Dragon boating was the best way to make friends in a new city

first person

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Two Kiwis, one Singaporean and one Indian walk into a bar. No, it’s not the start of a joke. It’s a Sunday night in Vancouver , after a dragon boat practice that left our arms burning, our backs soaked and our spirits high.

What brought us to that table – pints in hand, shots arriving uninvited thanks to the overly generous bartender – was more than just a shared boat. It was the kind of connection that only happens when strangers from four corners of the globe land in a city that can feel both breathtaking and brutally isolating. For all its natural beauty, Vancouver is not an easy place to make friends. Or date, for that matter – but we’