Smooth travel & safe arrival

Well, all the transport connections worked - the first Wilts & Dorset bus of the day passed our house according to schedule, and got me in good time to the bus-stop for the National Express coach, which in turn got me to Heathrow early for check-in and to meet Carolyn, a friend and colleague from London who is the only other UK chaplain at the Paralympics. The flight was smooth and the 10 hours passed amazingly quickly, partly because I slept for quite a bit of it. Although sad not to read a word of the book especially bought for the flight, I'm thankful for the sleep as I guess that's partly what has helped me avoid jet-lag almost entirely.
On arrival, our first host was there to meet us. Instead of taking us directly to her home, she drove us to White Rock, a lovely seaside town, where we enjoyed ice-cream and a walk along the prom and the pier in glorious albeit unseasonal sunshine. It certainly helped our bodies not to realise that according to them it was past 1am in the morning! After some grocery shopping, we arrived at her home in Surrey - a part of Greater Vancouver. I think if we had gone straight there, it would have been a struggle to stay awake, so it was a brilliant idea on her part.
Friday had been built in as a day to combat jet-lag before beginning work, and Carolyn and I were able to enjoy an almost 3 hour walk in a local nature reserve, again in glorious sunshine. It seemed strange to be here for the Winter Paralympics but to see several people strolling around in shorts! Apparently this is Vancouver's warmest winter since records began..... Accompanying our host on another brief shopping trip, plus watching a DVD in the evening, completed a relaxing day, which ended with Carolyn and I both feeling keen to begin the work which we have travelled here to do.