Last day in Ruskin
Last year, I didn’t get to come to Ruskin. I’d been told that our division president was coming out to Calgary during the same week, so I stuck around. And was shafted by other politics at play. So I missed …
Topic
Travel
467 posts tagged with this topic.
Ontario 2026 - Old friends, dishwashers, and home
More weird dreams than I care to think about (I’m sure some of them would make interesting manga, but as a novel they’d be unworkable) kept me from decent sleep. Today was our last day in Ontario and we …
Ontario 2026 - Touring St. Thomas
The bed was hard. The girls slept terribly on possibly the worst pull-out couch, ever. After failing to get the Krupp machine in our room to work, Monkey and let Alex and Choo Choo sleep a bit more and stole away to the …
Ontario 2026 - A Service in St. Thomas
The thunderstorm started at 5am. Cathy’s dog, Hennessey, got me up not long after. Dogs generally aren’t fans of loud noises and this dog isn’t a fan of thunderstorms. I knew then it was going to be a …
Ontario 2026 - Gardens and Tiramisu
Well, Toronto got canned. I was woken by a text from Asinkwe saying she wasn’t able to make lunch. After some discussion, we opted to skip going back into downtown Toronto. After helping Cathy replace a lock on her …
Ontario 2026 - Visiting with Friends and Family
One of the things I’m terrible at when coming to Oakville is visiting with friends. It’s not that I don’t want to visit with anyone else, it’s often that I don’t have enough time available …
Ontario 2026 - It was a rainy day...
It was a rainy day in Oakville when my cousin Raoul… Wait. I don’t have a cousin Raoul. We all slept in, even Cathy, who’s famously up early, and Tori, who didn’t have an 8:30 shift at the pool. …
Ontario 2026 - Louis Tomlinson and the Blue Jays
From the outset, today’s plans were always going to be a big dodgy. Although we had a definitively hard schedule for 6pm, the rest was to be made up as we went. Obviously, we’ve been to Toronto before. Alex …
Ontario 2026 - Happy Birthday to Me!
Happy birthday to me! Things got off to a bit of a slow start, as I started to wake up around 4 or 5, for reasons I don’t understand. I was tired and awake at the same time. It was rough. I managed to eke a bit …
Ontario 2026 - Cider and Niagara Falls
Forest fires in Northern Ontario have dropped a lot of smoke over Southern Ontario. The sun is nothing more than a pale red disc in the sky. It’s still hot, humidity sky-high. It’s a good reason to leave …
Ontario 2026 - The trouble with rental agencies
It’s been a long time since I was excited to fly. I don’t think I’ll ever recapture the novelty of flying when I was a kid – and goodness knows the airlines will never be like that again – …
Monkey Goes to Japan
It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to. - Bilbo Baggins, Fellowship of the Ring …
Topics
2025, A Year In Review
The 2020s keep on burning like a bad dumpster fire. It’s hard to find the highs when we saw the disturbing rise of fascism in the former home of democracy, authoritarianism rising in Alberta (with several uses of …
Irish Family Trip, Day 12
Our flight was early, so we had an early morning. Well, early for some in this family. For me, it was normal. Packed and ready, downstairs, with cab called so we could get to the airport. The taxi arrived on time, we …
Irish Family Trip, Day 11
Last (full) day in Ireland. To zero surprise, I was up before everyone. I thought about where to go for breakfast – we’d had a few other ideas on our mind – when a thought crept across… Premier …
Irish Family Trip, Day 10
One of the problems with renting a car is returning it, especially before you get dinged for another day. The car was of no more use to us – everything from here is on foot. So I got up at 6:30, while my family …
Irish Family Trip, Day 9
Some yobbo felt the need to tear down the road with his car, popping exhaust, waking me up. Then a bunch of assholes waking up their friend — and the entire fucking hallway — at 3am. This should have been the sign for …
Irish Family Trip, Day 8
For once, we were up early. (Well, “early” for my family, anyway.) Alex had a geocaching event that she wanted to attend, because how often do you get to do something like that in another country? Besides, it …
Irish Family Trip, Day 7
Unsurprisingly, I was up before everyone else. We weren’t under the same time pressures as the day before, though we did have a dinner we had to attend in Newtownards. I made coffee. It was … reasonable. I …
Irish Family Trip, Day 6
And I thought yesterday was a drive. I woke up to people above us thumping around. The joys of a four-storey walk-up. Dragging everyone else out of bed, we headed up the road to Blas, a restaurant in the Gateway Lodge. …
Irish Family Trip, Day 5
Today was a drive. I think we covered most of the Irish West Coast. Which means you do nearly twice that, because there’s nary a straight road to be found in this country. Roads felt like they were wrapped like …
Irish Family Trip, Day 4
Sometimes, when you have a really busy day, and you might not have entirely slept off the jet lag from two days earlier, you sleep in a lot later than expected. We were an hour behind schedule getting going. And I say …
Irish Family Trip, Day 3
When I got up around 7:30, Monkey had already been up for an hour. I loathe mornings on vacations without plans because people will sleep indefinitely and I didn’t pay a few thousand dollars to fly to a different …
Irish Family Trip, Day 1/2
Despite the lack of sleep due to the Dirty Knobs concert and rising early on Friday to prepare for an interview that was delayed, I couldn’t sleep Friday night. Still, I forced myself to sleep in a bit. I took the house …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 8 - Vancouver and home
I had the worst sleep. Between a third day of fucking fever and headaches (the Tylenol was barely having any effect), the crew decided to have an all-night dance party in the crew quarters underneath us (Deck A, below …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 7 - At Sea, Sick
Didn’t sleep well. Wasn’t hungry but had a bit of breakfast anyway. Went back to the room to rest and sleep. The ship doesn’t really have a quiet spot to settle and sleep other than your own cabin. I tried to watch Death …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 6 - Ketchikan and the flu
I woke this morning knowing that there was a high likelihood that, by the end of the day, I’d be buried under the sheets with something nasty. I was very unhappy with that reality because the one thing I did not …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 5 - Glacier Bay
Five o’clock came earlier than I expected. I’m not sure I couldn’t sleep due to the (somewhat forced?) excitement of entering Glacier Bay, or just because sleeping on the ship hasn’t been great. I …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 4 - Skagway and the White Pass and Yukon
I’m starting to lose track of days. I think that’s the sign of a good vacation. Heavens forbid that I might actually like cruising… We arrived in Skagway early, I woke briefly and glanced at the …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 3 - Inside Passage and Juneau
Slept better. Ish. Having a shower was an improvement. Surprisingly, despite the small room, the bathroom is quite reasonable. Bathtub with shower, vacuum toilet (like in an airplane), with enough room to change where …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 2 - Inside Passage
I’d had a headache leaving Calgary yesterday. It returned last night. I slept terribly. But my biggest fear of sleeping in the same room as my mother – the teeth grinding and snoring, a distinct memory from …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 1 - Vancouver and Departure
A few months ago, Mom declared that she’d like to go on a cruise, but it was a struggle to find the right thing, since traveling solo isn’t particularly cheap (double occupancy is a thing), and her mobility …
Montreal, Le Central, Mozart, and Vomiting ... oh my
Alex has a mild obsession with the movie Amadeus. This comes from seeing it as a child, home with a cd, and her father thought it would be an interesting thing for her. Not Strawberry Shortcake, not The Care Bears, not …
The End of Childhood Adventures
When you’re a parent with young children, you can see possibility, opportunity, and endless field of options. That’s part of being a parent, it’s being freed of expectation and looking towards the best …
The trip home from Ruskin
It took us two days to drive out to Ruskin for Christmas. No matter how we sliced it, it was going to take two days to get home, too. And that was a good thing. Travelling through the mountains in winter is a tough slog …
New Year's Tea in Fort Langley
Planning started back in November: what were we going to do for our annual New Year’s Tea? The problems were two-fold. First is the usual catch with Alex’s wheat allergy – not everywhere does a …
Christmas in Ruskin
Merry Ho Ho, one and all! Late last night, I tried to catch a picture of a CN freight train heading west. I tell you this because I was trying to kill some time before picking up Alex. Her flight arrived just before …
Christmas in Ruskin - The Fraser Canyon
I didn’t know before today that Moxie’s does breakfast. At least, the one attached to the hotel. And it was pretty decent, even if it was $85 for three people. Hitting our usual gas station on Columbia St …
Christmas in Ruskin - The Drive to Kamloops
It’s been seven years since we’ve done Christmas in Ruskin. The reason we don’t go is because of Alex’s work schedule, which has been extremely unhelpful in getting us enough time to be there. …
A trip to Mossleigh
Alex is getting annoyed with me. I’m going on excursions into the countryside without her. I am admittedly being very selfish with these, I want – I need time to myself. To do things I want to do, without …
Drumheller in the winter
I had to take a week and a half off of work. Our Glorious Department of People has a hard-and-fast rule that Thou Shalt Not Carry Over Vacation, Even If You’ve Worked 65+ Hour Weeks For Months Because We’re …
Roaming the Foothills
Choo Choo is at the Acreage again this weekend for some tests. Unlike usual visits, these are hours each, which is mildly inconvenient for anyone taking her out there, which in this case, is me. Yesterday, it was 3 …
Topics
Happy Birthday to Me
I hate my birthdays, sometimes. Because I end up planning them. A surprise would be nice. (My 50th had surprises, which I loved.) Today, I turned 52. And it was left to me to decide what we were doing. I chose to go Fort …
A Trip into Vancouver
Today, we went into Vancouver. Last year, I went in my own to visit with Scott (and ride in his time machine). This year, it was all of us to hang out with Jen. I wasn’t too keen on trying to drive into Vancouver. …
SUP, Take Two
In theory, I should be working. I say this because there are things that need to be done to keep the team moving at work while I’m away. I say “in theory” because when I checked the Jira board today, I …
Pretending to be a Tree Monkey
Today was my first real day of vacation in … I’m not going to count, it’s been too long. And I’ll be honest, I feel a bit guilty about it. That maybe why I agreed to go to WildPlay. WildPlay, if …
My First Time on a Standup Paddleboard
Alex is the Queen of Kijiji. If she’s not selling something there, she’s finding something. And she found paddleboards. For the record, until now, I thought of paddleboards as a fad. It seemed like someone …
The Long Drive to Ruskin
I’ve lost count on the number of times I’ve driven to Ruskin. It’s definitely into the double digits. I tried not to drink too much last night. I blame Jared for the “one beer too many” …
Return to the United Kingdom
Last year, when we were trying to determine if were going to go somewhere for Spring Break, we make jokes about going to England. And then we did. It was, easily, one of the best trips. It had it’s harrowing …
20th Anniversary of the CBC TV VIA Rail Train
This is the 70th year that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has delivered TV service. I know this because 20 years ago, I helped run a celebration of CBC TV across Canada. And today is the 20th anniversary of that …
A Visit to Lake Country
A number of weeks ago, Venture’s CEO, Arlene Dickinson, announced that staff could work from anywhere they liked this summer, to take advantage of our new-found COVID freedoms. By and large it wasn’t a big …
The Long Road Home
I still wish there were trains between Vancouver and Calgary. Passenger ones, like VIA, not the Rocky Mountaineer (which, admittedly, I would still love to take, but I tend to not have an extra $5,000 lying around). But …
Resting in Ruskin
It’s a weird year, here, in Ruskin. When we’ve been here at this time of the year in the past, the back field is well under way, with flowers and shoots of whatever it is that Randy’s planning to grow. …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Return to Reality on Ferries
We’re back in Ruskin. And it took way longer to get here than I could have imagined this morning. We were the first ones away, having the car effectively packed by 09:00. I had no illusions for the trip ahead: …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Hikes and Sheds and Crabs
It was a quiet day, overall. Unlike yesterday, it was drizzly, if a bit rainy. And that was okay, at least for us – we were on the we(s)t coast, so of course it should rain. And we had no particular plans, so …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Whales, Shelter, and Jesus, Oh my!
