TravelStream™ news feed for member thymeoff on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/thymeoff en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:28:02 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257268185/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257268185/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257268185/tpod.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:28:02 -0500 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

In spite of having a phenomenal will to live, Gerry died on October 23, 2008. Throughout his last year, during which he experienced pneumonia, intense chemotherapy treatments and a bone marrow transplant, neither of us ever gave up on our dream of continued travels in DC3. But unfortunately, that was not to be. Several days before he left us all, I promised Gerry that I would continue to travel, scattering his ashes in some of our favourite haunts as well as in places we had yet to visit.But how could I possibly continue this journey of life on my own? Gerry and I had been inseparable for most of our married life, but particularly so since we had embarked on our incredible travels with DC3.  In a complete daze, I somehow managed to fill a backpack which I took as “hand-luggage” on a flight to Bangkok, Thailand on January 22nd.  I was filled with a mixture of profound grief and  trepidation, but also a touch of excitement to be back on the road - doing what we both loved so much. In spite of numerous requests to continue writing on Travelpod, I felt neither the inclination nor the  interest in proceeding with something that had truly been a joint effort. It is now November and I’m still not convinced that it’s the right thing to do, but I will attempt to record some of the emotions and  experiences that enveloped me during my four month stay in South-East Asia. The next five entries include numerous jottings from the journal in which I wrote daily missives.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257347938/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257347938/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257347938/tpod.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:22:24 -0500 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Mae Sot, Thailand

I stopped in Vientiane to get a long term visa for Thailand, and found myself mesmerised by watching limitless documentaries on the bombs that the US dropped on Laos, simply to keep communism at bay. More bombs were dropped there than on any other country, even though the US denied having any involvement in Laos. So why are farmers continually being maimed or killed by the 30 million bombees still lying around the countryside? I could write several pages on the injustices...... but on to Thailand.When I first arrived in January, it was suggested that I might want to do some volunteer work on the Thai/Burma border. I was definitely not interested, and wondered “who might be helping whom” if I actually went. Two months later, the idea of searching out some volunteer work was somewhat more appealing, so I gradually made my way across the country to the small town of Mae Sot, stopping briefly in several towns along the way.<i> Phitsanulok had to be my worst night of the trip so far. The noise went on for the entire night, and it was so hot that I went under the cold water shower at least ten times during the night - but it would only cool me down for ten minutes or so.After arriving in Mae Sot, I went in search of Thant (a Burmese refugee) to ask whether there might be any volunteer work available. Within an hour, I was on the back of a motorcycle en route to a Burmese migrant school half an hour out of town. It just so happened that their summer semester was about to begin the following day, and I was asked to be their English teacher. Having taught English in Japan for 18 months (albeit 36 years ago), I readily agreed to take up this new challenge. It couldn’t be that different, could it??I arrived at the school the next morning, expecting to divide the children into classes to assess their levels of English comprehension, and to discuss curriculum and teaching materials with the Burmese teachers. Instead, I was placed in front of 35 children ranging in age from six to nineteen, and told “TEACH”!! No guidance, no curriculum, no materials - just “TEACH”. In addition, all six of the Burmese teachers were in the classroom, eager to pick up any English that might be offered.&nbsp; I had no choice - my brain went into overdrive as I conjured up anything and everything from my past that might have a bearing on the present situation. I changed the topic every ten minutes or so, covering basic themes including colours, numbers, days of the week, and even parts of the body - aided by that great tune “Head and shoulders, knees and toes”!Exhaustion set in as soon as the morning lesson was over, and I rushed back to Mae Sot to start searching out possible lesson plans. Not much time for that, as I had also committed to teaching English to six refugee Buddhist monks in the afternoons. They were all young men who had participated in the 2007 Saffron Revolution in Burma, had escaped to Thailand where they received UN refugee status, and were awaiting resettlement to the US.&nbsp; They had not been able to visit or even contact their families since arriving in Thailand more than a year earlier. When I told them about Mike, they assured me that they would be my sons, and started calling me “Mom”. Did I mention the tears?? &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There was no public transport to either of my volunteer jobs, so I had no option but to rent a motorcycle to get to work. It’s been years since I last drove a Honda 125, but after only hitting the gate once during a five minute practise, I felt ready to go. I very quickly became adept at driving on the left side of the road, at easing my way through a traffic jam, and even at coming under attack by large buckets of water. Yes, I was there for the three day Water Festival or Songkhan. Meant to wash away dirt, sorrow and demons of the past year and bring in happiness for the coming year, it seemed to be simply good family fun, with everyone (myself included) completely soaked for the entire three days. Actually, it’s a super way to cool off from the extreme heat and humidity in mid April.