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Off to Spring

Things are starting to warm up but March/April is an ugly time here. Ice, mud, melting snow, snow....to cheer myself up I have booked to go to Victoria next weekend. Air miles to the rescue! I am just going for four nights due to work commitments and unfortunately I have to fly back at 7 a.m. on Sunday. Ugh! But I looked at another weekend and there were no flights even available on the Sunday. I will be attending part of a walking festival which will be fun but hope I don't embarrass myself. Oh well why not... I seem to be good at that. I will be huffing and puffing along behind all the fit island walkers who can walk all winter long without worrying about breaking bones on the ice.

I am quite excited. And on a roll. The weekend after (Easter) I am off on the hound to visit my family in Lethbridge - that will be fun. Then if I hang in there another four and a half weeks I will be off to Whistler/Vancouver for about ten days for our annual walking conference. (still working on details) Life is getting back to normal. It was a VERY long three months - I fly off on Wednesday and it will be three months to the day that I arrived back home from Nepal/London. THREE VERY LONG HORRIBLE MONTHS THAT I NEVER WANT TO REPEAT AS LONG AS I LIVE. But on the bright side I made lots of money. :)

What a horrid winter...somehow I have to budget to allow for two winter breaks next year.

Anyway I will be staying at the James Bay Inn in Victoria. http://www.jamesbayinn.com/ I had booked the hostel for twenty dollars a night cheaper than thought what the heck I need a treat. If you can call $59 a night a treat...it was a special deal on the Internet and hey I've got my own bathroom and for me that's exciting. No staggering out of the room and down the hall in the middle of the night in my jammies and hoping I don't see anyone. Back in 1996 I stayed at a wonderful B & B in the James Bay area and it is the standard I put all other B & B's against. Can't remember the name of it now sad to say but it has closed and even if it was open I probably wouldn't be able to afford it anymore. But I loved that area so decided to stay there again. I will be close to Beacon Hill park and more importantly close to the ocean.

I will go from work to the airport - how dedicated is that. I plan to do carry on on the way there but all bets are off on the way back esp. as I will be visiting Murchies Tea and Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC - my mecca!) Whoo hoo - can't wait. Stay tuned!!!

Goodbye melting snow, goodbye dirty puddles, goodbye sneaky ice that would love to feel my ass first thing in the morning...hello daffodils, hello ocean, hello green grass and probably hello rain but what the hell...I'M OUTTA HERE!!!!

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