It’s amazing what one good night’s sleep can do for you. I felt substantially better after a restful night (though I’m told I snored horribly), ready to take on the day. My day started, with a quick …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Hangovers and Sunsets
I awoke somewhere around 08:00. I think. The morning until about noon is a bit hazy for me. Yes, I overdid it. Way overdid it. I was a bit woozy, and although my head didn’t hurt as much as it should have, it was …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Arrival in Tofino
Today. Oh my, today. Perhaps one of the best days I’ve had in … well, a very, very long time. And there are parts that I will regret tomorrow. But for now… I couldn’t sleep. The bed in the …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Three Valley Gap to Ruskin
It was a comfy bed. Until it wasn’t. I dunno if it’s just me getting old, but I find it’s hard to find a mattress I’m truly happy with. I had to pry the family out of bed with a crowbar at 7:30am. …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Calgary to Three Valley Gap
Over six months ago, during our weekly FaceTime catchup, Mom decided that we needed to have a joint birthday celebration. She was due to turn 80 in April, I turn 50 in July. And although we were still in COVID …
Traveling in the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has been … I don’t want to use the the word “unprecedented”, because it’s not entirely true. If you look back far enough, there are similar scenarios: SARS in 2003, while never declared a …
Ten Years in Canada
I was born in what was once the small town of Oakville, west of Toronto. I lived there until I was 18, when I went to university, and split my time between Waterloo, Oakville, Ottawa, and Toronto, until January 1998, …
Disney World 2016 - Twas the day before Christmas
The Art of Animation Resort had left information on our door regarding our DME pickup. We had until 1:30pm to relax, do any final shopping, and pack. For our final breakfast, we went to Pop Century, to experience their …
Disney World 2016 - Magic Kingdom
This was the day I’d been waiting for since June. I have nothing against Epcot or Animal Kingdom, and I very much love the Kennedy Space Center. But when it comes to magic, the closest I’ll ever get to witnessing real …
Disney World 2016 - Animal Kingdom
I moved the family as quickly as I had the day before. My biggest need that morning wasn’t to get to Animal Kingdom, it was to return the car before we got dinged another USD$133. I’d gotten over the fact that we’d ended …
Disney World 2016 - Kennedy Space Center
We were up early, hitting the front of the hotel for 8:20, to catch our shuttle bus to the Alamo Rental location just inside the Magic Kingdom‘s outer gates. We were renting a car for exploring! I had originally arranged …
Disney World 2016 - Resting at the resort
It’s genuinely amazing what a single night of sleep can do for a person. I woke up feeling human. And apologetic about my behaviour the night before. And dying for coffee. Which, fortunately, the Landscape of Flavors has …
Disney World 2016 - Epcot
Our first FastPass was booked for 9:40am, so we had a need to usher ourselves along that morning. Up, shower, dress, eat, and on the bus for 9am. It was a bit hurried, but nothing more dramatic than trying to get the …
Disney World 2016 - Disney Springs
Walt Disney World covers an area of 110 sq km, encompassing the four theme parks, two water parks, 27 themed resorts, and their shopping/entertainment district, called Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney, among a …
Disney World 2016 - Arrival at Walt Disney World
We arrived in Orlando at about 1:00am. Amazingly, the girls were still awake (given, it was only 11pm Calgary time). The airport was nearly empty. And yet, Choo Choo sprinted ahead to see a giant (fake) Christmas tree, …
Disney World 2016 - The kids find out
The biggest problem with Christmas around our household is Alex’s work schedule. Being an X-Ray Tech at Rockyview means that she has to work any conceivable day of the year, Christmas Day included. Add to that a …
My Hip Stories
In two days, I’m going to see The Tragically Hip play at the Saddledome. I will freely admit that, somewhat stereotypically Canadian of me, The Hip is my favourite band. So I will also state that I’m excited to see them …
Things I have missed about summer in Ontario
I’m currently in Ontario, taking the opportunity to visit with my family. It’s always a strange feeling to come back here: it’s where I was born and grew up, but I’ve been gone for over 15 years. A lot has changed. You …
Red Eye Greyhound
So when you last left me, dear reader, I was sitting in the Denny’s in Red Deer (the only place I could find that was open sufficiently late), biding my time before heading down to the Greyhound station to find my 3:00 …
A musical evening in Red Deer
I know what you’re thinking: Red Deer? Music? Honestly, what on Earth are you thinking, Geoff? You haven’t exactly had the most … inspiring of times in Red Deer. Okay, I admit, I’ve not got the best stories of …
A funny thing happened on my way home
So last week, I was huddled with my mom back in Oakville, Ontario. No, I didn’t publicize this because — and utterly no offense meant to anyone — I didn’t want to see anyone but my Mom (and by extension, my sister and …
10th Anniversary of the CBC 50th Anniversary VIA Rail Train
Ten years ago today, I boarded a shuttle bus from a hotel in Vancouver, and met some of the most amazing people I’ve ever had the pleasure — nay, honour — to know and work with. (Believe me, I’ve worked with a lot of …
Vacation 2012, Day 2.5
Well, kids, this vacation is certainly having some ups and downs. I’m taking that as a good thing, by the way, since without variation things can get a little dry. That’s also a joke, incidentally — “dry” …
Vacation 2012, Day 1
Hey kids, You’re both sleeping right now. Soundly so. You’ve both had a big, exciting day, and I’m frankly amazed you made it as long as you did. You normally don’t pack this much into a few days, let alone a few hours. …
New Years Tea, 2012
This year, we continued with our burgeoning tradition of having afternoon tea on 1 January. In our previous two years, we ventured into the mountains to the Banff Springs, which boasts one of the best afternoon teas I’ve …
A rainy train
Every year, the City of Vancouver puts on a light show in and around the miniature train in Stanley Park. Last night, after the kids had gone to bed, Allen, Jean, and I discussed the possibility of going. The catch was …
A visit to the North Pole
During one of her many perusals of the local newspaper, Jean (aka “Granny”) came across an ad for “North Pole, BC”, billed as a “gateway” to the North Pole via Maple Ridge. (Perhaps …
Catching up with a few Radical friends
Not long after our trip out to the Lower Mainland entered the books, I hit up some old friends of mine through Twitter, to see if they’d be interested in a get-together. I hadn’t actually seen some of them in over a …
Our first family flight
I remember the excitement as a kid on those early mornings where we got up to rush to the airport to fly somewhere. It was a hurried affair that I simultaneously loved and loathed. While most of me vowed to never deal …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 8
We were up perhaps a bit earlier than I’d thought we’d be up, but I’d also forgotten we were stopping in Redcliff to visit Marnie and her kids. Thankfully, Grandpa had enough sense to jumpstart us for the day. That …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 7
Despite the nice appearance and newness of the hotel, the Canalta has stiff beds that are really meant for only one person — any movement is felt by the other person on the bed. The pillows are massive and overstuffed …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 6
We were all slow to rise today, but we made quick work of breakfast. You said goodbye to your Great Uncle Ken and Great Aunt Marilyn before we headed to the car. Our first stop was to drop off Granny at the airport. She …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 5
We were supposed to go out to a lake near the Ontario border today, but Mommy and I threw up the white flag and declared us all “done”. We need a break. Monkey, you’ve been very patient being trapped in the …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 4
Wow, I wasn’t kidding, was I? It was a long day. A really, really, really long day. We were up and running and gone by just after 8:15 this morning, trucking our way up to an RV park just north of downtown along Main …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 3
At least we didn’t have to get up too early today, Choo Choo, and you let us sleep a bit longer. That helped rest away the many kilometres behind us. We hit breakfast, also at the Chicken Chef (there ain’t a lot of …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 2
Choo Choo, I don’t think you yet have a real understanding of time. And certainly, you don’t understand the idea of letting Mommy or Daddy sleep in. Today, I’ll admit, that wasn’t something we would fault you for, since …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 1
Well, kids, today was a slow start to our cross-prairie adventure. The morning was otherwise ordinary, rising and having breakfast and dressing. But then I climbed into the car and took Asia away to her hotel for the …
A Dinosaur Day in Drumheller
Hey kids, I know it’s been far too long since my last letter. Sadly, it’s that worst excuse of poor excuses: I’ve been working a lot. Back in January, I started with a new company, the Evans Hunt Group. The project has …
Torches and waterslides
Well, Monkey, it’d been over a month since the last time you swam in a pool, and I thought it high time we went for a swim. In fact, it was so overdue that I felt it was also a good time to go for a Surprise Weekend. And …
The trip home
Well, Monkey, we’re home now. I know it doesn’t seem like it to you, because you’ve lived in three different homes since you were born. But this house, the one in Calgary (where we’re currently adjusting to serious …
T-minus one week and counting
One week from … well, right now, our plane leaves Juan Santamaria Airport, bound for Houston. If all our cards fall into place (which, so far, they are — I just hope they keep falling!), we’ll leave in good order. …
Taking a pet from Costa Rica
It figures, just when we thought we’d started to have everything figured out, we hit another snag. (There’s always another snag.) This time, it’s with Asia, our cat. Our problem is not with Canada — all they need is a …
My favourite trains (so far)
I rarely remember my dreams. I have to wake up in the middle of them to remember what they were about, and quite often I’m so tired that by the time I can get my mental faculties together to try and remember the dream, I …
Our last weekend away
Well, Monkey, we’re down to less than a month before we’re back home again. In fact, a month today you’ll (hopefully) be sound asleep in a bed in our home in Calgary. It’s hard to believe that this is actually ending. It …
A trip to La Paz
Our time is dwindling in Costa Rica, Monkey. Our little experiment draws to a close in just over a month. That’s five weekends (not counting the one we just had — that would have made it six). Our Costa Rica …
Some time in the Caribbean
Hey Monkey! Almost a year and a quarter ago, I brought you and Mommy so we could all be together here in Costa Rica. In that time, we’ve had the opportunity to do some travelling, but until this past week, we hadn’t ever …
A (wet) birthday vacation
Well, Monkey, if your memory is any good, you should remember the last few days for the rest of your life. And not because you got to spend five uninterrupted days with your dad (remember, I just turned 37 … I’m …
A year in Costa Rica
This morning was cool and wet, something I can say with confidence to be a rarity here in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica. I can say this because today marks my first anniversary in Costa Rica. One year ago …
Guanacaste Weekend
Hey Kiddo! You probably won’t remember any of this when you finally get around to reading this, so I’m going to slide you a few details of the weekend. 1 May in many parts of the world is known as “May Day”, …
Toronto in March!