<i>I feel very close to Mike and Gerry when I’m whipping along on the Honda, and often find myself talking out loud to them. I expect they’re laughing their heads off at me, but I hope they’re just a little bit proud as well.Life was fast becoming a whirlwind of work, with every free minute spent in planning for the next lesson - grammar, songs, stories, games, and whatever else might hold the attention of the students. Each day brought more children to the classroom, as Burmese mothers risked their freedom by bringing their children across the Thai/Burma border under cover of night. In many instances, this would be the only opportunity for them to receive an education. Through teaching I began to feel truly rejuvenated, although the ever growing classroom of students was disconcerting to say the least.But just like on TV, help was on the way! The two friends I met in Laos, Debbie and Laura, had e-mailed me independently from Indonesia and northern Laos. They both were getting tired of just travelling, and wondered whether there might be work for them in Mae Sot. “No shortage of work here” was my prompt reply, so the three of us ended up together again - and what a team we made! By the end of the semester, over 100 students were crammed into the open air classroom, eager to join in the food and festivities that we had organized. But it was we three who were left with tears rolling down our cheeks, listening to their enthusiastic voices belting out “We are the World”. They who have so little, gave us so much love and hope.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257346971/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257346971/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257346971/tpod.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:06:03 -0500 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Vang Vieng, Lao Peoples Dem Rep

Having regained a bit of my former strength, I decided that it was once again time to move on. Next destination - Vang Vieng, a small town renowned for attracting backpackers who drink, do drugs, and watch “Friends” reruns at the numerous TV bars lining the main street. No, I hadn’t particularly turned to drink or drugs, or TV for that matter, but was attracted by the stunning limestone mountains surrounding the town.In addition to being “jammed like sardines” into the mini bus taking us to Vang Vieng, we had the unfortunate experience of hitting a child on a bicycle. He had a few scrapes and bruises, but otherwise was unharmed, as were the rest of us when the van managed to screech to a halt just inches before crashing into a building. Once again, talk turned to life and death as the young Australian sitting beside me recounted the tragic death of his wife just two years earlier.After checking into another basic bamboo bungalow on the “quiet side” of the river, I soon made friends with two women who I’m sure will be my friends forever. Laura is a 47 year old from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She had just started her own business in high-end furniture design, launching it at a trade show in Texas - the very week that the markets crashed. She lost much of her money, locked her door and headed to South East Asia for four months. Debbie is a 50 year old policewoman from Calgary. After experiencing stomach problems, she went to see her doctor, was diagnosed with colon cancer and was sent to the hospital to have six organs removed. After an excruciating year of chemotherapy, she asked herself what life was all about, locked her door and headed to South East Asia for four months. And we all know why I headed to South East Asia for four months. So what are the chances of the three of us meeting in the same town in the same week??? We spent many quality hours talking, eating and drinking, but we also enjoyed participating in some of the myriad of activities offered in and around this party town - kayaking down the Nam Song River, tubing through torch-lit caves, swinging from ropes into a cold water lagoon - along with about twenty young monks in their saffron robes, and climbing the rocky hillside to explore various limestone caves. As Debbie aptly depicted them, “they were lovely, lazy, long, Laos days”. <i>&nbsp;I’m finally starting to appreciate the laid-back attitude of the Laotian people, the wonderful smiling faces of the children, the busy-ness of the river life, but most of all the beauty of the nature surrounding me. Yet still the big black hole is there, and the tears are never far away......... but perhaps I can begin to feel less guilt at being alive while Gerry and Michael had no choice.It was a sad day when Debbie left to travel south, Laura left to travel north, and I decided to cross back into Thailand.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257338738/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257338738/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257338738/tpod.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:49:07 -0500 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Luang Prabangi, Lao Peoples Dem Rep

