I have not recently updated this site because there were, and still are many uncertainties regarding my western Canada trip. The forest fire situation that has been going on in British Columbia all summer is still a major problem, and has caused us to make major changes to the travel plan.
I will depart Ottawa on a VIA train at 0600 Thursday, August 17, and am scheduled to arrive in Toronto at 10.00. I will then take a fast shuttle train that Toronto put in place last year. It runs from Toronto Union Station to the airport. This saves being ripped off by the taxi companies. The one way fare on the train is nine dollars. My Polish friend is scheduled to arrive at 1240, but since it is on an AirCanada flight, it could be anytime within twelve hours of that. (No bias here).
Since my friend has by then been on the go for almost 20 hours, we are staying near the airport, and fly to Edmonton at nine the next morning on Westjet. At Edmonton, we have a car rental, and, after some shopping at West Edmonton Mall, (My friends number one priority...ladies like shopping), will head to the Dawson Creek,/ Ft. St John area of B.C. I have three brothers and two sisters that have lived there all their lives. Some have not been more than 100 kilometers from there. (Remember that TV show, The Beverly Hillbillies). Oh yes, they do not have computers.
The original plan was to spend a few days visiting family and friends, then drive down and spend three days in each of Jasper and Banff National Parks. Because of severe air quality numbers, with no change in sight, we have cancelled Banff hotel reservations, which were actually in Golden, B.C. with Jasper looking to also be dropped. Since we were to be with my niece in her motor home at Jasper, there were no hotel reservations to consider. Today was the "Cancel or Pay ", date for the Banff/Golden reservations.
The bottom line is simple. We will decide what to do after arriving in the Peace River area, and having a good look at all those cows, sheep and the smoke situation.
I will go to a McDonalds or a Tim Hortons and do an update while in the Dawson Creek area.
We return to Toronto on August 30, at eight in the evening, and each return home the following day.
Upon my return here, I have my annual medical, eye exams, etc then will plan my next trip to Thailand and spend some time with my Thai family.
Question; What would you do with time on your hands, and 83 thousand air miles to spend?. I have agreed to help my Thai friends with their harvest....three days in a rice paddy, harvesting the way they do...by hand!. Stay Tuned.