It’s been over seven months since we moved to Costa Rica, and being separated from family and friends at such a distance isn’t easy. So we’re going to swing back for a few days and have a wee visit with a few people. …
Visiting Villa Blanca
Alex’s birthday was yesterday (she just turned 29, in case you’re keeping track … ‘cuz we’re not), and as tradition holds, she got to choose where we went to celebrate. Well, at least it’s a tradition we’re going …
Xmas in NYC, Day 5
Sorry for missing Day 4, folks, but we were having a bit too much fun to go anywhere near a computer to blog about it. Nyah, nyah, nyah. Yes, we’ve been busy. And been having fun. I mean, what else are you gonna do in …
Xmas in NYC, Day 3 (aka Christmas Day)
Merry Ho Ho, everyone! Today, of course, is Christmas Day. We started our morning with a waltz down to breakfast in the hotel’s restaurants in our PJs. (Well, I wore clothes. I wouldn’t be allowed into most places with …
Xmas in NYC, Day 2
My dogs are barkin’. It’s been a day on my feet. A good day, to be sure, but a lot of walking, and a lot of standing. The same was true for Alex, and it would be for Mi Pequeña Niña if she hadn’t slept for a solid hour …
Xmas in NYC, Day 1, Part 2
Alex found Barnes and Noble without difficulty. Choosing what to buy? Now that’s difficult. Upon her return, Mi Pequeña Niña and I suited up for our little excursion — the “other” major toy store in …
Xmas in NYC, Day 1
Our first family Christmas away from Canada has ended up being colder than we expected it to be a mere couple of months ago. Back then, we were expecting to be in Costa Rica. But due to certain unforeseen circumstances, …
Hangin' out in Panama
I’m sitting near the edge of the illuminated blue-green pool, laptop burning a hole through my lap (as usual, the laptop is too wam to actually keep on a lap), spending some time outside while Mi Pequeña Niña is …
San José Airport is no fun after 8pm
Well, we’re here waiting at the airport for our flight to Panama. A flight that I’m not really looking forward to, only because I’d rather not to go Panama this weekend (would rather do this intentionally than being …
Weekend at Tabacon
When Alex and I first came to Costa Rica 3.5 years ago, we went on a little packaged tour. The tour included a two-night (possible three-night — Alex and I are struggling to remember which it was) stay in the Arenal …
A revenge-free Montezuma
Mother’s Day in Costa Rica doth not come in May, like we’re used to in North America. Here, it’s 15 August. This is the day (so I’ve read) that the Virgin Mary ascended to Heaven, and given that this is a very Roman …
Weekend in Punta Leona
I had promised Alex that the second weekend we were in Costa Rica would be spent away from our apartment. I just had to find the right place to go. So I spent a fair bit of time working out the location, time to get to …
In Hazy Burlington
Our last day in Calgary — yesterday — was filled mostly by me repacking all of our bags so we could fly out, and then the actual travel here to Burlington, Ontario. We’re here to visit with family (today is Alex’s family …
Where you should go on your next vacation
So you’ve been around a bit. You’ve been to Costa Rica, Honduras, Belize, Hawaii. You’ve seen a lot, but are finding the same problem again and again and again — everyone else has already been there. They’ve done it, so …
Where I've been for the last few days
I’m in Panama. Been here since Tuesday afternoon. Been really, really busy. So far, the biggest problem I’ve had here (aside from the aforementioned busy-ness and subsequent inability to talk to my family), is that I’ve …
Alive and sick in Costa Rica
As you might have seen on my Tweets this morning, I’m alive in Costa Rica. But I’m not “well”. My daughter gave me a parting gift — a nasty head cold. Fortunately, it didn’t kick in until I arrived here, …
Enroute with the cat
Well, we’re on our way. I was up until almost midnight last night packing. Was originally thinking three bags, but went down to two. Which is good, because apparently I’d have been denied the third bag. As it stands, the …
Web 2.0 Expo - Casual Privacy
Last session of the conference. And yes, another Schill recommendation. But this one I wanted to go to as well. We always have this problem — how to let people know something is private without the fear of …
Web 2.0 Expo - Capacity Planning for Web Operations
Schill suggested I go to this one as well. Again, mostly because Schill knows the guy, but given how this is perennial problem for us as well, it couldn’t hurt to see how Flickr handles the problem. Presenter: John …
Web 2.0 Expo - Even Faster Web Sites
Hanging out with Schill today, and he’s giving me some really great suggestions on what to see. Although the CM team did suggest something different, he’s saying we should see this one. Naturally, Schill knows the guy, …
Web 2.0 Expo - Bling Bling, Marketing and Monetizing through Social Applications
The name partly disinterested me, but I wanted to attend this one because of the needs for social marketing that we haven’t really nailed down yet. Presenter: Ro Choy, rockyou! RockYou! has successfully deployed several …
Web 2.0 Expo - Widgets Growing Up
Not much to report here. It’s a panel, and not a particularly interesting one, sadly. On the bright side, this room has great connectivity!
Web 2.0 Expo - Ontologies for the Internet
Definitely not my strong point. But I wanted to go to this given all the working in tagging as of late. Presenter: Duane Nickull folksonomies became powerful quickly because people got tired of waiting for the so-called …
Web 2.0 Expo - Friday Keynote
Maybe it’s just me, but running keynotes every single day of a conference seems really silly, and waters down the value of the concept of a keynote. But I digress. Either way, this morning features Tim O’Reilly (again), …
Web 2.0 Expo - Creating a Coherent Social Strategy for Buiness
Oy. I can’t seem to get a decent connection to anything anymore. Too many people with wireless connections. They’ve got big-ass routers, but it ain’t helping. Gonna stay offline for reliability. Presenters: Charlene Li …
Web 2.0 Expo - The Dark Side of Ajax
Room is huge and darn near packed. I get the feeling this is gonna be a good one. I think I’m going to have to type quickly for this one. Presenter: Jacob West (Fortify Software) Jacob runs the security research group …
Web 2.0 Expo - Website Psychology
Debated between this one and learnings from Twitter. Felt that maybe this one might be more … insightful. Gotta learn to stop listening to my gut instinct. Presenter: Gavin Bell Gavin’s background is cognitive …
Web 2.0 Expo - Adding "Where" to Mobile and Web Applications
Last session before lunch. Freaking hungry (no boiled eggs at breakie this morning). Might take off a bit early to get a jump on lunch and battery charging. Presenter: Ryan Sarver Context is about location — what’s …
Web 2.0 Expo - Designing for a Web of Data
Only session of the morning. We break for lunch, then more sessions this afternoon. Sorry for all the delays in getting these posted. It seems that while the wireless strength to connect is pretty good (there are hubs …
Web 2.0 Expo - Wednesday morning keynotes
Unlike other conferences I’ve been to, they seem to have a lot of keynotes. Strikes me as a little odd. The only real person who do a “true” keynote would be O’Reilly, since he coined this term in the first …
South Park pub crawl
Well, wasn’t much of a “crawl”, at least for me. Met up with Jim at the Expo hall, about 20 minutes before they closed the floor. (What’s with closing the Expo hall at 4, anyway?) Skipped the keynote. Went to …
Blogging woes will delay postings
Just in case you’re following the threads from Web 2.0 Expo, they’re gonna be a little delayed today, folks. First of all, I had my Firefox suddenly kak out and took all my notes from the first session with it. Furious …
Web 2.0 Expo - Community Building - Good, Bad, and Ugly
And the fun continues. Another morning at the conference, and another day of hard-core typing. I’m also up on Twitter now (le sigh), so you can get some notes as I go along. Presenters: Dawn Foster (Jive Software), …
Some observations on the Web 2.0 Expo
Being here solo, you can’t help but notice things that go on around you. (Hey, you gotta keep yourself interested/occupied somehow, right?) First off, it’s pretty easy to see who is actually working in the Web 2.0 world …
Web 2.0 Expo - Building Next Generation Web 2.0 Applications
In the afternoon session today, I’m going to learn what it’ll take to build the next generation of apps. I’m curious to see what they’ve got to say. Presenter: Dion Hinchcliffe Room is about 90% full, compared to …
The Obligatory Vacation Recap
In the few minutes I have before I dive back into another conference session, figured I’d cover some of the items of our last vacation. This was a 2.5 week excursion mostly to Scotland, with a few days in England. Alex …
Web 2.0 Expo - Cross-Cultural User-Experience Design
Notes from the Web 2.0 Expo. This is on the Cross-Cultural presentation. Presenter: Aaron Marcus (Aaron Marcus and Associates) Waiting for presentation, have heard several languages besides English (in a hands-up poll, …
At the Web 2.0 Expo
Despite the sobering realisation that I’d forgot to actually register for this conference before coming (this is what happens when you try to do do much before going on a 2.5 week vacation, only to return for one day …
On the way to San Fran
I haven’t even been in Calgary for 48 hours and I’m already on my way out again. It’s been a long day at the office, and the day ain’t over. To point: Every time I go on vacation, fit hits the shan. Makes me regret …
Last full day on Iona
I’m back at the St. Columba Hotel again — the only place on the island with an internet connection, it seems — enjoying my last day here on Iona. The weather over the last few days has improved considerably, even though …
Life on Iona
Well, we’re into Day 2 on our Iona Community experience. Thus far it’s been … well, chilly. The weather here is reminiscent of something we tried to leave back home. Only windier with the sea dampness to add to …
Back in cloudy London-town
Will keep this short. Really bad terminal. Flight went well though not much sleep. got bags but BA damaged stroller. head to oban tomorrow.
Anyone know what Terminal 4 at Heathrow is like right now?
We leave for Scotland via London Wednesday evening, on BA 102. We arrive, according to British Airways’ information, at Terminal 4. I consider this a good thing, given that Terminal 5 is a living nightmare right now. …
I hate going on vacation
I get four weeks of vacation a year. It’s not a lot, especially now that I have a family that I want to spend lots of time with. But you make do with what you have, right? My problem isn’t so much the lack of time I have …
On my way home
Well, the wedding’s done, Tamara and Dan are wed, and pretty much everyone is pooped. The bridal party was out late the night before, the groom’s group was fairly tired, and I’m just beat from all the running around. My …
Back in Vegas
It’s been nearly a dozen years since I was last (and first) in Las Vegas. It’s been a long time, and this city has changed a lot since I was here last. And not all for the good, I should say. If you’ve watched CSI, …
Tech Summit, Day 2
Day 2 got off to a lousy start. I was sick. Nastily so. At first, I thought it was a hangover (I might have had — perhaps — one beer too many last night). But I realised very quickly that this was not, in fact, a …
Tech Summit, Day 1
Tech Summits are dicey things. Sort of like trying to catch a greased pig. You can see it, you can describe it, but it’s a pain to pin down and hold still. It has a life of its own and just as soon as you get your head …
In Chicago
Well, I’m back in Chicago again. Currently in the “Missile Command” meeting room (all the meeting rooms here are named after video games). We’re staying at the Hard Rock Hotel (pretty much right across the …
Up-coming travel
I love travelling — I honestly believe that I don’t do enough of it. Always makes me feel more energised, and sitting on my duff all day long really makes me pine for it. So I’m lucky to be getting around a bit in the …
We have a travel-safe baby
I’ve had the luxury of travelling many places of the last few years. Of those times, I’ve been on more than a few planes that were exhibit to babies that did not travel well. And by not travelling well, I mean they …
10 Years Ago
Do you remember where you were 10 years ago? Today is the tragic anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. As I write this, services have already been conducted in England. I was reminded of where I was 10 years ago, and …
Topics
Family reunion in Ruskin
Allen organised a family reunion, mostly for the local folks. The family is scattered far and wide, but it’s not easy for everyone to come out. I think Alex and I came from the furthest distance away. Flying wasn’t easy. …
Raining in Ruskin
We flew out from Calgary this morning to Abbotsford, to attend Alex’s family reunion (hosted by Allen at the family “farm”). I haven’t been here since sometime last year, and I’m struggling to remember …
Up at the cottage
Over the weekend, I had the chance to go stay with my sister and brother-in-law’s cottage near Huntsville, ON. It’s been a long time since I was last there, and it was good to see my family one last time before it …
A Middle Ontario wedding
My friend Kathryn got married this weekend. A truly wonderful event that forced my hand to leave the comfort of my familiar Cowtown (and miss the opening of the Calgary Stampede) to visit rural Ontario and experience the …
Riding the Trans Siberian in luxury
Not quite two years ago, I had the pleasure of riding trains from St. Petersburg, Russia all the way to Hong Kong. Quite the experience, let me tell you. One part of it was riding the Trans Siberian Railway from Moscow …
Pictures from Hawaii
Well, I haven’t had a chance to finish with the blog entries yet (editing is such sweet fun), but I do at least have the gallery of photos from our last Hawaii trip up for viewing. The full list will appear in the …
Timeshare Sales, Beach Day and Royal Kona Luau
Alex wanted a beach day. And beach day we had. Well, once we sat through a rather lengthy time share sales pitch, anyway. That was part of the deal from the activity purchase. USD$100 off the total price if we sat …
Aloha from Hawaii
Yeah, I know — why am I on a computer if I’m on vacation? Relax, I have good reason. Our house is now effectively sold, and for whatever reason we’ve been unable to fax properly from Hawaii back to Calgary. Very odd, …
Down in South Kona
Ah, there’s nothing like waking up on a sunny day. Even better, there’s nothing like clean underwear. After a hearty breakfast, we made an effort to do two things: Book a dinner cruise (they’re usually fun) Book a luau …
I got my bag back!