The thought of spending the next two days travelling down the Mekong River on a “Slow Boat” with nothing but uncomfortable, straight-backed wooden benches, was anything but intriguing. But how could anyone not marvel at the river’s large rock outcrops, while observing the sporadic villages, all easily identifiable by the rich green colour of maize that had been planted directly into the sandy riverbank, and of course the colourful long boats representing the only mode of travel for the villagers. Perhaps of greatest interest to me was that Ania finally gave me the “thumbs up” for my first solid food in days - yeah!!! <i>Every once in a while I get a glimmer of hope that I could be happy again, but really don’t think it’s going to happen.Arrival in the UNESCO designated heritage site of Luang Prabang left me somewhat breathless, both literally and figuratively.&nbsp; Was I finally ready to absorb some of the awesome beauty surrounding me? The elaborate temples, the French-era architecture, the colourful handicraft night market, the heavy early-morning mist settling on the Mekong River, and the stunning sunsets over the same - all were calling out to be appreciated.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Having lost a fair bit of weight and strength, I decided to stop for a week or three in this culinary-rich former capital of Laos. The french fare of croissants, baguettes, and rich pastries, together with the delicious grilled meats, freshly cooked vegetables, and fruit shakes at the bustling night market should soon add the few essential pounds.<i> But I still have no real interest in doing anything - just enough to exist and to survive.I really missed Ania when she moved on to southern Laos, but I spent my time exploring the city on foot. I loved to watch the bare-footed Buddhist monks move silently in their saffron robes, and gradually found myself sitting down with them under the shade trees. Like many Laotians, they invited me to join them, as they were eager to practice their faltering English - I almost felt useful again, and that contributed a lot to my healing journey. Even better was the day that I stumbled upon “Big Brother Mouse”- a literary project that publishes children’s books for illiterate villagers. In addition to publishing, the project offers conversational English to high school and university students through English-speaking volunteers.<i> For the first time since leaving Canada, I found myself with a purpose, and excited to start the day. Even caught myself smiling from time to time, on my way to meet the students.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257274074/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257274074/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257274074/tpod.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:50:19 -0500 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Pai, Thailand

According to most of the people I met in Chiang Mai, I would not like Pai and therefore should not include it on my travel itinerary. True to fashion, I ignored most of the advice received and hopped on a mini-bus headed for the small town that is known for its loud music and wild parties. <i>I knew as soon as we left the environs of Chiang Mai that I had made the right decision, as the mini-bus climbed steadily through a lush and beautiful countryside. Unfortunately though, along with the steep terrain and resulting sharp curves, it took all of my concentration to resist the urge to barf.In spite of being constantly jostled from side to side of the mini-bus, or perhaps because of it, I had the pleasure of meeting Ania from Poland, my second angel. On foot, we explored the town of Pai and ended up checking into a couple of split bamboo bungalows overlooking a gurgling brook. The tranquil, idyllic setting made up for the fact that the mattresses and pillows were seemingly&nbsp; made of concrete, and that my bare-bones bathroom housed its very own personal toad - together with all manner of creepy-crawlies.For the first time since leaving Canada, I was able to muster up enough energy to join Ania in several fifteen km walks into the countryside. Away from the crowded, noisy tourist streets of Chiang Mai, we inhaled the fresh country air, dangled our feet in the COLD temperatures of Ma Paeng Waterfall, cris-crossed a river more than twenty times on our way to the Mae Yen Waterfall, bicycled in the searing daytime temperatures to the even hotter hot springs and to the awesome Pai Canyon, and feasted on the exotic richness of dragon fruit, mangosteens, pineapple, mandarins, and just plain old bananas.<i>Actually, I think I’m addicted to sticky rice, but even better is mango sticky rice - yum!! However, the manicured chicken claw staring at me as I ate my way through my plain rice packet, was a bit disconcerting!Sitting on the verandah of my bungalow, Ania and I spent hours (often in tears) talking about Mike and Gerry, and reflecting on the meaning of life. And it goes without saying that somewhere along the way I had to experience Thailand’s version of “Montezuma’s Revenge”. Ania kindly brought medications, plain tea and rice to my bedside, and patiently watched over me. Days later, although I was still desperately weak, Ania managed to get me and my backpack to the bus station - our visas for Thailand were about to expire, so we had to get ourselves out of the country and into adjoining Laos.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257271763/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257271763/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1257271763/tpod.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:13:05 -0500 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wouldn’t anyone be a complete zombie after flying half way around the world in a crammed economy seat on American Airlines? At least I had the sense to book a hotel in Bangkok, as there wasn’t much life left in me on touchdown in the wee hours of January 23rd. <i>The final leg from Tokyo to Bangkok left me convinced that I had made a huge mistake. I felt totally empty, and had absolutely no desire to travel anywhere without Gerry. With energy and interest levels hovering somewhere around zero, it’s extremely difficult to make even the most basic of decisions, but somehow I made my way to the local bus station and spent the next 12 hours en route to Chiang Mai. Apart from finding the countryside along the way rather dry and unappealing, I was quite oblivious to my surroundings. Hiding behind dark glasses, I let the tears flow freely as I contemplated a life with no purpose, no energy and no happiness.I hadn’t even considered that the Chinese New Year might limit the number of guesthouse rooms&nbsp; available in Chiang Mai. Energy suddenly became of utmost importance as I wandered the streets with my back-pack,&nbsp; in search of a suitable place to hang my hat.