunch to try and make it to the Library Club (a prententious club downtown next to the Main Library). But it turned out to be a Gong show as there was supposedly no cover till 9 PM. However they have to always have a line up to let people inside to create an impression that the place is really hopping (1 of many reasons I dislike Clubs downtown). So we couldn't go in but also cus no one wanted to pay the $12 cover entrance! I couldn't get in anyways cus I was wearing shorts! So then everyone decided to head to the Cambie Pub! However it was a Fri evening so by the time we got to the Cambie Pub there was also a lineup there! Plus they were charging a $10 cover to get in. So again no one wanted to pay it so we all split up and went our own ways! A bunch wanted to buy some booze and head to a park to drink outside! I'm not that desperate to drink that I'd sit outside to drink plus hell I could go home and drink so why sit outside in the cool rainy evening to drink! So I headed to the New Amsterdam Cafe to smoke! Then I found out that Thomas (who arrived late for a thing he organized) and a couple others headed to the Metropole Pub! But hell I didn't care cus it's getting that I dislike going to Pubs or Clubs on a weekend. I would much rather go to them from Sun to Thur as there aren't long lineups and stupid cover charges. Plus there aren't so many pretentious people out trying to impress one another!
Thomas originally only came to Vancouver around the start of Nov 2010 for 10 days! But he got into the fun times so decided to change his ticket to fly back to Quebec City & onward to Paris. So he changed it at the last minute to fly to Quebec City on Dec 6 (I think cus he changed the tkt a couple times). Then just before Dec 6 he changed it again to fly to Quebec City until Jan 12! Then had to change his onward ticket to Paris on Jan 30! But when Jan 12 came he decided he might change it again. However he got home late on Jan 12 and decided to change it again about 4 am when his flt left at 7 am! Well when he finally called he found out that his flt was actually for the day before like on Jan 11! But by some flukely miracle the airlines let him still use the ticket so he paid $29 and changed his flt to Quebec City to Jan 26. But the airlines later called him back to say the system was down so they couldn't process his money. So he never got charged his change fee. So at that time he decided to change his ticket to fly back to Quebec City on Jan 16 at 7 Am cus that was the cheapest ticket! Then we went to this crazy Jungle Party and all got shitfaced. But Thomas had met Lydia (a real young American chick) at a New Year's Eve Party and the 2 of them went to her place around 1 am. Then he slept in and if it wasn't for Alesia (a crazy sexy Swedish/Russian soldier in Vancouver for 6 months) who called him he would have missed his flight! She texted to tell me all this cus I had no idea this was happening! So she managed to call him at 6 am 1 hr before his flt left so he caught a cab to make his flt! So he finally left Vancouver 4 1/2 wks/2 months & 2 wks after he arrived for a 10 day stay!!! He stayed with me for all the time except for the last 4 days as finally needed some down time! But all in all we had an awesome crazy fun time while he was here. lol!!!
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Somewhere along the way I got this bad rash/itch that was driving me crazy. Actually I had since I had been in West Africa. I'm not sure but it could have started as a heat rash and so I'd scratch it. Then it got to become a bigger rash so it got to be a habit as I'd keep scratching. So it'd get itchy again so I'd keep scratching it & another rash would appear, etc. So it became a vicious cycle of itch, where I'd scratch & then it'd keep being itchy!
So in August once I returned to Vancouver well I visited my doctor. He referred me to an allergist who wasn't able to find anything that I was allergic to which would cause my itch! So he referred me to a dermatologist who was also useless in any diagnosis. So I asked my doctor if I could see a Tropical disease doctor as I was starting to be make my own diagnosis or suggestions of who I'd like to examine me! Well hell no doctor could tell me why I've got these itches so thought hell must be all in my head!!
So thought hell maybe I should go get hypnotized and get rid of that shit in my mind! So got the name of a Clinical Hypnotist and made appointments. It's not covered in our health care system but didn't mind paying cuz it was bothering me a lot. Cuz was starting to affect my sleep as woke u quite often to scratch. I found when I'm not hot but feeling a bit colder or after a shower that it wasn't as itchy.
I found going to a hypnotist was very interesting as he told me about his background and what the various patients he had dealt with over the years!
I always thought that the hypnotist would wave a watch or some object to put me under his trance. But actually he turns the lights off making it dark and puts on some soothing music (almost like a seduction except that I don't seduce or get seduce easily lol) and speaks in a soothing voice. I find that lately everything I've been doing or trying has to do with breathing and inhaling to exercise, yoga & now being hypnotiized!
