On the road again

Just do it.
Life’s too short.
Go big or go home.
It’s only money.
You only live once.
Freedom 55.

....Clichés have their place....

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We left Vancouver yesterday at 7:45 AM - in the pouring rain. After about 45 minutes on the road, the driver requests the assistance of any passenger who knows the route to the border to please step forward. “I’m lost,” he adds. Nobody moves. Barney says it’s just a joke. Several minutes later the request is reasserted. Barney looks outside and says we’re in Abbotsford. We’ve been travelling east – not south. Two puppyish passengers finally intervene and direct us away from the route to Halifax and along back roads to the nearest border crossing. We arrive in Seattle 2 hours late but still in time to make it to the Picasso exhibit at the Art Museum.


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This trip began when our friends Fran and Marty (who live in Wisconsin) suggested we meet them and their two university-aged daughters in Panama for three weeks. With no kids at home for Christmas and no pets to look after, we decided there was no reason to stick around Whitehorse for the coldest darkest months. After agreeing to meet up with them, we had a look at the map to see what else might be worth a visit in the area. We were surprised to discover that the distances between Panama City, Quito and the Galapagos form an equidistant triangle. So we are now en route to Quito (via Seattle). We will spend our first few days in and around Quito. Then on Dec 19th we fly out to the Galapagos for a week which includes Christmas. On Dec 28 we fly to Panama City to meet up with Fran and family to begin our adventure there. We're heading into 6 weeks of wildlife wonders, on land and in the ocean, so stay tuned.

Fran would say that our misdirected beginning was a sign. Maybe we should have gone to Ontario for Christmas instead of Ecuador. But I think it was more likely a sign to remind us of how unpredictable travel can be and how even the most straight forward route is not always a sure thing.