&nbsp; If only I had an appetite. Surely I would be tempted by those tantalizing scents of Thai delicacies on every street corner. But more often than not, I would pass by the pork noodle stands and the exotic fruit displays, <i>eager to return to my room where I could sink back into the comfort of my debilitating lethargy.Chiang Mai is a real favourite with travellers. Surrounded by a moat, the old city is dotted with intricately designed temples, delectable restaurants, and dozens of tour agents offering everything from elephant riding to white water rafting, and even visits to the hillside tribes. I meanwhile was quite content just to wander the streets, absorb the sights and smells, and make an attempt at putting one foot in front of the other. I visited a meditation/retreat at Wat Suan Dok, and spent an entire afternoon chatting with young Buddhist monks from Bangladesh, Burma, Sri Lanka, Laos and Italy. After telling them all about Gerry and Mike and the emotional difficulties I was experiencing, they kindly advised me not to be so hard on myself, and encouraged me to appreciate the love and beauty that was surrounding me. Instead, I found myself looking forward to the evenings when I could retreat into my shell. But evenings were also special because I started reading the book “Ghost Rider - Travels on the Healing Road” by Neil Peart. Neil, drummer/percussionist for the Canadian band RUSH, lost his 18 year old daughter and his life partner within a ten month period. In his book, I found amazing similarities to my own experiences and emotions. <i>He keeps asking himself&nbsp; “what am I going to do” but then decides to change himself - he’s already scarred by tragedies, but doesn’t want to be crippled by them. His way of coping was to drive a motorcycle across Canada, north to Alaska and south to Mexico, and subsequently to write a book about his experiences. His trip lasted four months and one week - exactly the same as mine.&nbsp; Just a&nbsp; coincidence?On January 31st I wrote in my journal:&nbsp;<i> I’m just waiting for time to pass. It seems that I am genuinely not interested in the things (travel) that I was so passionate about in my previous life and I wonder whether anything will ever excite me again. I have no creative urges, and seem to be able only to survive. And then the inevitable happened - I met the first of my angels.Over the next eleven days, Dhammo, (a Spanish artist and musician) and I spent hours sharing our stories over breakfasts and dinners, and she gradually convinced me that life was still worth living. It may have been just happenstance that brought us together, she and her husband having travelled to India in a VW van back in the seventies, but it certainly occurred at a very opportune time in my grieving process.And what can make one feel more alive than a couple of young, vivacious Thai women? Together with May and Kae, I explored the gigantic Sunday market where Kae’s husband Chin sold his amazing clay sculptures.&nbsp; We also met to sample Thai cuisine in authentic middle class restaurants, and to savour the scrumptious food delicacies at the local eating hangouts (ie street food) available at a fraction of the cost. And how could I not be in awe of the flower festival, complete with colourful floats, exotic dancers, luscious orchids, and Miss Flower Bloom herself!Although still dragging my feet, I finally decided that I was ready to move on. so purchased a bus ticket to the smaller, more northern town of Pai. As Peart wrote in his novel <i>“life just is- deal with it”
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1074813600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1074813600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1074813600/tpod.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:54:21 -0400 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Ottawa, Canada

And so begins the transition from a very busy life at “the Herb Garden” to a relaxing life of “retirement”.&nbsp; We plan to spend the next 18 months or so travelling in our ‘87 VW Camper Van to the tip of South America and back again.&nbsp; Old man winter was not prepared to let us leave Canada without a final blast of snow, high winds and cold temperatures, but we’ve reached Southern Texas without any mishaps.&nbsp; Tomorrow begins our foray into the Chihuahua Desert where we spend a week primitive camping, hiking and exploring the wide contrasts of the desert ecology.&nbsp; By mid February, we hope to have our first travel diary entry, and expect to update it every couple of weeks, or whenever we get access to the Internet. We hope you will enjoy travelling vicariously with us. Don’t forget....“we have no fixed agenda, and are not intent on arrival”.....so who knows where we will end up, who we will meet, and what “adventures” we will have!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1213963920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1213963920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1213963920/tpod.html Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:14:19 -0400 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Much as we'd love to be heading south in DC3, we realize that "travel" in this manner will have to be put on hold for quite some time. Our major travels for the immediate future will consist mainly of turning corners in the hospital corridors, and traversing the highway between home and hospital. Thus, we've decided to switch our energies to writing about the health journey on http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gerrychanner We'll definitely be back on Travelpod as soon as a more exotic destination is in sight!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1212442200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1212442200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1212442200/tpod.html Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:55:31 -0400 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

