Vancity Vibes | DAY 5: Rainy Moving Day

I awoke up to grey skies and customary Vancouver showers. The Thai ahgase had departed the premises strategically, tuning in for only sunny skies and dry grounds.

Checkout time was slated for 11 AM, thus I proceeded to undertake a last-minute trip to McDonald's just before finishing packing touches.

With ninety percent of eateries and retailers prohibiting plastic bags - or any other water-resistant carrying device, for that matter - I brought along my own paper bag. As droplets graduated into a full-on shower, I attempted to protect the bag from loss of structural integrity, using the inside of my windbreaker as a shield.

The journey comprised of no more than 2 kilometres, yet required a total of thirty minutes for the one-way trip. It was ridiculous to say in the least.

There, I hastily devoured a Fruit & Fibre Muffin and Iced Coffee (sans milk) before taking two Baked Apple Pies, Hash Browns, and a six-pack of Blueberry, Banana Chocolate Chunk, and Fruit & Fibre Muffins to go. They adopted little to no packaging, and were simply shoved into a large paper bag as opposed to being neatly arranged in individual pouches (as Mississauga would have done). The act aligned with the city's overall promise to reduce packaging on the basis of being environmentally-friendly, though fell short of preparations require for safe transport in the rain.

​I plodded back along Alderbridge Way in search of the bus stop, and arrived back at the hotel around 9:10 AM.

​In less than two hours, I would assemble the remainder of my electronics and inch my way towards the lobby, staggering my steps to facilitate one-man handling of two check-ins, one carry-on, one backpack, and one paper bag.

​I just made the 11 AM checkout deadline, then arranged for an Uber to assist me on the 1.4 km route towards liberation. Gone were the days that I'd be pleading endlessly for toilet paper, tissues, and towels. Gone were the days I'd be relinquishing hard-earned funding for microwave-less living conditions and dry air. After four strenuous days in the wild, I'd be going home at long last.

​A heavy downpour continued throughout the moving process. Patiently awaiting the arrival of my ride, I gazed mindlessly at the drizzly conditions. Ponding was observed at several patches on the asphalt parking lot and drop-off route, most amusingly immediately adjacent to a contraption intended for drainage. I would later discover that I wasn't the only one to notice such dysfunctional public infrastructure.

​Eventually, I would make my long-awaited arrival around 11:10 AM. Dragging wet wheels onto the premises, I set out to sanitize the entirety of my belongings before shifting attention to my accommodations going forward.

Around 2 PM, a late lunch of Pokey Yokey was requested. West Coast Poke was nowhere to found on the roster, but a close contender caught my attention instead.

The Skinny Bowl was priced at a whopping $19.09. It boasted a supposedly larger portion of tuna, though wasn't not a particularly fresh portion at that. There was a scarcity of pineapple bits as well. In spite of this, the chosen base of lightly dressed greens and brown rice was quite balanced. Moreover, the greens were dressed lightly enough to keep for dinner without wilting. A runny "Yokey" egg was nestled in between the sweet corn kernels, crunchy cucumber, and edamame.

​In the latter part of the day, around 4 PM, the skies had cleared, announcing safe conditions for venturing out again.

​More shopping continued at Aberdeen. I had previously halted any intentions of replenishing my K-Beauty inventory as to prevent packing hassles prior to the move. Seeing as I would settled for precisely two weeks, I hesitated not to fill my basket with backup concealer, toner, and a gargantuan 300 ml tube of foam cleanser.

​As with any K-Beauty transaction, I requested samples for my skincare needs. Just before departing, I requested a photo of the Shownu poster behind the cashier. Frankly, I was satisfied to simply snap a photo, however the lady behind the cashier was quick to propose: "Do you like him? Do you want the poster?"
She reviewed my initial hesitation, then assured me that her offer was valid. "We used to have a few, but then we ran out. This is out last one." The edges were lifted from the cabinet gently.
"Sure..?" came my indecisive response, for I wasn't entirely sure whether I'd have room to haul it back.

​I navigated towards Aberdeen Square for the purchase of Shiny Tea. At seeing their tardy service and lack of alluring beverages, I foregoed the drink and exited onto street level.

The next ride home wasn't for another hour. It was in this moment that I opted for an impromptu trip to Yaohan Centre.

Keen to obtain Iced Coffee and, perhaps, more breakfast options for my stay, I began to wander towards T&T. A desire to explore led me upstairs first though, where I laid eyes on an appropriately named eyewear boutique.

​A trip about the food court also informed of the staggering inflation rates amongst prepared foods in the city.

Groceries had, thankfully, seen less drastic of a price increase, permitting the acquisition of raw materials without headache. Unfortunately, the same could not be declared for snacks, pre-packaged items, and import products.

​My purchases were few, yet fairly hefty nonetheless. The medium-sized plastic bags on hand were insufficient in holding my bag of Dan-D-Pak Rolled Oats, Starbucks Iced Coffee, and Braised Beef Rice Bowl.
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The supermarket had eliminated plastic and paper bags, compelling customers to either bring their own reusable bags or purchase one during checkout. I resorted to the latter, for commuting back on public transit without a bag would be unthinkable.
In hindsight, the eco bag was probably one of my better purchases, for not only did it boast a sturdy base, but collapsed into a tiny, neat square for storage. I would continue to use the bag - proudly, even, for the duration of my trip.

Many of Yaohan Centre's longtime occupants remained unchanged. fresh elements, which had offered amazing BOGO deals in the past had also been subject to inflation. The Pomelo Sago was tasty, but nevertheless pricey given its constituents.

I succeeded in catching the last direct route back home, and unveiled my purchases excitedly once back.

​Pearly earrings à la Vivienne Westwood and a dainty ahgase necklace marked my third jewellery purchase in same 20 m radius within Aberdeen Centre.

​Supper took form of a Braised Beef, Tofu, and Egg Rice Bowl from T&T. The toppings were placed in a separate layer than the rice, allowing them toe mixed in as desired. It was a decent-tasting bowl, far better than the likes of our end-of-day discount meals.

Later that evening, I continued with the cleaning.
In review of receipts, I learned of Vancouver's 10-cent bottle deposit, which applied to all bottled beverages, just like beer. The system was supposedly implemented to encourage purchase of Tetra Paks or biodegradable containers. Prior to obtaining awareness of this rule, I had disposed of the empty water bottles by the hotel garbage bin. For the remaining days, empty bottles and jars would be collected in a paper bag, ready for hauling to the recycling depot once amounted to a worthy quantity.