Can we talk about hotels?

As I’m sure I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my family travels a lot. And we love hotels. When we were kids, and my mum wanted a weekend away, sometimes we’d just rent a hotel room in our town so we’d feel like we were on vacation.

I love any kind of rented accommodation, really. Big fan of hostels, which is my usual residence of choice when I’m travelling. Since I’ve had this job though, I’ve had the privilege of staying in hotels.

I just got to Calgary, and I’m loving my hotel so much that I’m actually writing a blog post about it. I’m staying at Hotel Alma. I was excited about it before getting here, because their website is funky, and they’re called Alma. It means soul in Spanish, and I’ve always thought that it would make a great name for a daughter.

I’m not sure why I’m so excited about this place. I don’t even know where I am in Calgary, but I’m here to work, so it doesn’t really matter. They have unlimited long distance calls, which makes my life much easier, since I’m spending the day inside tomorrow and Friday interviewing people over the phone. They have a fridge and a microwave, which I’ve discover isn’t that common. It’s attached to the university, so they have a dining hall that’s open until 11pm, as well as an entire campus to walk around in. Parking is cheap, the room is affordable. I have a few in person interviews, and an entire campus to choose from for meeting space.

I think that I’m excited because this is the first time on my three week trip that I’ve actually been motivated to work, and that’s good, because I’ve got a lot to catch up on!

While we’re on the topic, other fave hotels/hostels are the following, in case you’re ever in these places and looking for a place to stay!

Quito, Ecuador – The Secret Garden

Canoa, Ecuador – Hotel Bambu (I seriously love this place so much)

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica – Rockin’ J’s

Ok, this is all I can think of right now. Feeling kind of silly. Please comment with your own faves!

Ferries are my fave

Ferries have always been, by far, my favorite mode of transportation.

(Although, apart from that time in Tijuana, I’ve never ridden a zebra. That might win) The view, the wind blowing in my face as I play the Titanic song on my iPod, the gift shop.

This morning, I had to go into Vancouver to pick up a new modem for the office. I live on the Sunshine Coast, which is only accessible by ferry. (There’s an ongoing debate, as you would expect, about building a road in down from Squamish.) So! Because I live on an almost-island, I got to take the ferry! Who gets to take a ferry to get to work! (Apart from Derek on Grey’s anatomy…)

This is the first time in a long time that I’ve loved where I live (Pretty much since I lived in Quito) Every day, I look out at the view, and I think “As if I get to live here” All I want is for you all to come visit so you can see this amazing place I get to call home. Seriously – I have a pull out couch. Come on over! You’ll get to take a ferry!