We slept last night with the sliding door to the balcony open (with the screen door closed) and the air conditioning off. A bit humid, but wow, does one feel better with fresh air in your lungs. I honestly don’t think …
How not to start a vacation
Oy. This vacation is not off to a good start. One of the conditions of this vacation was that we were to incur no red-eye flights (in other words, no sleeping on the plane). That meant getting there and back was going to …
Flying Cows
I hate Air Canada. Yes, I’m complaining again. It’s their seats. It’s ridiculous. Never get pinned in the row in front of the wing exit row. It’s narrower than the rest (I’m certain of this). I got stuck behind Grandpa …
RedDot Product Roadmap at Summit 2007
Darren G. and Michael T. doing the presentation. Core values: leadership (excellent choice of word) in ease-of-use. Web-centric technology. Long-standing customer satisfaction. Differentiators: seamless management of …
Gala Banquet at Summit 2007
After the last batch of sessions this afternoon, we broke up for about two hours to wait for the gala event. Apparently, this is the big event of the Summit conference. Bad things tend to happen. (Jim, think of any given …
Content Object Modelling at Summit 2007
Seth Miller of Miller Systems. A highly recommended presentation. Young guy. Definitely a tinkerer gone pro. Miller Systems is a UX-centric web dev firm. Been around 12 years. RedDot partner since 2002. Several …
Solve the Challenges of Social Computing with RedDot at Summit 2007
Just spent an hour talking with the presenter (Darren Guarnaccia) about RedDot software and partnership avenues. Anyhoo, on with the good stuff… “This stuff is a little bit forward thinking.” It’s …
Complementing and Enhancing Search Engine Optmization (SEO) Using RedDot CMS at Summit 2007
Presented by Shannon Ryan of Non-Linear Creations. We know a lot about SEO, so we’re gonna be picky. A couple of slides on Non-Linear’s business models. But emphasis on Digital Marketing with emphasis on Email Marketing …
Case Study - Optimizing Content Management at the National Aquarium of Baltimore at Summit 2007
All content managed through RedDot, no external components. 10% of entire revenue stream done through RedDot (including onlike ticket sales). http://www.aqua.org/ Went through a similar development process to what we …
Broadband Video News Powered by RedDot at Summit 2007
Talked to these guys last night. Heavy duty RedDot users. Don’t use the built-in publishing system — wrote an entire export using RQL. Publishes are down to 1 minute, and they’ve got at least 100 times the content (and …
Another Day at Summit 2007
There was a “commonwealth” dinner last night. Originally meant to be just we Canucks (there’s quite a few of us), the Australian contingent was invited to come along as well. Apparently, Australia is becoming …
RedDot CMS and Live Server Upgrade to Streamline Info Architecture at Summit 2007
Mostly regarding the work done for the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Purple Monkey (agency doing presentation) seems to run similar to the way CM works with respect to helping clients figure out what they need. Wanted …
RedDot Best Practices in Template Creation at Summit 2007
Nathan Carver presenting. Talked with this guy many times before. Admits that this is a tough topic as experience with templates is varied. Prefers div to tables (no surprise there). Dangers of nested containers: more …
Leveraging RedDot CMS to create UNICEF websites around the world at Summit 2007
A little late in starting. Presenter reminds me of Rosemary, for some reason. Organizational structure (IT team separate from content entry) similar to how we want to work. RedDot responsible for publishing the sites. …
RedDot Keynote at Summit 2007
Okay, hard for me to avoid it now. We use RedDot. There, I’ve said it. Now let’s move on. Met Detlef Kamps (RedDot President) last night. Nice guy. German, and speaks English very well. Looking forward to my breakfast …
Keynote at Summit 2007
I have no idea who the guy is on the stage. He came out after a Harold Faltermeyer-esque opening movie (complete with Windows system click sound at the end) and started talking. No introduction whatsoever. John …
Live from Huntington Beach
So as you’ve already read, I’m currently in Huntington Beach. Why? In an acronym: CMS. Recently, as some of you know, we launched the Rolex.com website. It was done using a CMS system. I’m here for two reasons: to see …
Air Canada Sucks
Yes, I know I’ve ranted about Air Canada and their lousy service few times before, but just when you’d think they’d start to act better, they slap you in the face again. I’m currently in Huntington Beach, CA (more on …
Day of Visitation
Alex slept better in a king-size hotel bed. Not so much for myself. I was tired. Grumpy. Irritable. That’s why I was particularly annoyed with the complete and utter disappearance of my deodorant (which I know I had with …
VIA Wi-Fi = No-Fi
So I’m taking VIA from London to Oakville, saving Alex from another four hours of driving on Ontario’s highways. I’m sitting here with my trusty laptop trying to do some work, using the “Wi-Fi” service …
In Merry Old London (Ontario)
We arrived last night, around 20:00 local time. A quick run through the airport, and we were tracking through the back country out to Janice’s place in Kintore. The house was cool (old farm houses tend to lack a lot of …
Thanksgiving in Ruskin
I had a quick jaunt out to Ruskin (a section of Maple Ridge, BC) for the Thanksgiving weekend. It was a trip I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to take at first. Reason: Too much work, and too tight deadlines to allow …
Je quitte Paris!
The flight left Charles du Gaulle at 11:30. That meant, of course, that I had to be there in sufficient time to check in, get through security, find the flight, and so forth. Thankfully, I’d gone through the trouble last …
Je suis en Paris, Tourisme de Paris
Free day. I had some variety of grandiose plans for today. I was going to see so much of Paris that I’d be actually tired of it. That had been the plan. What I hadn’t planned on was how tired I was going to feel when I …
Je suis en Paris, Jour Cinq!
I ate at the hotel this morning. Not a bad little place, really. And it meant I could sleep in a wee bit. Four hours of sleep just isn’t enough. But I brought that on myself. I was a bit late arriving at Eurosites — …
Je suis en Paris, Jour Quatre!
It’s official, I am a shmuck. I’m a unilingual moron. But more on that later… I’ve been getting up at 7:30 to account for the lateness we’ve been having, but also to ensure I’ve got enough rest to not tire during …
Je suis en Paris, Jour Trois!
No crepes for me this morning. As I’m beginning to discover, the French don’t consider crepes a breakfast thing. At least at the shops near the hotel. But hunger knows no bounds and I was forced to hunt out an …
Je suis en Paris, Jour Deux!
Despite wating up at 4:30 thinking it was daylight (in reality, only the hotel’s light outside my window), I slept pretty well. That didn’t mean that I’d totally licked jet lag — I ended up needing a nap in the …
Je suis en Paris!
I’m beginning to understand why people hate business trips. You can’t pack what you want (you have to pack for meetings with clients) and you don’t travel necessarily when you want. But at least the locations can be …
Surprise birthday weekend in Revelstoke
This weekend, it was my turn to be surprised. And surprises came in droves. Sunday was my 34th birthday. I find it a little hard to believe that I’m actually that old. I always figured when I was in my 30s, I’d be more …
Surprise weekend at Bow Lake
Surprise weekends are a good thing. Especially if you have a good place to go. We have no standing rule that says we have to go anywhere, though. Although the “rules” (such as they are) suggest that staying …
Meeting my niece for the first time
I spent most of last week in Critical Mass’ Toronto office. I was there primarily to support our technical team, which hasn’t had the level of support from me that it’s been needing. So I went out to try and reestablish …
Touring Montreal
We woke late. Had it not been for Allen returning from the office to prepare for Sunday service, I would might have slept entirely though my only chance to actually see him in action. It wasn’t the service that interests …
Earth Day in Montreal
We were a little slow waking up this morning. Might have been due to the change in time, or possibly due to the fact that we’re beginning to relax on this vacation, or because we simply didn’t get out of bed. All the …
Going through Montreal
Under normal beginning-of-vacation circumstances, I would have risen without too much a care about work and prepared for my imminent departure to wherever it is that I’m going. However, things being what they are, I had …
Things seen along the way
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Things seen along the way.] As we’ve moved along over this journey, I’ve taken pictures of things for posting to the blog. Some of them didn’t make it, for one reason or …
Home again, home again, jiggity-jig
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Home again, home again, jiggity-jig.] Um… someone stop the world, please? I wanna get off. Wow. The world is a lot bigger than one would expect. Sure, Disney says …
The Last
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The Last.] Yesterday was a day of lasts. The last train (finally, even if it was just an airport tram; I was thwarted from taking the airport express train by a …
The view in Osaka
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The view in Osaka.] Nothing like a little wandering around to make things interesting. I’ve been to Osaka once before — a few hours last year, when Jen and I came here. …
Nara is neat
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Nara is neat.] The last time I was in Japan (a little over a year ago), I’d wanted to go to Nara. I’d quite a bit about it, but just hadn’t gotten the chance to go. So …
Wandering around Tokyo
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Wandering around Tokyo.] Tokyo is a wonderful city. Even in the rain. Despite a delayed start (we were up late — it doesn’t help that Chris and I yak a lot), we soon …
Our first plane ride in a month
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Our first plane ride in a month.] We left the hotel early this morning — before 7:00 am — to catch a train to the airport. Strangely fitting that our last train would be …
Ohio, Nippon!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Ohio, Nippon!.] Last country. Almost home. Being in Japan, actually, is almost like being home. This country is so familiar to me (well, certainly Yotsukaido, Chiba, and …
A side-trip to Macau
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: A side-trip to Macau.] One last thing we needed to do before we leave the Hong Kong area was check out Hong Kong’s forgotten half-sister, Macau. Macau was founded a …
Amy's ready to kill me, I swear...
