the tales of kevin. (no, not that kevin)
I realise I haven't really written on here for a while. It's been pretty tough the past few days - same old, same old. Work's been... well work, but I guess I've accepted the whole reality of culture shock right now. I can't really explain why I'm not loving it, but it is what it is. Free time, as ever, is great. Saturday however, was the biggest waste of the day ever! I literally lay in bed all day, apart from a brief episode where I trudged to the supermarket. I managed to watch two episodes of Atlantis, X Factor, I think I watched Thor then but I can't remember, and like a million episodes of How I Met Your Mother. And ate stuffed vine leaves and a Greek pizza. And ice cream sandwiches.
You get the point.
It was a fat day. To make myself feel better I started the 30 day squat challenge. I did 50 squats on day one.
I haven't got past day one yet, but I will.
Maybe.
However, Sunday was far more productive. We'd booked a trip - (I'm doing the royal we thing again. Alice & I discussed today we've been pretty much inseparable for the past 5 weeks - which is nice that we get along so well, but also slightly odd in that we have taken to accepting invitations for each other without really discussing it) - to go whale watching. Problem number 1 - it left from the Old Town at 9am on Sunday morning, cue getting up at 7am on a Sunday. Problem number 2 - it was a 3 1/2 hour bus ride. However, our bus driver was the sweetest guy called Alain who drove one handed as he held the microphone, telling us the history of Quebec and explaining where we were the whole way.
Anyway, to understand the title of this blog, you probably had to be there. But I'll explain anyway- please take into account the fact that we were very tired and probably slightly delirious. There were a few guided tours leaving from Place D'Armes at 9am on Sunday, so there were a few guides about, one of whom was called Kevin. He lingered outside our bus for a minute or two, before wandering off. However, one of our bus lot got off the bus for a tab. He was a Belgian guy, just a tourist like any of us. But because he was stood outside the bus, group after group of tourists wandered up to him and asked if he was Kevin. I say group after group - it was three couples, and the third ones were taking the mick anyway. But at 9am on a Sunday morning, it was hilarious. And so he became Kevin. Even now I'm not really sure what his real name is. ANYWAY.
We stopped at this great little cheese factory on the way there and back, to grab some food (yes I tried the cheese and yes it was good). I was amazed that the guys at the 'fromagerie' 85 minutes out of the city spoke better English than the majority of those I've met in the city. Anyway, we eventually got to Baie de Sainte Catherine, where we did a three hour whale watching boat trip on the St Lawrence River. It was the last trip of the season, and yes, we saw plenty of whales. Humpback whales, including a particularly friendly one called Blanche Neige (Snow White), fin whales, belugas (though I didn't really spot the beluga even though I really wanted to), minky whales and a group of grey seals, which were cute. I love whale watching, it's the second time I've done it - both times successfully - but I just think it's awesome to see such majestic and also enormous creatures in the wild. It was ridiculously cold on the boat - the whipping wind turned my ungloved fingers an ugly shade of red and at one point I was wondering if my hands actually still existed, but it was all worth it. Not just for the whales, and the beautiful scenes, but also for the duck that had a weird kind of wing-spiralling spasm as it desperately tried to get out of the way of the boat. It managed, by the way, but not without reducing a rather delirious couple of Brits at the front of the boat to hysterical laughter.
The journey home was calmer, and it got dark surprisingly quickly. Scarily quickly actually. I snatched an hour of kip on the bus - and apparently I didn't snore, which is always a positive. And surprising. We also watched Downton when we got home - contrary to comedian Sarah Millican's opinion (she tweeted about it), I reckon it's a really good story line, even though it was incredibly shocking and fairly soul-destroying.
Anyway, back to work today. I'm really going to have to marry someone rich, because I hate work. I want to visit nice places and eat nice food. And also have enough time and motivation to have good hair, good skin and lose about six stone. yolo.
I saw my grandma and cousins very briefly on Skype today, which was cute. I skyped the boys all together too, and even stayed on skype for a little bit of their pre drinks. I got really sad after skyping them. It's amazing how Ryan's ridiculous antics on Chat Roulette can make you miss stupid banter with them - actually it's a bit disturbing that that made me miss home. Ryan can be a right cretin on Chat Roulette. Anyway, I'm hoping to put some travelling plans into action soon - I've booked Florida, but there's some other things in the pipeline hopefully! I don't want to jinx it though.
