Monday 24 th of September 1:03 AM

The television is on in the background while I pack my bag. It s my last night in the States. A movie just started.
When Harry met Sally.

I try to organize my bag and realize its, as usual, kind of useless, so I pick up the computer, and try to pick up where I left off...

I think we left off in rainy Vancouver, of which the first day there I slept most of the day.
I know, a shame, but frankly, I needed it, and for the first time in a long time: THE BEDS WERE ACTUALLY VERY COMFORTABLE!!! It of course also helped that, that afternoon, I wasnt acquainted yet with the 75year old swedish woman snorring, sighing and talking in her sleep in the bed above me.

Overall, rainy Vancouver cleared up the remaining time I was awake, at least most parts of the day - the moments it started to drizzled, I sheltered in the movietheatre, the rest of the time, I just wandered around.
Most of that took place in Stanley Park -which I loved ( Lonely Planet trivia: Stanley Park is one of North America'a largest urban parks). It was there that three racoons followed me along Lovers Trail -cute looking rats easily mistaken with skunks-
Yes, that was adorable in the beginning, but a little embarrassing in the end, as every couple passing looked at me like I was freaking Snow White, or at least that s the fairy tale character I think is all zen with those forest animals.

By the way, have you ever realized that when walking in a forest, everybody feels the urge to salute you... they become like these Ned Flanders and Dorothy from Oz clones. Smiling, saluting, keeping up the pace.

Anyway, besides those brief encounters, I didnt really go into conversations with anybody, I just wasnt in the mood to talk. - dont worry, people, no need for an intervention, I m on my way home, and over the phase already...
I just took in as much as I could, and I must say, after a while, the city showed me its potential. With The Rocky Mountains in the background, walking on the seaview Wall, the idea starts to build of coming back here in another frame of mind, another season, when the time is ripe - yes, you can blame the damn racoons for that idea to return-

So that s that, Vancouver is what it is, and to me that means, wanting to see more at a later date.
But for now, I had to catch a plane to Boston where I would spend my last days in the States back, at the East Coast, this time, with friends again.
Social skills were turned on again.

Small traveltime-trivia though... -and this is besides the classic story of the 5year old boy with annoying toy sitting next to me- :
The stewardess announces 2 minutes before landing that we are about to arrive in Boston and that we have to put our seats in the upright position and all that standard procedure blabla, but then she adds: 'in case of an emergency landing, please leave all your belongings behind'

In all my life I had never heared a stewardess say this just before a landing...
my life flashed before my eyes. (ok, I exagerate a little, but still, who in her right mind would say that???) Thank you United Airlines for giving me my first airplane-ride thrill.

Ok, so as you can guess, I made it, no big deal... I m still alive and kicking in Boston.

And it has been a great 4 days that just flew by, 4 days of casual sightseeing, food and drinks and good talks.
I learned a lot of random stuff again... I ll give one random example: I know for instance, that tomorrow is Suicide Monday for the students.
Suicide Monday is something the faculties of MIT and Harvard have introduced to do something about the suicide-rate amongst students.
To give them a break, to catch up with their work, these random Holiday-Mondays have been introduced, and although I applaud the initiative, I find the whole concept a little sinister...

So that is that, I am packing up to go home.
My last day in the States involved my first yoga session this morning -under the motto 'do-something-new-everyday', a bbq in the backyard in the afternoon, and a great concert of Ben Harper to top it all off.
Yes, it has been one of those good sundays.
...

Meg Ryan does her orgasm scene in the diner...
the old woman says: 'I ll have what she s having'.
And then we cut to commercials.
Typical.
But I think of doing the same, that is: cutting to commercials.
Time for a break again.

next stops: NY JFK, BRUSSELS tuesday. and wednesday: LISBON.