There was a market on one of the main streets, and this guy was selling hand carved woodwind instruments. He is a musician and he can play each one well. Here he is showing Barnabas how to play the didgeridoo.
Me playing the didgeridoo. It's a lot harder than I imagined. You have to pucker your lips when you blow into it, like a trumpet, but your lips are inside the tube and in order to make the sound you have to make your lips vibrate. That in itself is not that challenging, but in order to change the pitch you have to move your tongue back and forth inside your mouth as you blow.
There was a stall selling masks like this one.
nearby there was a giant chess set that Barnabas and I played a game on. He won by checkmate. Then we went to Starbucks.
There was a Mexican-Canadian culture event going on and this guy was wearing a big sombrero.
I got tie-dye socks at the market!
On thursday, July 16, we went to a place called the Romper Room to learn how to belay in rock climbing! Evan and I did the course, and it was a lot of fun. Now I can belay people.On the 18th, Junko, Barnabas, and I went to see Junko's friend Wes. He had a party and I met several of their friends. Rob and Jada, Dave and Alice, and Wes were there. I like that group a lot. They are all real people. Earlier that day I went bungee jumping. I have pictures on my camera but I can't find my camera! aargh! We know for sure that it is in the house, but we can't find it anywhere. I do, however, have a video of my jumping off the bridge. The first 28 seconds are advertising the place, but you should watch the whole thing because it says how big the drop is. That was Junko's early birthday present to me. She is so freaking nice.
Two days after bungeeing, I got to do the "King Swing" with Barnabas! The King Swing is what it sounds like, a giant (two seater) swing. The bridge that I jumped off for bungee jumping is the same one that you get pushed off of for the King Swing. Here's how it works:
They saddle you up in tight harnesses
You sit on the edge of the bridge, and they push you off. For the first several second you are in freefall off the edge, like bungee jumping while sitting down.
About 3/4 of the way down to the water the slack picks up and you swing forward.
You continue to ascend quite high, then come back again.
After a while a man on a boat comes by and brings you down, unstrapping you.
I didn't get a video of it because they don't provide that service for the king swing, but it was just about as thrilling as bungeeing.
I yelled for about the same amount of time as I did bungeeing.
OK. So here's the deal. It is late and I have some more things to do, and this is the last night I am staying at Barnabas and Junko's. Instead of typing more, which I do enjoy, I am going to stop and wait to tell my stories with the pictures at home. If I don't live with you, I will see you soon and show you then. I wish I could truly get up to date, but I don't have time.
Here is the latest -- Tomorrow at 11, Junko's friend Wes is going to do my hair. Junko is going to drive me to Wes', then bring me home for my last guitar lesson. That's right, guitar lesson! A guy named Dave Hart lives down the street. He is a fantastic guitarist and a friend of Bobby's. Junko has been paying for Dave to teach me, mainly theory. In 8 lessons so far, I have learned SO MUCH. He has provided me with a whole bunch of learning material, and I've gotten to play his guitars. He has a cool studio and for a lot of the time he would set me up with a backing track that I would play over based on my knowledge of scales, keys, modes, etc. It is a good feeling when you kind of know what you are doing!
It is swelteringly hot right now.
After my lesson, we will get ready and travel to Vancouver to see Junko's parents. I am excited to meet them, they seem very cool. After a few days in Vancouver, I will leave and come home.
The end of this trip seems to have come up abruptly, but I think most of it is that I am not totally ready to leave.
Last important points
Evan and I did a two hour introduction to Scuba diving. We went about 20-25 feet in the water off of neck point. Muy muy fun. Bobby has undeveloped water proof camera pictures that will probably be mailed later.
Me being hot, uncomfortable, and weighed down (the gear is >100 pounds)yet really happy!
I painted one of my shoes
The colors go with my tie dye socks. Those are the ones I got in Victoria. They have new laces now that I colored with fabric markers. I have been meaning to color the other one, which I may do tonight. Originally I decided to keep the other one brown, but I would like to color it. Another thing on my plate.I also tie dyed my own shirt, which I am wearing right now. I did the dyeing this morning. I did a spiral one, and pair of socks, and a randomly dyed tee shirt. They turned out well.
Junko, Dave, me, Barnabas, and Alice went tubing, but this time the kind of tubing where you get pulled by a speedboat. We meant to water ski as well, but the skis were too small for my feet.
Barnabas and Junko bought me an electric guitar!
It astounds me how lucky I am. I just hope that Junko and Barnabas and Mom and Dad can see how truly grateful I am for this experience.
This summer has allowed me to grow in many ways.
The guitar is beautiful in both sound and appearance. The guy who Dave recommended I see at the music store is named Adam. He was very helpful and patient. The guitar is a Hagstrom D2H and it was on sale - half off. At first I didn't think it looked that great, but it has grown on me. Here is a picture of it online.
I have decided to name it Pablo.
I worked for Bobby once, as a dinosaur named Benny, the Nanaimosaurus. It was hot outside, and boiling inside. My face was a waterfall of sweat.
It was a good experience, though.
The event was something called the Silly Boat Regatta. A bunch of companies built makeshift boats that raced. It was neat. I have more pictures but I don't really have any more time.Thank you everyone.
