Run for the hills! (Of Taiwan)

Ed Stelmach is running from the other premiers, who want to talk global warming, right after he proposes Alberta's new "green" plan and just as election is set to kick off. This is all great stuff that I have a fair amount to say about but then I thought to myself, "nah, this is the perfect time to get the heck out of the country."

And with that I'm off to Asia. Hopefully to find some interesting things that we as Calgarians and Albertans can learn from.

But for now I'm off to the Vancouver airport on my way to Asia. Finding all sorts of interesting (tacky) thinks a marketer has thought up to put a Canada flag/Vancouver 2010 logo/ or polar bear on.

And thus I am here paying to use the internet in the international terminal on the west coast.

I should apologise in advance to all you readers that normally enjoy the political bent this blog regularlly has. For the next fortnight it'll probably read more as a travel journal. But I promise there will be plenty to keep you entertained.

I'll try to blog next after I complete a 13 hour flight to Taipei, Taiwan. (If I don't get a blood clot in my ass after it falls asleep before then!)

I'm not far into the journey yet but I hope you'll join me. As a matter of fact I've already had my first cultural awakening. On the flight from Calgary to Vancouver (thank you for letting me watch The Daily Show and the State of the Union address WestJet seatback TV), as we were landing, the flight attendent asked the man in front of us to return his tray "to its full and upright postion" (or whatever they say). The man did not respond as he obviously did not understand English. So the attendent asked again. Sloooowwwer and LOUDER. I leaned over and mentioned to my traveling companion, Skyler, that, "that seemed awfully rude". To which his response was, "ya, and just think, in 24 hours you're going to be in the same situation."

Too true. I'll try to take pictures at least though.

See you in Taiwan!