So what have I done since returning home from many months of travelling? Except plan for my next one!!

Once I got over my reverse cultural shock well it was back to life as I knew it! Hang out, eat some things I couldn’t get on my travels, drink beer, smoke a bit and sleep till noon, etc. All the time sponging off someone but promising to return the favor once I got a job! Then I called the one that brought me into the world (no not the doctor & nurse but my Mom) to let her know I’m back! I made a trip to visit later on in the summer!
So then I got back into the swing of life in my home city of Vancouver! Like go for a run on one of the great trails, hike in the mtns, ride my bike, contact whatever few remaining friends I have, etc.
Then after sponging for a month I decided maybe it’s time to get my own place as I may be home for a few months and didn’t want to overstay at ppl’s places!
My choices were keep sponging where I was, find others or family members to sponge, move in a room mate situation or find my own place. Well I finally scored a sweet furnished studio apt that is furnished! It’s close enough to the downtown core so I can walk, run, bike or bus there easily. I lucked into this place as rent it for a bargain http://www.vopenhouse.ca/video/4848_Kingsway/ The furniture came with the condo but not all the flowers & Knicknacks as not really into them!

So after getting my own place by myself I felt hey now I'm able to host Couch Surfers! Cuz have a studio apartment and can let the guest sleep on it and I'll use my air mattress in the room on the floor. Then got an msg from a couple who needed a couch to stay as they were coming to Vancouver for a year on a work visa.

ARRIVAL DATE: 30 .09.2009.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 2
Hi!
We are a nice couple from Latvia (Europe) and we are moving to Vancouver for 1 year. We will arrive on 30th of September and we still have no place to live. About us: we both like to try out new things, and as we have never been to Canada, we thought - the best way to get to know it - is to live in it! We both are funny :), very active, we love to spend time outside, but we also like to play board games, and geocache.
During our stay at your place, we have to look for a flat to rent, so we hope not to bother you too much. And if you can't host us on the first days, when we arrive, please write the dates when you could host us, so we could plan our stay with different couchsurfers! If you can have us for a longer time it would be great!
Looking forward for your replay,
Valdis and Eva

Also received another email from another couple:

Hi hi,

We, Yves and Sonia, a belgium/tunisian couple (35/30yo) are looking urgently for a couch in Vancouver or its neighbourhood. Sonia has obtained her permanent visa (she is a doctor), so we are leaving to Canada with the purpose to start a new life there on October 16th. I am sure that couch surfing is the best opportunity to get to know friends who can give us tips and stay for a
couple of days, while we are travelling around BC. Do you have couch available from October 20th for
about 4 days if possible ? If not when is it the best for you ? So we can start to plan our trip. We have
just a couple of days left. We couldn’t start to search earlier because we were travelling around.
We’ll explain you our complicated situation by a drink there, what do you think?

Hope to hear you soon.
Thanks a lot

Sonia and Yves

The also got an invitation to what sounds like a wicked Halloween Party in Seattle for Couch Surfers

Seattle's Kick Ass Halloween Party
WELCOME all Ghouls and Gobblins. Ahhhhh yeah it's almost that time of year. Klaire, Glen and Chris are at it again. If you have been to one of our parties before you know what your in for. If not, then it's time to get off you a$$ and join us for a wild night of anything goes at the best Halloween party in Seattle.
Come one come all and bring your best costume and your friends. We weclome all locals as well as all surfers who find themselves in Seattle for the best holiday of the year. Halloween is on a Saturday so there is no excuse to sit at home and be a square. If anything come help me celebrate my 33rd year on this giant rock.

If anyone is up for coming over on the 25th or 30th and helping out with some decrations there will be beer and snacks available for you. We plan on starting around sunset so be ready to party when the sun goes down. There will be some snacks but feel free to bring whatever you like to eat. There will be a keg or two on hand but also bring your favorite drink. Hell we may even have a costume contest. There will even be a lesbian zombie sex show in the garage!!! Now how can you miss that??

