Lake Natron
17 de noviembre de 2025, Tanzania ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C
Lake Natron is a mineral-rich soda lake in northern Tanzania, at the border with Kenya. It's a breeding ground for hundreds of thousands of lesser flamingos, despite the highly alkaline state of the bright red lake water.
The 4 hour drive to our accommodation, the Safari Comfort Bungalow, was once again on a bumpy and dusty road over volcanic rocks, around a big active volcano and avoiding wandering herds of cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys. It sits below Ol Doinyo Lengai, a soaring, active volcano in the Rift Valley.
On the way, we stopped for a short break at a steep-sided mini volcanic crater, called God’s Hole, about 300m deep and 1km wide. There were great views of the surrounding areas from this site and of course, there were a few Maasai women under a tree selling their beaded jewellery.
We continued on, crossing over old lava ‘river’ beds until we reached a town that had a significant river flowing through it. All the animals and people from the area gather at this spot to drink/get water.
Finally, at the end of the world, no I mean at the end of the road, we arrived at the accommodation and it was lovely. A very large and fancy restaurant, a big swimming pool and several good-sized cabins spread out over a landscaped property overlooking Lake Natron.
We had our lunch there and then Norton whisked us off to go on a hike to a waterfall.
Right next door to Lake Natron is Ngare Sero gorge. It is a 600 metre-deep crack in the Great Rift Valley with a pretty waterfall that you can hike to by walking up the river. The waterfall is part of a beautiful, small oasis where we were told we could swim.
The first hundred metres of the hike doesn't look like much. Pat even wondered why we needed a Maasai guide. But once we entered the gorge, we quickly realized that we were in for a real treat and a guide was a good idea.
The hike first took us up and down some stone stairs at the side of the gorge but then we went down to the bottom. We spent a fair bit of time walking over the jumble of rocks alongside the river, but then had to crisscross the river. We had been told to wear our bathing suits and shoes.
There was a section where we had to walk right in the river. At times, we would put our foot down on what we thought was solid ground and sink in the lava sand on the river bottom. The river current was somewhat strong and at times we were walking in water up to our waists. It was somewhat challenging.
Finally we arrived at the beautiful waterfall.Standing under the waterfall and swimming in its pool was the perfect reward for hiking in the heat to get there.
I read that all in all it was a 5.5 km hike. Not long but scrambling over hot slippery rocks and dealing with the running water made it a little challenging. Our shoes filled up with sand and we needed time to dump them before we could walk back. Thanks to our guide though, we all felt well taken care of.
But the day wasn’t over! Norton drove us closer to the blood red lake. It is truly an unusual lake.
Facts about Lake Natron:
The area is 1.040 km²
2,5 millions flamingos come there yearly to breed (75% of the world population)
Lake Natron has the largest flamingo migration in the world
Lake type: salt lake
Size of the lake when it is full 57 km, by 22 km
Water temperature: between 40-60°C
What a day. We were all exhausted but it was nice place to stay before we head back to Arusha where we started this trip out.Leer más
Back to Arusha and Goodbye to Norton
18 de noviembre de 2025, Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
We have had a crazy busy but wonderful trip. We have visited all the major national parks and conservation areas in Northern Tanzania, seen a lot of wonderful birds and animals, visited several tribes, gave away puppets, toothbrushes and a parachute for games, and have enjoyed ourselves immensely. Now we are starting the homeward part of our trip and will be home on November 24rth. A little earlier than planned due to our unexpected start but actually, just perfect.
The drive back to Arusha from Lake Natron took us about 6 hours. The road conditions varied all the way back. It was nice eventually to be back on a paved highway. We still had to stop for an assortment of animals but it was good.
At one point at the side of the highway, we passed groups of teenage boys all dressed in black with black and white painted faces. We asked Norton who they were and why.
He told us that every seven years, a circumcision ceremony, which is the most vital initiation of all rites of passages for men in the Maasai society, is performed shortly after puberty, leaving childhood And becoming an adult. After passing the ceremony, Maasai boys wear black clothes and get decorated with detailed accessories which marks the initiation of men into warrior hood for 3 months.They also paint symbols on their faces using white soil/chalk.
