We arrived in Vancouver at about 4:00 Wednesday afternoon to about 2 degrees. We knew what the weather was like but it was still a bit of a shock. It felt really good to be back on Canadian soil. The air was crisp, the sun was setting, Christmas lights everywhere, there's no place like home! Ian's brother Brian (Barney) picked us up, took us home, fed us beer and wine and cooked us a great meal. I slept 9 hours that night and Ian slept about 14. He stayed up later than I did and had a little more Christmas cheer.
Anyway, in the morning I got up, had breakfast, a really good cup of coffee and off I went to Christmas shop for my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. I had so much fun shopping in familiar stores where I knew where to find things and I was by myself! The only sour note yesterday was that we found that the gifts that I had purchased for the granddaughters as well as my camera had been stolen out of my carry on bag. Before we boarded our flight in L.A. an announcement came on asking passengers to please check their carry-ons as the flight was full and space was going to be tight in the overhead. So, I checked mine. I will never do that again. Ian has put in a claim so we shall see. But there will be no replacing the pictures. Fortunately the chip in the camera was replaced about 2 weeks ago so we will still have the previous ones.
Today I am going to stay with my son's family just for overnight and have a pre-Christmas visit with them. Ian is going to visit his son's family and then on Saturday we will visit Ian's sister Kathryn and her family. The plan is to head for Kelowna on Sunday before any nasty weather comes in. We are going to visit Ian's mom on Sunday morning and then carry on. Look forward to seeing you all!
Linda and Ian
Friday, December 6, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
One More Sleep!
The morning we left Tauranga the sun was shining and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day so we decided to try to find a nice little place by the sea that was close to Auckland to spend our last few days. It is only about a 3 1/2 to 4 hr. drive from Tauranga to Auckland so we thought that we could find our perfect little place with time to spare. I thought that maybe we'd have a little time to beach comb or suntan before Happy Hour. After driving for about 7 hrs. and investigating every nook and cranny between Tauranga and Auckland I can safely tell you that no such place exists. I guess we got spoiled on the south island.
So we finally stopped for the night in Waiuku at the oldest continuously operating hotel in New Zealand. (1852) We pulled into the parking lot and before Ian turned the engine off we could hear the music. The place was just rocking! There was a live band (using the term loosely) and the place was packed to the rafters. But they had a room for us and that was all that mattered.
We headed down the street to a great little pub called the Wolf and Beaver, neither of which lives in New Zealand. There was a few bikers and two young couples in the place when we arrived but they soon left and we had the place to ourselves. The quiet was heavenly and the food was very good. No chips for a change. We had a good chat with the staff---they had bets going on in the kitchen as to whether or not we were Americans or Canadians.
We went back to the hotel where , thank heaven, the band had quit and gone home. We couldn't figure out why on a Monday night, out in the middle of nowhere, this place was so busy. Turns out it was a local business Christmas party. Never even occurred to us. So we got talking to some of the locals (as we often do) and had a few drinks (as we often do) and met an old guy who is about to be knighted. He heard we were from Canada and wanted to join our table as he had been there many years ago training air traffic controllers in Vancouver. Very interesting man.
The next morning we left there and after much more searching wound up at the Best Western at the airport. The problem has been finding a hotel that had room for us for 2 nights. We really didn't want to have to move again.
Today was spent trying to find sweaters that are actually made in New Zealand. They have the same problem here that we have in Canada. Everything is made in China or Bangladesh. Actually, finding them hasn't been the problem. Finding them under $400-$500 is the problem. We finally were successful this morning. We found a family run wool shop that had some lovely things for reasonable prices.
And now this evening we are off to the local British- style pub for our last dinner. Up early tomorrow morning to pack (caught up on the laundry yesterday) and then we'll have a few hours to kill before heading for the airport. I guess we won't be meeting up with Alan Spence (Ian's cousin) as he has been ill with angina this last few days and he also just returned from Thailand with a flu bug. We sure don't want to bring that home. Anyway, Georgina has advised us to stay where we are because the weather at home is so crummy, but we are getting a little homesick for friends and family. So we look forward to seeing you all soon!
Linda and Ian
So we finally stopped for the night in Waiuku at the oldest continuously operating hotel in New Zealand. (1852) We pulled into the parking lot and before Ian turned the engine off we could hear the music. The place was just rocking! There was a live band (using the term loosely) and the place was packed to the rafters. But they had a room for us and that was all that mattered.
We headed down the street to a great little pub called the Wolf and Beaver, neither of which lives in New Zealand. There was a few bikers and two young couples in the place when we arrived but they soon left and we had the place to ourselves. The quiet was heavenly and the food was very good. No chips for a change. We had a good chat with the staff---they had bets going on in the kitchen as to whether or not we were Americans or Canadians.
We went back to the hotel where , thank heaven, the band had quit and gone home. We couldn't figure out why on a Monday night, out in the middle of nowhere, this place was so busy. Turns out it was a local business Christmas party. Never even occurred to us. So we got talking to some of the locals (as we often do) and had a few drinks (as we often do) and met an old guy who is about to be knighted. He heard we were from Canada and wanted to join our table as he had been there many years ago training air traffic controllers in Vancouver. Very interesting man.
The next morning we left there and after much more searching wound up at the Best Western at the airport. The problem has been finding a hotel that had room for us for 2 nights. We really didn't want to have to move again.
Today was spent trying to find sweaters that are actually made in New Zealand. They have the same problem here that we have in Canada. Everything is made in China or Bangladesh. Actually, finding them hasn't been the problem. Finding them under $400-$500 is the problem. We finally were successful this morning. We found a family run wool shop that had some lovely things for reasonable prices.
And now this evening we are off to the local British- style pub for our last dinner. Up early tomorrow morning to pack (caught up on the laundry yesterday) and then we'll have a few hours to kill before heading for the airport. I guess we won't be meeting up with Alan Spence (Ian's cousin) as he has been ill with angina this last few days and he also just returned from Thailand with a flu bug. We sure don't want to bring that home. Anyway, Georgina has advised us to stay where we are because the weather at home is so crummy, but we are getting a little homesick for friends and family. So we look forward to seeing you all soon!
Linda and Ian
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