We welcome all of our friends from north of the boarder to come down and join us as well. We will be able to host about 10-12 people for the night and maybe have some tent space outside if needed. Let us know if you will need a couch and if you live near by and can help host people from farther away.. Cheers, Chris, Glen and Klaire!!
FROM: October 31st, 2009 - 17.00
TO: November 1st, 2009 - 11.00
LINK: http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=47527

I also encountered some different experiences which were different and worth remembering.
Volunteered as a witness to 2 chicks from Arizona who wanted to marry in Vancouver http://free-spirit-guy.blogspot.com/2009/09/hey-was-witness-for-2-chicks-from-us.html

Had a chance encounter with a Hooker without realizing it http://free-spirit-guy.blogspot.com/2009/09/ever-have-chat-with-hooker-well-its.html

Also some Odd & End things that happened to me http://stuffforblogging.blogspot.com/2009/09/odds-ends-i-encountered-while-enjoying.html


Also was able to volunteer and hang at the Shambhala Music Festivals for 6 days which is one of my favourite summer festivals so had to attend! http://www.shambhalamusicfestival.com/ As usual had an awesome time and similar to the saying about the hippie ‘60s “If u remember all of Shambhala u didn’t thoroughly enjoy yourself”. Just had to volunteer for 3 X 8 hrs shifts to get a free $280 entry to the festival! We could camp, make & greet old friends, hang and enjoy the music not to mention party with who ever as the music stages were open 24 hr a day.

Also attended the Africa Peace festival that means a lot to me . Unfortunately I was a bit too late to volunteer this year http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/spip.php?article2930

Then there were some other ethnic festivals that I attended.

The annual Latin American cultural festival at this outdoor which was a lot of fun! Cuz I had just returned from Central & South America so could relate to some of the activities taking place. There was also some Latino music that I enjoyed and the food was awesome. But the nicest thing was running across a friend I met volunteering at an African festival in 2008!

The Powell Street Festival. An annual community celebration of Japanese Canadian arts, culture and heritage is Vancouver's largest and longest running community celebration. It takes place at the beginning of August yearly. Various Locations Vancouver BC http://www.powellstreetfestival.com/

The Caribbean Days Festival This celebration of Caribbean culture is presented by the Trinidad and Tobago Society of British Columbia. Events and features include a Family Zone with face painting and a playground, specialty food vendors, a music festival with bands playing reggae, calypso, and Latin tunes, dancers, a parade and more. http://www.powellstreetfestival.com/

The weather was awesome this summer so I spent lots of time outdoors:

Pedal down to my favourite beaches in Vancouver – Wreck Beach cuz it’s a cool place where ppl are chilled and no one cares what a person does and also where I could replenish my 420 stash or make connections as ppl are pedding drinks, smoke, etc. http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Wreck+Beach+vancouver&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=Wreck+Beach&hnear=vancouver&view=text&latlng=6717808961604498257&dtab=0&cd=3&ei=tArAStySJZWejgOa9Z3fDw&oi=&sa=X

Running or biking thru Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&view=text&hl=en&gl=ca&q=bike+or+run+trails++vancouver&ie=UTF8&sll=49.203529,-122.999106&sspn=0.277037,0.351848&latlng=7502559596126912053&ei=7QvASpL1Aor4igOP2_DGDw&cd=6&usq=bike+or+run+trails&geocode=FZRO8AIdnfio-A

I also found myself cycling, walking & running thru the city http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/SightsActivitiesEvents/AirLandActivities/Cycling/Vancouver.htm?media=cpc&referrer=google-adwords&CMP=KNC-NA&HBX_PK=bike%20trails%20vancouver&HBX_OU=50&gclid=CKSiw8aPk50CFSn6agodpTQX_Q

I’m very content with the place that I am in life as I’m free to go & do whatever I want, have no one to account to, no one that depends on me, etc. Shit I have the time, a bit of money to travel and piss around, got a few cool friends, don’t give a shit about much, etc. Hell I know I smoke, drink, party, spend money on myself & others that I shouldn’t but what the fuck like to enjoy life & living it to the fullest! Hell I’ve never had trouble meeting ppl or chicks while enjoying myself! I think the whole world is there to explore & enjoy while I can. So feel I’ve been lucky so why not try to help others but not to get something in return cuz never been that type!

Once I’ve saved up some more money well I'll go travelling again! Also I’ve been thinking of maybe living for a while in another country just for the hell of it as I’ve always got good old Canada as a safety net! Cuz I figure on enjoying what life has to offer & do different things! Cuz “Life’s a participant activity not a spectator one".