Today is Norton’s last day with us after being with us for 2 weeks. We were very happy with him as he kept us on track, drove well and knew where to find and identify animals and birds. He explained life in this area and was always on time and respectful. We couldn’t have asked for a better driver and guide.
Finally, we arrived at the Karibu Heritage House in Arusha where it didn’t take long for us to put on our bathing suits and jump into the pool.
We met with Hamis from Colours of Africa Safaris and settled up money that we owed - our flights to Nairobi from Zanzibar, accommodation and a shuttle in Nairobi. The company had taken good care of us, for sure. Also we had to figure out how to get Zanzibar’s Mandatory $50 Medical Insurance before flying out on Thursday.Leer más
Chagga Underground Houses
19 de noviembre de 2025, Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
During the summer, I read about an organization called Eekanubi Underground that are dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of ancient underground houses made by the Chagga people in Kibosho.
The Chagga are an indigenous group that have lived on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro for centuries. They are known for their farming skills - growing crops like bananas, coffee, and corn. They have deep ties to their land and believe that their mountain holds great spiritual significance.
Over 1000 years ago, they built underground tunnels/homed used as hiding places during tribal wars and resistance against Maasai raids. These caves, carved by hand centuries ago, symbolize the resilience and unity of the Chagga people.
We were very impressed with the personal tour we had. The guide told us how they had discovered the underground houses and what was involved in the excavation process, as we sipped an herbal tea made with rosemary, mint, lemongrass and a few other herbs.
Then we went underground and were amazed by the ingenuity of the people who lived in these manmade ‘caves’. Air vents, a fresh water system, bedrooms, kitchens, meeting rooms, storage areas, washroom area, an ‘intercom’ system and little shelves for lighting and cupboards were all discovered. A big bat flew past us as we explored the tunnels.
There is still a lot of work to do to remove the earth that has filled in the tunnels over the years but this organization is passionate about preserving this amazing piece of Chagga history.
On the way to our new accommodation, Le Parlour, we passed a little public elementary school. Kids were lined up outside with plastic bowls to get their lunches. We felt that it would be a good place to stop and leave the parachute at that school for group games. We met the principal and a few teachers and Paul, our driver, came with us and helped by translating.
A teacher and her kids were invited to play some games and then the kids eating their lunches came running to see what was happening. They really participated cooperatively and had a ball. It felt like we had picked a good place to leave it!
We ate lunch in a fancy shopping mall - a tasty and healthy buffet meal.
Paul, drove us through the old and new town of Moshi. There are underground streams there, so it is a green town with lots of trees and a lot of gardens. An old friend of ours used to live in Moshi as a child so we were interested in seeing it.
We drove through the big bustling market which was an interesting experience. People were also making and selling sandals and rope made from old tires.
Then on to our 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom townhouse accommodation for the night.Leer más
Chemka Hot Springs
20 de noviembre de 2025, Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
It was our last night on mainland Tanzania and we were in for several surprises.
First, it was clear enough for us to see Mount Kilimanjaro with its snow covered top just before we had breakfast. Every other time that we were close enough to see it, the clouds around it hid it.
Breakfast was filling and healthy as usual. The lady at La Parlour is a good cook.
Our driver, Paul, picked us up at 9 a.m. and drove us to the Chemka or Kikuleta Hot Springs. We really didn’t know what to expect but were told to take our bathing suits.
An hour later we arrived at what appeared to be a dry area but amazingly there was an oasis with two beautiful hidden ponds in the middle of a stand of palm and fig trees. The water was warm, crystal clear and a beautiful turquoise colour. We could hardly wait to get in.
The hot springs are home to the unique Garra Rufa fish, famously known as “doctor fish.” These tiny fish are used in spa treatments worldwide for their natural ability to gently nibble away dead skin, providing a free, natural pedicure. Haha. We were surprised to feel a slight tickles/prickles on our legs and feet as we entered the water!
They had picnic tables in the shade, a Tarzan rope swing that Chris tried out and a bamboo raft that some young men were poling down the river.
So when we weren’t swimming we were sitting in the shade being entertained by the fun experiences people were having in the water.
