Hanging with people ya love!!
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| Jake Stevie and friends |
It was a vacation or more accurately said - a proper homecoming!!! And while not to completely violate the privacy of those close to me, I'm going to note a few of the folks I got to see while back in Canada eh! I also regret that I was unable to see a number of others who inspire me in my life. Next time !
At the same time and not at all unexpectedly, BC's magnificent natural beauty revealed itself the moment I arrived. I have seen nothing that compares in my travels so far. Visits to Vancouver and Pender Islands massaged my soul like the most talented Thai masseuse while the clean streets and bright lights of Vancouver brought a flood of memories from my wonderful years spent there. I love Africa and the special views I have enjoyed across Savanna and crater tips... but there's something about home. There's something about BC!!
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| A view from the Port Renfrew Hotel |
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| A view from the Pub on Pender Island |
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| A view from the top of mount Norman on Pender |
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| The view of Mom and Dad's home - a fixture in my life since my earliest memories when my grandparents lived there |
A special time for me was a motorcycle trip with friends up the coast road to sit and have lunch and a beer in the afternoon sun. The combination of comradery and motorcycling is a hard one to beat for me. At the end of the day - I did have to ask myself a few serious questions about my choice of motorcycles given the excruciating pain I was experiencing in just about every part of my body. Am I getting too old for this? Nawwwwww I'm quite sure that's what pain killers were made for.
It reminded me of the time I rode up right in front of Starbucks coffee house in a splendid cacophony and visual spectacle of black leather and roaring Ducati. It was a cool arrival to be sure - but as I rolled up garnering as much attention as possible, I realized that somehow I'd put my back out. Now, and with so many looking on, and unable to dismount, I simply leaned forward over the very stylish handlebars until the spasms stopped. All the while, I might add, looking very cool indeed. Once off the brilliant yet nasty machine, and still unable to walk... I leaned against it causally for the next 20 minutes looking cool but actually thankful that it was there so I didn't fall over. It's nicknamed the Dominatrix for good reason - she always hurts me but I keep coming back for more, WTF?
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| The Dominatrix and accompanying super-manly looking "rider" |
I've been given the opportunity to travel over the last couple years and spend time examining both myself and the world that surrounds me. I'm planning to continue to explore more in the future but have to say there is nothing so important as the connections with the people you love. I really enjoyed my time with friends and family and it was definitely with a heavy heart that I return to Africa though resolved to continue to develop those relationships both at home and all around me. It's about people after all. The rest, while magnificent.... is filler in my humble but often stated opinion. :)
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| Stevie in Port Alberni with Mount Arrowsmith in the background |
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| Jake at breaky hungry as usual |
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| Rod doing a macho man pose beside his new truck - does it have a warranty? |
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| Barry with Laphroig |
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| Rod with Laphroig |
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| Steve enjoying a well-deserved beer - where's the Laphroig? |
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| Dad and Stevie with lamb for dinner at Mom's... mmmmm |
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| Carla at dinner hungry as usual :) |
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| Mom, looking more like my sister cooking up deliciousness |
Thanks for reading...Layno!!!
