However, despite following a seemingly self-repeating pattern of exertion, life could not be more different at the moment. These last 2 1/2 months, rather than being punctuated by an endurance testing amount of hours at work, followed immediately by 4 day amazing race style travel, was a Westerly journey through Canada filled with visits with family and old friends.
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That, up there, was written September 12th, the day before we left the valley. I started it, obviously intending to write this very post that morning, then wouldn't you know it, we got too busy for me to finish/continue it. That last week was absolute chaos. We finally sat down to rest for exactly an hour and a half before Veronica took us to the airport.
The 24 hours travelling was largely uneventful, yet hectic at the same time. (Yes, this will indeed be the theme for this post) We left the Comox Valley and their adorably small and friendly airport in the evening, around 6:30 or 7:30pm and arrived in Calgary at 10pm. There Garry and Saul picked us up and brought us to Cena's wonderful aunt and uncle's place, where of course there was some visiting until about midnight. We retreated upstairs, while everyone else kept visiting, and proceeded not to sleep until about 5:30am, when we finally just got ready and had Garry drop us back off at the airport. Being too tired for breakfast, Garry wanted to buy us some parting food, yet there was nothing nearby. So he bought us some Bernard chocolates for the trip, and we were off through security. (Which we didn't eat until a couple days ago, and were absolutely marvellously delicious, particularly the salted caramel ones)
We had both planned on getting some work done that morning; me writing and Cena doing training work for a certification, but were far too exhausted for that. It seems now like that entire day passed in this half-conscious dream-like state, that is until we were boarding the smallest plane of life to go up into the storm clouds over the Caribbean ocean to get to Cozumel. I was definitely conscious for that.
These past 9-10 days though, have been wonderful. After we got our apartment, unpacked, settled in, went shopping for the necessary food, cleaning, and bedding staples, we finally got to just sit and relax. I think those first 5 days were just a seesaw effort to try and adjust, unwind, and find food. Once we finally succeeded though, and had simultaneously totally readjusted back to Latin America and let go of the tension of the last 2 1/2 months of travelling, it was marvellous. We stayed at home in our pyjamas all day.
But what brought us back to this point? What was the journey from the last blog post until this one? Well, I won't go in to too many details, as we've actually seen many of you in person, so you mostly know what went down during the 11 weeks we spent in Canada.
The first 2 1/2 were spent in Redvers and Brandon. We hit the ground running and were picked up from the airport at midnight, driven back to Redvers to arrive at 5am, slept for a couple hours, then were woken up to be brought to a family reunion. As good of a visit as it was, there was a lot to see and do, and we didn't complete nearly the list of things we had wanted. After this, we went up to Saskatoon to spend a fantastic couple days staying with Lindsay and Josh. Absolutely wonderful. I wish we could have stayed there much longer.
From this point, Saul came from Edmonton to pick us up, and we road tripped to Calgary to spend an action packed all too exciting weekend there, and drive up to Edmonton Sunday morning. We spent exactly 1 very busy week in Edmonton before heading to Jasper for the first of the 'big' things on our list of what we wanted to do in Canada.
There we camped the first night near town, then the next morning left for 4 days of backcountry camping 13km in to Jacques Lake. An incredibly rewarding and unreal experience that we are both very eager to repeat. Then after a night in the town of Jasper, we left to spend 2 nights in Kelowna for a music festival, Center of Gravity. From there we continued on to Vancouver to spend 2 nights at one of Cena's old friend's places for Vancouver Pride, where Veronica met us. Literally at the Pride Festival site. That night we travelled to Surrey and met Cena's Uncle Poncho, Veronica's brother, and his girlfriend. The next morning we left Vancouver for Surrey again, then her fabulously eccentric Aunty Leah picked us up to drive us to the ferry terminal that would take us to Vancouver island.
From this point forth, despite the mountain of planning, activities, trips, and visiting we did during our 6 weeks on the island, everything was a little bit more relaxed and calm. In fact, from the very moment we met up with Veronica (Cena's mom) in the middle of the insanely long Pride Parade in the midst of the chaos that was the festival, I think we both felt that we could somehow breathe easier. We could stop and smell the roses again. Even if just for a moment before continuing on to then next activity.