At lunch, Paul took us to a lunch bbq place where we had bbq chicken, lamb and goat cooked over a wood fire with french fries and salad.
Then we headed back to the springs. What an idyllic way to end our time on the mainland.
At 4 pm, Paul drove us to the Kilimanjaro airport so we could catch the plane to Zanzibar Island. One hour later, we landed. A driver was there to take us to our hotel, the Golden Tulip Stonetown Boutique Hotel.
Everything thing that Colours of Africa has arranged has been perfect. We are happy campers.Leer más
Zanzibar - Stonetown
21 de noviembre de 2025, Tanzania ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
The flight to Zanzibar was short, 1 hour on Flightlink.
When we arrived it was hot, hot, hot and humid!
Zanzibar has a mandatory health insurance (money grab?) that we had to get online. It doesn’t matter if you already have medical insurance or how long you are there, 1 day or 30 days, you still have to pay $44 U.S. for it. Applying for it online was a challenge.
It didn’t take us long to exit the airport and there was Sulaimon with a sign saying Christopher Smith, ready to take us to our hotel, the Golden Tulip Stonetown Boutique Hotel in Stonetown.
He made arrangements for us to go on a walking tour of Stonetown the next day at 9 a.m.
We were pretty tired but went up to the rooftop on the 4rth floor, where there was a breeze and a great view over the port, and had dinner. Bed came shortly afterwards.
The next morning, we went up on the rooftop and had an amazing buffet breakfast with a view of the comings and goings of the busy port. Sneaky crows would steal food off people’s plates when they weren’t looking.
A guide met us and took us on a 3 hour tour of the old city of Stonetown. We are in a great location for exploring the city and the hotel has everything that we need or want including a big pool in a garden.
Stonetown is so different from any place we saw on the mainland- bustling with friendly people. There was a multicultural feeling as tourists mingled with the local people.
The people of Zanzibar are predominantly Muslim, with Islam being the dominant religion for about 98-99% of the population. Islam has a long history on the islands, dating back to at least the 10th century, and has deeply influenced the region's culture.
Our first stop was at the Foradhani Gardens along the main seawalk of Stone Town, just in front of two famous buildings - the House of Wonders and the Old Fort.
The House of Wonders was built in 1883 for the second Sultan of Zanzibar. It was intended as a ceremonial palace and official reception hall, celebrating modernity. It was named "House of Wonders" because it was the first building in Zanzibar to have electricity, and also the first building in East Africa to have an elevator.
Close to the palace, is the Old Fort, one of the oldest buildings in Stonetown, built by the Portuguese in the 17th century. There is an amphitheatre that still holds theatrical a d musical concerts in it and old bullring within the walls. Now this area has several little touristy shops in it.
The old town was a labyrinth of streets full of shops and living quarters.
One of the buildings was Freddie Mercury’s house when he was a child.
The old Zanzibar slave market was historically the largest slave trading center in East Africa, a key hub in the Indian Ocean slave trade that saw thousands of people trafficked from the African mainland. We did a little tour of where slaves were housed and sold. There was also an area that had several posters with information and photos from the times. Not pretty…
The doors…
Stonetown is most famous for its wooden doorways. Often they are the only thing left standing when the buildings they belong to collapse.
The carved doorways, many of which do remain, blend African styles with Indian and Arabic designs and were brought to the island by traders and migrants over the centuries.
The designs on the door are lovely. Chains are said to protect the building from evil spirits, but they also mark the mansions of wealthy Arab slave traders. Flowers at the top of the door tell how many families used to live inside, whereas vines refer to the spice trade. Geometric shapes, like squares, refer to accountants.
It was an interesting tour but we were so hot and tired that we were happy to return to the hotel for a nap in our air conditioned room and a swim in the pool.Leer más
Zanzibar’s Fun Night Market
21 de noviembre de 2025, Tanzania ⋅ 🌙 29 °C
For the first time since we arrived in Tanzania, only our breakfasts are part of our trip package. Pius, the man we worked with to plan the trip, said that we would enjoy eating out in Stone Town. There are street food kiosks set up in the park, lots of good restaurants and the food is good.
