Saturday, February 10, 2007

Up-Island Vacation

I love the phrase that people in Victoria use to describe any spot on the Island that is not Victoria/Saanich Penninsula: "Up-Island." It's even more fun to slip into regular conversation than "Inner Harbour." "After a trip to the Inner Harbour, we're travelling Up-Island for the weekend." I love it. I use the phrase unironically on a regular basis now. Similarly, when I'm on the Island, "West Coast" means the west coast of this particular island. No, we don't live on the West Coast. You have to drive another four hours before you get there.

That's all preamble to say that we're Up-Island now. In Parksville, to be exact, at a hotel that has free wireless, a pool, and squash courts! While everyone else is mingling and networking, I'm sitting in my hotel room taking advantage of the free wireless. Chris is finishing Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. And we're drinking tea. We're just a little too excited to be able to act like our regular selves and not have to socialise for a while. (Okay, and then we're going to act as an audience for my friend to practise her paper. But, for now, we're pretending to be at home.)

For your entertainment, I will now recap my Crazy Week. Because I've been recapping it for people all day, and it's just sinking in how insane it's been:

Friday (last week): Wake up in Saskatoon to our first day of real winter in two years. Drive to North Battleford, prepare for funeral.
Saturday: Grandmother's funeral, in which we put the "fun."
Sunday: Dad has a bad day, starts getting incoherent. Everyone else goes away. I drive Chris to Saskatoon to the airport.
Monday: Emergency room. Drive across a frozen province. Emergency room. My hot water heater bursts.
Tuesday: ICU. Fly across the country, attempting not to cry on an airplane. Sob in an airport, upon learning that I'm about to be homeless. Cry the whole way home. Pack.
Wednesday: Teach in the morning. Help Flood Repair people pack up my house. Move in with friends.
Thursday: Recover, while staying with friends.
Friday: Drive to Parksville and attend a conference.

That's six different beds in eight days (five for Chris, because he didn't go to Regina). And that latter fact is the least astounding thing about my week. Dude.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's so good to hear that you're in Parksville! I absolutely LOVE it there. It's such a peaceful, relaxing place. Now I'm jealous!

Inside the Philosophy Factory said...

I hope you have a relaxing time 'up-island'. You deserve it after the hard week you've had.

Anonymous said...

The funny thing about 'Up-Island' is that all Islanders use it. Folks in Campbell River say 'Up-Island' when they mean Port Hardy.

Please enjoy Parksville. As a prior denizen of Hardy, I think of it as 'Down-Island'. :)

The History Enthusiast said...

When I was a kid we would go to Victoria all the time on vacation (I lived on Orcas Island, in the San Juans). We always referred to the mainland as "off-island"...is that what they do on Vancouver Island too? I presumed so.