Howdy from Cowtown!

Just to prove that the last two months haven't been ALL cocktails and parties, here's a couple of pics from my recent rafting trip. I'm on the right, at the front (of course), Shane is one behind me.


Right - down to business. OK, OK - so I've been a bit of a lazy bitch recently but to be honest I haven't got a great deal to update with. I am having somewhat of a travel hiatus; it's no secret that I love/adore/want to live in Vancouver and leaving is becoming increasingly difficult. I am enjoying my time here immensely and it is a perfect pit-stop to prepare myself for the next leg of the trip in SE Asia. I leave for Hong Kong on 6th October, with a cheeky little weekend in New York with John R thrown in between. Then I HAVE to leave because

1) Canada is making me fat (but I figure that SE Asia is synonymous with rapid weight-loss so it's only right that I bulk up a little in preparation...)

2) I am spending money faster than a council estate lottery winner.

I have been in Vancouver so long that people are actually saying hello to me on the street. I am on first name terms with Hyko, the waitress at my favourite downtown sushi bar, and I have made some new friends. One person in particular has become incredibly special to me in a short space of time and that makes leaving even harder. *sigh*.

I am currently in Calgary (AKA 'Cowtown') visiting my friend Shane and his partner Marty, although I have to admit that so far my Calgary experience has not extended further than plenty of gin, lots of dancing and a worrying amount of karaoke. All whilst wearing a rather lovely old cowboy hat, though, so I am at least getting a little local flavour. And did I mention the gin...? Spent last weekend in Seattle visiting one of the friends I made whilst in Ohio and went to the 'Puyallup State Fair' - a true slice of Americana complete with fairgrounds, farm shows and a 'biggest pumpkin' contest. So you see, I am getting around; just not as much as previous months.

Anyway, I will leave you with a classic Johnny moment that occured the other night and has left me with a rather unfetching scar on my forehead and an incredibly bruised ego... I was at Mike's place (aforementioned special person. Special as in we've become close, not special as in sunshine bus-riding, mentally challenged person...) and I needed a wee. Me being me, I couldn't stand up. Oh no, this gal decided to have a sit-down wee. As you do. Anyway, on the way down I leaned forward a smidge too heavily and headbutted the rim of his roommate's fish tank (what a stupid place to put a fishtank! In a bathroom! With ME around! I mean, come ON...). The whole thing exploded. There was glass and water and blood everywhere. There was so much blood gushing out of my forehead I looked like 'Carrie' on Prom night... It was on the sink, on the floor, in the hallway... like, everywhere. Poor Mike and his roommate (who unfortunately had been sleeping until being woken by girlie screaming) ended up having to mop up the gore with pure white Ralph Lauren towells whilst I sat bleeding on the toilet, wondering if I could slip out of the window unnoticed... You think YOU'RE a bad date? Watch and learn, people...

Later, lovers!

Juan x

PS) Yes, the fish is fine. In fact, the little bitch has lucked out because she now has a spanker of a new tank with a filter and mood-lighting. I, on the other hand, have to endure the humiliation of answering the question 'how did you get that scar on your forehead' by saying 'well, I was just about to have a sit-down wee...'