How did I get here, anyway?

Many people so far have asked me why on earth I decided to come to Edmonton. It's not one of your classic places for a working holiday. None of the working holiday agencies offer to find you work here. In winter, it gets excruciatingly cold. It's not the biggest city in Alberta (even if it is the capital) and interestingly enough, it's a lot like Adelaide.

Well, friends, the answer is simple. Her name is Christine :). I have been friends with Christine via the world wide web for several years. Last year, we bullied each other through the epic adventure that is NaNoWriMo. We chatted on skype and earlier this year started texting each other all the time. Christine would constantly tell me I had to come visit her. It was half jokingly, knowing of course that if I had the ability I would jump on a plane in a heartbeat. But I had a full time job with ridiculous time committments. How could I just up and leave and go to Canada?

As it turns out, quite easily. Around Easter I had something of a mental breakdown. I left my job and spent a few weeks in my house doing nothing and waiting for my anti depressant meds to kick in. And then I had a conversation with my friend Tim. Tim is a great person. I don't think there's a single situation in life which Tim would be unable to give sage advice on. And when I was talking to Tim about the fact I had left my job, had no idea what I wanted to do but had a friend in Canada who was bugging me to come visit, he had two very simple words for me.

'Then go'.

I laughed him off at the time. I couldn't afford it. I was too sick to leave home. How could I go to the other side of the world and just leave everything behind?

Turns out, quite easily. Fares were about half the price they had been six months about. I got a healthy tax return. Canada and Australia have a working holiday agreement. Centrelink paid me to be sick for a few months so I didn't have to live off my savings. Things fell into place.

And here I am. Employed, with a roof over my head and a warm bed. What more could I ask for, really?

Aussieness

So, much like Garry's blog, I'm going to start a list on the side of this travel blog. My brother's is the number of times people have told him to get planted, as well as other things pertaining to his cricket 'career'. Mine will be the things people have asked me to say because they think they sound funny. Today's word?

Balloon.

Apparently I sound hilarious when I say that. Or so says one of the other partners at work.

Yes.At Starbucks, we are all called 'partners'. Not coworkers or employees. Partners. So I figure just in case anyone from work sees this blog, I will stick to protocol.

One Happy Dinosaur

Well hi again.

I am one happy dinosaur. You know why?

I loves me a frappucino, and from Monday, I will have them whenever I feel like it. Because Rachel will be working at Starbucks. Om nom nom.

How much can you fit in one mall, anyway?

So. As Rachel alluded yesterday, this little dinosaur took a trip to the second biggest mall in the world. It used to be the biggest, but apparently Dubai can't really handle having anything that isn't the biggest, so they built a bigger one.

Exactly what does one find in the biggest mall in the world?



Well...a pirate ship, for one thing...

Also, sea lions. Because of course there are sea lions.

Oh, and a water park. Yeah. So you can have fun in the water when it's -30 degrees outside.

And I found a friend. I'm not entirely sure why the WEM gift shop was selling cuddly dinosaurs, but there you go. My fuzzy cousins apparently have a home here too.

And, because we are in the great continent of North America, we found this dude.

He seems really happy to be here.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. The people downstairs are having a screaming match. It makes this little dinosaur unhappy...

Let's go to the mall!

Hi There

Today, I said to Gerald, 'Hey! Let's go the mall!'

And then I had this stuck in my head...



Then we went to West Edmonton Mall, the second biggest mall in the world.

But I'll let Gerald tell you about that later...

Hello, and Welcome

Hi. My name is Gerald. I am a travelling velociraptor.

I am currently living in Canada and blogging about my awesome adventures. So far, they include arriving in Vancouver via San Francisco
Driving from Abbotsford to Edmonton,

settling into my new place in a part of town with the awesomest name ever

and drinking beer at the local pub.

Be sure to stick around for all my adventures...and remember, you can find me on twitter - @geraldtheraptor