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Amy's ready to kill me, I swear....] I complain a lot. Unintentionally, I swear, but I do. (Amy says I like to complain, but I actually hate it. I don’t even realize I’m …
The Dim Sum curse lifted
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: he Dim Sum curse lifted.] The Dim Sum curse is lifted, finally! After a few days of trying to figure out where to go, we hit Hong Kong Island to see what we could find. …
Ode to Hong Kong Trolleys
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Ode to Hong Kong Trolleys.] Trolley headlight burning bright, cart me through this stormy night, Away to the curious city sights And let me view the highest heights! …
Buying a suit
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Buying a suit.] So one of my missions here in Hong Kong (self-imposed, I should add) is to find a suit. Not just any suit, but the one for my wedding. So needless to …
Paddles up!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Paddles up!.] For the record, we didn’t it plan it this way. But like many things on our trip, fortuitious circumstance happened to place us in Hong Kong on the first …
The Dim Sum curse
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The Dim Sum curse.] We’re cursed. It’s the only way to explain it.Since arriving in China, one of the few things we’ve been absolutely obsessed over finding is some …
A little more on Hong Kong
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: A little more on Hong Kong.] We haven’t been here long, but there’s already a few interesting things that are, well, interesting. Consider for the moment the fact that …
Messed up Hong Kong money
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Messed up Hong Kong money.] So naturally, upon arrival, we needed to get some money out so we could, well, do anything. The bank machine (from the Bank of China) set the …
Help me, I'm melting!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Help me, I'm melting!.] Hong Kong is hot. It’s humid. I think I left a trail of melted me behind as we walked around. Oof. We took our final long-distance train from …
Xi'an and the Terra Cotta Warriors
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Xi'an and the Terra Cotta Warriors.] Amy and I have gone to some lengths to avoid doing the largely tourist thing: travelling in a tour group. Why? Because this is a …
Weird things in Xi'an
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Weird things in Xi'an.] Right now, Amy and I are taking advantage of ludicrously cheap internet at a cafe on a very rainy day, listening to some strange Chinese pop …
Last night's train
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Last night's train.] Man, do I ever have more to say about last night… This was the second long distance train we’ve taken in China (I’m not counting the train …
The Shanghai MagLev Train
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The Shanghai MagLev Train.] A few years back, someone got the idea that China really needed to showcase its technical know-how, and put forth the idea of building one of …
The Shanghai Museum
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The Shanghai Museum.] Lest I neglect a wonderful place in Shanghai. One of our first stops was the Shanghai Museum. This is a fairly new place, having only opened in the …
We've been Shanghai'd
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: We've been Shanghai'd.] So we found out today at lunch that our hotel is on what was farmland barely a decade ago. The Pudong area of Shanghai was nothing but …
On the topic of Beijing
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: On the topic of Beijing.] I have to say, I was a little uncertain of what to expect in China. Mostly because we’d been told by several Brits and Aussies that we could …
In the House of Mao
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: In the House of Mao.] Chalk up another notch on the Dead Communist Leader Tour. Today, Amy and I decided to keep things light, since our train leaves tonight for …
Shifty Taxis in Beijing
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Shifty Taxis in Beijing.] So Amy and I decided to take a taxi back from the Summer Palace to our hotel. Partly because the walk around the Palace grounds (which are …
The Summer Palace in Beijing, and a duck
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The Summer Palace in Beijing, and a duck.] About the only thing Amy and I had on tap today was the Summer Palace. For this, we took three subways and a (decent) taxi to …
In praise of my Critical Mass bag
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: In praise of my Critical Mass bag.] Some companies, those that want to be “fun” companies, sometimes give their staff things like shirts, bags, water jugs, …
Topics
Enter the Forbidden City
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Enter the Forbidden City.] My calf muscles are killing me. I don’t know how many stairs Noah, Justin, and I climbed yesterday, but I swear my calves have never received …
Hiking the Great Wall of China
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Hiking the Great Wall of China.] Amy’s feet self-destructed yesterday. And as you’ve already read, the state of her feet prevented her from coming to the Wall today. So …
Searching for the Tianjin Antique Market
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Searching for the Tianjin Antique Market.] Lonely Planet recommends going to Tianjin, especially to see the antique market there. It is said that a lot of the materials …
Hello, underwear!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Hello, underwear!.] Today was errand day. Today, we decided to get our train tickets sorted out, and make plans for an excursion to the Great Wall. Inadvertantly, some …
Ni hao, Beijing!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Ni hao, Beijing!.] I woke up at the Datong station. I’d slept about seven hours, but decided that I wasn’t going to miss crossing this part of China. I was in a new …
Crossing the Mongolia - China border by train
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Crossing the Mongolia - China border by train.] Attention Lonely Planet! You might want to update your information for the next run of your Trans Siberian Railway book, …
Adventures in Mongolia
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Adventures in Mongolia.] We’re back in Ulaan Baatar after a few days out in the Mongolian wilderness. It’s a brief return — we hit the #24 train to Beijing at 8:00 …
A little scoot around Ulaan Baatar
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: A little scoot around Ulaan Baatar.] We arrived early this morning. We were up by 5:00, but only arrived an hour later or so. After a sort-of-nap (couldn’t sleep), we …
More Russian train stuff
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: More Russian train stuff.] Okay, quick update…So Continuously Welded Rail (CWR) doesn’t exist coast-to-coast. After we left Ekaterinburg, we went to jointed rail. …
Crossing the Russia - Mongolia border by train
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Crossing the Russia - Mongolia border by train.] We knew this was going to be rough. We knew this was going to be long. It wasn’t as bad as we thought it might be, but …
Da svidanya Rossiya
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Da svidanya Rossiya.] Well, we’ve reached the end of our time here in Russia. Tomorrow morning, early, we’re off to Mongolia. And a 10+ hour border-crossing, so we’re …
The last Russian stop
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The last Russian stop.] We’re in Ulan Ude now, having arrived a bit later last night than scheduled. (Mind you, it took a half hour to walk from the train to the hotel.) …
Listvyanka and Lake Baikal
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Listvyanka and Lake Baikal.] The cold seems to be slowly moving away. It hit me a little harder than it did Amy, so while she dealt mostly with the sniffles, I’ve been …
Alive in Irkutsk
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Alive in Irkutsk.] You know that feeling you get, when you’re finding yourself walking down a street in a dream, and you’re not sure if you know where you are, but you …
Cough
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Cough.] I’m sick. I caught Amy’s cold. I hate being sick. The only thing worse than being sick is being sick on a train. It ruins the experience. Blech. Sniff
Amy, communications superstar!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Amy, communications superstar!.] So, sitting in the only internet connection in all of Krasnoyarsk (or seemingly so), Amy dove into one of the sites she used extensively …
A little story about Ekaterinburg
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: A little story about Ekaterinburg.] Ekaterinburg (Soviet name, a much harsher “Sverdlovsk”) is a wonderful little place to spend an afternoon. Assuming you …
A (hopefully) brief stop in Krasnoyarsk
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: A (hopefully) brief stop in Krasnoyarsk.] Krasnoyarsk. I think it’s Russian for “ass end of the country”. There ain’t much here. This is the most utilitarian …
The internyet
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The internyet.] Okay, just a general bitch about Russia. Where the hell are all the internet cafes?? Our guides are out of date — we accept that. But do we have to …
The language barrier
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The language barrier.] Okay, we finally hit the wall. It took us a while. Kazan is far enough away from Moscow that you’ll be hard-pressed to find much English. The most …
Russian trains
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Russian trains.] A few of you are probably wondering about the Russian train system. (Okay, I imagine not really wondering about the system, but about why I haven’t …
Half-way, sorta
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Half-way, sorta.] We’re now halfway home. Sort of. Ekaterinburg is roughly halfway around the world from Calgary. (It’s also in Asia — we crossed the Europe/Asia divide …
Kazan kicked butt
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Kazan kicked butt.] Okay, a HUGE thumbs up to Kazan. Wow. Such an amazing little city. I’m sure Kazan itself is quite large, but the “main” area is …
Finding the Academy of Geology Hotel
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Finding the Academy of Geology Hotel.] When the Lonely Planet books fall a little short…So here’s the description of the Academy of Geology Hotel here in …
One step closer to home; hanging out in Kazan
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: One step closer to home; hanging out in Kazan.] We arrived in Kazan early this morning. I awoke with the sunrise, watching it through the train’s window. It’s already …
The last Moscow post
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The last Moscow post.] We’ve wandered a lot through Moscow, and I never did get around to talking about it due to all the bitching I was doing. So… We took Train …
Kazan, take me away!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Kazan, take me away!.] I wholeheartedly agree with Amy. Moscow is dismal. Even when it’s sunny, it’s dismal. There is just no joy or life in this city. I don’t know if …
Any idea how hard it is to find the internet in Moscow?
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Any idea how hard it is to find the internet in Moscow?.] Hard. Really hard. Amy and I got here yesterday morning, but you’d be surprised how hard it is to find an …
Football and music
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Football and music.] Turns out that our excursion to Tinkoff to discuss politics turned into a football lesson. (That’s “football” as in how the rest of the …
St. Petersburg in the rain
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: St. Petersburg in the rain.] It was a rainy day when my brother Raoul… no, wait, sorry — that’s a Pizzaville ad. But it was a rainy day here (the rain only …
Hermitage, Railway Museums, and Palaces, oh my!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Hermitage, Railway Museums, and Palaces, oh my!.] Oy. The last 36-ish hours have been a whirlwind of activity. Hit the Hermitage, as you already know, and then hit it up …
Pickpockets suck!
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Pickpockets suck!.] I’ve had two separate and unique run-ins with pickpockets. The first was at the Edgefest concert in Vancouver back in “99. I think we were …
16 years ago
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: 16 years ago....] I had a phone chat with Alex this morning (it hasn’t been a week, and I miss her sorely; the next six weeks almost seem unfathomable), and she let me …
Visiting the Hermitage
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Visiting the Hermitage.] The Hermitage is if not the largest art museum in the world, definitely in the top five. The place is MASSIVE. It makes the British Museum seem …
Things have changed
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Things have changed.] Taking the bus out to the Metro yesterday was a bit of an eyeopener. Things have really changed here in St. Petersburg in the last 16 years. New …
Back in the USSR ... sorta
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Back in the USSR ... sorta.] Flew in Miami Beach BOAC, Didn’t get to sleep last night. All the way a paper bag was on my knee, Man, I had a dreadful flight. I’m back in …
On the way to Russia
