Iceland is expensive
New York is smokey
Oslo has cobblestones
Russians don't speak English
Swedish people ride alot of bicycles
Amsterdam has a red light district
My associations above are subjective because the fact that I made the statement is because that is the first place I encountered it on my particular journey and not because it is the only place that it is true.
For example, because I went to Iceland I was shocked to see how expensive everything was. In fact towards the end of my visit in Iceland I had become a bit angry about it and spent the last couple days eating cheese and crackers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. What is interesting is that when I got to Norway - where things cost about the same - I had accepted the situation completely and did not really notice or concern myself too much about it.
Where this comes up is when I meet another traveller who asks me what I thought about Norway - usually I mention that it reminds me of B.C. being a west coast country and a place that I think has lots of things to do... Often, the first thing they mention are the high prices.
When I started writing this blog it was easier to compare everything relative to B.C. This is harder as I learn more on my journey.
The point is that your experiences will differ because your journey will be different. Also I don't really notice or worry anymore if things are expensive, smokey, cobblestoney, foreigny, cycly, or naughty.
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3 comments:
"The point is that your experiences will differ because your journey will be different."
It's interesting your consideration on how the order we discover things affects the way we perceive them.
Does stopping to compare with a known reality mean that you are now fully into your journey? (I stopped to compare to Italy, for instance, I think)
I have a couple more questions. How long does it feel since you left Vancouver? Is there a city or a place of your trip that you are missing and where you would like to return?
Yes - I am fully into my journey. How things work in Vancouver is a pretty distant and less relevant to me. I still think of ideas for Vancouver though.
For transport improvements:
I wonder how easy it is for tourists to figure out how to get from Stanley Park to Jericho. If that info is not there on the Bus Stops in Stanley Park - then it should be. Alot of good bus and tram systems (German, Swedish, Danish, Dutch) have digital displays which show count downs to the next bus or train. Also all of the signs for the stops also show the connecting trains and trams. Within the busses, there are digital displays which announce and display the upcoming stop and occasionally popular attractions.
For city beauty:
I kinda wish we had some canals. I really liked the canal in the centre of Riga. Basically we would need to take a street like Robson (maybe not Robson or Georgia per se., but another street parallel - and as central to it) and run a canal with green space along the sides of the bank with some bridges across it.
The greenspace and the water make Vancouver a pretty enough place though. The fact we also have the mountain view as well is why it is one of the most beautiful cities.
How long since I left Vancouver?
Vancouver seems so far away. I miss friends, family, my apartment and my motorcycle.
Is there a city or a place of your trip that you are missing and where you would like to return?
Yes. Revisit some people too.
I am moving pretty fast through alot of cities so I would like to go back to alot of them. For the cities: I could spend more time in Oslo hiking, Prague partying or relaxing... (out of internet time - later!)
I like piazzas so Vancouver could use some of those too.
Northern European cities need free public washrooms. I know it is a very cliche thing for a North American to complain about - but I think it is a basic human need that a society should provide. Cities such as Paris, which charge for public washrooms, tend to have much smellier and damper sidewalks.
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