6 Flights to Canada

Having to say farewell to family in New Zealand to then journey west to Canada getting on 6 planes and spending countless hours in the air, arriving back to a loved one, friends and adventures ahead can only be described as bitter-sweet.

I flew out of Wellington airport on a clear sunny, typical windy day in the Capital City. Mum, dad, Fran and I all met for lunch in a nearby cafe. With a glass of wine each we raised our glasses and dad propsed a toast. Here's to safe travels and a return visit in the not so distant future. I completely agree.
To add to my send off, was a surprise encounter in the cafe when a New Zealand 'famous person' walked in. Graham Henry is the Rugby Union Coach for the New Zealand All Blacks. Perhaps he has become more of a hero since NZ won the most recent World Cup in 2011. Anyway....it was my last day in NZ why not approach him and ask for photo. Life's too short to be shy.

Prior to this adventure, earlier that morning mum and I walked Bella together along the Otaki beach for the final time. It was a glorious morning beside the ocean with Kapiti Island standing clear and bright on the horizon. We passed the batches (summer cottages), the letter-boxes displaying the characters of the families who venture this way for the occasional weekend getaway from the big city. I'm going to miss my morning walks with my mum and her delightful companion.

Wellington-Auckland-Sydney-Melbourne-LA-Vancouver-Port Hardy - DEAN.......YAY!!!!!
Ahh it felt good to be home.

I awwwed and ahhhhhed as Dean showed me the renovations he had done on the motorhome, the brightening, tidying and freshening up he did by laying pine wood panels on the walls and re-designing our bedroom. He had also begun landscaping the cottage garden by building a retaining wall from beach logs and flattening an area on the upper garden which has doubled my entire garden in size. And finally he showed me the gold dust, flakes and a single 'pickup' he had found while gold-panning on the local rivers. Yes he now has gold-fever.

Since being back, a week today.......we have continued working in the cottage garden which is taking shape rather nicely. I'll be posting photos soon. We are gearing up for the journey to Winnipeg to begin our 6 month contract back in Churchill, Manitoba. Polar Bears, Beluga Whales, Birds and Burgars it will be for another delightful summer.
More news to come.......