When I wake up it’s about 2AM and I’ve slept only five hours. I’d like to sleep longer, but since I’m wide awake I decide I better start working, because it’s still daytime in the Netherlands. I make myself an espresso with the Nanopresso I got from my parents and enjoy some delicious coffee while I sit down at the small desk in my room. I’m glad I picked this Airbnb where I can also work comfortably.
I work til about 7AM. It’s nice to have covered half a workday before the day actually started. Last night I already decided to go for a run this morning and I’m happy to see that it’s not raining today. I get dressed and go outside. Even though I’m only wearing a sports shirt it’s not too cold. I start running to the edge of the city which is only a few streets from the Airbnb and then go into the forest. I run until it turns into a hike and I am about to get lost. I learned my lesson of going too far earlier this year and decide to turn around. I run back and get to see glimpses of the skyline of Vancouver. Maybe some other day I’ll go higher up the mountain to get a better view, but now I have to go back because I’ve planned to have coffee with Alfred and Janine. When I’m home again I take shower, have breakfast and take the bus and sea bus to downtown. We’ve planned to meet at a Starbucks near the Steam Clock where in Gastown where I was yesterday. I think I’ll do some more work there in the afternoon.
While I walk on a street in the direction of Gastown, suddenly Alfred and Janine are there. They were already at the coffee place earlier and thought I’d come from this direction, so they walked my way. They offer to get lunch somewhere. It’s very nice to see them again and also to speak Dutch. Alfred is making jokes as usual and we laugh a lot. After lunch we walk to downtown. They have to do some shopping and I sit down in a coffee place to do some work and writing. I’m quite tired, so not super productive but all small things help. At the end of the afternoon I walk to a business building not too far from the coffee place to go to a meetup for small business people. I figured it would be good to go to several meetups here, because I didn’t know anyone in Vancouver until recently. The small business meetup is nice. I meet a couple from Germany that moved here a couple of weeks ago and some local entrepreneurs. I get out my comfort zone by joining the 30 seconds introduction and telling the group who I am and about my webdesign business. In the evening there is another meetup in the city with live music and drinks. It’s nice to get to know some more people, but because the day started so early, I’m really tired now. Not too late I say goodbye and take the bus back to the Airbnb. When I arrive my hosts are in the living room with some friends and I join them for a while before going to bed. It was a nice second day in Vancouver.
