To the end of December

According to my Countdown app on my phone it has been 16 days, 8 hours and 47 minutes since I applied for my visa, 11 days, 22 hours and 32 min since I went to my biometrics and sent away my application to New York. The other big number is it is 77 days, 7 hours and 42 minutes until I fly off to London!

Since my application Christmas has come and gone. I had a very good Christmas, spending it with my sister and her in-laws. I spent a few nights on her couch, doing some baking and enjoying in Christmas dinner with her in-laws family.

Everyone was very good in not getting me a lot of possessions that I would not need in the coming months. I received a lot of British pounds which will be great come March. My sister got me my lovely backpack which I finally decided on which is the Osprey Porter 46L in red. I will do a more in depth review on it very soon.

My roommate also spoiled me and got me chocolates and tea and some nice things.

We also went go carting which was a lot of fun! I went with my sister and her husband and several of his friends. I didn't do very well but I had a great time. I didn't want to go crazy fast but also didn't want to lose.

Last night we went to Cavalia's Odysseo which was amazing. I really love horses and once of my goals in life is to learn to ride one. I just find them so beautiful. We attended Cavalia last March I believe when it came so I was very excited to go and watch their new show. They don't allow photos to be taken during the performances so all photos below have been found on google minus the first one which is just the big top.

Application Process So far

Hello :)

So I applied for my visa on December 13th, filled out my information online and paid the $330 fee. I printed off the forms at work. Signed the pages requiring dating and signatures and spent the past few days preparing for my Biometrics appointment. I could have booked it for Monday but I thought I would prefer one more day to prepare and I am glad I did. A quick trip to Bellingham with my coworker Beth wiped me out and I needed my sleep come Monday.

I got off work and took the skytrain downtown and got off at Burrard station. I was very early so went to Cafe Crepe and enjoyed a ham, eggs, cheese and caramelized onions. It was so tasty. I was unable to get a mimosa because it was before 9 am so I had an eggnog latte.

I reviewed my forms and everything one last time in the restaurant and I found one small mistake. In the section asking about previous trips to the UK I had put entered 02 March 2013 and left 15 March 2009. I can't time travel and it should have been 02 March 2009.

The place where the Biometrics takes place in Vancouver is at 666 Burrard in the Park Place Building. It is on the 6th floor in Suite 600 but the World Bridge application centre is actuallyin 625.

This is the building. It is directly across the street from Burrard Station.

I arrived finally fifteen minutes before my appointment. I turned off my phone and filled out the address labels they gave me and waited. There was only one other girl in the room with me. After my name was called I went into a small office where the woman went over my forms. She was very nice. I was able to edit my application to change the date mix up, fix a box I forgot to check on my Appendix 7.

The process was very quick and easy. They scanned my fingerprints. I signed a few forms and paid $44.10 to send my application to New York through DHL. They gave me a sim card for the UK which I thought was nice. After everything was nice and sealed they handed me my bright yellow envelope and I headed on my way. 

The fate of my application to be continued...

Applied for my visa!

This day of glorious days I have applied for my visa. I was so nervous filling it out. I did it a few days earlier than I was planning to but I have a really good feeling about today. Now I'm a bundle of nerves.  I have booked my biometrics for Tuesday the 17th for 10:15. It is downtown so I will need to take the skytrain after work. Oh man I am so nervous!

I am also very excited.

Very excited.

Their is a new visa application process and I found it very vague and a bit difficult. It requested a UK address and I have none, I just inputted the hostel I plan to stay at in London's address. Hopefully that will work or else I am screwed royally.

I am so happy it is the weekend. Such a long drag of a week. On Monday, I meet the new supervisor Ebineezer. I hope he's nice. He better be nice.

Planning to go to my sisters for dinner. Yum yum.

Weekend December 6-7

I was very happy when the work week ended. It has been a very long week and very busy. On Friday I went to the perogy supper hosted by one of the Ukranian churches in Vancouver. It was a feast.

I don't normally like cabbage rolls but it must have had something to do with them being home made but they were delicious. The perogies were spot on. Oh I could eat it all over again right now just looking at the photo. I was very happy to attend this supper with my coworkers from work, all of them coming from the day shift. 

After leaving my friends I went to my sister's mother in laws to learn how to crochet. I had the basic chain stitch ability but she helped me learn how to better hold everything and work on doing a row. I am going to be making a baby blanket for my sister. She's not pregnant but I do not know where I will be whenever she does finally decide to get pregnant. I was quite tired, only having had a two hour nap so was happy to go home to my bed.

On Saturday I drove to my sister's and then we went to Granville Island to have lunch and to try and find a few things. 

I had a really yummy pork butt, roasted butternut squash and mashed potato with a very nice salad from this really lovely shop there. This was only my second time to the market and I really would like to go again. There are lots of fresh vegetables, meats, seafoods as well as delicious bakeries that tempt you with their display cases. Regretting not having a bit of cheesecake now. 

After leaving the market we went in search of this cook book shop that my sister had received a gift card to from her wedding. The shop was just cook books which impressed me and we were able to find her a book from Americas Test Kitchens. The other thing that impressed me was the shop was right beside the Lamborghini dealership. Being bold we went inside and had a wander which I really enjoyed as I do like the cars but have never been up close to them. I saw a blue one a few days ago but couldn't bring myself to go and have a closer look so this was very nice.

I'll take the matte black one please.

We returned to my sisters house where we set about crocheting a little more. She's left handed so is having a bit of a struggle but made a bit of headway on her scarf. I think my blanket will take me a little while but I only have 98 days to complete it so I should hurry up. We enjoyed some television before going with her husband Jordan to the Cactus Club for dinner. Always nice to finish off a day with a bellini.

My first trip to Europe

It seems like ages ago and I guess in a way it was. The very first time I travelled to Europe was in my senior year of high school in 2008. It was supposed to be an Art and History trip. I just wanted to go to Europe but this trip only served as a small taste of Europe and of travel that left me wanting more.

This trip was the very first time I had been outside of Canada. We drove from Powell River, stayed the night in Vancouver before flying to London. It was all a very quick run around.