Travel Day (Day 19) - Stanley Park Biking and Home

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Leaving Canada

Our last day in Canada.

Tim Horton's

We finished packing and walked up Robson for Breakfast. Ever since Lynne was reading blogs as part of her research prior to the trip, Tim Horton's has become a running joke. It's a brand of coffee shop not present in the UK but which seemed to have a huge fan base for some unaccountable reason.
After pointing out every branch we have passed across Canada it would have always been a regret if we hadn't visited one so Tim Horton's was our breakfast destination.

An intriguing half way between a Starbucks and a Wimpy I would suggest. One type of Coffee and no Lattes and Flat Whites to be seen. This meant service was a lot faster and it was excellent coffee.
Breakfast buns were available but we settled for a croissant, a toasted bagel with cream cheese and a Boston Donut. All well baked but the Boston Donut was gorgeous, filled with a vanilla custard and topped with a chocolate glaze I think this is my new favourite donut.


Breakfast eaten we checked out of our room and left our luggage in hotel storage then walked up Robson toward Stanley Park.

Stanley Park 

Cycle Tour

Our final morning was to be spent cycling around Stanley Park, a large area, I think bigger than New York's Central Park, at the tip of Vancouver.

We picked up our bikes from Spokes who were near the Park so no cycling through the city to get there; also we got discount from our hotel. A short walk down the steep slope to the waterfront then off around the shoreline of Stanley Park.

We didn't stop for many photos but we recommend the trip to anyone visiting. The one way route separates pedestrians and cyclists but the cycle lane is fairly busy with a kerb drop at the side so frequent stopping is not easy, especially on unfamiliar bikes. That said, there are regular pull-offs at points on interest and views.

Totem Poles

Lions Gate Bridge, our arrival route into Vancouver 3 days ago.

Lions Gate Bridge

I have no idea as to why there is a statue of A Girl in a Wet-suit. We are in tidal waters here and at high tide the sea splashes around her feet.

Girl in a Wetsuit

When we chose our bikes we were only after the basic; the shoreline route is largely flat so we saw no need for gears. When asked did we want a 'hand brake' we were a little confused; being car drivers we were both thinking of some additional mechanism. Turns out they simply meant handle bar mounted brakes which we assumed were standard. Having said 'No' to handbrakes, we were introduced to our Cruiser bikes with Steer type handlebars and a rear wheel brake operated by back peddling.
They took a bit of getting used to but we both agreed that they had been a fun challenge and added to the enjoyment of the ride.

Cruiser Bikes

Walkway and Cycle-way

Third Beach

At 10km, the ride was just right. We had stopped a few times to take in views and for an enormous ice cream at Third Beach.
Having completed the Stanly Park circle we continued along by Coal Harbour for a while before returning the bikes and heading back to our hotel.

Coal Harbour

Our Final Drive

You may have forgotten by now, or might not have read the post from our arrival in Vancouver, but we have no functioning fuel gauge and have done quite a few miles since last adding what we thought was enough to complete the drive. When I calculated that we had enough, the car was reporting about 8 litres per 100 km but now, with city driving, it is up to 23l /100km leaving me worried. Though logically still sure we had enough, the drive to the airport in heavy traffic and stopping at every set of lights imaginable was stomach turning.
The journey was to be 35min but felt a lot longer especially when we missed the turn to Rental Returns and had to negotiate our way back to the correct road.

We drove into Thrifty's return bay and switched off the Tiguan's engine for the last time with a massive wave of relief. Other than the fuel gauge the car has been perfect for the journey and we feel obliged to have a last photo with it; an Alberta plated vehicle, the wrong side of a continent.

A bit of tired confusion showed when the guy checking us in told us we had driven nearly 6000 km.  I said it couldn't be, it's not long since we passed 3500 and should be less than 4000. It was only after we left, with him no doubt thinking I was an idiot, that I realised I was talking Miles and he Kilometres!

Still, whatever the units, our journey was done and it was time to go home.

Flights

Vancouver airport is spacious and airy and unusually actually a pleasant place to be.
We were very early as the car had to be out of the hotel car park by 3pm but our flight was not due to go until 20:55.
Departures had seating areas and shops so wasn't too bad to wait in until check-in opened at 5:30 though by then they had announced a delay to 22:45 so we were bound for another long wait air-side.
The airport continued to impress with very efficient and pleasant Security processing.

Vancouver to London Heathrow

A 2 hour delay to our British Airways flight meant we weren't leaving until almost 11pm.
Our plane was an Airbus 380, a double decker aircraft and massive. We took our seats downstairs and to be honest the only thing that gave the two deck design away was that the wall was curving in only and floor level and not at ceiling.
In flight food plan had to be carried out so we ate chicken korma midnight. Two small bottles of Chardonnay were hopefully going to assist in sleep and the lights went out followed by trying to get comfortable and doze for about 4 hrs with some sleep.
The crew caught up a little time but we landed after a little over 9 hours to find a that parking guidance system had not switched on for our gate which apparently is essential for an aircraft this big. Then it turns out one of the jetties is blocking the gate and they are  having difficulty moving it.
By the time they sorted it all out, the recovered time was lost and more.

London Heathrow to Manchester

Our connection to Manchester was from a different terminal but as we had a stop over of 4 hours we had expected a casual transfer and get something to eat.
Best laid plans and all that; we now had less than an hour and a half to complete the transfer so we shot off  at a good pace to T3 via queues and buses in the hope that our luggage was doing likewise.
We arrived at the nominated gate to find we had to board another bus out to our plane. Fortunately, everyone made it, boarding was completed quickly and we were away on time. Lynne's window seat was sadly of little use as we ascended through cloud and didn't see the ground until a couple of hundred feet up on final approach into Manchester.

Home

We waited a while for our baggage carousel to start but not only had our cases made it through Heathrow but both bags came within the first few on the belt.

We were aware from the news that our part of the UK had been hit badly with heavy rains over the previous 48 hours and indeed the airfield was drenched. We grabbed a taxi to be advised that several routes back to our house were under water but somehow, after the last 3 weeks, a roundabout journey home didn't seem to matter.

HOME! and the end.

Today's Statistics

Statistics: Miles today: 9 ; Miles so far: 3739 ; Fuel added so far: 341.8 litres, 75.2 imp gals; Provinces: British Columbia; Time Zone: UTC-7 Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)