A Matrix Moment

Retirement Life

Do you remember that moment in The Matrix, when Neo "wakes up" in the pod, and suddenly realises that he's not in Kansas anymore? That's a Matrix Moment - a sort of how-did-I-get-here situation where what seemed impossible actually happens. Well something like that occurred for me this week; read on if you like.

This was a prop on set!

Some may not know this, but the Good Doctor is wrapping up forever, after a seven season run. Most of it was shot nearby at Bridge Studios, and I've had a number of days working on the show, starting from the original pilot, right up to this final season. While I'm not a fan of the show, there's a bunch of background (BG) folks that I've met and worked with over the years, and so it's a bit of a bittersweet time for some. Famous for their indoor BG holding, fantastic Craft Services, and amazing meals (Raincity Catering), it had set a high bar for the best BG show to work on. And so, during the last few weeks as we were winding down, a number of the regulars were being given their hospital ID badges as token souvenirs. 

Sometimes they use BG photos on badges

I didn't have a photo badge made for me, but it was a neat thing that Johnny (props) was doing; after all, they'd just be going into the plastic recycling. But I got to take home something even more unique instead. So my BG friends that have jumped ahead are thinking, "So you did a stills shoot, and then found your picture? Big deal." But that's the thing, I didn't.

But let's back up and start the story at the beginning. We're working at the studio on episode 708, on a scene where there's a number of the actors, including Will Yun Lee. While we're waiting for the team to get ready for the shot, Will's stand-in, Charles, walks up to me.

"Richard, there's a portrait of you hanging in Studio 9."

Wait, what?

"There's a portrait of you, hanging in the hallway over in Studio 9."

I don't get it. I didn't do a stills shoot for this show.

"I'm certain it's you. You're flashing the pearly whites. But it's labelled Dr. Gutierrez or something." 

Could it be this stock photo?

After a bit of back and forth, he suggested that after the scene finished, that he'd take me over to look for it. So we jogged over to the Emergency Ward, and wandered around, trying to find it. After a minute or so, he said, "I guess set dec has already taken the portraits down". Rats, I thought, that would have been neat, taking a selfie of me playing a doctor, standing next to a portrait of me as a doctor, hanging in the hall on The Good Doctor.

Stock shoot w/ Shannon Fagan

A week or so later, I'm back on set for episode 709, and we’re waiting in holding when Johnny props sits down in a chair next to me, and we start chatting about things, like what he's going to be doing after the show wraps, etc. He volunteered to make me a souvenir ID badge as well, so I Airdropped him a recent head shot for him to print out. I then tell him the story about Charles seeing a portrait of me, but not being able to find it. I had hypothesised that I had done a stock photo shoot a number of years back, and maybe someone had selected my picture from the thousands of images on Shutterstock or Getty Images, and had it printed and mounted for use at the hospital. But what are the odds of them picking an image of me, someone who works on their show, as Background, AND as a doctor? Then Johnny proclaims, "I'm going to find it. Set dec probably has them stacked up somewhere." Anyhow, we got wrapped for the day, and I never got a chance to see him before I left to see if he had printed that ID badge, or exchange any contact info if he did locate the portrait. Thinking I'd get back before the show wrapped, I didn't think much of it.

I kept waiting to get re-booked on The Good Doctor before the final episode, but it didn't look like it was going to happen, and my week started to fill up with bookings for other shows. So I reached out to other regulars, including the "50-something Asian male BG" FB Messenger group, to see if anyone else was going to be at the studio, and could grab my souvenir badge (Ed, I still have yours). I joked about someone finding my portrait too, and then Arnie chimed in that Johnny props had found it! But how was I going to get there to get it? When you're booked on other shows, you can't just leave whenever you feel like it. Kristi, another regular BG I had reached out to, suggested that I just go to the studio, but they don't just let anyone walk onto the lot.

I'd pretty much given up any hope of getting my souvenir badge (which would have just ended up at the bottom of a drawer somewhere anyways), and the portrait story would have been just that… a good, tall-tale. But late one night this week, Kristi texted me and said that Sarka, another BG we knew was booked for The Good Doctor, so I reached out to her. She said she would let Johnny know I was looking to catch up with him, and try to get his mobile number. Ok, first problem solved! Now, when would I be able to get to the studio before they closed the doors on the show? And while Sarka was going to be there and could probably grab an ID badge, I couldn't ask her to haul around a framed portrait of me.

One thing about working in BG, is you never know what your schedule will be like, or when you'll be wrapped. But after arriving at Superman & Lois and checking the call sheet, it looked like I might be wrapped in time to get to Bridge Studios while their BG group was there (after all, the prop master for BG would only be around if there are BG required for the scene). So I get to the studio, and tell the guard at the gate who I am, and that I'm there to pick something up from Johnny props. As expected, he won't let me in. So I text Johnny, and wait a minute or two to see if he responds (this slight delay will be relevant in a bit), then call him so that I can get onto the studio. After a bit of a scolding from the gate guard, he finally lets me pass. 