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: On the way to Russia.] Why is it that British buildings are so freaking hot? My bag finally appeared at the hotel last night. Clean underwear is a good thing, indeed. …
I love pubs
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: I love pubs.] Last night, Amy and I decided to check out some of the local pubs near our hotel. Here’s what we noticed. Local pubs have a great atmosphere. Some don’t, …
Baggage Update
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: Baggage update.] The backpack is actually here. However, it’s still at Heathrow (or at least was an hour ago) going through customs. I’m very happy I didn’t pack any …
A little more of London
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: A little more of London.] The first run of business today was food at Paddington Station. As it’s Sunday, not everything was open, and what few things were open weren’t …
The Tale of the Missing Backpack
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: The Tale of the Missing Backpack.] As I wrote yesterday, my bag is missing. British Airlines didn’t deliver it along with myself to London, England, which has left me a …
London, and bag gone AWOL
[This entry originally posted on How To Get Lost: London, and bag gone AWOL.] The flight out to London was great. Wow. I love British Airways — amazing service for an airline. So far above anything Air Canada could ever …
New York Meetings - Heading Home
Yesterday was tough. We did a lot of talking. We didn’t leave the building until we were done. The three of us, Lark, and Jim went for dinner at some steak house. Despite having been out with the client before, I felt …
New York Meetings - Touring New York
My first Valentines day with Alex, and I have to be 3,500 kilometres from her. It could be worse. I could be in Kanata. First thing: Room change. Last night’s room was one Mark and I had booked. Tonight’s is on the …
New York Meetings - Outbound
Leaving Alex this morning wasn’t easy. Given the events of the last couple of days, I would have preferred to stay in bed with her. But business calls, and I’m off to New York (though Newark) for business meetings with …
Mercedes-Benz meetings, going home
Despite having the room to myself, I was really groggy when I got up this morning. I know it wasn’t a result of last night, though, as I didn’t feel any worse for wear. I showered, packed, and checked out (using the …
Mercedes-Benz meetings, team building
Allard and I hit the restaurant in the main atrium for breakfast, joined shortly thereafter by Christian and a very tired-looking Jules. Powdered eggs aren’t exactly the breakfast of champions. Jules has been up late …
Mercedes-Benz meetings, Calgary to Chicago
I hate waking up before 6:00. There’s just something fundamentally wrong with it. Today, though, it was necessary. Today, I fly to Chicago. Was ready for my 6:30 pickup. Allard was collecting me for the trip to the …
It's freaking cold in Calgary
Minus 34. Celsius. (Not that it would matter much more if it were Fahrenheit.) That’s 14 degrees below my thermal underwear threshold (that would be when I put them on). That’s what it was on my way to work this morning. …
Christmas in Oakville with Chris and Kaz, New Years with Alex
I had hoped to go some place warm for the Christmas holidays this year. I wanted to put Christmas lights on a palm tree. I wanted to make sandmen. I wanted nothing more to worry about than getting a sunburn on Boxing …
BC Vacation - Three Valley Gap to Calgary
No rooster, just the sounds of patrons leaving their rooms. I think I prefered the rooster. The Chateau’s name is a little misleading. One is brought to think of the Canadian Pacific (now Fairmont) hotels, with the old …
BC Vacation - Ruskin to Three Valley Gap
We awoke about an hour earlier than we have in mornings past, but for no real reason. We didn’t even hear the rooster! The porridge was followed, almost as soon as we could get ready, by a cat hunt. Allen has plans for …
BC Vacation - Fort Langley
That stupid rooster woke us up again. We’ve taken to mocking it. If it crowed normally, we probably wouldn’t mind so much. I fell back asleep, though, and Alex went into the house. She came back to wake me up for …
BC Vacation - Trip to Tsawwassen
There’s a rooster not far from Allen’s farm. (Well, “farm” is using the term a bit loosely. It was a farm before he bought it, and it will be one again. But it’s going to take a bit of work.) This rooster …
BC Vacation - Fairmont Hot Springs to Ruskin
Cory had called me yesterday. I didn’t know until this morning because I hadn’t checked my cell phone. I’d had a dream that things had gone horribly awry at the office, and for some reason, that had made me want to check …
BC Vacation - Fort Steele and Cranbrook
No-one told me that we were doing any surprises this weekend. ‘Course, then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it? Allen (Alex’s father) took Jean (Alex’s stepmom) down to Cranbrook so she could catch a flight out to …
BC Vacation - Fairmont Hot Springs and Kootenay National Park
There’s nothing quite like waking up to the sound of lawnmowers. Rousing, yet entirely annoying. We started the day off with a mom saver. This is generally a breakfast meal, though I suppose you could just as easily use …
BC Vacation - Calgary to Fairmont Hot Springs
I so wanted to get my butt out of the office, almost from the moment that I was alerted to the problem on MBUSA.com’s live server. There’s nothing like trying to diagnose the cause of a homepage failure when you’re not …
Surprise weekend in Edmonton
It’s been a while since our last surprise weekend (see [[Surprise Visit to Drumheller]]), but not for a lack of wanting. We’ve been that busy. Either Alex has had to work (the joys of working in the medical community) or …
Troubles trying to get home
Travelling is never easy. Especially when my best friend Murphy is along for the ride. I rose late (catching up with sleep lost the night before), and met up with Craig, Jill, and her daughter Jamie in the concierge …
Search Engine Strategies Conference 2004 San Jose, Last day
Search Engine Strategies 2004, San Jose, California, Day 4 I should have woken with another hangover. Especially since I had slept only about three hours. It was the last of the seminar, and I didn’t want to miss …
Search Engine Strategies Conference 2004 San Jose, Yahoo! Party
Search Engine Strategies 2004, San Jose, California, Day 3 I wasn’t hungover. Since I had only two beers at the Google party (and they ran out!), I wasn’t really reeling from any overdoses. I skipped the swim in favour …
Search Engine Strategies Conference 2004 San Jose, Google Dance
Search Engine Strategies 2004, San Jose, California, Day 2 The alarm started at 6:30. I hit snooze several times before I finally had the realization that I needed to get out of bed. Almost instantly, I knew that I was …
Search Engine Strategies Conference 2004 San Jose, Overture and LookSmart
Search Engine Strategies 2004, San Jose, California, Day 1 After an exceptionally sound sleep, I awoke to get my day started. I had planned to start all my days with a workout (I’ve been slacking for the last little …
Search Engine Strategies Conference 2004 San Jose, Calgary to San Jose
The trip to San Jose wasn’t the most enjoyable I’ve had, but it was far from a bad experience. Craig and I breezed through security. It goes to figure that it you arrive with plenty of time at the airport, there won’t be …
Surprise Visit to Drumheller
This weekend was a bit of a surprise. Not that it suddenly appeared from out of nowhere, but that until something happened, I had no idea what was yet to come. The weekend started with the one thing I did have control …
Driving home from Kelowna
It’s been a very long time since I’ve been on a roadtrip. And although it was only one-way, I didn’t mind it at all. I flew into Kelowna, but I drove back with Andrea, Tamara, and Dan. Andrea had driven the three of them …
David Bowie plays Kelowna Prospera Place
We all woke at about the same time. I was awake, though eyes closed, when I heard Tamara and Andrea whispering. I joined into the conversation, joined shortly thereafter by Dan. At that point, there wasn’t much reason to …
Turning Japanese Again, Returning to Canada
I can’t even call this a “last day”. Yesterday, really, was our last day. Today is the packing/travelling day. And the day to say goodbye to dear friends. I hate leaving friends behind. Chris is one of my …
Turning Japanese Again, Tsukiji Market
Why had I gone to Shinagawa to kill time? Simply put, it was far enough away from Tsukiji that walking alone would eat up some time, but not so far that I would be exhausted by the time I got to my destination. I had …
Turning Japanese Again, Touring Tokyo (more still)
We got up a bit later than I’d hoped for, mostly because I’d accidentally turned off the alarm instead of snoozing it. We took the first train we could get to into Tokyo. I stood, wedged in a space between the door and …
Turning Japanese Again, Kamakura
We were up a little earlier than the previous few days, so we could catch a good train out to Kamakura, our excursion for the day. Kamakura is a small town south of Tokyo, about an hour and three-quarters away from …
Turning Japanese Again, Touring Tokyo
The household woke up slowly. The events of last night had done us all in. Kaz and Chris were tired from all the attention they’d been getting. Jen and I were tired from all the things we’d done and drinks we’d had. As …
Turning Japanese Again, Reception Party in Chiba
We woke up several times this morning. Once when the phone rang (Mike and Brenda checking in on us), when Kaz and Chris’ new refrigerator showed up, when the phone rang a second time, and when the earthquake hit. And …
Turning Japanese Again, Shinkansen to Tokyo
More tofu for breakfast. Blech. Well, not so much blech as bland and really not what I’d like to eat first thing in the morning. Jen didn’t eat much. Today we’re back to Tokyo (and Yotsukaido). But first, we wanted to do …
Turning Japanese Again, Touring Osaka
We attempted to move a bit quicker this morning. The key word being “attempted”. The idea was to go to Osaka and do the touring thing. That meant we had to leave at a reasonable time so we could catch the …
Turning Japanese Again, Kyoto Nishi Honganji Temple
Today, we experienced what can only be the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced. The earthquake hit around 7:30, and shook the entire room. Jen and I leapt from bed, and I dragged her into one of the doorways — …
Turning Japanese Again, Kyoto Kiyomizu Temple
I was up long before I’d planned to be up. I’d wanted to try and sleep a bit more to get rest for the long day of walking ahead, but my body said it was time to rise, and so it did. Besides, the racket of Kyoto on the …
Turning Japanese Again, Shinkansen to Hiroshima
No hangovers. This was a good way to start the day, even if it was a lot earlier than Jen really would have liked. (Mind you, Jen likes noon as a wake-up time.) It was warm in the room. The Japanese seem to like it warm. …
Turning Japanese Again, Chris and Kaz's Wedding
I woke just before sunrise. I probably should have gotten up to look around, but decided that I’d rather sleep a bit more. I had a sneaky suspicion that it was going to be a long day. I woke again around 7:00, when my …
Turning Japanese Again, Shinkansen to Toyohashi and Irako
I slept a little oddly, considering we’d been up for over 24 hours straight. Woke up once around 3:00 (mostly to go to the bathroom), again at about 5:00, and finally at about 7:50. At that point, it was enough to say …
Turning Japanese Again, Flying to Japan
I slept like crap. And it wasn’t because I slept on the couch at Aunt Brenda and Uncle Mike’s last night. I’m certain it’s because of stress. Kind of ironic to have this crop up the night before I leave on vacation, eh? …
Friends from university
Pretty much keep with the trend, I woke late again. When I walked out of the bedroom, though, I found the door to Craig and Cathy’s bedroom open. Given the time of the morning, I assumed Craig would be asleep. I peered …
Computer repairs and financial advisors
I woke late again. I could get used to this. Mom came to pick me up after getting myself all cleaned up. We went down to her place, where I took the time to try and bring her computer up to snuff again. It seems that …
VIA Train from Montreal to Toronto
Morning came early. (When your hosts have to get up early to go to work, you get up early, too.) The plan was simple: on their way to work, Therese and Stuart would drop me off at Central Station where, like when I …
Touring Montreal, Schwartz's Deli
I slept not as long as the previous night, but enough to feel suitably rested. I wanted to make sure that I didn’t sleep too long — this was my last full day with Therese and Stuart, and I didn’t want to waste it. We had …
Shopping in downtown Montreal
I slept nearly 12 hours. I woke up sporadically, hearing the odd noise of running water and cats playing. Simply put, though, I was too damn tired to care. I hadn’t slept that well in ages. I woke up in time for lunch, …
Flying to Montreal to visit friends
I honestly couldn’t wait for 5:00 to come this morning. Today is the start of my first break longer than a long weekend in almost a year. I’ve been working away on my job, barely taking time off, slaving through one of …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train - Reunion
This weekend, I visited southern Ontario. Even though I’ve only just left, it almost feels like I was never even there. A few weeks back, Critical Mass announced (to the employees) that it was in the process of pitching …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train - Anniversary!
