Surfers, quizzing and Buffy on TV!

So now we are back in Winnipeg and a quiet week in-between trips out to the cabin.

On Tuesday Buffy had a request from ‘Couchsurfing’, from a couple who are travelling across Canada by car. Viv and Vitor arrived just in time for Perogies for dinner and then came out with us for the Tuesday night quiz down at the Elephant and Castle.

It was a really good night, with me, Buffy, Joel, Evan, Walker and Viv and Vitor all in our team. As usual we didn’t win but with a few answers from our new couch surfing friends we finally made it over the magic 50 mark with a best ever score of 51.5 points! We celebrated by heading down to Osborne after the quiz and had huge crepes filled with ice cream and fresh fruit. I must admit I felt a little sick afterwards having had 5 beers and then a huge dessert, but it was a fun night out and good to meet some other travellers and be able to help them out, not only with a bed for the night but also with hints and tips for when they arrive in Europe later this year. So, Viv and Vit – if you are reading this – good luck with your travels!

If you want to read about what Viv and Vit get up to on their trip, their blog can be found here:-
http://www.travel-o.com/ 

Couchsurfers - surfing on the couch!!

It was supposed to be a lazy rest of the week, but Buffy had other ideas. The weekend coming up is a long weekend and a lot of people are heading out of the city to the Backcountry and some of the huge park areas in Manitoba. In her role at Wilderness Supply, she contacted the local TV stations to see if they would be interested in a short spot about equipment to take with you if you are going hiking for the weekend. The TV Company CITYTV got back to her straight away and invited her to appear on Breakfast TV early this morning.

So, after a 5.30am rise we were down in The Forks and Buffy was set up outside for a short interview with Jeremy, the breakfast show host by 7.30am. Before she started we watched a few links done by the weathergirl and the rest of the hosts as they messed around between takes. We also got to meet a few other people who were appearing to talk about healthy food and such stuff as well as watching the hosts speak to the camera a few feet away, while we watched the show live on TV in the green room. 

In the green room before getting on telly

How we saw it live...

..and how it looked on tv

Buffy ended up with a 4 minute spot all about the stuff you should you can buy at Wilderness supply and may even get another go at TV stardom later in the year as the boss of the show seemed genuinely interested in doing another spot for the winter season. I spent the morning being nosey and trying to look around the TV studio without getting thrown out and really enjoyed chatting to the cameraman and the bloke in charge.

Buff, getting mic'ed up

Meeting Jeremy, the show host

On telly!

Live!

If you follow this link, you should be able to watch the slot yourself (There may be a couple of adverts first, but wait a minute and you will see the slot) 

 Buffy on Breakfast TV Winnipeg

 

So after dropping Buffy off at work, I had a little drive down to her parents place to pick up some dog food to take back to the cabin this weekend for the dogs. But when I got back home I parked the car up and dropped off the dog food, before putting in the laundry. I had just sat down for a few minutes before I went back outside to move the car, as you are only allowed to park for an hour. But the bastard parking police had got their first and about a minute ahead of me! I had a parking ticket, given at 1102 am – it was now 1104 and so I had missed it by just 2 minutes. I moved the car as planned a little down the road where we can park as long as we like and then went back inside. You can pay the fine online and that’s what I did – paying the $35 parking fee, just 25 minutes after the ticket was issued. I bet they don’t usually get them paid so quickly! 

Bloody parking ticket - issued at 1102....

..and paid online 25 minutes later!

That’s one strange thing about Canada though – The roads are usually quite wide and with plenty of space for more than two lanes, but you can hardly park anywhere. Our road isn’t a main road, but for the whole length of it you are only allowed to park for an hour during the day. There seems to be no consistency though as some roads allow parking all day and others, one street either side have restricted parking. It’s all a bit strange. Especially since a lot of these roads have homes either side, some without parking spaces or garages, so these people have to move their cars every day!

What it feels like sometimes when driving over here

A typical 4 way junction

Then you get the 3 way and 4 way junctions, where everyone has to stop and the first to arrive at the junction is the first to pass through it. The problem is again that some junctions are 3 or 4 way, but then the next junction, which is identical, is not a 4 way. Why not make it simple and have a priority road and just make the traffic on the side roads stop, like any normal road system –there are many times I have driven through a 4 way because I am on what would be the priority road anywhere else!  They do have one really good idea though – If you are at a red light and wish to turn right – you can do so as long as you have a space to drive into – It saves a hell of a lot of time waiting around!

I suppose these are some of the things you notice from living in another country – eh!