Things are about to get weird

Now that I’m on the studio lot, I head over to the entrance to Stage 11, and I catch Johnny just as he's coming down the stairs from his prop room, and sure enough, he's got a big, framed picture of me - Dr. Diego Alvarez. We're not there for more than a minute when another guy walks into the elevator area with a "what's up?" kind of look. Johnny and I briefly explain the strange circumstances of the portrait, until it gets even more strange.

Chad K. Art Dept. Director

It turns out that this guy, Chad, is the Art Dept. Director, and he's the guy who would have had the portrait made! Incredulous, I said, "So one of the people that works for you, went onto some stock photo site and just happened to pull my image down for $20 or whatever? There must be thousands of pictures of Asian male doctors." (on iStock.com alone, there are tens of thousands) He said, "It would have been iStock, but it gets even better. When we originally printed that, we put my name on the bottom, thinking it would be funny. And then someone said no, we can't do that. But my mom knew about it, and she just texted me today saying, you need to get that portrait." No shit. He showed me the message.
What are the odds that at the exact moment that Johnny and I are exchanging the I-can't-believe-that-this-happened portrait, that the guy who commissioned it walks in? And has his own story about it? Chad then went on to say how this was a "Matrix Moment"; one of those strange things that you'd swear couldn't happen unless you were there to witness it.

Anyhow, thanks to everyone that had a small, but crucial part to play in this, my Matrix Moment.

The Scenic Difference

Travel and Leisure

Ok, so this isn't an advertisement for Scenic river cruises. I’m not a travel advisor, nor am I affiliated with Scenic. But I have always been curious about Scenic river cruising, and so I thought I'd go check out the local Scenic river cruise seminar that was taking place here in Vancouver, and see what all the hubub was about. Having sailed on four different river cruises, I can tell you that the river cruise experience itself is pretty much the same regardless of who you go with. What does change however, are the little details that some of you may find worthwhile and/or worth the extra cost. So I jotted down some notes where I thought that Scenic offered something unique or different, perhaps versus the other middle tier operators. Having cruised with their little sister company, Emerald, I’ll try to compare and contrast the experience with them. It won't be my place to tell you if Scenic is the brand for you; that's up to you to decide.

It's all about luxury

Apparently the Scenic Founder and Chairman, Glen Moroney, was hearing from his land-based tour participants that they wanted more luxurious experiences. From what I saw today, you are taken care of from the moment you step out of the baggage claim area, until you are returned to that airport at the end of your trip. Judging by the seniority of the audience participants (late 70s to early 80s), it would seem that age has something to do with this requirement for river cruising i.e. this demographic of clientele appears to want to have someone accompanying and guiding them from start to finish. I learned that Scenic goes to great lengths to take the guesswork work out of travelling in Europe and making sure that their guests experience a minimum of pain and stress while on their vacation.

Scenic adds 2 days to the typical Danube route

This also seems to equate to longer river cruises with Scenic; where other providers offer cruises starting a 4 or 5 days, Scenic seems to have a starting point of around 8 days, pulling in frequently visited cities as pre- or post-cruise destinations and stopping more often to make longer itineraries. i.e. instead of having to coordinate your own pre- and post-cruise extensions, Scenic makes a point of including those from the get-go.

We do our own pre-cruise extensions

We normally like to establish our own agendas for European travel; e.g. the time we went on an Emerald river cruise, we arranged our own self-guided, 8-night trip through Croatia and met our ship in Budapest. We feel that doing our own pre- or post-cruise extensions not only allows us to tailor things exactly to what we want to do, but also is far less expensive than doing it with the river cruise operator.

Anyhow, back to the Scenic differences; in no order of priority, here are the things that I noted that would appear to differentiate Scenic from Emerald and other middle-tier operators.

Butler service

I have a hard time wrapping my head around this, so I had to Google what a butler does on a river cruise; I came up with this website if you care to read. Having been on four river cruises, I have never had need for these services, but maybe you do. There was that time on our Emerald cruise, where we got poured on while using the bicycles in Budapest, and so we used up all of our towels trying to dry out. But a simple call to the front desk had our housekeeper dropping off fresh ones moments later. I find that part of the fun of being on such a small ship, is walking down the hall to the bar to grab some ice, and having a friendly chat with the bartender. However, if you like staying in your room and are not particularly excited about running down to grab an espresso in your terry towel robe and slippers, then perhaps butler service is something you are willing to pay for.

Staterooms and suite choices

Having not been on any European Scenic ships, I can't say just how much more luxurious their staterooms are, but from the videos, they seem to be like the Emerald ones, but larger. Specifically, where the Emerald Panorama Balcony rooms are contained within a rectangle, the Scenic ones have the bathroom off to the side. As such, Private Balcony Suites start at 205 sq. ft. and go up to 225 in the Deluxe one (vs. Emerald's Panorama Balcony Suite at 165 sq. ft.). I don't like how they have a divider or curtain that separates the "balcony" area from the rest of the room, as it would seem to just get in the way and offer little value. The extra room in the bathroom would definitely be a bonus, and one of the things we'd look for when choosing rooms on any river cruise (e.g. Gate 1's Monarch Empress and Queen ships).

