Monday, December 16, 2013

Christmas Time Is Here

Hard to believe it is Christmas time again.  I want to first wish all my followers a very happy holiday in however you may celebrate the season.  

I am celebrating Christmas this year with my family in Quebec, in Drummondville to be exact.  I was raised in Drummondville but moved away 30 years ago to start a new life in British Columbia.  Funny how I have lived in B.C. the longest but Quebec is still referred to as my  home?  Wonder how many others feel the same?

Anyway back to what I was saying.  We booked this trip with airmiles as soon as the bookings opened back in March.  We finally have Christmas week off at work and we are so looking forward to seeing family.  And right now it looks like we will have a white Christmas too.  Since this rarely happens in Vancouver, it is nice to see snow in the East.  As long as it doesn't play havoc with our flights, but so far it doesn't look like it will.

So any advice for flying over the holiday?  

Well off to pack.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Brrr Baby It's Cold Outside

 

It has been a while since I last did a blog report, I don't normally blog when I am not travelling but since it is such a long time between trips I thought I would just post what has been happening and what is coming up.



Our last vacation was in September and because of our jobs we don't have any other vacation time until the week of Christmas.  YES I finally managed to snag the week of Christmas off.  Normally I work, and have worked every Christmas/Boxing Day/New Years for the past 16 years that I have been driving.  But this year we had first choice for vacation and I said to Bernie, this year I really want to go home to Quebec for Christmas.  

So back in March as soon as the dates opened up thru our airmiles we scooped up two seats with Westjet to Montreal.  

This will be my first trip back home in 30 years.  Sadly my parents are no longer alive but I have a huge family of aunts, uncles,cousins, second cousins, and their spouses.  It will be so nice to be there again and both Bernie and I are so looking forward to it.

Once we make it back to reality in Vancouver at the end of the month we will be back to work on December 30th, working New Years Eve and New Years Day and our countdown will begin for our next great adventure.

We are heading back to South America in February and we have most of the trip planned out.  With tours (all private) arranged for many of the ports and the few ports we don't have plans for we are going to head out on our own and explore.  

We are just confirming a house sitter for the time we will be gone.  Thankfully we have a good friend who likes to stay here cause they are so close to work that they can walk from our place to it.


Barb and Craig will be joining us again, but this time for the entire voyage.  We will meet up with them in Florida to do a private Everglades trip together and a lovely dinner in the evening.  Again something I have always wanted to do in a small group.  Last time we did it we were around 25 people, this time it will just be the four of us!

Jan and Michael will be joining the cruise in Buenos Aries, and it will be lovely to see them again.  Michael and Bernie have planned a flight over the Nasca Lines in Peru together.  The rest of us will wander the streets..... ha ha ha

For other ports here is a brief run down of what we have scheduled:

Antigua - Segway tour
St. Thomas - Back to Water Island
Barbados - Lobster Alive (but this time I will pace myself with those wicked rum punches)
Rio de Janeiro - tickets to Carnivale in the Sambadromo!!!  Next day we will head out on our own and explore our favourite haunts.


Montevideo - City Tour followed by a tour/meal at a real ranch with Gauchos
Buenos Aries - a Private tour for just the two of us
Ushuaia - Bernie is going golfing (will try to get it in since he missed it last time) I will be doing a tour with Barb and Craig
Puerto Mont - Private Tour
Valparaiso - hopefully seeing an old friend
Lima - Private tour for the 8 of us
Costa Rica - Zip line trip to adventure park

So keep checking back to follow along on our next great adventure.