Ferries..............ugh!!

Having learned our lesson on ferry schedules, and not knowing exactly where we'd have to go to catch the ferry to Vancouver, last night we made a reservation for the 11:45 am ferry from Drake's Bay to Twassen, just south of Vancouver. We enjoyed a relaxed morning and a yummy breakfast at the Port-O-Call. We were happy to discover that the ferry landing was only about 15 minutes away and arrived there about an hour before departure time. We were unhappy to learn that the $17.50 we paid when we made our ferry reservation was not a deposit, but was merely a charge to make the damn reservation. This particular ferry crossing, lasting about 2 hours, cost us a total of $91.00. This was the final straw! The romantic notions we had once entertained about ferries were permanently and irrevokably dashed to hell! Screw ferries! Give us bridges!!!!

We arrived at the Twassen Ferry landing at about 2pm and set off in the direction of Vancouver. We had picked up a map on the ferry and plotted our trek through Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver. Alyce had told us of her love for Stanley park and encouraged us to spend some time there. We hit Hwy. 99 at about 2:30 on a Friday afternoon.


P- Did you see that sign? It said that the tunnel was reduced to only 1 lane.

G- Is that the way we need to go? I thought Vancouver was up ahead and the tunnel is off to our left.

Fran - Turn right on highway 99.

G- Oh shit! Fran is taking us to the tunnel.

P- That traffic is gridlock. Just go straight.

Fran - Recalculating! In 500 yards, turn right, then turn right.

Fran - (after we passed that street) Recalculating! In 300 yards, turn left, then turn right.

G - Shut up, Fran!!

Fran - Recalculating!

G- Turn her off!!!!

P- Let me see if I can put in a new address and get her to take us a different way.

We continued down the road hoping that it would eventually lead to Vancouver. The traffic moved for a while, then came to a dead stop.

G- Ok, it appears that we are not going to make it to Vancouver. What is today?

P- It's Friday.

G- No wonder. We must be idiots thinking we can arrive in a huge city on a Friday afternoon and take a spin through town like it's a Sunday morning. I think we'll have to scrap this idea and just head to Washington.

P- I think you're right. Just turn around.

Fran - Recalculating! In 200 yards, turn right, then turn right.

Fran - Turn right, then turn right!!!

G- Shut up, Fran!!!! Ahhhhh!!! Turn that bitch off!!!

P- I'm putting in Bellingham, Washington.

Back on Highway 99, but now headed in the opposite direction, it only took about 20 minutes to reach the US/Canadian Border. It was so easy to get into Canada, getting into the US was a lot more time consuming. After about 2 hours in a snail's pace line, we were allowed back into the US. I think they should have questioned Phyl a little more than they did; after all, she does look funny!

Back in US, we switched on the cell phones and called some of the peeps as we drove to Bellingham.