And then there's the selection of more spacious suites that Scenic offers. Where most ships offer staterooms that are larger than the standard French balcony ones, Scenic has a number to choose from, obviously at elevated price levels. Moving up from the bottom, "swan-view" rooms to a balcony is about US$130/night (compared to Emerald, where it's about $50-60/night difference), and about $300/night to move into the Royal Suite. However, a quick peruse of their website shows that all but their bottom level rooms sell out very quickly, so if you want a bigger suite, you need to act fast.

Enhanced dining experience

A significant difference that I saw during the presentation, is the level of dining that Scenic cruisers experience. Not only are there more restaurants, but from the videos I saw, it looks like Michelin-star dining (can't vouch for the taste). I've only eaten in about 4 or 5 Michelin-star restaurants, but it would appear that supper on Scenic comes pretty close to that experience. Of course, you'll still have buffet options at breakfast and lunch, but I think you should expect an elevated dining experience in the evenings. The European ships offer two separate restaurants that are reserved either for a once-per-sailing dinner, or for specific guests on the Diamond deck or higher-end suites (by invitation). There is also the River Café where guests can grab a casual bite, or even get a lunch packed for them (I've never heard of this on other cruises), if they should choose not to return to the ship for lunch. Most other mid-tier river cruises will offer 1 to 2 dining venue options; in the Emerald case, the lounge was used for a light lunch alternative, but not used as an alternate dinner option. And food on Emerald was good, but certainly not the calibre of a Michelin-star restaurant.

More excursions and "Exclusive to Scenic" events

In addition to the included typical walking tours, Scenic offers a number of choices that give their guests greater variety for other excursions. Over and above those options, Scenic offers exclusive events that other operators don't, and the presenter harped on this benefit quite a bit; their website touts, "Scenic Enrich events are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will bring to life the rich cultural heritage of Europe's waterways". With any river cruise operator, you can count on one daily walking tour in each port (sometimes two), but Scenic has also secured private venues for art, music or cultural events. From the slides and videos I saw, it seems to be heavily weighted towards classical music or similar performances in a castle, palace or otherwise historical setting. If this is your jam, then you'll definitely experience something special with these events.

On the French itineraries (not sure if other routes offer these), the options add food-based activities like their Culinaire Cooking School, which may include tagging along with the chef while they shop for local ingredients at the market. In the wine regions of France, you might be offered a vineyard cycling tour (which I am almost certain would be using e-bikes). 

Other niceties

If the inclusions above haven't already reeled you in, here's a few more little details that I picked up that Scenic offers. Of course all your drinks are included, including the in-room mini-bar and premium alcohol cocktails. One free bag of laundry is included with all room types; I believe the benefit enhances as you go up in room category. There's an onboard Wellness Coach, if you need that sort of encouragement, as well as a Salt Therapy Lounge and spa services.

While we've not done a Douro cruise, apparently Scenic is the only operator that docks on the Porto side of the river (vs. Vila Novo de Gaia). The story goes that Glen negotiated with the local authorities to build a dock for his ships that is walking distance from the popular Ribeira district. Similarly, he arranged to build more docks on the Douro, allowing for enhanced itineraries and increased stops along the way; this might explain why sometimes ships moor at spots overnight where there really isn't much there (or so I've read).

Scenic has schedules that allow for "Cruising Combinations" 

Scenic has proven that they listen to their guests, who had suggested that they would like even longer cruises, so Scenic has made a point of structuring their schedules so that cruisers can dovetail cruises back-to-back. Visiting Normandy? Scenic ships will get you all the way to Honfleur, reducing the amount of time you'll spend on the coach getting to and from there.

A parting note on pricing and promos

As some of you might have noticed, the US website shows Full Fare prices that far exceed the Canadian ones, especially with the exchange factored in. I took a few minutes to pull the Scenic representative aside at the end of the presentation, and asked about this. He sort of shook his head, and indicated that the US has a different marketing team and strategy. "Americans want to feel like their getting a deal, so they price their cruises high, and then offer big discounts". My research indicates that sometimes even when the US offers 2-for-1 deals, including free air, that the equivalent price is not as good as when the Canadian site offers a 2-for-1 only. And no, an American guest cannot buy from the Canadian website; well, not unless they have a Canadian residential address that they can bill against.
Over the years, I've priced out many Scenic offers, and while the price is definitely much higher than other mid-tier operators, sometimes the promotional offer brings a Deluxe Balcony down into the somewhat palatable US$450-550/night range. By comparison, the best Emerald deal for a similar cruise and room category can get into the US$270/night territory. 
Someone asked about single cruising, and the presenter indicated that most ships have two single rooms on the bottom level that sell out quickly. However, he suggested that you can call in an inquire about waiving the single supplement, as they often offer it up as an unadvertised promotion.

