Comfort Inn South Winnipeg

... over weight fees is on our flight from Beijing to Hong Kong as our bag are checked right through from Winnipeg to Beijing. Our Travel Agent stated that it is up to the discretion of the check in people on how much we would have to pay. I don't think we will worry too much about it. If we have to pay some, so be it, it is all in the cost of the trip.

Well, the time has come... my temporary retirement has arrived...<br>it is a sad day for some and an exciting day for ME!!!!!<br>it is exactly 10 days till my adventure, it will be a week of BBQ's, dinners and parties...<br>my mission before I go is this... first ...

... it was so cold and snowy and windy that we would tour Winnipeg from their car and I would run out and take photos of all the landmarks of the city.  Our first stop/photo was of the Fort Garry Hotel.  Myrrhanda believes it is one of the oldest hotels in the city and with its green tin roof with white stone structure it was quite a shot and place to behold.  Next a quick photo of Union Station where I got dropped off.  Then a photo quickly of the provincial courthouse ...

... of nowhere. You have to wonder how big a scar the river valley is on the landscape from above. The sunny weather continued for most of the day. About mid-afternoon, I asked Jen if she would like to drive. I hopped into the passenger seat and promptly fell asleep. About 15 minutes later, I awoke to heavy overcast - "what happed to the sun?" I asked. Boy what a change in just a few minutes! We drove past Brandon on the bypass, right past the Choice Hotel we had planned to stop at ...

... my closet is going to be pretty empty when I leave. I've set a few things a side to pack but this adventure is going to be harder to pack just because I have to pack professional teaching clothes as well as the casual clothes, travel clothes and stuff, teaching resources and misc items such as those drink crystals for water bottles. I have bought a Europe on a shoestring book that I ...

... we stopped at a traffic light. The driver next to me called out, "you call THAT a camera?" (Reyanne was using my SLR-looking camera) ... "this is a camera!" and he pulled out his smaller one. He asked where we were from and, upon our reply of Toronto, he said, "I'm so sorry". He continued, "I spent a week there ... in one afternoon!" Really funny, but a foreshadowing ...

... hoping I get it before the weekend because they said they would be sending things out on monday. So I got it on thursday night!!! I filled everything out on my lunch break on friday I drive down AGAIN to Travel Cuts give her all my information and pay for my medical insurance (one of the stipulations to getting a visa) the only thing that is bothering me is that on page 5 section 4 it clearly states you have to have your flight itinerary (a copy of it ...

... city which only ever existed as a trading hub: rivers and railways all met there, so it's where the farmers, fur traders, and before that, the Indians would all come to trade. Nowadays it's a bleak, grey, sprawling mass of concrete and crack addicts. We headed back to Thane's and decided that we would stay for the evening, Thane decided he would go out to his boxing class. We got some laundry going and went to the local supermarket and liquor store to get food and some ...

... in Leipzig to see if they were up for 2 stinky travelers to crash their flat.  Although they'd be gone for the weekend running a marathon in another town, we would have the place to ourselves for a night before they got home and then get to hang out.  We landed in Frankfurt and began our very own (train) marathon to Leipzig on a "weekend pass".  4 trains and 8 hours later we arrived in Leipzig slightly tired, remember ...

... for trying to meet me and for helping my dad. The other is to Michelle. Who knows where I would've been without her! She was always there when I needed her-- especially in the middle of the night when I needed painkillers, nurses, to throw up or help getting to the washroom. Also, she arranged everything so that I could get home without putting myself any more at-risk. Thank you Michelle! I guess that's about all. I would keep checking up cause I'm going to start putting my pictures up.