What I found is I would either fall asleep or actually being hypnotized! But when a person is hypnotized there are 3 levels, light, medium and deep subconscious and then lower is sleep. So he would get to my subconscious and talk to it! Then if I would fall asleep he would pull me out of it to get to my subconscious. But it seems that his words can be heard by my subconscious when I'm sleeping!
So he gave me an audio of what he spoke at his sessions so I could listen to it at home. So I'd listen to this audio last thing before sleeping and usually fall asleep listening to it (I think but could be just hypnotized as coudn't tell). Also listened to it when I first got up in the morning or aftenoon well when ever I woke up.
My problem is I have a hard time focusing (use to have A.D.D.) so when listening to the audio or him well I'm sometimes thinking (yeah I do think sometimes) about something else! So asked him if this is bad but was told that the conscious often is thinking of more than one thing at a time. But the subconscious which he is trying to target hears what he's saying. It's like driving from point A to point B and not remember what u saw or doing it!! Not dangerous but your mind is off on something else not what is at hand! Dam hope he's correct cuz if u asked me what he said well couldn't tell u. This is why I had trouble in a conventional class or school. Which is why I studied and worked in IT software development cuz it was hands on and not reading, comprehension and listening!
But also I get bored quite easily as got bored/tired of software development (also got bored with the ppl I worked with as found them so borinnnnng) so got the hell out of the work! Also didn't help that have to keep retooling my skill set as it kept changing!
Hell it got to the point that about the 4th visit well found I was getting kind of bored with the same talk and line from the hypnotist that think was turning off from listening any longer. So finally decided for my last visit to smoke a bit & got a bit stoned! Just did it for the experience and not to see the results to cure my itch! He told me that I seemed a bit different on that visit but didn't tell him I had smoked! I found that I was listening to his words and the music as it was different but don't know if it made much different.
But hell found that being hypnotized wasn't any different than anything else I do in Tom's World! I do most things for the experience at least once but shit this experience was a bit expensive and had no medical plan to pay! But like what's money as to me life is about living, experiences, enjoying family and friends!
My hypnotist suggested that it might help my itch if I participated in yoga and mediation. Well I tried mediation once but had a hard time focusing as mind kept wandering to think about other things cuz u're suppose to empty your mind! So thought why try to do it again even if I think it would be good to do! So thought I'd try yoga so went to 2 yoga classes with a friend who has been doing it for about 4 years. Hey if I wanted to see the results from doing yoga well only had to see this person. My friend exercises a lot and isn't a big partier like myself of even knows any of the others that I partied with before).
So this was a good influence on me to take a break from partying, smoking and drinking!
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Didn't realize it but had built up quite a group of guys and chicks that we hung out with. But after the Jungle Party and getting totally pissed at my self for letting those 2 asshole bash Alberto. Well I disappeared from the scene and just hung out by myself for a month!
But what I didn't realize was that I hadn't even seen any of my friends for a month. Then one day I got a text from my good friend Sanja wanting to hang out. So we did and it was cool and fun as thoroughly enjoyed it! I always got a long great with her as she was really cool and chill. It was then that I realize that I missed people like her so decided that I should get back in contact with my friends. But it may have to wait as I hope to go traveling for the next 3 or 4 months. I hope to go to Philippines, Laos, China/Tibet, Mongolia and where ever else my money and time limitations will allow me. My time limitation is I have to be back in Canada for a family reunion at the start of July.
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When I was hanging out just partying I got to think maybe I should do another volunteering gig in another country. But I realized that volunteering is cool but finding a NGO or group to volunteer through is difficult to find! So got to thinking about the fun time I had when I was volunteering in Kenya. But problem with volunteering in Africa when u take or want to donate money. Well the correct people don't get the money but the people organizing pocket some of it. So of course I have no time for underprivileged people getting scammed! So I told the organization I was volunteering thru what I thought (some people who know me probably understand that I can be very opinionated!). So long story short well was told that my services were no longer needed or in other words I got fired from a volunteering gig for telling the truth! So I decided to do some traveling and made it to Uganda and Tanzania. So well I ended up doing what I probably do best (no it was not just doing nothing but hanging out) which was raise shit, party and be a complete idiot!!!
********************************************************************************** Started going to this small gym across the street from my place which is owned by Hugh a guy I met a couple years back & then found out his gym is in my neighborhood.
We get along pretty good and talk while working out! He told me he's heading back to Jamaica for a week for business so he suggested that I should go too since I've never been there. He's from there so he said he could show me around the island country! So I took him up on his offer and got a tkt and will meet up with him in Jamaica but for 2 weeks + more if I really get into the place!!! So it's off to Jamaica to check out the reggae, 420 & the culture of the island!!!