Why we don't sail with Scenic

After reading the differences that set Scenic apart from say, Emerald, you're probably thinking, "why wouldn't I want to cruise with Scenic?"
Well obviously budget is a factor. We can, and have cruised for 12 nights on a 1st Class river cruise in a French balcony room, including trans-Atlantic flights for about US$7,000 including all tips and add-ons. For the two of us. Can we cruise with Scenic on that budget? Not even close. 
And for us, most of enhanced benefits are not going to be relevant or add value for us. I don't drink a lot, and she doesn't drink at all. Butler? Can't really figure out why we'd need one. 5+ star dining? Nice to have, but not typically our style. An evening at the symphony? Pass. A private opera concert? Hard pass.

Indeed, there seems to be two distinct categories of river cruisers. There's the "cruise experience" one that wants a fully-encapsulated end-to-end tour, where every minute of every day is carefully crafted and curated, packed with luxury and exclusiveness fit for royalty. Then there's the other side of the coin, where folks are really looking for a European adventure, without the hassle of packing and unpacking every day; to these cruisers, the ship is really a boutique hotel with a great restaurant, that happens to follow them down the river, and everything else is a bonus. Independent travellers? Then you're more likely to fit into the second category; e.g. once you've finished the included 90-minute walking tour in Vienna, you'd rather venture off on your own than be escorted back to the ship for lunch and off to your included private symphony performance. The additional differences and add-ons might be appreciated, but since you're paying for them whether you take advantage of them or not, they may be wasted on some.

A couple of months with an EV

Automotive

Well, it's been about two months since I picked up our new Hyundai Ioniq 5, and although it has been a little slow in TV & Film here, I've put enough kms on it to give an update. I've driven hybrid electric cars, and have ridden in other EVs like the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S, but this is a first for us. So here's some things I've learned and a few observations. 

Range anxiety

This is the one thing that grabs headlines for those that aren't familiar with EVs, and the skeptics out there. It all comes down to your individual driving patterns, and ability to charge (at home or work, for example). We bought the model with the longest range, which is pretty good for cars of this size and price. The estimated range is 490 kms, but that is very subjective, depending on driving style, speed, and terrain. I picked up the car in Kamloops, and drove back to Vancouver over a mountain pass; I watched the screen as my range fell quickly due to the combination of highway speed and climbing up the hills. I estimate that this dropped my effective range to around 350 kms, but I needed to stop for a bio break and a sandwich. Using a DC fast charger, I was able to top up enough to get home easily, in only about 15 minutes. Once at home, I plugged into my 110v AC outlet, and juiced up while the car sat in the garage.
My driving needs change from week-to-week, depending on which productions I'm working on, and where the studio or location is situated. But it is pretty safe to say that the maximum I'd ever need to drive in a day is about 80 kms, which I can easily top up overnight. In reality, we only need to plug in after about a week, as there's no need to recharge after running to the grocery store, or if the shoot is nearby. After about a month, I stopped bothering to look at the consumption rate on the display, and only check the battery level if I need to go somewhere further in the next day or two. 

Unlike a traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car, you do need to factor in some things if you are planning a longer trip; temperature is a big factor, as I found out on a winter trip up to Kamloops recently. I made the mistake of not fully-charging the battery (more on that later) and then when stopping at a DC fast charger for lunch in Hope, only topped up to 90%. The steep climb up to the top of the Coquihalla Summit really zapped the battery, even though it was only about -2°C out. While I probably did have enough charge left to get to Kamloops, I was a little uneasy as to how much I'd have left on arrival. I needed another bio break in Merritt anyways, so stopped at another DC fast charger and added 10% just to be safe. 

Charging

We were great candidates for an EV, not just because of our driving patterns, but because we have a place to charge at home, specifically with what is known as Level 1 - 110v AC: For most people I know, charging at 110v AC off your home outlet will likely be enough for day-to-day use. The caveat there, is that you're not driving 150 kms everyday, and you have electricity that is not time-of-day rate-based. In BC, our power is hydro-electric, and is flat-rate priced at 9.75¢ per kWh. It jumps up to 14.08¢ over a certain threshold, so that will vary based on your usage and time of year (e.g. if you have electric heat). So regardless of whether you use 110v or install a 220v home charger, you're still paying the same for the electricity to recharge your battery. As a point of reference, a full charge from 0 to 100% would cost us $7.50 at our base rate.

Level 2 - 220v AC: There are numerous places around town that offer Level 2 charging, like at the supermarket, or mall, but since we don't need the charge when doing errands etc., we don't use these. Additionally, since Level 2 charging only adds about 5% charge per hour for the Ioniq 5, it's not really that useful unless you're going to park for hours (e.g. at work). In places where your electricity is time-based, it may make sense to install a Level 2, 220v charger at home, so that you can refill during low, overnight rates. But for now, in BC, it is not a cost saver for us.