It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a year since the day the CBC Television 50th Anniversary VIA Rail Train departed Vancouver on its epic 33-day trip across Canada. It seems like it’s been a lot longer. I suppose …
My Trip to Japan, Harajuku and Shibuya
I think a good rule of thumb for how long you should stay in one place while on vacation is your comfort level. When you become too comfortable, you’ve stayed too long. I’ve become very comfortable with Tokyo. That’s not …
My Trip to Japan, Daihonzan Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
After a few days of non-stop touring, a slow day is much appreciated, even though it wasn’t planned that way. Chris was up before me, starting to clean up the apartment. It wasn’t messy by any means, but today we’re …
My Trip to Japan, Tsukiji Fish Market
The Japanese have borrowed many concepts of rail management from North America. For instance, you will generally see words like “rapid” or “limited express” when you see train listings. And you’ll …
My Trip to Japan, Akehabara and Shibuya
Today was a bit of a late start for us. Not for any particular reason, we just slept in a little bit. Today was Tokyo day. Sure, we’d been to Tokyo before for clubbing, but I didn’t really see much of Tokyo. It’s hard to …
My Trip to Japan, Tokyo and Shibuya
I’ve gone clubbing in Tokyo, and lived to tell about it. It’s an odd statement, I know, but allow me to explain. Chris and I didn’t have any real set plans. In fact, I didn’t really know what we were going to do until …
My Trip to Japan, Touring Chiba
By comparison with yesterday’s activities, it would appear that I slept the entire day away. For starters, I awoke after 10:00, the long day previous having sapped pretty much all my energy. Kaz was still here, but …
My Trip to Japan, Calgary to Yotsukaido
It hasn’t been that long since my last outing, but it’s time again for my next great adventure. This time, I’m leaving the continent for the first time in almost 14 years — I’m going to Japan. Chris is staying there …
Moving Nana from Prince Albert to Calgary
Well, it’s Easter time again, and that means a lot of family events out here in the great Canadian plains. The major difference this year is what sort of family events we do. In previous years, it’s been a massive dinner …
Old friends in Southern Ontario
With Cathy at work, and Craig sleeping for the day (he’s currently working nights), there was little that would cause me to rise early. Well, almost nothing. I had a lunch date to keep. Rising at a reasonable hour, I …
Home for a rest
You’ll have to excuse me, I’m not at my best. I’ve been gone for a month, I’ve been drunk since I left. These so-called vacations will soon be my death. I’m so sick from the drink, I need home for a rest. — Home For A …
I want to go home
I’ve been on the road far too long. Last night was Thanksgiving dinner up at the cottage. Good food, family, friend (there was only one), and good times. Even better sleep, in my old bed (since co-opted for use in the …
Halifax to Huntsville
I hate alarms. Especially when they go off while you’ve still got an hour of darkness left of the night. I had an early flight to Toronto, though, and wasn’t keen on missing it. I had packed the night before, so all I …
Touring Lunenburg and Peggy's Cove
One of these days, I’m going to remember to stop booking things at the last minute. I wanted to go to Lunenburg. I wasn’t about to take a taxi – it’s a little far for that. A car was the only real solution I could think …
Touring Halifax, Part 2
Sleeping in is good. Too bad I didn’t sleep in. Instead, I woke around 8:30 and began to get on with the day. The first order of business was typing out some of the journal entries I was behind on. The second was making …
Riding VIA Rail’s Bras D’or, Sydney to Halifax
It was still dark when the alarm clock (bolted to the night table) tuned in the local classic rock station. Great thing about radio – there’s always a classic rock station available. Showered and bags packed, I hiked my …
Riding VIA Rail's Bras D'or, Halifax to Sydney
Waking early after a few days of sleeping in (even if just a little) was difficult. But given the day’s activity, I couldn’t wait. I was taking a train. Yes, a train. A month on the CBC special hadn’t dampened my spirit …
Touring Halifax, Part 1
Sleeping in is one of those little pleasures of life that I’ve been ignoring for far too long. The fact that I was still exhausted from yesterday made passing through my alarm even easier. I skipped breakfast. I was in …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Bay of Fundy
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Halifax finale
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Halifax VIP
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Peggy's Cove
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Moncton
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Campbellton
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Quebec City (Day 2)
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Quebec City
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Canadian Railway Museum
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Montreal
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Ottawa and Montreal
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Ottawa
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Eastern Ontario
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Day off
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Toronto
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, London
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Windsor
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Southern Ontario
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Sudbury
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Sioux Lookout and Northern Ontario
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Winnipeg public
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Winnipeg employees
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Melville
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Saskatoon
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Biggar
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Remembering 9/11
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Edmonton
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Jasper
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Kamloops
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Vancouver
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Safety training
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
CBC 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Opening Event Pacific Central Station
T-Minus 2 days I think it’s safe to say no-one left today’s event pain-free. This was the VIP Event day. This was when we had to be near perfect, as the executives from both CBC and VIA would be on hand, along with many …
CBC 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, First day on the job
T-minus 3 days I awoke with my alarm ready for a day of discovery. That was important because I had only met three people in the crew of 30-odd. When I arrived in the restaurant for breakfast, I stared at a seemingly …
Visiting More in Vancouver
T-Minus 4 days First order of the day was to move out of Joel and Michelle’s piano room. Although I greatly appreciate their hospitality, I do need to be with the rest of the CBC. The show starts tomorrow morning. I …
Touring West Vancouver, Dinner with Greg
T-Minus 5 days Today was supposed to be tourist day. It was supposed to be sunny and warm, with nice little chirping birds and happy people out enjoying the “last day of summer”. (School starts tomorrow.) So …
Visiting in Vancouver
T-Minus 6 days Today was much quieter than the previous two days … if you don’t count two kids, that is. After waking and spending a morning with Joel and Michelle’s family, Joel showed me his new pet project. …
Flying from Calgary to Prince George
T-Minus 8 days There’s nothing like trying to plan one and a half months of a chaotic life in excruciating detail. It’s a little easier when someone else does all the dirty work, but ultimately, it’s you that will make …
Working at CBC Headquarters in Toronto
This is my second day here at the CBC head office in Toronto. This is a weird place. You’re probably asking: What is Geoff doing at the CBC head office in Toronto? That’s a question I can’t answer just yet — you’ll have …
Canada Day on Parliment Hill in Ottawa
It was a hot night in Ottawa, following Stuart and Therese’s wedding. It was only going to get hotter. A lot hotter. The next day was 1 July, otherwise known as Canada Day. Otherwise known as the single biggest excuse to …
Returning Home with a Cold
I hate being sick. When I arrived here, I had a sore throat. I had thought i was because of a lack of water or fluids while in transit. It was, however, the beginnings of my first cold in a year. It’s more annoying than …
A Slight Ray of Sunshine on a Very Cloudy Day
Today we a good day. Despite the slew of visitors, we finally saw some major improvement in Dad. For starters, he had a shave — almost all by himself. And not with an electric — he used a safety razor. The shave was …
Helping Out Around the House
And so ends another day at home. There’s a strange air of optimism that seems to permeate almost everything. We know what’s coming, but we’re always happy and upbeat. Well, Cathy is anyway — I’m a little too quiet around …
Coming Home to Watch my Father Die
I awoke at 4:30 this morning, not originally knowing why I was tired. I had tried (unsuccessfully) to get myself drunk the night before. I wanted to numb the pain. I didn’t want that dull ache in my gut that told of bad …
Going Home to Visit with my Family
Tomorrow I’m going home, to spend what could be my last few days with my father. It’s not something I’m really looking forward to. Last Thursday, dad suffered a stroke, probably a result of his brain cancer. It left him …
Christmas with my Family in Oakville, Cathy Gets Engaged
Yeah, I know, the holidays are over, why the heck am I writing about it now? Simple: I got away from computers for two weeks, and haven’t had the time to write until now. Unlike last year, I spent roughly half my time …
Visiting Vancouver, Blue Jays and Mariners Baseball Game in Seattle
It was once said that the only thing to fear is fear itself. Fear is the oppressor of souls and nations. It is the beginnings of hatred and suffering. And it’s what has kept me away from Vancouver. Fear of my past. Fear …
Christmas in Oakville, New Years Eve in Calgary
I didn’t think it was possible for 10 days to go by so fast… Having missed Christmas at home last year (for reasons I don’t think I need to go into), I decided a month or so ago to return home and experience …
Postponed Plans to go to Japan
About nine months ago, I arrived in Calgary without really too much of a clue of what I was going to do next. For most people, I guess it would be quite stressful (one person comes immediately to mind, though I try not …
Wedding in Toronto
Whirlwind weekends. Gotta love ’em… This weekend, as some of you already know, I was in Toronto. One of my friends, Jay, was getting married to his girlfriend of six years, and I was fortunate enough to witness …
Download Overload, the Critical Mass Kelowna Getaway in Westbank
This is a hard-working company. And Ted (our founder and corporate Chairman) knows it. To “thank” us for all the grief he puts us through, he closes (more or less) the office for two days, packs us off to …
Touring Alberta, Calgary Stampede, Columbia Icefields, Lake Louise, Banff (Bamf!), Drumheller
Owing to a very hectic week, I really haven’t had a chance to get to this one. Hopefully my workload will drop a bit in the not-too-distant future so I can return to the simpler things in life … like writing …
Live from Cincinnati, Getting Home Again
Be it ever so humble … and a little messy … there’s no place like home. I missed yesterday’s log. Oops. Basically, the testing went well — the changes I made held and so far, things are looking good. That …
Live from Cincinnati, Making Headway!
Today was a good day. Finally. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finally overcoming a problem that’s kept you up a night, sent you to perhaps the dullest city in mid-eastern America, had you eating mediocre food …
Live from Cincinnati, Surviving Memorial Day
I hate this city. And Memorial Day. The two of them combined? Well, let me tell you… I figured I’d stay in today and get some work done. Fine, no problem. Or so I thought. I got up later than I’d planned (probably …
Live from Cincinnati, Visiting the Cincinnati Museum Center
Today was my day off. It didn’t start that way — I was figuring on getting a lot of work in, but as I went out to scout for lunch, I decided that the day was nice enough that I would take a little walk. My logic says …
Live from Cincinnati, Working for the Weekend
Ugh. It never fails. I get a long weekend, I get lousy weather. I had hoped to go to the Cincinnati Museum today, but the weather kept me indoors. Okay, that sounds like a really stupid statement — if I’m going to a …
A Little Cincinnati History
Another day, another hotel. Owing to some strange reason, there seem to be a lot of people coming to Cincinnati. Can’t really figure out why. The Omni was completely booked for today when my room was booked on Tuesday. …
Trapped in Cincinnati!
I’m trapped. Metaphorically speaking, that is. Today, I effectively did nothing. I spent the day trying to solve problems, but not really accomplishing anything. I started off with a conference call with Critical Mass …
Live from Cincinnati, Working at the Client, Seeing a Movie
My alarm went off early this morning. I rose somewhat slowly (I hadn’t quite adjusted to the time zone), but eventually found my way into the shower. That woke me up enough to get dressed, shave, and prepare my notes for …
Live from Cincinnati
It’s been a long day. It all started about a week ago. One of our clients, whom I’m afraid I cannot mention, had a problem with the website we developed for them. Actually, it wasn’t the client so much as it was our …
Visiting Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, Chinese Porcelain
We’ve been blessed with a good winter this year — it hasn’t rained much. (Of course, I would be writing this on a rainy day.) In fact, we’ve had a lot of sun, though it has been fairly chilly. Yes, I realize that chilly …
Visiting Friends in Calgary, Deciding to Leave Vancouver
I get by with a little help from my friends. In this case, it was Stuart and Therese, two of my oldest and closest friends. I ventured to the wilds of Calgary to say “Hi” and check out the sights. Well, at …
How to Throw a Surprise Party
There’s nothing better than seeing the look of complete terror upon someone’s face. Especially if you know there’s a benevolent force behind it. Such as with a surprise party… Allison’s birthday was on Sunday …
Visit to Ontario, Returning Home
The alarm went off at 8:00, and I staggered out of bed. Chris and I had made tentative plans to go for breakfast, but I needed to call him and find out. Chris couldn’t make it. The whole week had been like that — we’d …
Visit to Ontario, Worth the Drive to Acton, Waterloo
The Old Man was still cursing the sink the following morning. By the time Allison and I left for Waterloo, the plumber had arrived to solve the problem once and for all. (It would take an additional two hours, and …
Visit to Ontario, Clogged up Kitchen Sink Drain
The original plan that day was to go into Toronto. Allison was feeling better, and she wanted to see the various neighbourhoods of Toronto she had heard so much about. That was the original plan, and plans around the …
Visit to Ontario, General Inactivity
Allison was not feeling well the following morning. Jet lag, the flu, a bad bit of food, we didn’t know — only Allison was not feeling well. Wednesday thus became a slow day — Allison slept off her illness, I read …
Visit to Ontario, Touring Downtown Toronto
The alarm went off at 6:45am. I was up almost immediately, Allison begged for “five more minutes”. I took the opportunity to quickly have some orange juice. Allison was in the shower moments later. We had to …
Visit to Ontario, Visiting with Friends
If Sunday was quiet, Monday was dead. Being Thanksgiving Monday, it also meant that every store in Ontario was closed. (Stupid Holiday Shopping Act.) As it stood, Allison had work to do. Unlike myself, who was trying his …
Visit to Ontario, Oakville and Caledon East
The fire was still going the next morning. I don’t know if they rekindled it, or if the fire had just simply burned all night. Breakfast was eggs, bacon, leftover ham, and potatoes (not the deep-fried ones, thank …
Visit to Ontario, Cottage in Huntsville, Thanksgiving Dinner, Algonquin Park
We awoke to the smell of bacon. It must be an instinctual thing — no human can sleep through the smell of bacon. Your body takes in the smell and promptly yells: “Get up ya lazy oaf! There’s bacon to be had! GET …
Visit to Ontario, Getting a new Apartment in Vancouver, Traveling to Huntsville
We awoke to three deafening pounds on the bedroom door. Cathy had arrived at the Sowrey homestead, and wasn’t going to wait for her poor brother (and future sister-in-law) to adjust to the time change. She wanted to …
Visit to Ontario, the Flight to Toronto
Allison was supposed to call me when she got downtown. I was a bit concerned that it was 2:00pm, and I hadn’t heard from her. I was supposed to pick her up at 2:00 at the Stadium Skytrain station. We still had to go over …
Wedding in Naramata
Several weeks ago, we received an invitation to a gala event in the Okanagan for one of Allison’s friends, Heather. She was getting married to her significant other, Brian. We were asked to attend the three-day event in …
West Coast of Vancouver Island, Tofino, Ucuelet, Long Beach
Stress. I hate it. It sucks the life right out of me, and leaves nothing but exhaustion and bad moods. In short, I don’t do well under a large amount of it for a long period of time. And when you consider that I haven’t …
BC Ferry's Fast Ferry, Bocce, and Rathtrevor Beach
Life’s a beach. At least, it should be. Last weekend was the second busy weekend for Allison and I, the second weekend of the month we weren’t home. We won’t be home for a weekend probably until mid-August at the pace …
Canada Day in Kelowna, Winery Tours, and Penticton
Deciding that the weather here had become too unbearable to stand for another weekend, let alone a long weekend, Allison and I opted to abdicate the Lower Mainland for places sunnier. At least, that was the plan. I …
A Decade since the Soviet Union, Birthday of the Observer
10 years. I can’t believe it has been 10 years. On 30 June 1989, I departed for the first of what would become a string of interesting journeys into the unknown. This was my first trip out of North America, and my first …
Going to Microsoft Meltdown in Seattle
On Monday and Tuesday, I experienced my first real business trip. I probably would be more excited about it than I should be, but we went to Seattle. Whoopee. Going to Seattle for a business trip is like … well, …
A Boys Night out in Calgary, Drumheller, Banff (Bamf!), and Star Wars
This weekend, I did something a little different than usual. I went to Calgary. Alone. Well, not totally alone. I went to visit Stuart, who I had only seen for a whopping six hours at Christmas. Ideally, I would have …
Touring in and around Victoria
Our long weekend started Thursday night, when Allison’s company decided to hold an employee appreciation event at Metropolis (an entertainment-centric mall a couple of blocks from our apartment). Interlogic was springing …
Traveling to and Touring Seattle
There’s only so much rain you can take before you start to go a little strange in the head. It has rained here nearly every single day since 1 Nov 1998. We’ve had about 10-15 days in that stretch where it didn’t rain, …
Nanaimo Welcome Wagon, Locking Keys in the Car
I’d always thought that the “Welcome Wagon” was a euphemism for a group of well-natured people who would come to the door of folks new the the neighbourhood and welcome them into the community. Little did I …
Starting to Plan the Wedding
As some (or all) of you know, Allison and I got engaged during our trip to New York. While we’ve told nearly everyone we know, we haven’t told everyone yet. More importantly, we haven’t set a date yet. There is a reason …
Long Weekend in Kelowna, Penticton
This weekend just passsed was the BC Day long weekend (for those of you back in Ontario, that’s a fancy way of naming the Civic Holiday) — we get the first monday in August off to enjoy the weather and get out a little …
Father's Day, Assembling a Barbecue, and Whistler
Today I severed the last vestages that tied me to my birthplace. This morning, I went to the local CAA chapter (known as BCAA), and turned in my car’s license plates. I thus separated myself from the suit-and-tie ideals …
Corporate Communications, White Rock, Tsawwassen, and Point Roberts
The fallout from the round of layoffs a week and a half ago came to a rather disappointing end — one of our lead programmers decided he didn’t want to work for corporate America, and quit. Just as the game he was working …
Layoffs at Radical Entertainment, Victoria Day on Vancouver Island
Well, this is my first crack at a proper Branch entry. Hopefully these will go as well as I hope they do… My weekend got off to a bit of a rocky start — my company laid off 12 people in our Vancouver office. The …
Weekend in Calgary, Banff (Bamf!)