This weekend is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada - it's more like a harvest festival, not like the American one where they celebrate like... whatever they celebrate, and get cheap clothes. Quebec doesn't really go for it much but we do get Monday off work. There's a nice group of us heading to Annie's, in Beaupre, just outside of Quebec City, for a nice big meal. And hopefully a lot of wine.
In a bit brooooos.
You get the point.
It was a fat day. To make myself feel better I started the 30 day squat challenge. I did 50 squats on day one.
I haven't got past day one yet, but I will.
Maybe.
However, Sunday was far more productive. We'd booked a trip - (I'm doing the royal we thing again. Alice & I discussed today we've been pretty much inseparable for the past 5 weeks - which is nice that we get along so well, but also slightly odd in that we have taken to accepting invitations for each other without really discussing it) - to go whale watching. Problem number 1 - it left from the Old Town at 9am on Sunday morning, cue getting up at 7am on a Sunday. Problem number 2 - it was a 3 1/2 hour bus ride. However, our bus driver was the sweetest guy called Alain who drove one handed as he held the microphone, telling us the history of Quebec and explaining where we were the whole way.
Anyway, to understand the title of this blog, you probably had to be there. But I'll explain anyway- please take into account the fact that we were very tired and probably slightly delirious. There were a few guided tours leaving from Place D'Armes at 9am on Sunday, so there were a few guides about, one of whom was called Kevin. He lingered outside our bus for a minute or two, before wandering off. However, one of our bus lot got off the bus for a tab. He was a Belgian guy, just a tourist like any of us. But because he was stood outside the bus, group after group of tourists wandered up to him and asked if he was Kevin. I say group after group - it was three couples, and the third ones were taking the mick anyway. But at 9am on a Sunday morning, it was hilarious. And so he became Kevin. Even now I'm not really sure what his real name is. ANYWAY.
We stopped at this great little cheese factory on the way there and back, to grab some food (yes I tried the cheese and yes it was good). I was amazed that the guys at the 'fromagerie' 85 minutes out of the city spoke better English than the majority of those I've met in the city. Anyway, we eventually got to Baie de Sainte Catherine, where we did a three hour whale watching boat trip on the St Lawrence River. It was the last trip of the season, and yes, we saw plenty of whales. Humpback whales, including a particularly friendly one called Blanche Neige (Snow White), fin whales, belugas (though I didn't really spot the beluga even though I really wanted to), minky whales and a group of grey seals, which were cute. I love whale watching, it's the second time I've done it - both times successfully - but I just think it's awesome to see such majestic and also enormous creatures in the wild. It was ridiculously cold on the boat - the whipping wind turned my ungloved fingers an ugly shade of red and at one point I was wondering if my hands actually still existed, but it was all worth it. Not just for the whales, and the beautiful scenes, but also for the duck that had a weird kind of wing-spiralling spasm as it desperately tried to get out of the way of the boat. It managed, by the way, but not without reducing a rather delirious couple of Brits at the front of the boat to hysterical laughter.
The journey home was calmer, and it got dark surprisingly quickly. Scarily quickly actually. I snatched an hour of kip on the bus - and apparently I didn't snore, which is always a positive. And surprising. We also watched Downton when we got home - contrary to comedian Sarah Millican's opinion (she tweeted about it), I reckon it's a really good story line, even though it was incredibly shocking and fairly soul-destroying.
Snow White
Snow White
Snow White
Anyway, back to work today. I'm really going to have to marry someone rich, because I hate work. I want to visit nice places and eat nice food. And also have enough time and motivation to have good hair, good skin and lose about six stone. yolo.
I saw my grandma and cousins very briefly on Skype today, which was cute. I skyped the boys all together too, and even stayed on skype for a little bit of their pre drinks. I got really sad after skyping them. It's amazing how Ryan's ridiculous antics on Chat Roulette can make you miss stupid banter with them - actually it's a bit disturbing that that made me miss home. Ryan can be a right cretin on Chat Roulette. Anyway, I'm hoping to put some travelling plans into action soon - I've booked Florida, but there's some other things in the pipeline hopefully! I don't want to jinx it though.
This weekend is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada - it's more like a harvest festival, not like the American one where they celebrate like... whatever they celebrate, and get cheap clothes. Quebec doesn't really go for it much but we do get Monday off work. There's a nice group of us heading to Annie's, in Beaupre, just outside of Quebec City, for a nice big meal. And hopefully a lot of wine.
In a bit brooooos.
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