On the Road again... heading home!

We home!  After many, many hours in the car we made it home. Finally!

We left Cape Breton yesterday.  It looked like the sky could open up at any moment, and it sure did along the way!  Again, we traveled in the rain, and not just a little!  When we left Baddeck, it was cloudy and the more we were heading West the cloudier it got.

Cape Breton and its people were nice.  Would I want to go back?  Not really.  Been there, done that, wouldn't really want to do it again...  It was nice, but I think we've seen nicer on our way back home...  Halifax was nice and there I wouldn't mind going back.  Don't think I will anytime soon, but still, it is a nice little city.

Heading home, we took a different path, and basically went around the other way in New Brunswick, going through different towns, and along the coast.  It wasn't as woodsy as on the way to Nova Scotia.  It might have been nicer if it didn't rain so darn much!

We crossed to Québec, using an inter-provincial bridge (between New Brunswick/Québec) not too far from Matapédia.  To my surprise they had this cute covered bridge, so we had to take a picture.  There were a few of those along the way, and not everyone was this cute and well maintained... some I would not have wanted to cross!

Since they had decided to break their ride home rather than doing it in one day like we did on the way there, they had reserved a little motel in Pointe-au-Père where Stinkypaw had stayed a few years back, when she attended a meet-up there (that is in Rimouski).  The location of that place is right on the water, by the lighthouse.  Yet another!

This morning when we were getting ready to hit the road again, you could barely see the lighthouse from the motel - and it is about a five minutes walk, at most!  There was this think fog, making the waterfront really eerie...

After seeing the place in this thick fog, we all wondered how ships did it on the sea with fog like this... no wonder they hit things!

We also hit some rain, but on and off, and the closer we got to home, the clearer it was getting... the sky that is, not the road!  There was quite a bit of traffic, people heading off for the long weekend most likely.  Many caravans, cars and trucks loaded, trailers, etc.  I guess vacation time started for many.  Here we're crossing the Pierre-Laporte Bridge in Québec...

We did well on time, and despite a few rocks being kicked up from other cards - all in Québec by the way, nothing like that while visiting "Canada"... I guess the road conditions have a lot to do with this.

Also, the closer we got to Montréal, the more expensive the price of gas was. Interesting things you notice when paying attention to not only the scenery!

Anyway, we are now home.  Everything is unpacked and put away and at this very moment, I'm just happy to be out of the car!

Another Meet-Up!

Would you look at that, here I am, yet at another meet-up!  This one was in Montréal, downtown, at the Cafeteria of the Bay, on the 7th floor.   I came with Postman Pat and his cat, of course.

They had a good turn out, and many cards were signed, check out the pile...

Escaping Winter and Christmas Time All Together...

This year, Stinkypaw and her husband decided to escape for Christmas AND New Year and took me along for this ride! We ended up across the world in beautiful Hawai'i. Stinkypaw loves it there and she didn't want to go just for one week, so they manage to go for two beautiful weeks.

Here I am at the Honolulu airport waiting for our connecting flight to the Big Island.  They had just enough time for her to enjoy her (first) Mai Tai and him a Long Board.

I also made friends with these two!

As we were about to land in Kona, the flight attendant gave us all a treat, some deeeelicious chocolate covered Mac nuts.

My new friends wanted in on that treat!

Right after I enjoyed my yummy chocolate, I noticed the beautiful view on the Big Island, it is quite dry looking on that side of the island... Look at those waters, so blue!!

Since this was their # visit on the Big Island, these two knew their way around, so they went for groceries for the week, hit a place to eat for dinner and even booked themselves a Christmas Eve dinner! Our first morning came by, full of sun and oh so fragrant! It smells so nice and the birds chirping constantly, unreal! When they got back from their morning walk, Stinkypaw gave me this beautiful plumeria, so pretty, don't you think?

  

We've been gallivanting around the island. She always bring me with them, but depending where they go, sometimes I just stay chill in the car.

We made a pit stop along the way, where you could see many old lava trails left from the 1800 eruption, and how nature is slowly growing back among it all.  It is pretty fascinating when you think of it.

Hubby holding me down

Hubby had to hold me down it was sooo windy there!  I actually flew off when Stinkypaw took that first shot. It was somewhat scary if you ask me!

We ended up at the Black Sand Beach, that was so cool! Well, not really! The sand was VERY hot, but seeing all that black sand was cool!

 Plus we were lucky enough to see some sea turtles just enjoying the warm sand, quite the sight! Check it out!

The Big Island was, as usual (I'm told!), the calm and relaxing place it is.  It's not Kauai, but a close second!  We had a great week, visiting some, beaching most days, and did I mention doing sweet nothing but enjoying it all?

We flew back to Oahu, for our last week, and I actually got leid when we checked in!

Don't I look just like the perfect little tourist!  This is the view from our little lanai, in Waikiki, right by the marina, our new home for a week.  I'm told here it will be a very different vibe, as for one, they have friends they want to catch up with.  It is not quite the same as the Big Island, but as far as I know, it's still hot and I like it!

Today they actually meet up with a friend of theirs, from Australia, who is also in Waikiki, staying at the hotel next door from us! Talk about a coincidence! This is me posing as we're heading out to meet with this dude from Down Under for a bite to eat...  That Marina you see, is where they filmed the opening sequence in Gilligan's Island, remember that old show (way before my time!) from the 70s?

They met up with this crazy Aussie then went for a drink, or two, and I have a feeling that dude thought I was a weird little thing... but Stinkypaw stood by me!

Despite having a great time, and enjoying every little moments we could, it is time to think of heading home...

Yeah, so these two don't really travel light! I have prime sitting in her travel bag, and for that I am thankful!  On our way to the airport we stopped for a bite to eat at a local diner with their good friend.  She Hawaiian (born and raised) and she's like ohana to them.

Stinkypaw might look happy there, but deep down she was crying...hard.  She will miss her friend and that heat...

Here I am poking my head out for a breath during our long flight home.  Man oh man!  It is a beautiful place, but man it's far!

Over twelve hours in a flying banana isn't really my idea of a fun time, but it was a smooth flight.  Usually they try to cut their flight time in half by making they way to the West coast first which is about half way.  This time, because they were flying on points, they couldn't do that.  On the way there we had a short flight and then a long one, but coming back it was the opposite, so here I am trying to stay awake for the last leg of this journey home...

I don't look too back considering being stuffed in a bag for more than 9 hours! This is a little montage she did from the view we had upon our departure and the one we got upon arrival.  Quite a different scenery, wouldn't you say?

Aloha oe! I will see you again, it's a promise...

Back in Town

Not only do I travel world wide, but I also travel within town too.  My last little trip was going back to our old stomping ground for a Postcrossing meet up.  Stinkypaw attended that meet and I, naturally, tagged along.

That day the weather was really bad, it was raining cats and dogs, really.  We ended up in a little restaurant in Old Montréal, jam packed, and to top it off, after being there for a few hours, we were asked to leave since people were waiting to get a table...  Things were packed and under pouring rain we made our way to a little coffee shop that welcomed us in Palais des Congrès.  Not our best meet, let's say.

Here I am with the results of the day.

276 cards signed that day

It is always pleasant to catch up some at a meet, but the more meets I witness the more I find it is not really about socializing but all about getting the cards signed. Oh well, what can I do, but witness it all, and look pretty?  And that I do very well, thank you very much!