It's been a while since I've done a "real-time" blog post so I thought I'd check-in and let people know what I've been up to and am going to be up to. I am at home right now...but not for long!
I was amused by this sign on the way to Lethbridge...as we were on a small plane we had to walk onto the tarmac and there were other flights going as well - so they had a sign just to make sure we got on the right plane. I'd have hated to end up in Grand Prairie!
Alberta is known for its cowboys....
I loved this exhibition of fictional maps - my favourites being the fairy tales and books!
The Galt museum also had a small display about Eatons which was an iconic department store here in Canada that has sadly now closed. They had a few old catalogues and I took a picture of this page from a 1961 edition. And yes I remember the section for chubbies even though I didn't need it then. (just saying...) They would not get away with the wording these days!
Those who read my Facebook page know this but I haven't mentioned it here on the blog. Here it is plain and simple - I contracted scabies on my last trip. What the heck is scabies you may ask? It is a condition where mites live under the first layer of your skin, burrowing in to lay eggs. When the eggs hatch they then go back onto the skin, mate and burrow back in to create eggs. I know, sounds horrid and it was. I said to friends that I felt like I was starring in my own horror movie. They are minuscule 8 legged critters so you can't see them with the naked eye.
I know I was infested somewhere in Scandinavia but I don't know the exact place. I have my suspicions on the Airbnb in Stockholm but honestly...I will never know. I do know however it's the worse thing I've gone through in my life. Okay, recovering from my knee replacement was grim at times but waking up every morning (if I was able to sleep due to nonstop itching) to new sores on your body was horrifying. Let's just say they had no mercy on where they decided to lay eggs and hang out within my body. I will be writing a blog post on this mainly as information for those suffering - I found lots of information on scabies but not many personal stories or the challenges of recovery. However I just can't write about it yet...it's still too fresh.
I will leave the whole experience of getting my condition confirmed and having treated myself five times to the post I will write. I will say however that once it was confirmed that it was scabies I did get very good care and for that I am grateful. I can't say I am scabie free as even though the mites are now dead they are still in my body and the body still reacts to them and the debris they leave behind. However, I am no longer contagious and that's a relief. It was a very isolating experience as I avoided contact with people for about a month or more. I've had a difficult recovery and still itch although not nearly as much. Anyway, I will end this now as just typing about me has me scratching!
Last weekend I finally got away after over four months at home. I spent the weekend with my cousin Joanne and her family in Lethbridge, Alberta. You will remember Joanne as my partner-in-crime for three weeks in the UK earlier this year. It was such a fun weekend and I was thoroughly spoiled. I did get out for a short walk on the coulees just outside my cousin's home.
We went shopping, explored the local Galt museum, spent time with Joanne's family and I stuffed myself on Joanne's delicious cooking and never said no to a gin and lemonade made by Joanne's husband Jerrold. It was just what I needed!
I was amused by this sign on the way to Lethbridge...as we were on a small plane we had to walk onto the tarmac and there were other flights going as well - so they had a sign just to make sure we got on the right plane. I'd have hated to end up in Grand Prairie!
Alberta is known for its cowboys....
I loved this exhibition of fictional maps - my favourites being the fairy tales and books!
The Galt museum also had a small display about Eatons which was an iconic department store here in Canada that has sadly now closed. They had a few old catalogues and I took a picture of this page from a 1961 edition. And yes I remember the section for chubbies even though I didn't need it then. (just saying...) They would not get away with the wording these days!
Above is a view of the Lethbridge Viaduct which is known as the High Level Bridge from beyond the museum. The railway bridge was constructed in 1909 and is still the longest and highest of its kind in the world at 5,327 feet (1.6 km) long and 314 feet (96 meters) high. Very impressive!!!
The Galt Museum is definitely worth a visit if you are in Lethbridge.
And now for the big news...early next week (December 16th) I am off to England for four weeks! The original plan before I discovered I had scabies was to secure a petsitting job in England over Christmas and New Years and spend the month of January roaming around Malaysia and Singapore. Obviously, that didn't work out. And I am just not ready for a complicated trip. I wanted simple. I will four weeks in two places; London and Bath. I will be in London at my usual homestay from the 17th to the 27th - the friend that runs it has invited me to stay over Christmas to spend it with her and her family. I am so touched and honoured to be included in their festivities. Then I will go to Bath for a week and will stay at an Airbnb. I carefully checked the reviews and it sounds lovely. Then it's back to London until mid-January. Originally I had thought of going over to Europe but it all seemed too complicated and I am not up for that just yet. What do I have planned? Well let's see..."The Nutcracker", two Christmas concerts, a visit to the Dickens museum (a first for me) and a special afternoon there listening to a British celebrity (I've never heard of him) read "A Christmas Carol" and then something really special: a carol service at the church my Great grand-parents got married at in Streatham. Of course the lights and decorations in London...I will be hitting the ground running. I plan a few adventures in Bath but also relaxation. Back in London in January I am hoping for a couple of non-rainy days so I can get back walking on the Capital Ring. Rainy days will have me museum hopping and perusing book stores.
I was offered a petsitting job after Christmas for just over two weeks. It was in a village close to Lyme Regis in Dorset and sounded idyllic. It consisted of a three hundred year old cottage with a resident dog, cat and two guinea pigs. The pet owner ran a restaurant three nights a week and promised lots of good food and wine. Well if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Turns out the dog has severe separation anxiety and could not be left alone for one minute. She takes her to work at her day job, leaves her in the car when shopping and drops the dog at a pet sitter when she works in her restaurants in the evenings. Well I wouldn't have a car and if I wanted to go get groceries or even have a coffee and a snoop in Lyme Regis I would have to pay a pet sitter to look after the dog? I don't think so.
As far as 2020 goes...after England I will be home for five weeks then heading to Calgary to take care of a friend's daughter's dog for ten days or so. In June I will be heading up to Yellowknife to my National walking club convention - it will be my third trip to that area. I will be taking a tour up that has been organized by the Edmonton walking club and I am looking forward to seeing the scenery along the way. Last time I took a bus up it was on the Greyhound traveling at night so I didn't see much. Trust me, there will be more than these two trips.
I am trying ( I say trying...) to keep my trips down to ten weeks and under - I find it is just too tiring to stay on longer even though I have "rest days" so that is a change for 2020. I've had my long trips and I don't regret them one little bit. I am already thinking of a trip that barely meets that ten week criteria; I am rolling my eyes at myself already so we shall see.
I also will no longer be blogging from the road. I find carrying a laptop too cumbersome and heavy and have changed to a smaller tablet. I will still be posting daily on my Facebook page however and may even try stories as pictures just don't do those Christmas lights in London justice. Just bear with me okay - it may not be too professional at first! I also will try to keep my Instagram (restlessprairiegirl) updated daily (I am really an Instagram fail and I don't know why as I love scrolling through - I just never post much myself) and may even try stories there although I think I need to teach myself. Hmmm...something else to do in the next four days! Once home I will tell my stories and hopefully provide enough information and encouragement for my readers to go visit these places for themselves. Or just happily do armchair traveling and learn more about this big beautiful world. I realize I haven't even started writing the Scandinavia part of my trip yet but I will upon my return - oh boy, I will have lots of content to share with you!
In the meantime four days until blast off! I guess I had better close now and get organizing!
Stay tuned - we're going to have fun!
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