DC fast charging: Some erroneously refer to this as Level 3 charging, but this is where the Ioniq 5 excels. With an 800V architecture, the Ioniq 5 and 6 (which are identical EV platforms) are the fastest charging EVs right now. With battery pre-conditioning (i.e. warming), you can restore the charge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes! How does this work? On the navigation system, you simply enter your destination, and any DC charging stations as a waypoint, and the car will automatically start warming the battery as you approach the station. I've taken some time to see what DC chargers are available along my typical route, and their proximity to McDonalds/A&W or other lunch spots. We don't really need the 350 kW chargers, as I've found that in the time that it takes to use the bathroom and grab a burger, I've topped up my battery sufficiently on a 200 kW one. I like the ON the RUN stations associated with Chevron, as charging is currently free (you have to use the Journie app), and I'm already familiar with their locations and nearby amenities.

Battery usage / charging level

I'm no Electrical Engineer... oh, wait. I'm no expert on batteries, but there is one factor that apparently will make your EV battery (and apparently other rechargeable batteries) last longer. That advice is to only charge to 100% if you absolutely have to, otherwise set your charge limit to 80% or 90%. Of course, if I need lots of juice to get up the Coquihalla, I've learned now that I'm going to start with a full charge in Hope. But otherwise, charging that last 20% takes a lot longer than when the battery is depleted. Battery charging is not like pouring out water through a hose at a constant rate; that's because the "resistance" of the battery increases with the level of charge. I read an analogy that likens it to boarding an airplane - when it's empty, it's easy for passengers to get seated quickly, but as it fills up, the process slows down. So that means that for around town, daily driving, I'm effectively starting with 80% of the state range for my car, or around 400 kms (in ideal conditions). Something for those to consider if they are on the cusp of buying the smaller battery version, but are not sure if it will be enough range for them - go for the bigger battery. 

Regenerative braking

Most folks know by now that the electric motor(s) in EVs can put charge back into the battery when braking, but for many EVs, it's a setting in the menus to adjust the level of regen braking you desire, so most folks set it once and leave it. I've learned that with the Ioniq 5, I prefer to use the maximum regen setting in town, using the i-Pedal feature to bring the car to a complete stop without touching the brake pedal. 

However, on the highway, I prefer to turn down the regen to level 1 using the steering wheel mounted paddles. It's not like full coasting, but it mimics the feel of an ICE car when you lift off of the accelerator. Level 0 is too "loose" for me; since there's virtually no resistance slowing the car down, it feels kinda like you're not in control of the vehicle's speed. Using the regenerative braking is desired obviously, as it extends your range, but I don't think it's a substantial amount; for our needs, it probably doesn't change where and when we'd stop to add more juice.

Driving experience

EVs are heavy, due to the weight of the battery, which is normally in the floor of new-era models. In the Ioniq, this makes the "feel" very similar to a large German touring car (I've had two). The distance between the wheels also contributes to a very smooth ride, as the Ioniq 5 has the longest wheelbase (3 metres) of any vehicle I've owned. This makes the turning radius large, but it hasn't proven to be a problem in parking lots. The major difference in driving is related to, I believe, the regenerative braking. I find that you need to hold/push on the accelerator to maintain a constant speed; the moment you ease up on the pedal, you start to slow down. Of course you can change the regen braking level with the paddles so that doesn't happen, but I like/want to keep that on. It takes a little getting used to, but it's certainly not bothersome. Other than that, and the gear shifter being mounted on the steering column like the olden days, and the regenerative braking, it's pretty much like driving an ICE car. Ok, except for the astonishing acceleration - who would have thought that a 2 tonne vehicle could go from 0-60 in 7.5 seconds? Because of the electric motor, torque is available immediately, and you really notice it when you're overtaking on the highway. Combined with the smooth, no engine noise ride, it is very easy to exceed the speed limit without trying.

Other things learned / liked

The small things that have also come up really have more to do with the advancements in automotive technology, than with EVs specifically. e.g. although Highway Driving Assist technologies have been around for a while, this is our first car with lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control. Similarly, having an app to do things like remotely lock the doors, or turn on the AC/heat a few minutes before you need this is a nice to have, but again these are not EV-specific features. I guess the biggest change for me is the liberating feel of not burning up fossil fuels, and the thought at the back of my mind that each trip to a Langley film studio is costing $13-15. To be honest however, owning an EV will not save us any money vs. an ICE car; our gasoline consumption was less than $2,000 a year, and it's safe to say that our Ioniq 5 was at least $20,000 more than we'd normally have paid for our next vehicle. At that rate, we'd need to keep the EV for about 10 years to break even, but we typically move on before then.

Hyundai / Ioniq 5 specifics

For the most part, the above info is really car/manufacturer independent, i.e. we'd probably have experienced the same things in a Tesla, Ford Mach-E, or VW ID.4. So what specific things do I like about the Hyundai? Well, as I've written before, we had a Hyundai Tucson just prior to this, and I feel pretty good about their reputation as a car company now (certainly not when I had a Pony). This isn't their first try at EVs, so they've got a bit of a track record with the technology (vs. others I was considering like the Fisker Ocean). And with dealerships/service locations everywhere, I'm not worried about the long-term maintenance issues with the Ioniq 5. Besides, they have one of the best warranties in the business.