So, at around 6 pm, we walked the short distance to the Forodhani Gardens and it had transformed into a night food market. Everybody and their brother were at the park - in the water, playing beach soccer, dancing, singing, eating, cooking, and having fun. Even all the city’s cats were out!
A parade of sorts passed us with young men dancing and singing on a truck bed.
A large group of young men brought smiles to our faces as they launched themselves off a seawall and did funny moves in the air before falling into the water. It was really fun to watch!
The night market is a vibrant spot and was full of local Zanzibari street food, which is influenced by African, Arab, and Indian cuisines, including Zanzibar pizza, grilled seafood, and urojo soup. The market is lively and bustling with tourists and locals, especially around sunset, and is a popular place to get freshly squeezed sugar-cane juice.
We all got chicken shawarmas for dinner. The bits of meat that fell out of our wraps were quickly gobbled up by the cats.
At another stand, we watched as a father and son made Nutella, banana and mango crepes. They were a delicious treat!
Apparently the night food market is on every night. No home cooking needed in this heat!Leer más
Last days in Zanzibar
22 de noviembre de 2025, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
Saturday and Sunday morning were spent relaxing, a little shopping for souvenirs and walking around town before our long trip home.
We had a little giggle over the sign in the elevator. Not ‘if’ but ‘when’.
It was super hot so we just took it easy.
We finally were able to get our boarding passes for Turkish Airlines but it wasn’t easy for some reason.
The four of us had dinner in a second story restaurant in the ‘ labyrinth’. Coming home in the dark alleys was a challenge.Leer más
The Trip Home
24 de noviembre de 2025, Kenia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
It was long…and very cramped…
Sunday November 22
2:00 pm left the hotel
2:30 pm Zanzibar Airport
5:00 pm left Zanzibar on Flightlink
6:30 pm arrived in Nairobi
7:30 pm Kozi Hotel near the airport for a little rest
Monday November 23
2 am left the hotel
4:55 am left Nairobi on Turkish Airlines (7hr)
11:45 am arrived in Istanbul (same time zone as Nairobi)
Got some exercise and had a MacDonalds burger and fries ($59 Cdn!)
Said our goodbyes to Pat and Gail
3:20 pm left Istanbul on Turkish Airlines (11 hr)
Monday November 23
6:15 pm Toronto
7:30 Red Car shuttle to Fergus
9 pm home in FergusLeer más
A Few Tips for this Amazing Trip
27 de noviembre de 2025, Turquía ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
I will add to this list as we think of things.
Having only four people in the truck worked out very well. We rotated seats daily and had room to move and to see animals/birds.
Re money…
American, European and Tanzanian shillings were accepted everywhere.
ATMs were easy to find and the guides always helped us
Tipping
We took $20 U.S. in clean bills per day for the guides. The tip was given at the end of the trips. Totally worth it!
Also $100 U.S. in $1 U.S. bills for any extra services like laundry, restaurants
Re clothes…
2 pairs of quick dry long pants are all that is needed
1 or 2 pairs of quick dry shorts/capris
2 long sleeved quick dry shirts ( for sun protection and warmth)
4 or 5 T-shirts and sleeveless tops
Something comfortable to change into after a full safari day - light track pants, gym shorts, comfy loose dress, leggings
1 pair of running shoes
1 pair of sandals
Swimsuit
Sleepwear
Large brimmed hats (over baseball hats)
A very small quick dry towel came in very handy.
On safari, you get dusty and dirty. We just wore the same clothes as we were in the truck all the time. A quick rinse at night if needed. I took laundry soap sheets and a sink plug.
I was happy that I brought some headbands to wear when in the vehicle.
We didn’t need to dress up at all for meals.
We didn’t need our fleece jackets or rain jackets.
We didn’t take black or dark blue clothing due to not wanting to attract tsetse flies or other biting insect. Although, we didn’t see many insects at this time of year.
I took black Lululemon studio pants for the cities and on the plane. They worked out great.
Gail and I ended up buying 2 cheap loose sleeveless dresses. It was so hot in Zanzibar! The Muslim locals didn’t care what we wore.