This entry is long overdue — I should have issued this sometime last week. But it’s been one of those weeks where I’ve barely had time to check my email, let alone write any. It all started a few weeks ago, when I heard …
Taking the Ferry to Nanaimo, Easter Weekend on Vancouver Island
It’s been an interesting few days. This weekend, as you already know, was Easter. This was the first time I was not in Ontario for Easter. I had been away from home before — usually on co-op terms (although university …
Meeting the Family and Touring Victoria
Greetings from Lotus Land! (I still have no idea why people call it that — nowadays you could reefer to it as Grass Land … yes, I spelled “reefer” on purpose.) Undoubtedly you’ve all heard the trials …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Back Home
Dhar was up long before the rest of us. He took the time to wander around the neighbourhood, spooking my neighbours. Then he took the time to tell my father what mechanical difficulties we had. At around 09:00, Stefan, …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Ohio
By morning the rain had stopped, leaving cool damp weather in its wake. We stirred shortly after 08:30, all of us awake in a relatively short period of time. Our first surprise was to open the curtains and find that we …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, Kentucky
Little kids sounded the morning knell, much like how an air raid siren warns of impending disaster. I’m not suggesting that we had a bad day, but it’s not exactly the way I’d wanted to start it off. Our waking patterns …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Lousiana, Oak Alley Plantation, Mississippi
Despite Dhar’s snoring, I had a fairly decent sleep that night. As was our habit, the first order of business was a shower. Dhar was one step ahead of me, something I gathered by the sound of running water from the …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Touring New Orleans
The morning was sunny and humid, much like the day before. We awoke between 08:00 and 08:30 following a long and comfortable night’s sleep. Showers were the order of the morning, to prepare oneself for the long day …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Texas, Louisiana, New Orleans, and Bourbon Street
As a kid, I could never sleep in a moving car. I could never understand why, but the motion made me feel uneasy and I would sit there until we stopped (usually at home) before passing out. This inability to sleep in cars …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Roswell, New Mexico, and Texas
The morning was cool, but not uncomfortable. Dhar had slept in the navigator’s chair again, but for once wasn’t awake before me. Not having relieved myself the night before, my bladder was now rather tight feeling, the …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Hoover Dam and New Mexico
I awoke to a vaguely disturbing dream about sirens, manifested by emergency vehicles running up and down Las Vegas Boulevard, just in front of our 16th floor window. No sooner than my head cleared enough for me to …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Touring Las Vegas and Cirque du Soleil Mystére
One thing about using an air conditioner — always use the air exchange feature. The air inside the van was beyond musty that morning. It smelled horrible. I woke blinking towards the navigator’s side of the van, …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Mesa Verde Cave Dwellings, Grand Canyon, and Arrival in Las Vegas
Morning began almost the same as Colorado Springs: cool and bright. But our distance south had provided us with a few degrees more warmth, making the morning not quite as shocking as the day before. Something else was …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Touring Colorado Springs and Traveling the Rockies
Dawn arrives early at high altitudes, but we didn’t notice until around 09:00 that morning. Dawn also arrives very cold. When we went to bed, the temperature was something in the neighbourhood of 10 degrees Celsius. Not …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Thunderstorms, Kansas, and Colorado Springs
The rain came down so heavily I have yet to see an adjective to properly describe it — “sheets” is not hard enough, and “Niagara Falls” is far too much. Somewhere in between will have to suffice …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Crossing the Border, Detroit, and Thunderstorms
I awoke at a little after 08:00 that morning. I wasn’t the slightest but groggy, my usual waking state — I was excited. The day had finally come. I wandered out of my room. Dhar’s (rather, my sister’s) door was open, and …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States, Preparing to Leave
Most of the work was on my family’s newly-purchased RoadTrek 190 Versatile, a Dodge Ram van converted into a small motorhome. It was the result of my aunt’s interest in the RoadTrek company, and my father’s interest in …
Road Trip of the Southwest United States
This entire scenario began back in the heady days of what most university students refer to as “spring break”. In many cases, this involves an exodus from the country (Canada) to a warmer climate for …
Music Trip to Orlando, The Long Trip Home
A Dream… With a start, I realized that the fire I had felt had suddenly died off. No longer did I feel the burning from within and outside. I was cool once more, and I was clear headed. Once again, I was on a …
Music Trip to Orlando, the Heritage Music Festival and Wet 'n Wild
I do need to mention that I was 18 when I wrote this, and ... oy, the mind of an 18 year-old man-child... A Dream… Carrots, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the U.S.S. Rabbit. It’s continuing mission: …
Music Trip to Orlando, Singing and Shopping in Malls
A Dream… Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations; To boldly go where no-one …
Music Trip to Orlando, Visit to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center
A Dream… I sat alone, on an endless beach, the sun setting far away in the horizon. The sky was painted a myriad of hues of orange, red and yellow. The waves washed in slowly, creating the soothing swish that had …
Music Trip to Orlando, Visiting Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom
A Dream… The choir was set, standing on a stage in a rather large auditorium. Four bright lights shone on us, one on Paul and Dave Kaye on one side, a sixth light on Shawn and Andy on the other. The audience was …
Music Trip to Orlando, All-nighter in Oakville and Arrival in Florida
A Dream… “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.” came a husky voice over the p.a. I shut off my walkman to listen to the message. “We have encountered some technical difficulties, …
Music Trip to Orlando, Introduction
Despite what Mrs. Stothart thinks, I didn’t join the choir just to sing. As I have told my friends repeatedly, the major reason for joining and suffering through untold practices was so I could get down to Florida and …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Touring Helsinki and Heading Home
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890714.17 Day 15 We are presently at our cruising altitude of 31,000 ft heading for New York. A few minutes ago, we passed over Iceland. Earlier this morning, Kelly B., Pete and myself scouted …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Traveling to Helsinki
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890713.11 Day 14 We have just visited St. Issac’s Cathedral near the Neva. It is a very large cathedral, compared to others that we have seen. Established in the early to mid 1800’s, it is a …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Touring Leningrad (St. Petersburg)
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890712.10 Day 13 WHERE THE HELL IS THE PEPSI?!? This question was asked many times last night and today. Everyone is thirsty and the BS shop doesn’t have any Pepsi. All they have is booze and …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Traveling to Leningrad (St. Petersburg)
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890711.18 Day 12 If you’re wondering what happened to Day 11, it was spent trying to figure what the hell happened to this journal. Two nights ago, I gave the journal to Greg the Wonder Dummy …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Boating on the Black Sea
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890709.20 Day 10 Today, almost everyone (except Jason ) was in higher spirits. Jason felt as if he were dead and spent the entire day in bed. Lisa and Greg disappeared for the whole day, which …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Touring Sochi
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890708.16 Day 9 Today, we had a very wet tour of Sochi. This city of 130,000+ has only been here for about 150 years and does not have any significant history except for its Sanatoria, which …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Traveling to Sochi on the Black Sea
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890707.10 Day 8 Today, almost all of us “men” leave for Sochi, about 4 hours before any of the girls. Most of us are just laying around while the girls are at the beach (some have …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Touring Odessa
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890706.14 Day 7 We got into Odessa early this morning, after we had been up for an hour already (we were forced awake and I want to kill Radar for doing it too!). After a good breakfast, we …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Shopping in Kiev and the Odessa Night Train
As Jason had told me when he came in after being out on the town, Igor showed up that morning to finish trading. But he had also brought his friend Sergei to get in on the action. There were only three of us in total, …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Touring Kiev
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890704.08 Day 5 We didn’t sleep much last night, in fact, we barely slept at all. Some of us were getting pissed out of their minds while the rest of us were yapping about life and sex (in …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, the Kiev Night Train
The night we spent on the Kiev night train was one that I shall never forget until the day I die. It’s kind of hard not to, I was awake for pretty well the whole night. And so was virtually everyone in our car, except …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Moscow and Zagorsk
Observer’s Log: Traveldate 890703.12 Day 4 We are about to leave the Zagorsk religious complex for a restaurant (I hope!) and then back to Moscow to GUM and then dinner (fish guaranteed) and then to the train. No-one …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Touring Moscow
The next thing I heard was the beeping from my alarm clock. It has one of those annoying electric beeps that grates on your nerves after a beep or two. The clock was on Jason’s side of the table that rested between our …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union, Flight to Moscow
Day 2 began pretty much the way Day 1 ended — at 35,000 feet. The only thing that really marked the passage of a day was a change in the clocks. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t clear when the day actually started. You …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union - Leaving Canada
It was a most unusual Friday, but it started off as a very routine morning. As usual for a summer day, I awoke late in the morning, about eleven o’clock. The day was sunny and bright, with only a few clouds in the sky. …
Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union - Getting Edumacated
I had to suffer through most of the school year, anxiously awaiting departure. The date was set for late June / early July. Ten months of school seemed like an insurmountable barrier. And for a hyper 16 year-old, that …
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Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union - Cast of Conspirators
As I mentioned in the previous chapter, there were 46 brave souls on our little two week excursion. And seeing as you will be reading this through, I think I should introduce you to the cast of characters ahead of time. …
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Behind the Iron Curtain - My Trip to the Soviet Union - Introduction
High school, at least as it’s made out in the movies, is supposed to be the best (and worst, depending on where you fit into the social cliques) time of your life. (According to some of my university professors, …
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