The Clock is Ticking - Travel Preparations
Winter skies in Victoria
Christmas and Travel Countdown
The clock is ticking with only four days to our Christmas, which we celebrate Danish style on the 24th. We will be at Emma's in Victoria. Mik will join us in a couple of days.
Today we were discussing the fact that this will be our first Christmas without snow in the past nineteen years. It will be strange, especially for Mik and Emma but strangely enough, it reminds me of my childhood as the weather here in Victoria resembles what I grew up with in Denmark.
Ivar and Jeanne
New Friends in Victoria
On Friday night we attended a Danish Christmas service at a church here in Victoria. We sang Danish hymns and when the pianist and fiddler played the same hymns as we were singing it went really well.
The pastor, Birgitte, suggested we sing without the music when it was clear there was a miss-match. Kudos to the musicians. They were actually really good but must have ended up with the wrong sheet music. :)
After the service coffee was served and we got a chance to meet the other Danes present. We introduced ourselves to the couple sitting across from us.
When I said I was from Lemvig, Ivar asked me if I knew Lydia and Jeppe. I quickly responded; of course, I do. So here is the deal. Ivar and Jeanne met our lifelong friends, from Denmark, Ivan, and Pia about twenty years ago in Victoria.
They became friends and Ivar and Jeanne have since visited Ivan, Pia and Lydia, and Jeppe in Denmark. Small word. Ivar and Jeanne have invited us for dinner and we plan to go before leaving Victoria.
Storm Brewing on The Salish Sea
Vaccinations
I am definitely under the weather today and I blame it on the Hep A/B vaccination we had a few days ago. The vaccinations are another item on the checklist of things to do before we head out For the United Arab Emirates. The next round of vaccinations is next Wednesday and then again two weeks after that.
Packing and Planning
We have ordered two super light Osprey Ozone 18" wheeled bags. These carry-on bags are small and will force us to cut back on what we bring.
We have also been working on travel insurance and hope to have something settled next week. As soon as my new passport arrives we will be booking flights for the next stage of our trip.
Our next destination will be the United Arab Emirates. We are headed over for a visit with Andrew. Different flight routes are being contemplated and one of the latest options may include a short stop in New Port Beach, California, where we would visit Kim and Linda, Payne, Alex and Ann-Marie, Nick, and Preston.
Countdown to Christmas in Victoria
I have been busy buying and selling photo gear (again). I will probably never settle on any one system but in the spirit of traveling as light as possible, I made the decision to sell all my Canon gear.
Last week, I sold four lenses. I am still working on the details for the new kit and a quick thanks go to my camera guru and photographer compadre, Patrick Laroque from Montreal for some good advice he gave me a few weeks back.
We have named our Airbnb hang out "Hyggeloftet" which translates to "The Cozy Loft". Carol and Claire have been fantastic hosts. They have been so kind and have invited us to house sit for them when they head to Revelstoke for a holiday ski trip.
A couple of days ago Claire mentioned he had a guitar I could borrow and keep in "our loft". So accommodating. We leave Hyggeloftet tomorrow to stay with Emma over Christmas but we will be back in a few days to house sit.
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