On Holiday ~ Tuesday 4

 Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Summertime means travel time for many people.

Let's talk about travel and holidays.

1. Will you be traveling this summer at all?

I will be travelling up country to Kamloops two or possibly three times to visit my niece.  We generally don't overnight on these trips but it makes for an extremely long day there and back.  On one of those trips we hope to carry on and keep on going to Edmonton, Alberta and possibly even farther north to visit some relatives.

I've posted a few very old photos of Kamloops and a map from Kamloops to Edmonton.  Vancouver to Kamloops by car is a distance of 354 kilometres or 220 miles.  It is an additional 807 kilometres or 501 miles from Kamloops to Edmonton.  From there we would likely carry on to other northern towns and cities before returning to Vancouver.  You can get a better look at the map if you click on it to enlarge.

A view to North Kamloops and Bachelor Heights

2. Will there be day trips in store for you? visits to the beach, evenings out?

A true day trip to local area probably won't happen but there will be some visits to different venues at least once or twice with friends.  I'll likely post about it on this blog and share some photos. I always like to go to the beach as well and take some photos there though I'm not sure I'll get there until autumn this year.

I love going to the conservatory but don't get there so often. Here you can see a lot of tropical birds and inside the conservatory is very nice, warm and tropical so it mimics the natural habitat of the bird life.

Another nice location is the rooftop garden at the city's main public library branch downtown.  In the photos below the sky looks overcast. I remember the day well and it was alternately hot and cloudy/windy. I hope on my next visit there it will be a day of sunshine.

There are a great many places to visit but sometimes it's difficult to find time to be a tourist in your own city.

3. Do you eat out more in summer ...  do you go for ice cream or treats more?

I probably eat out a little more in summer though not too much more. Eating out is just too expensive but if I'm out and about and I feel too hungry then I will have a sit down meal most often rather than a snack on the go. I do like ice cream treats too, especially Banana Splits at the DQ on summer days.  But they've become very expensive so a McD's soft ice cream treat is often the alternative.

4. What is your favorite place to visit and what is the most exotic place you've been to?

My favourite place to visit is Kenya, East Africa for the scenery and the people. I also love Australia for the spectacular scenery and the informal nature of the Aussie people. 

Green Island, Australia (Great Barrier Reef)

Sydney Harbour, Australia

I've forgotten the location but it's near Nakuru, Kenya

Typical huts in the countryside & laundry hanging to dry

Wildlife freely roams the park while you dine nearby.

Fisherman on Lake Bogoria

A buck peeks out at me

Water buffalo with pink flamingos in background, Lk. Nakuru

One of many food distributions we did near Kericho, Kenya

Both of these countries are exotic with their unique flora and fauna and their people are very hospitable. I'd love to visit these two places again but more than likely will get to Kenya before I make it back to Australia. I'm hoping that I'll be able to travel to a new country on my next visit to somewhere but we'll have to see how things go.

Autumnal Equinox ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4... are you ready for Autumn?

Monday,  September 22 is the Autumnal Equinox, the first day of the Autumn season.  

Autumn is the name of the season and fall is the term for the time of Autumn when leaves begin to fall from the trees.   Let's discuss it.....

1. Are there pumpkins or chrysanthemums on your porch or are you planning on putting some out?  

No. Most of us in Canada do not decorate for the seasons. We generally only decorate for the major holidays.

2. Are stores around you showing Autumn clothing and decor now?  Here in New Jersey, leaves on some trees are changing slowly and temperatures are way down. What is it like in your neck of the woods?

I haven't been in the stores for a long time other than grocery stores and pharmacies. A few days ago, I noticed that the pharmacy has their Hallowe'en items out on the shelves. It means that clothing stores and other retail shops likely have their autumn items out now. The leaves have only just started to turn colour but not much yet. 

3. Do you have plans for Thanksgiving yet?

I have thought about the Thanksgiving meal. We'll probably have chicken with stuffing and all the sides instead of a big turkey.           

4 . If we can arrange an autumn trip or get away for you, where will you choose to go and why?

I don't much feel like travelling with all the turmoil in the world. DH has been away in Kenya for some business related matters and to see family. I hope he'll get home before long. He didn't want to be away so long but dealing with the government business can sometimes take awhile.  

If I did take a journey I would only want to go up country a bit. It's fantastic weather and scenery at this time of year. We call the area the Thompson Okanagan, around Kamloops, Chase, Kelowna. I would also like to go even much farther north to Prince George and beyond into northern British Columbia around Dawson Creek and Alberta around Grande Prairie and Edmonton. Autumn is the best season to see the beauty of the area. 

Here is a map so you can have a look (Click on the map so you can read the names).

Also, if you click here you can see some posts and photos of the area I've made in previous postings. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!