Well my Canadian adventure is over and I've been back home for a week ... I feel so 'homesick' for Vancouver!

The views were amazing, the public transport was clean, cheap and efficient, staff in shops were so friendly and helpful. No one noticed my accent and harassed me about where I was from and what I was doing here ... The shops weren't big scary places (like in America) and everything was so calm and quiet [for a big city]

I went to Canada Place and nearly passed out at the view, I went to the IMAX, went round Stanley Park in a horse drawn carriage [highly recommended!] went on the bus and trolley bus tours of the city [the trolley bus does a better route!], rode around on the Skytrain just to see where it went [$9 for an all day all areas 'pass']. I went up the Lookout [bit pricey at $13 just for a ride in a lift] and nearly pee-ed myself as the lift was going up (everyone was shrieking!). Walked around Gastown (saw/heard the steam clock going off -scared the life out of me!!), and Chinatown - loved the Chinese Garden. Visited the Aquarium (which I wasn't overly impressed with - IMO the tanks were a tad small for the animals!)

I bought a dirt cheap laptop [that I managed to bring back home no probs] and a mobile phone (I didn't know I had to tell my [Irish] mobile phone provider I would be using my phone abroad, so the daymn thing wouldn't work!), I walked the legs off myself and gave myself blisters on my toes and sprained a tendon on my shin! The sun shone nearly every day that I was there. I took loads of photos (that I'm still trying to scan to the pooter - I'm a luddite I used an old 35 mm with films!). I bought 'too many' T-shirts, a ton of keyrings and fridge magnets and other assorted souvenirs ...

I felt ill the first two weeks I was there (a strange 'dizzy' sensation) which I ended up going to a doctor about - I thought my blood pressure may have dropped violently, turns out it was slightly high Someone has since suggested that my stress hormones are usually in overdrive, while I was away I had no stressers affecting me but the hormones were still there...

I had a great time and can't wait to go back!

You'll be back soon enough. It certainly sounds like you enjoyed your visit.

The high blood pressure must have been the excitement of being there.

Your blood was high ?

Ah, that'll be the "BC effect"

R.

I can relate to everything you mentioned as I'm here in Vancouver right now. I return to the UK in two weeks after my exams are over. It's a lot less busy than I was anticipating, and the views are truly stunning.

Ahhh but what about the T5 wrangling....go without a hitch?

I've been really down in the dumps since I came home - I keep bumping into people and telling them I was in Canada and making myself 'homesick' - I didn't even want to look on here in case it set me off again!

I've had a follow-up blood test since I came home and I've been told I have Type 2 Diabetes. I'm on tablets for it since there wasn't a heck of a lot I could do about my [already reasonably good] diet ... I'm assuming this will go against me in any effort I make to emigrate (?)

Hey Gulf stream sorry to hear the news of the Diabetes.

I dont think it would have any effect on you emigration. I am fairly sure there are a couple of people on this site whom have had the same and still successfully made the move.

Thanks for that smelly, I've been managing the diabetes quite well, and am going to ask the doc about reducing my meds ...

couldn't think what T5 was!! Yes, it all went fine, thanks, I was told that if your bags are passing through T5 they go no probs, it's just when people start at T5 everything goes wrong

Glad yr back safe - how did you catch Diabetes??

i agree Vancouver is beautiful!

Haven't been here for a while, what with various <air quotes>problems</air quotes> at home ... the latest being I put my back out just reaching to put something in my handbag. and I've not been getting the notifications of posts on threads I've subscribed to

I've a friend here who's Irish/Canadian who went to Vancouver for a week, and we were chatting about it, gawd, I nearly started crying! Why am I homesick for a place I've only been to once and don't have any formal attachments to?!

I'm going to go back to the doc about my diabetes, I got into a funk and cheated on my diet (ate a whole bar of chocolate ) but when I checked my mmol next morning it was below 6 (7 is classed as excellent). I've been 'testing' it out, no exercise, eat sugary foods, next morning mmol 5.1 - 5.6. Exercise, no sugary foods, next morning mmol 6.7 - 6.9 Not just once or twice, but for a week at a time!

I did however discover (when the dietitian weighed me on her fanceh electric scales) that I've lost in the region of a stone in weight!!!!! and I managed to put my 'skinny' jeans on.

and I managed to sit down in them!!!

Lmao nice move on the sitting in the jeans - now you have to manage 5 mins without getting back up and undoing the button (been there )

So how are things progressing with the move?

Big hugs for you for staying positive and managing your diabetes

That's interesting. I've been making jokes about there being "something in the air" in Canada; fairly healthy lifestyle for years, move to Canada and 'get' diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Anyway, I have also found no link between my readings and consumption of sugary foods and similar crazy results.

thanks mandymoo! I dunno about any move, yet, I'm still investigating my possibilities ... I've suddenly found a lorry load of people who have friends/relations in Vancouver, and it's all about networking!

BristolUK, I dunno but I think you may be right about there being "something" in the Vancouver air ... I had my bloods tested two years ago to check everything was OK, and was negative for anything serious, like diabetes, I had my eyes tested in Feb this year, and the optician didn't mention my having diabetes, when I had the blood test done in Van the doctor didn't mention diabetes, he suggested I get the test done again at home to verify the results, if I wanted to - he emphasised that he wasn't telling me to get them done again, or take myself off to an A&E right now or anything ...

What gets me is "They" insist that diet and lifestyle are nothing to do with you developing diabetes, but when you do [develop diabetes], what do "They" do? Tell you to change your diet and lifestyle ...

and we will be arriving in Nov