I appreciate that they still have manual controls for often used things like climate control, windshield wipers and the entertainment system. Sure, you can use the touchscreen to access some of these as well, but unlike other manufacturers that have put everything on one screen, Hyundai still gives you the option for dials and buttons. Similarly, where others give a single, centre-mounted screen, I like that Hyundai has two, and puts the driving information on the screen in front of the driver, while auxiliary information and controls go on the centre one. I'm sure I'd get used to it, but the idea of having to look at the centre screen just to check speed, or turn on the wipers seems a little too minimalist to me.

On that note, I do like the clean lines of interior of the Ioniq 5, and Hyundai has been doing good things with their design efforts recently. Ours is a two-tone grey, with the lighter shade adding to the open, airy feel. Some of the features of the top level trim (called Ultimate here in Canada) are a little frivolous in my opinion, and I am glad we did not pay extra for these (e.g. "relaxation seating", sliding centre console, and ambient lighting). I don't miss the leather (Ultimate comes with "leatherette") seats we had in our Tucson, and actually, find that the cloth seats aren't as cold to sit on when you initially get in the car. The perforated leather surfaces in the Tucson were actually a bit of a PITA, as crumbs and small debris would get lodged in the tiny holes, and were impossible to vacuum out.

So with only a couple of months and a some long range trips behind me, I'd say that the EV is a good fit for us, and we're certainly happy with the Ioniq 5.

A brief history of my cars

Automotive

I'm starting a new category, as this doesn't seem to fit into the retirement or the travel section. I don't consider myself a "petrol-head", but I will admit that I probably was more into cars than most of my other friends and co-workers around me. I used to buy car magazines and look up every spec for the new hot cars, and I've probably watched every episode of Top Gear. But as I got older, it became less and less about how fast my car was, or how cool it looked, versus how much stuff could I carry, and or how practical the vehicle was. Oh how old I've gotten!

Then and now: back into a Hyundai hatch 39 years later

Fast forward to now, and we've just taken delivery of a 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5, our first EV. When I first saw pictures of this car, I knew it would be something different, but I didn't factor in just how popular it would become! Announced in 2021, it created quite a buzz in the auto media, and once pre-production models started appearing around the world, the buzz got louder. First, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 won the Best Design award in the Top Gear Electric Awards 2021. Then in 2022, at the prestigious World Car Awards, the IONIQ 5 won big, and was named overall World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. And the awards kept coming.

Car and Driver also named it EV of the Year, and the British awarded it UK Car of the Year, both in 2022. (Update: Cars.com has awarded the Ioniq 5 Best EV of the Year for 2024, second year in a row, and The Car Connection named it the Best Electric Car To Buy for a second consecutive year). So in April of that year, we took a test drive in one, and naively put down our deposit, expecting to get notified in about a year that our car would be arriving. I won't bore you with the long, drawn-out details, but suffice it to say that demand for this model of EV far outstripped supply, and dealers were greedily taking upwards of $13,000 markup over MSRP from those who didn't want to wait in line. By June of 2023, I started to think that I'd never get one, but after stopping into Kamloops Hyundai, and shamelessly name dropping the previous owner of the dealership (a high school friend's husband), I was on a new list. So here we are now, about four months later, driving a car that is powered by water (BC is hydro-electric).

Timeline and history of cars

(clicking on any image will open a gallery view)

The EV 45 concept appeared in 2019

One of the things you can read about in the trade articles, is that Hyundai says that they drew inspiration for the concept and final production car from their original Pony. Umm... yeah, right. As you can see, I had a Pony in 1986, and it doesn't look anything like the IONIQ 5 or the concept car (pictured right). So I went looking through my photo archives trying to find a picture, but it has long been lost (the Pony picture below is by Brendan McAleer of Driving.ca, but it's almost exactly like mine). However, while I was searching, I came across almost every other car I've owned, so thought it would be fun to document the vehicular journey.

My little Pony

Unfortunately, with five kids all going every which way, my dad owned a fleet of cars. Not fancy cars, mind you, but lots of them, and in my teens, we had a few to choose from, depending on where you were going and what you were doing; e.g. the 1976 Cutlass Supreme with its 350 cubic inch V8 was a favourite for highway cruising. The last of these "fleet" cars that my dad bought, was a Hyundai Pony. By that time, all the other siblings had left home, so this one was effectively reserved for my use. With a whopping 74 bhp, it took my little pony about 15 seconds to get from 0 to 60. It was a terrible car in every sense of the word, and I vowed to never own another Hyundai.