It's not everyday that you get the chance for a new lease on life. For us it happened last Thursday when we finally got to meet with the Bone Marrow Transplant Team at the Ottawa Hospital. About half-way through our four hour visit the word came through - June 24th had been scheduled as the day for the transplant. Whoa...that's only a few weeks away! After almost a year of chemo and a lot of waiting and uncertainty, it's quite a surprise to find ourselves staring reality in the face and suddenly experiencing quite an unexpected emotional turmoil. Having got used to the idea that an Allogeneic BMT really wasn't such a big deal, and having also somehow convinced ourselves that it probably wouldn't even need an in-patient stay at the hospital, we're now confronted with the likelihood that it will probably entail at least a month in hospital; that there is up to 70% chance of rejection; and that our intimate relationship with the hospital will likely continue for many months - maybe even years. What of our travel plans now?When the leukaemia was diagnosed almost nine years ago my brother Geoff immediately offered his services as a donor for whatever transfusions might be required sometime down the road. Six months ago when the BMT was first raised as a potential option, Geoff happened to be in town and immediately volunteered to be HLA-typed to see if he would be a suitable bone marrow donor. It turned out that he was a perfect match. Last week he came up to Ottawa to join us in the BMT meeting, and continued with the necessary tests to finalize his suitability. During the rigorous Canadian Blood Services screening he was almost rejected because of the amount of time he had spent working in Nigeria in the 70s and 80s. We spent an hour chewing our fingernails whilst the Director of CBS and the Haematologist had discussions to determine whether he was still eligible. Luckily their final decision was favourable, so we now only have to await the results of the final round of routine health tests. Barring any other unforeseen obstacles Geoff will be back in Ottawa about a week before the transplant to start the necessary procedures. What a brother to have, eh?The term Bone Marrow Transplant is something of a misnomer these days. Whilst it can still involve the extraction and transfer of a substantial quantity of bone marrow from the femur of the donor, the technology has advanced in recent years to the extent that it is more likely to be a transfer of stem cells harvested from the donor's blood (the BMT abbreviation is now more correctly used for Blood and Marrow Transplant). The specialists have determined that in my case the latter is the preferred method. Geoff will have the production of stem cells in his blood stimulated for three or four days prior to the transplant and they will be extracted over a&nbsp;five hour period on Day Zero. Meanwhile, I will undergo a conditioning regimen of heavy-duty chemo and total body irradiation during that same week to eradicate my bone marrow - the source of the cancerous lymphocytes - before the infusion of donor stem cells. That's when the "fun" really begins! With a totally defunct immune system I will be susceptible to a wide variety of infections - mostly from bacteria and viruses that we all have lurking around in the shadows of our innards just waiting for an opportune moment such as this - as well as complications from host-graft rejection and a whole slew of side-effects. The risks will be highest for the first couple of weeks until the new bone marrow starts functioning, but will continue during the next 100 day period. It seems that the degree of complications can vary tremendously with each individual, ranging from relatively slight to extremely severe. Sharon is signing me up for the "zero complications/fast track program" and we're confident that I'll come through with flying colours! So, although it seems somewhat unlikely that we'll be leaving on our planned travels this fall, our dreams and hopes are still intact. We'll almost certainly have to delay our next trip for a little while, but we're sure this is just a minor detour. Don't count us out yet!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1208723820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1208723820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/thymeoff/thyme_off/1208723820/tpod.html Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:22:57 -0400 To Tierra del Fuego and Beyond

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Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Famous last words! We arrived back from the Brooklands Farm sugar shack to find Ottawa still in the icy grip of winter. The snow banks were over 9 ft high on our street and more storms were in the forecast. We decided to get a head start on spring, so it wasn't too long before we jumped in the car again and headed south. As soon as we crossed the border at the St Lawrence Seaway there wasn't even a trace of snow!On Interstate 81 down through New York State and Pennsylvania everything seemed to get greener and warmer. By the time we reached Maryland we were greeted with broad golden swathes of forsythia and carpets of gilded daffodils. Washington welcomed us with dogwood and cherry blossom in glorious profusion. No, we weren't in DC to consult with Barack or Hillary, and this time we even gave most of the museums a miss. We spent the week revelling in just being able to wander the parks and gardens in our shirtsleeves, soaking up the warmth and sunshine, and enjoying the final week of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Snowy Ottawa seemed a million miles awayWe think it's enough to let the photos tell the story of springtime in Washington.[Late breaking news on the health front: The latest couple of rounds of chemo have brought the wbc count down to 19.9! A meeting with the Bone Marrow Transplant Team is being scheduled for sometime in late May. Wish us luck!]
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