Northern Suites North Bay

On leaving Algonquin park we headed north on Highway 11, this was a dull drive on a damp day to the town of North Bay.

North Bay is an industrial town on the shores of Lake Nissiping, it reminded me of Newhaven back home in Sussex, except maybe worse.

The only reason I am writing about this town is that is home to the most bizzare tourist attraction inn the world. The Dionne Quints museum.

This is a hilarious place to go, due to ...

Next we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's place --on Bear Mountatin -- just off the north-west corner of Algonquin Provincial Park (and close to North Bay, Ontario) for a few days before Gustavo's first official oncology appointment in Hamilton on July 25. This place was our home for six years when the kids were small and we both went to Nipissing University, so it was really nice to be able to hang out there again. Here are some pictures...

... done in their own backyard and then turn around and bash their own country for being boring. Canada is huge, and there is so much to check out here, so in an effort to get as much out of it as I do when I visit far away places, I've decided to explore my local surroundings whenever I can. The first of these trips was my weekend in North Bay. This was before I discovered guidebooks and most of the online travel resources, so I ...

... almost as much as the 7 hour flight to Europe. We go down on Sunday and - horrors - the traffic is stop-and-go already from Bracebridge. It takes us a while to realize that there has been no accidents or road construction. It's the %$#%$# cottage owners from the Big Antheap going home Sunday night. In the end we only lose about an hour of time but we lose a lot of patience.

... I spend the winter in warm places. As you might have noticed. It's a violent shock! When it's -45 degrees outside up in the sky, it's not really warm in the cockpit. It's not great to try to close the baggage door by -20 on the ground either... I'm happy no matter what: I always liked to fly at night. And here, we do a lot of that: early in the morning, or in the evening...

Well, quite the trip so far. To get on the road was the chore! I started off later than I would have liked, no suprise following a week of no sleep and deadlines. Thelma had her own crisis at home and wasn't even a happy camper this morning. An end to our trip before it even began? No, we prevailed... Over to Steve's at lunch time ...

... nouvelle aventure commence... It's been 9 year that I drag my self just above the ground. It's time for me to see the horizon from higher. I am given the chance to see it through a bigger window. I can't miss it. And I was getting a little too comfortable in my old office. It's time to get a new one... Here comes a new adventure

... to be out in the wilderness, although it was too hot to see any scarey wildlife that wasn't stuffed in the visitor centre!!!! Evenings were spent round the campfire with acoustic guitars - but we wished the Chalmers were here!! Had to put up with a bus load of annoying teenagers, they get everywhere, but I suppose in the maturity of our years we have to allow them a little grace!!!! (How old and grumpy are we!??!?!) The sights and sounds were amazing....photo's to follow shortly!

WOWZERS! It is the long weekend and I am already wishin it over! Is that sane? This Friday my Homes and I are goin to PERU! WHOOHOOO!! Today I am just goin over some final details of our trip such as flights, layovers, and what type of plane we will be on! such a airplane nerd! But I am more excited of our Homes reunion in YYZ this Thursday night! WHOOHOO! It is gonna be a jovial riot! 3 more days till PERU! WHOOHOOO!!

After numerous telephone calls and plan changes, we have opted to drive along the coast in Canada, and meet up with Kathie over the weekend. We're late leaving Toronto thanks to all of the delays, of course inevitably, we find ourselves in Chinatown trying to find something to eat! Chinatown is by far the best place to get any good deals u want, but not always food! After lunch ...