1976 Mercedes Benz 280S

This was my dad's car, and I loved it. As a kid growing up in Kamloops, a Mercedes was rare, and while this wasn't the coveted 450SL, it was still a Benz. I'd spend afternoons washing and polishing it, and this didn't go unnoticed. So when he retired, he gave me the big Benz. At over 1600 kgs and with only 156 bhp, it took almost 11 seconds to get from 0-60, but once you were up at highway speed, it was cruising! I got hooked by the level of quality and finish of the car, even if it was not the style for a 22-yr old. Unfortunately, it only lasted a year or so longer, before it lost a battle in Edmonton when an F250 ran a red light on a cold winter evening.

1989 Mazda MX-6 GT 4WS

Armed with the insurance money from the Merc, and an 8.75% car loan, I sought out the best sporty car that I could afford. After reading the reviews in the car mags, this was it. The 4WS stands for four wheel steer, and at the time it was made, it was the fastest slalom production car in the world. 145 bhp propelled the MX-6 GT to 60 mph in 7.43 seconds; top speed was 209 km/h, but I seem to recall something faster? I’m surprised this thing didn’t kill me. This car was so rare, I had to scour the internet just for this picture. It was great for getting back and forth from Edmonton, but it was a cop magnet. But back then in Alberta, they only gave you points for speeding tickets, and when I moved back to Vancouver, I used a drivers licence swap to avoid having the points transfer across. 

1981 Toyota Landcruiser

This was part of the fleet that I mentioned earlier, and was our primary Tod Mountain ski vehicle. These Landcruisers were legendary, and we put many miles on that inline, 6-cylinder diesel engine. After my other brother Daryl graduated from university, he bought it from my dad, and after he was done with it, I was next in line. By then, it was rusting to pieces as they all did, so I got rid of the roof and doors and got it Maaco’ed. It was impractical as all get out, but a ton of fun at the time. You couldn't/didn't want to drive fast in this, and with only a bikini soft-top, it didn't work for weekend camping trips. I'd longed for having a 4x4 again, but without the roof, this wasn't practical enough, so when a guy came looking for a BJ40 to take him to the Baja, I sold it to him without regret.

1987 Toyota 4Runner

So I decided that I needed to trade 0-60 times for inches of ground clearance. I loved the Mazda, but it wasn’t great for camping, even worse for off-roading. The SUV was just starting to become a thing, and most manufacturers were coming out with something to try and keep up with the Jeep Cherokee market. Toyota basically took their legendary Hilux pickup truck and put in a second row of seats and topped it with a removable fibreglass shell. Well, you can take the boy out of Kamloops, but you can't take the Kamloops out of the boy; this truck was the key to reigniting my weekend camping and fishing adventures. The 4Runner was well sized for the city and excellent for these adventures, but with a wimpy 4-cylinder engine, it was perhaps a bit too underpowered?

1997 Ford F-150 4x4

We're now just past the half way mark of the nineties, and I've taken a new sales role where I was paid a healthy car allowance, so my buddy David talked me into leasing the brand new Ford 1/2 ton. This was technically in 1996, when Ford released the new model design for their F150; it was an all-new design with much smoother, rounded lines than the predecessors. It had a 4.6 litre V8 that pumped out 220 bhp and 290 lb-ft of torque - plenty for what I needed. David had it fitted with huge BFG All-Terrain tires and a matching fibreglass canopy, so it was fantastic for my camping and fishing adventures. However, I found that it was too big for navigating around in Vancouver, so it went back at the end of the 2-yr lease.

1997 Land Rover Discovery

The Disco, as they are affectionately called, was right in the middle of the Goldilocks zone for my purposes. It offered the best of both worlds; off-road adventures on the weekends, but cushy leather-wrapped commuting. Getting back into a European vehicle was also noticeable, as it had the feel of being in a solid German car like the Benz, but without the associated reliability. While BMW had bought Land Rover in 1994, it took them a number of years to incorporate their quality controls and measures; that meant that this model year was still very much a British-built car. Overweight and underpowered, this vehicle changed my driving style forever (well, almost). 

1967 Mercedes Benz 250SL

A little later on in the 90s, things were starting to heat up in the dot com space, and I had a little bit of extra cash kicking around; maybe an early mid-life crisis car was in order? A guy down the street had one of these when I was growing up in Kamloops and I’ve always coveted one. So I started watching the Buy & Sell and Autotrader for one of these to pop up; surprisingly back then, you could find two or three for sale at a given time. Some were projects asking for $9-10k, and others in the $15k range weren't the right colour. Then I stumbled onto this one, where the old guy had kept it in the garage for 6 years and only driven it 300 miles! I lowballed him at $13,500 - and he accepted it, but I wrestled with fuel issues for a few years and a few thousand dollars. With only 150 bhp, it yielded 0-60 times of... well, let's just say that the average soccer mom in her Toyota Sienna could take me off the line. I held onto the roadster (never put the hardtop on) for almost 20 years; when I noticed the value had gone up substantially, I decided it was time to part ways. It was the only car I really made money on.