Laundry services were available at the accommodations.
Sunscreen and small bottle of Ben’s insect repellent were always on hand.
Taking a headlamp or small flashlight was good. The driver had binoculars we could use but we were happy that we had our own.
The truck had USB charging stations and we also brought our portable power bank/charger just in case.
A phone leash was very helpful!
Chris got a chip for his phone but it isn’t really necessary and the reception is poor. The rest of us didn’t get one but used the accommodations’ wifi and were fine with that. Every place we stayed had wifi. On safari we didn’t use wifi.
We always had a refrigerator full of water, juices, beer and even wine in our truck.
Our driver knew where and when to find washrooms but at times we had to have Bush Bushes (pees). Always had T.P. in a pocket.
We took enough Malarone (malaria pills) for a day before the trip and a week after returning. Insomnia was a side effect of it so Pat and Gail stopped taking it after a week. (No bugs). They felt a lot better. We didn’t…
All of us had leg or foot cramps at times but Hydralyte (electrolytes) tablets in our water bottles really helped!
We had 100 toothbrushes and handed them out when kids approached our vehicle. It worked out well.
We did this trip in November, great time to go. Very little rain, and reduced human and vehicle traffic on safari, which we appreciated.Leer más
An Overview of Our Yearly Trips
27 de noviembre de 2025, Canadá ⋅ 🌫 -2 °C
Each of our travel blogs have included an introduction similar to the one below with a new add-on at the bottom regarding new plans. This introduction has been growing and growing but I like to keep this going as a summary of our life’s major adventures. I have decided to add this to the end of the book as it is too long for an introduction! This year's winter trip is number 20!
Here's how we caught the travel bug...
In 1999, after taking a one year leave of absence from our teaching jobs, selling our house and purging most of what we owned, Chris and I packed our bags into a van and headed to Zamora, Michoacan, Mexico, to teach English to Mexican students. Our youngest daughter Caitlin had already left home to perform for a year with a traveling group called Up With People. Our other daughter, Amy had studied Spanish at school, so she traveled to Mexico with us, helping us navigate our way to Zamora. Shortly after we got to our destination, she flew home and started her 3rd year of university. She lived in a townhouse, with two other students, that we had purchased to store 1 roomful of our valuables and to have a place to 'come home to' when we returned. During that year that we taught in Mexico, we fell in love with its daily blue skies and sun, and the latino lifestyle. We promised ourselves, that in our retirement we would return.
Four years later, after retiring from teaching, we went back to Mexico. We spent four months on the shores of Lake Chapala in Mexico, in a beautiful house where we made lots of wonderful friends.
The second year we backpacked through Central America from Guatemala to Panama taking a puppet theatre and puppets with us.
The third year we focused on learning more about the Mayan culture by spending a month in the Yucatan Peninsula, a month in Guatemala, a month backpacking from San Cristobal, in the Chiapas, up the Pacific coast of Mexico to Puerto Vallarta. Along the way, we had several visits with friends. Finally, we ended up once more in Ajijic on Lake Chapala, where we stayed for a month.
The fifth year, we felt that we wanted to venture a little further south so we did something a little different. We headed to South America following a three week layover in Guatemala where we spent Christmas and New Year's eve with our daughters and one of our future son-in-laws. We took and distributed 300 pairs of reading glasses, continued to learn Spanish and volunteered for two organizations in needy communities in both Guatemala and Ecuador. We helped to paint a huge mural on the side of a coliseum with artist, Susan Shanley. The highlight of our trip was the creation of a Grand Circus of Puppets which was performed by all the children in a Biblioteca (library), as well as 25 volunteers, in Banos, Ecuador.
Year Six was a favourite of ours. We spent a month in Peru, three months in Bolivia and then returned to Peru to see Machu Picchu. Because we had enjoyed volunteering in the Arte del Mundo library in Ecuador the previous year, we looked for another library to help out in Bolivia. We were able to find another wonderful, non-profit organization called Biblioworks, based in the capital city of Sucre.
