I was thinking about giving this blog up when I returned from Japan. I think I thought that my life in Canada would somehow lose some of its intensity or magic somehow... you know, become less noteworthy. Less interesting. Well, let me tell you, every life is just as rich and complex as you expect it to be. And as I am always expecting excitement and diversity, that's what I get.

You can count on the Law of Attraction that way.

The bus ride from Courtenay to Port Hardy was beautiful and comfortable-- two seats to myself, a good book, and nine black bear sightings. The best was the mama and the three yearling cubs... they graze on the grass by the side of the highways when they come out of their winter slumber. I guess the roughage gets their digestive tracts-- uhh-- functioning again.

I was 'adopted' by a fast-talking 17-year-old high school drop-out from the Yukon named Amanda as soon as I stepped off the bus at my port of departure. She eyed me up and down quickly while smoking her cigarette and wrapping herself in a giant fuzzy 'Scarface' blanket.

"You alone?"

"Uh... yeah..."

"Good! You wanna hang out with me? You can share my blanket! Do like Scarface? I hate hanging out alone! It's SO-o-o-o boring..."

I was entertained by Amanda's boundless and far-ranging chatter from when we got to the terminal at about 4pm until we finally boarded the ferry at about 7:30pm. We got rolling at 8pm. Only two hours late... Amanda instructed me on everything from where to put my suitcase to the benefits of apprenticing as a car mechanic. Oh, the boundless knowledge of the newly adult! She managed to boss another passenger, a speed-boarding sweetheart named Nathan, into joining us. (Speedboarding is a kind of freakishly dangerous skateboarding, from what I could gather. He had the gimpy knee and broken collar bone to prove it.) He and I hit it off, and ended up chatting for most of the trip, especially when we accompanied Amanda out on the frigid decks of the ferry for her frequent smoke breaks. Sleep was long in coming, as the boat was swarming with exuberant kids, heading back to the tiny coastal village of Bella Bella. We stopped there at 3am, and our ferry (the newest in the fleet, I might add) suffered a power failure. We were immobilized for three hours. The boat was still, and the kids were gone- that's when I slept. At 7am, a kind native woman told me that due to the delay, breakfast was free until 8am- FREE! I roused my travelling partners and headed to the cafeteria. Mmmm! Ferry eggs and soggy toast! Saltysalty bacon! Glad it was free.

Nathan's native mother was born in one of the tiny little coastal communities on the Inside Passage, now mostly abandoned and slowly sinking back into the little bay. What was it called-- Butedale? We stood together and admired it from afar as the ferry slowly passed it by.

Now I'm in Prince Rupert, also known as "The quaint little drinking town with a fishing habit". Don't laugh. It's true.

I've been here for two days, and can see why people stay, and why people leave. It's infinitely beautiful here when the sun shines. The fishing is good, and the people are friendly. The rent is low. But jobs are hard to find, the economy isn't so hot, and you need a fifty-dollar permit to paint your house. Litter is a big problem, as are drugs, and yes, drinking. It's a saltysalty town.

Anyhooo--- I'm at the internet cafe (when am I not) and my aunt just came in to fetch me-- the Shepherd wagon awaits me. Off I go. Until next time...

Namaste (and wish me luck)

endrene