Part of this is clearly the vibe on Vancouver island and Comox Valley itself, but the other half, I believe can be attributed to Veronica. I could not find enough wonderful things to say about that woman. She just exudes this air of calmness and inner peace, if you had to label it. She clearly has her share (or more than in some cases) of health problems, life frustrations, and general stresses, but doesn't let it get to her. She has her moments of weakness, like everyone else, but the rest of the time she works to maintain this harmonious serenity. This caring tranquility that she makes seem effortless. I cannot tell you how pleasant, refreshing, and just plain good it was to be around someone like that while back in Canada.
I mean, that is a large part of why Cena and I love living in Latin America so much; because everyone takes a breath before doing anything. They have mid-afternoon siestas and don't sweat the small stuff. They don't concern themselves with many of the trivial things North Americans do. They are all around happier. The very possibility that I could enjoy a life similar to this with my fiancé while living in our breathtakingly beautiful '1st world' homeland was a little mind blowing for me. It triggered a lot of new visions of the future that don't involve being permanent backpacking gypsies. And I will always have Veronica and the Island to thank for that.
These past 9-10 days though, have been wonderful. After we got our apartment, unpacked, settled in, went shopping for the necessary food, cleaning, and bedding staples, we finally got to just sit and relax. I think those first 5 days were just a seesaw effort to try and adjust, unwind, and find food. Once we finally succeeded though, and had simultaneously totally readjusted back to Latin America and let go of the tension of the last 2 1/2 months of travelling, it was marvellous. We stayed at home in our pyjamas all day.
But what brought us back to this point? What was the journey from the last blog post until this one? Well, I won't go in to too many details, as we've actually seen many of you in person, so you mostly know what went down during the 11 weeks we spent in Canada.
The first 2 1/2 were spent in Redvers and Brandon. We hit the ground running and were picked up from the airport at midnight, driven back to Redvers to arrive at 5am, slept for a couple hours, then were woken up to be brought to a family reunion. As good of a visit as it was, there was a lot to see and do, and we didn't complete nearly the list of things we had wanted. After this, we went up to Saskatoon to spend a fantastic couple days staying with Lindsay and Josh. Absolutely wonderful. I wish we could have stayed there much longer.
From this point, Saul came from Edmonton to pick us up, and we road tripped to Calgary to spend an action packed all too exciting weekend there, and drive up to Edmonton Sunday morning. We spent exactly 1 very busy week in Edmonton before heading to Jasper for the first of the 'big' things on our list of what we wanted to do in Canada.
There we camped the first night near town, then the next morning left for 4 days of backcountry camping 13km in to Jacques Lake. An incredibly rewarding and unreal experience that we are both very eager to repeat. Then after a night in the town of Jasper, we left to spend 2 nights in Kelowna for a music festival, Center of Gravity. From there we continued on to Vancouver to spend 2 nights at one of Cena's old friend's places for Vancouver Pride, where Veronica met us. Literally at the Pride Festival site. That night we travelled to Surrey and met Cena's Uncle Poncho, Veronica's brother, and his girlfriend. The next morning we left Vancouver for Surrey again, then her fabulously eccentric Aunty Leah picked us up to drive us to the ferry terminal that would take us to Vancouver island.
From this point forth, despite the mountain of planning, activities, trips, and visiting we did during our 6 weeks on the island, everything was a little bit more relaxed and calm. In fact, from the very moment we met up with Veronica (Cena's mom) in the middle of the insanely long Pride Parade in the midst of the chaos that was the festival, I think we both felt that we could somehow breathe easier. We could stop and smell the roses again. Even if just for a moment before continuing on to then next activity.
Part of this is clearly the vibe on Vancouver island and Comox Valley itself, but the other half, I believe can be attributed to Veronica. I could not find enough wonderful things to say about that woman. She just exudes this air of calmness and inner peace, if you had to label it. She clearly has her share (or more than in some cases) of health problems, life frustrations, and general stresses, but doesn't let it get to her. She has her moments of weakness, like everyone else, but the rest of the time she works to maintain this harmonious serenity. This caring tranquility that she makes seem effortless. I cannot tell you how pleasant, refreshing, and just plain good it was to be around someone like that while back in Canada.
I mean, that is a large part of why Cena and I love living in Latin America so much; because everyone takes a breath before doing anything. They have mid-afternoon siestas and don't sweat the small stuff. They don't concern themselves with many of the trivial things North Americans do. They are all around happier. The very possibility that I could enjoy a life similar to this with my fiancé while living in our breathtakingly beautiful '1st world' homeland was a little mind blowing for me. It triggered a lot of new visions of the future that don't involve being permanent backpacking gypsies. And I will always have Veronica and the Island to thank for that.
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