<a href="http://biblioworks.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://biblioworks.org/</a>
The North Carolina group who runs this project provides disadvantaged Bolivian communities, in the vicinity of Sucre, with access to books and learning materials. Since 2005, they have been able to build 12 community libraries, support teachers and students, and put countless books in the hands of adults in both North and South America. The eighth library opened when we were there and we took part in an exciting inauguration with our amazing 'boss' from South Carolina, Matt Lynn. What a wonderful organization.
Our very good friends, Pat and Gail, who we met in Mexico in 1999/2000, joined us in February and March. Due to the generosity of many of our good Ontario friends, we took down 6 puppets which were used in a puppet show, puppet-making workshop materials (so that 200 children can make simple rod puppets), an educational parachute for games, and 200 pairs of
reading glasses. Four classes at Greensville Public School, near Dundas, Ontario, prepared artwork which we took to Bolivia as part of an art exchange. Fun!
The next three years were spent back in Mexico. Year Seven was in Ajijic, helping at the Tepehua Community Centre. A fantastic lady, Moonyeen King, was trying to help out the extremely poor people in this part of Chapala by forming a centre where people could eat a hot meal and have a shower once a week, get medical aid and feel that they were part of a community. We helped out by distributing food, playing with the kids, performed a Xmas puppet show and organized the painting of a huge mural on the side of the building, once again led by artist, Susan Shanley. We also travelled to the beautiful Sierra Gorda where we met two very special people, Margarita and Juan, as well as a traveling group of puppeteers. Two hundred pairs of reading glasses were also distributed.
Year Eight saw us in Queretaro, Mexico - a beautiful old city, just on the west side of Mexico City. There we studied more Spanish and helped out a young puppeteer, Diego Ugalde. Once again we traveled into the amazing Sierra Gorda and then went north to ride the El Chepe train in the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua.
Year Nine. Back to Mexico, but this time in a city south of Mexico City, Cuernavaca. We stayed in a lovely house with beautiful gardens, hidden behind high walls. We started this trip by flying to Manzanillo and spending a week on the ocean with our friends, Pat and Gail. Then off to Cuernavaca where they joined us for a week. We flew to Puerto Escondido for Chris' birthday and saw our friend from Panama, Scott, as well as cottage neighbours, Dale and Michelle. We helped out a young artist who was setting up a business in Cuernavaca. From him we learned how to make traditional Papel Piedra dolls. In March, we flew to Los Angeles and did something that we have never done before. We rented an ESCAPE campervan for a month and camped through South California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. Fabulous!
Year Ten had a big change... Where did we go, and why? Well, I happened to read a blog entry entitled, "Ten Reasons You Should visit Namibia" by fellow Canadian travelers, Kevin and Ruth, and I was hooked.
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/ladyandtra…;
I easily convinced Chris, and then without much effort in the way of coaxing, enticed our friends, Pat and Gail, to join us in Windhoek, Namibia? We went off on a camping safari trip extraordinaire in Namibia and Botswana! Of course, we took puppets for a travelling puppet show, ukuleles and a parachute to give away to a needy community. Pat and Gail flew home in February and we had a few weeks to kill so flew to Capetown, South Africa, where we rented a car and drove a couple of thousand kilometers along the beautiful Indian Ocean coast staying in guesthouses along the way.
After that amazing trip, we had to rethink where we would like to spend a winter and we came up with a crazy plan.
When we were in Ecuador, we heard stories from travellers about the thrill of sailing through the San Blas Islands in Panama and the rugged beauty of Colombia.
So Year Eleven in 2015, was the year that we saw for ourselves what others have been talking about. But Colombia wasn't the only place we visited. The Yucatan and Cuba were also in the picture!
President Obama recently made the decision to allow Americans to legally visit Cuba and we know that major changes will take place. We wanted to see the real Cuba before those changes took place. It was an eye-opener.
So, as we ask ourselves every summer, "Where will we spend our winter this year?".
We are in good shape, physically, and are still up for some adventure so for Year Twelve in 2016, we decided to go back to Colombia and see some of the beautiful areas that we did not get a chance to see on last year's trip. The difference will be that we will meet up with our good friends Pat and Gail and do some parts of this trip together. Ahhh, more Colombian coffee, birds plus the Amazon and good times with our travelling friends.
