Ottawa, October 14, 2023 Part 2

 As most of you know, I usually have at least one flight planned as soon as I return to Canada. For the past three years my travels have all been out of the country. I am now forced to change my plans. I was intending to spend the month of February next year with my little friend, Hussian and his mother in Istanbul. That will not happen.

With the recent renewal of war in the Middle East, travel into any part of that area is not recommended unless for urgent matters. Millions of refugees are looking for safer lands, and accommodation is going to be hard to fine. After chats with Hussians mom, we decided it best not to plan any travel there at this time.

So, for the first time in years, I have no definate  plans for travel at this time. I will be here in Ottawa for all of the holiday season. Take care. 

Ottawa, October 14, 2023

 Hello All;  We returned from our western trip last Saturday, October 7, and I now have the time to do an update. We flew with Porter Airlines both ways, and had great flights. Outbound, we flew to Toronto, and had a change of planes. There was a problem with the aircraft taking us to Edmonton, so we were delayed for an hour and a half. Since we were only away for seven days, we travelled with a back-pack each and had no checked luggage. Upon arrival in Edmonton, we picked up an Enterprise car rental that I had reserved for our time there in the west. The folks at Enterprise gave me an upgrade to a Chev Malibu, and waived the second driver fee. We shared driving and got to Grand Prairie Alberta that evening where I had reserved a hotel. A dinner with a family member was cancelled on route as we were too late for that, so we met for breakfast the following morning instead.

Our next stop was in the town of Beaverlodge where we had a visit with Bev Scott, the mother of our breakfast date. As one enters Beaverlodge, there is a giant beaver , probably 25 feet long beside the road to greet travelers. WE gassed the car in Hythe, just before crossing into B.C. The gas price per liter is over 20 cents cheaper on the Alberta side. 

We visited with family and friends for the remainder of our time there, stopping in Dawson Creek and Ft. St John. I have one sister  and a brother in Dawson, and two brothers in St John. There are also many cousins, nieces , nephews, and and friends in the area. Our western most point west was a short drive from St John to Bear Flats, where a cousin lives. Their farm is near the sight of  the Site C dam on the Peace River. When the Dam bypass tunnels are blasted shut this fall, the water will cover a large portion of their land.

I was able to see all family members except one brother. He resides in a seniors home and they had a version of Covid going around, so we just chatted on the phone. In Edmonton on the return, a cousin drove up from Red Deer for lunch with us, and we visited old friends for dinner at their farm that evening. Saturday morning, we returned the car and had an excellent, on time flight home.