Ep 39: Schrödinger's DAIM cake

Craving

Many might argue about the greatness of IKEA's DAIM cake, but to me, it's not just a dessert, it's a quest item. And the more riveting part? You can't order it online; you have to go there physically. I checked the nearest IKEA (Coquitlam) and the website said it “might be in stock”—classic Schrödinger's cake situation.

Apple Maps offered three choices to get to the nearest IKEA in Coquitlam: a ~15-min ride by car, ~45-min by SkyTrain and a 2+ hour walk. Naturally, as someone who's “walkative”, I picked the expedition. “But what if there's no cake?”, a friend texted me. “The end of a melody is not it's goal”. We move!

Through North Burnaby

The 10km route I mapped on FootPath led me through North Burnaby on a late Sunday morning. To my delight the sky was completely clear—a rare break from the gloomy Vancouver winter. If there ever was a day for a quest, this was it.

The walk was full of curious finds:

• A firewood stand! (unexpected—I hadn't seen one since my time in Akuse, Ghana)

• A sealed value pack of chicken drumsticks lying at an intersection. That and a lone shopping cart. A late thanksgiving vibe

• A utility box doubling as a canvas

• “Classic” Burnaby infrastructure: the occasional missing sidewalk

I used Gogomi to navigate new roads, and the clear day offered excellent vistas

Welcome to Coquitlam

Coquitlam wasn't as walker-friendly, but the views and charming buildings kept me going. The anticipation of DAIM cake also helped, of course.

Cake or no cake?

Finally, after two hours of walking, I got there. Slightly sweaty and very eager, I braced myself for the truth: would the cake be there?

Yes! Victory! Celebrated with a well-earned slice for lunch, replenishing the calories and energy I'd spent on the journey.

Post-Quest

After meeting up with my friend at IKEA, we explored the nearby Austin Heights area. As we climbed the hill, we stumbled upon rogue table-setting manual (a little too late if you ask me, I'd already ravaged the meatballs at the IKEA cafeteria).

Later, my friend got a notification for her first walk in her neighbourhood, courtesy of Gogomi. A fitting end to the adventure.