Things I'm Getting Used To

There are lots of details that I've neglected to write about. Their novelty has worn off and now I'm pretty used to them.

Some buses are doubles, but one behind the other, called "bendy buses" in London since they're articulated in the middle. It'll be nice to see up-and-down double buses in Victoria again. Newer buses have some neat features. As it pulls up, a synthesized voice announces the route and number on an external speaker, for blind riders. Inside, an LED reader board shows the next major cross street coming up; it's also announced by the synthetic voice. But, sometimes the buses get a bit trashy. I usually have to stand on the ride home.

It seems every intersection with a traffic light has pedestrian crossing buttons too. When it's time to cross, they'll either make a "bip-boop bip-boop" sound, or an LED will count down the seconds (usually 20-something; it seems to vary) while making a "beew beew beew" sound.

There are residential towers all over, not just downtown or in cities. Weeks ago I had an interview in Port Coquitlam, miles east of Burnaby (and we're miles east of downtown), and was amazed to see a dozen or so towers there. It seems they're spread all over the Lower Mainland.