Day 2 - Vancouver

So it's up raring to go for the real day one, oh it's only 2.45am, what shall we do now dear? We mess about on the internet, shower, do a crossword, then pile up to the complimentary breakfast at 6.00am, which was most welcome as I seem to be permanently hungry. It is a good spread and we leave replete. So off to the Saverstore hypermarket across the road to get some goodies which for me means Hawkins cheezies, two industrial size packs should do for now. It is 7.30am and I am getting tired, it's time for my mid-day doze, aren't time zones wonderful. Awake again and time for a bucketload of cheezies with a cup of tea, god I love these things, long live Hawkins. Got a gut ache now so time for an ant-acid then off to Metrotown mall for 10.00am opening.

How does she do it, by 10.30am we have only been to a handful of shops, my arms are full of bags, and I haven't got anything yet, moan moan, there's a nice watch, maybe later dear is the reply, still the little love is enjoying herself. Yep I'm hungry again and there's the food court, that was good timing, we don't want to ruin our appetites (ha ha I think we have done enough damage to that already) so we share a plate of noodles and beef stir-fry, yummy. I hope I don't need the 'you-know-what' pills this time, they do tend to make going anywhere gravitational to a lavatory. Still not to be out-done, or determined to come away with something, we head into Sears for gander at the socks and underwear, highly exciting stuff eh. Well as usual they don't have what I want or they have gone bust so have to make do with another brand which look ok.

Back at the hotel we check up the flight status for Monica and Michael-Anne. Monica has landed early and texted that she is in a cab on her way. Michael-Anne's flight was cancelled from Dallas so she won't be here until 7.30pm, poor love and stand by for a volcanic eruption in the vicinity of American Airlines.

I spend a couple of hours sorting out Carol's mail problem, as she can't send stuff, while the girls catch up with things, what things I'm not sure, but girl 'things'. The ladies go over to Metrotown mall for more shopping and I have another munch of cheezies and another doze, life is good (apart from the gut cramps).

Change of reporter: Carol...expert on the art of shopping....

Monica and myself spent a pleasant couple of hours in the mall browsing, buying (Monica) and gossiping (both of us) and then returned to prepare for a nice quiet evening meal in the hotel dining room whilst awaiting the arrival of Michael-Anne..Soup, scallops, roast chicken, stir fry asian chicken and wine/drinks were enjoyed and finished just in time to greet the weary traveller...after a snack for her in the Opal Lounge and a meet up with fellow friends and convention-goers, Paul and Michelle, we adjourned to our room and prepared to queue for pre-registration for the Con.. ..luckily there was NO queue by this late hour so we got our funky plastic purple wristbands, scoped out auditorium and then retired to the bar, all apart from Jim who was tired again (must be all those Cheezies!) and went to bed....not that a riotous evening was in store for 4 very weary ladies....one soft and coffee later we all joined Jim in the land of nod...