1987 Mercedes Benz 560SEC

Even though I had already filled the two parking spaces at my condo, there was another spot you could rent for a small fee. Besides, all my friends around me were having kids, so I decided that I needed a new baby of my own. Now this was a grand-touring car if there ever was one. Let's not forget that this was the flagship S-Class for Mercedes Benz; it had bells and whistles that other manufacturers hadn't even though of back then. One of my mates liked to call it the Yakuza-mobile, as this is the kind of car that the Japanese mafia liked back in the late 80s; at almost 1800 kgs, I preferred to call it “The Panzerwagen”. This Euro-spec version with 300 bhp was good for 0-60 in 6.6 seconds. Top speed? 250 km/h (unverified). But all that power and luxury was wasted commuting in Vancouver, and we had four cars at the time (hers a 1984 VW Jetta), so more practical minds eventually prevailed.

2004 Land Rover Discovery II

Needed room for these two furballs

Don't forget that I still had the Disco, but after 10 years of ownership, it was starting to get a little long-in-the-tooth. I wanted to improve the reliability of my primary vehicle, but didn't want to change, so I decided it need to be replaced by… another one. Now called the Discovery Series II, displacement went up from 4.0L to 4.6L, which meant it was even more expensive to keep this thing full of petrol. For off-road nerds, this was the model year to get, as it had all of the new electronic traction gizmos AND the centre-locking differential. But the more pressing issue was that we now had two Bernese Mountain dogs, and this was the perfect way to get around with the two fur-kids in the back.

2005 MINI Cooper

Technically this was Christine’s ride, as what guy would be caught dead driving one? Actually, we were getting tired of her Jetta's rainwater ingress issues, so when we talked about retiring the Panzerwagen, a more practical 4-cylinder replacement was suggested as a 2-for-1 (I was actually looking at 6-cylinder Mercedes options). Also a BMW acquisition, the MINI didn't exhibit the typical British car issues, and it was pretty fun to drive... if there were only the two of us. Inevitably we found it too small, and it rode like a go-kart, making city driving irritating. It too, started leaking, so we started looking at something practical, like a Ford Fiesta, to replace it.

2013 Ford Focus ST 

Did I just say practical? I was telling a buddy that we wanted another 4-cylinder city car, and he said, "I'm selling my Focus". Hmm. After not a lot of research (as critics loved it when it was released), we bought it from him. It was deceptively quick, and is certainly the fastest car I/we have ever owned. With 252 bhp/270 lb-ft torque, this rocket took only 5.8 secs to get from zero to 60; it was more than adequate to get Christine to work and back. But Recaro seats, sport tuning and tight suspension also made this a pain to drive in the city - literally. Didn't we go through this already with the MINI? Then, the suggestion was to get rid of the gas-guzzling Disco, in favour of something more crossover-sized as our primary vehicle. Hmm. Ok... plan in motion.

1995 BMW 318ti

As part of the strategy, and after I retired, we briefly tried being a one-car family. It didn’t work, but I felt that all we needed in a 2nd car was dependable, basic transportation when the primary car was unavailable. Still wanting the reliability of a German car, but without needing all of the cylinders and power that usually accompanied them, I was on the hunt for a small BMW. As a Benz-guy, this was sacrilege, as 3-series BMWs were for cocks, not respectable regular guys. But when I found this low mileage, unmodified one (which is rare), I decided that it was the perfect car to meet our 2nd car needs. Even with a transmission issue right out of the gate, it has has exceeded my expectations, and meets the requirements for “collector car” status for low cost insurance. With only 134 bhp, performance is snoozy, but that’s not what we were looking for anyways. 

2016 Hyundai Tucson 1.6T Limited

Remember at the top of this post and how I said I'd never own another Hyundai? Well, here's how the story goes. I'm supposed to be looking at crossover-type vehicles, so I had convinced her that a pre-owned 2016 Discovery Sport was the right choice, as it was a smaller car, and only had a 4-cylinder, turbocharged engine. But the Disco Sport wasn’t on the dealer's lot when we arrived to look at it, even though we had booked an appointment. Disgruntled, we walked across the street to Hyundai and test drove a Tucson instead, and it immediately restored my faith in the brand. Smooth and quiet, it was surprisingly powerful; 175 bhp and 195 lb-ft of torque propelled the Tucson 0-60 in only 7.6 seconds - go back and look at the MX-6 GT spec! Truth be told, if there were only gas vehicles to choose from, I'd probably buy another Tucson, or perhaps the 2024 Kona.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Preferred Long Range RWD

And so here we are, full circle, from the humble Pony all the way up to its stylish successor, the IONIQ 5. What's it like (new post with EV experience here)? Awesome. At over 1900 kgs, this is about the same weight as the Disco II, but has a wheelbase that is about 50 cms longer; actually it's closer to the 560SEC in that respect. As such, it rides like a big, grand touring German car, yet it looks small from a distance and in pictures. Even though this isn't the fast one (you need the AWD version for that), it still is remarkably quick, with the electric motor providing all the torque instantly. When you need to pass someone, it jets from 100 to 140 km/h in what seems like the blink of an eye. 0-60? About the same as the Mazda MX-6, and a little slower than the 560SEC; the Focus ST is still the winner there.