Year Thirteen, 2017. We have missed visiting Mexico but still want to continue heading south in South America. So this year, we will spend a month in Uruguay (and a few days in Buenos Aires) and then fly to Mexico City. We have rented a beautiful house for 3 months in Patzcuaro, Mexico. Dear Texan friends live there. We haven’t seen them for at least ten years. It will be a wonderful reunion. Pat and Gail may also come down for a visit and we hope our daughters will have the time to come down too. (These plans sadly didn’t happen.)
Year Fourteen, 2018/19. A big change in plans this year. We are heading to Portugal! Not just the mainland, but also to the lovely islands of Madeira and several of the Azore Islands. In fact, our daughters and their families have already bought their plane tickets to Sao Miguel in the Azores and will be joining us during the March Break. What fun we will have!
Year Fifteen, 2019/20. Back to Mexico where we will spend Christmas and New Years close to Puerto Vallarta, in the tiny mountain village of Mascota, then three weeks with our travelling buddies from Bellingham, Washington, Pat and Gail, in the Pacific beach village of Chacala. But that’s not all. At the end of January, we will fly to New Zealand for an action-packed, two month road trip. A great place to travel for Chris’ 70th!
Well, that trip was cut short by 2 weeks, when the Canadian government told travellers to return home due to the spread of the Corona Virus. In 2021, we did not go on a winter trip. It was the first winter that we stayed home since 2004.
Year Sixteen, 2022. In October 2021, we took a wonderful weeklong trip to Vancouver Island with our two older grandkids, Audrey (9) and Cal (8) to visit Great Grandma Peg for her 99th birthday. We rented a motorhome in Victoria and drove to Courtenay where she lives. Totem poles, whale watching, hiking through tall trees, oh my!
We felt that we needed to get back into the saddle and spend the winter in a warm and sunny place. Our longtime friend Jeremy Ament said that he was building a house in Majahua, Guerrero, Mexico on the Pacific Ocean. If we wanted to rent it, we could. We jumped on his offer and for Year Seventeen, we glamped in his beautiful house with a pool in the jungle, far from Covid sicknesses. A little paradise for Connie’s upcoming 70th birthday!
Year Eighteen, 2023. Once again, we took a short trip to Vancouver Island with Chris’ older sister Barbara. Chris’ mom turned 100 on October 7, so we surprised her with a birthday party at Chris’s twin sister’s place in Bowser. What a wonderful party that turned out to be!
In December 2023, off we went to a bucket list country for one month- Egypt! We returned to Ontario in mid January for a week and then headed back to Mexico to rest and to meet up with our good friends, Pat and Gail, in Chacala, Mexico.
Year Nineteen, 2024! Wow!!! So where this time? Spain it is! Our friend, Janet, lived there as a teenager and most of our friends have already visited this interesting country so we decided it was time for us. Two months mainly in the Andalucia area and then one month revisiting and exploring new islands in the lovely Azores. This is what I wrote last year - P.S. We are still contemplating several possibilities for 2024 - Mongolia, Spain, Malawi, and maybe we would go back to see more of the Azores, ....
Winter 2024/25 - This winter was different as we only went to Guadalajara/Ajijic for 10 days pre my shoulder replacement surgery on December 12. I didn’t write anything as we have been there several times. This time we stayed for a week near the Centro in a small Air BnB called Ajijic Inn and the rest of the time with our friend Janet. Sadly after we left to go back home, her husband Don passed away. Then for the next four months, we lived in the condo while I recuperated, before heading out to our Belwood Lake cottage. In June, we flew out west to have a short visit with Pat and Gail in Bellingham
In November of 2025, we went on a month-long trip with Pat and Gail to Istanbul, Nairobi, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Animal and bird safaris in the national parks and conservation areas and cultural visits with the Maasai, Hadzabe (bushmen), Datoga, and Chagga people. Then off to Mexico in January for the winter!
NOTE: The blogs are written and left in draft form. The way that you see it, is the way it was written, full of typos and bad grammar but good feelings. Lol.Leer más
