(posted by ange)
Dave reported from the trenches in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico today…
After flying Sunday night from Vancouver to Mexico City, he spent all day - an 8 hour layover - trying to get some sleep on the airport floor, before arriving safe and sound in Cabo San Lucas late Monday afternoon. He proceeded to spend the rest of the day/evening drinking with Senator Larry Campbell (yes, really) until he finally sent me a brief email with the hotel phone number, passing out before he could receive my return email informing him that he had sent the wrong number! Sigh.
The weather – it’s a cool 14° with “a big cloud hanging overhead”. With no jacket and his only hoodie stained with the coffee he spilled on himself while on the plane, he was a little chilly while out whale watching this afternoon. He says he’s a little cool overall, since the hotel offers air conditioning, but no heat. Poor guy. Having just checked out the website, this girlfriend has no empathy for her guy who is staying in a beautiful 5 star resort, reports his room has a completely unobstructed view of the (empty) beach/ocean and who is, no doubt, as I write this, enjoying many all included beverages in a tropical themed bar.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
A Villa In Albufeira...
(posted by Ange)
The other day I was looking at pictures of our villa in Portugal - yes, I've been advised by my good friend Michelle that our apartment in Albufeira counts as a villa. I'm not quite sure now why this was decided to be the case, but who am I to argue with anything that a pregnant woman says?
Anyways…I was looking at the pictures on the website and daydreaming of evenings to be spent drinking wine on our roof top patio while watching the sunset, and it dawned on me that this information really should be shared with everyone. I mean, in case you want to spend part of your days between February 24 - March 23 picturing where Dave and I are and what we might be doing. Or in case you want to see where we're going so you can spend the next 5 weeks getting as excited as I am for us. Or maybe you would rather just click the close button and silently curse me instead. Oh come on, you're curious…you can cheer or curse while you check out our "villa" away from home in Albufeira and then the hotel in Lisbon where we'll spend our last 3 nights.
http://www.cerromar.pt/
http://www.hotel-mundial.pt/
(Note to the internet novices (Mom - this is for you): First, copy and paste the above links into the internet browser to get to the page, one at a time. When you open the websites, they will likely open in Portuguese. On the Cerro Mar website, click the British flag in the top right corner for English. On the Hotel Mundial website, click on the Eng icon on the bottom right corner for English)
Enjoy!!!!!
The other day I was looking at pictures of our villa in Portugal - yes, I've been advised by my good friend Michelle that our apartment in Albufeira counts as a villa. I'm not quite sure now why this was decided to be the case, but who am I to argue with anything that a pregnant woman says?
Anyways…I was looking at the pictures on the website and daydreaming of evenings to be spent drinking wine on our roof top patio while watching the sunset, and it dawned on me that this information really should be shared with everyone. I mean, in case you want to spend part of your days between February 24 - March 23 picturing where Dave and I are and what we might be doing. Or in case you want to see where we're going so you can spend the next 5 weeks getting as excited as I am for us. Or maybe you would rather just click the close button and silently curse me instead. Oh come on, you're curious…you can cheer or curse while you check out our "villa" away from home in Albufeira and then the hotel in Lisbon where we'll spend our last 3 nights.
http://www.cerromar.pt/
http://www.hotel-mundial.pt/
(Note to the internet novices (Mom - this is for you): First, copy and paste the above links into the internet browser to get to the page, one at a time. When you open the websites, they will likely open in Portuguese. On the Cerro Mar website, click the British flag in the top right corner for English. On the Hotel Mundial website, click on the Eng icon on the bottom right corner for English)
Enjoy!!!!!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Shrink Gives Trip Two Thumbs Up!
(posted by ange)
I saw my psychiatrist the other day. I was a little hesitant about what his reaction to my trip would be. Given that I've just come off the antidepressants and we are now waiting to see what happens, and that there may well be more adjustments to be made to my other medication, I wasn't sure if he would be pleased that I was flying off to Europe in the middle of it. I also had concerns about the fact that I cannot get medical insurance to cover me if anything goes wrong regarding my illness (save all the suggestions - I've researched it thoroughly and until I can prove I've been stable for at least 6 months, nobody's taking the risk). Although I'm pretty confident I'll be fine - I haven't been hospitalized in over 2 years - and pretty much know how to manage things (what's the difference if I'm having my usual mood swings here or in Portugal?), you never know. AND, I have read that transatlantic flights can trigger mania in people with Bipolar Disorder.
So with all this in my mind, it was with some trepidation that I announced my plans, waiting for some sort of… I don't know what. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved when his response was "Wow, that's great" and then a million questions about my trip and a long discussion about travelling in Europe, in which he provided me with all kinds of information based on his experiences (at one point I began to wonder if he had become my travel agent and forgotten I was there regarding my medications, etc). Regarding my health concerns, he said he had no reason to think I'd be anything but just fine, that it was good to be living my life and that should anything go amiss, I could call him for instructions over the phone to avoid seeking medical care in Portugal.
We discussed the flight and precautions to be taken to avoid precipitating a manic episode. Nothing too complicated - I just have to sleep on the flight so that when we land in Frankfurt in the morning, I am waking up, as if I had gone to bed and woken in Frankfurt time and then I have to spend the first 2 -3 days relaxing (how hard can this be - I'm on vacation!). He'll provide me with a heavy sedative for the flight, which I will take a couple hours in, and then hopefully I'll pass the time passed out beside Dave. Unfortunately I will have to miss all in flight entertainment such as delicious airplane food, bad movies and counting the hours until the flight lands. What a shame.
Once again, I can only be grateful to be crazy… otherwise my life would never have taken this path that has led me to be, in a nutshell, unemployed, slowed down, living with Dave and travelling to Portugal. A reminder to everyone: there is ALWAYS a silver lining, sometimes it just takes a while to show up.
I saw my psychiatrist the other day. I was a little hesitant about what his reaction to my trip would be. Given that I've just come off the antidepressants and we are now waiting to see what happens, and that there may well be more adjustments to be made to my other medication, I wasn't sure if he would be pleased that I was flying off to Europe in the middle of it. I also had concerns about the fact that I cannot get medical insurance to cover me if anything goes wrong regarding my illness (save all the suggestions - I've researched it thoroughly and until I can prove I've been stable for at least 6 months, nobody's taking the risk). Although I'm pretty confident I'll be fine - I haven't been hospitalized in over 2 years - and pretty much know how to manage things (what's the difference if I'm having my usual mood swings here or in Portugal?), you never know. AND, I have read that transatlantic flights can trigger mania in people with Bipolar Disorder.
So with all this in my mind, it was with some trepidation that I announced my plans, waiting for some sort of… I don't know what. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved when his response was "Wow, that's great" and then a million questions about my trip and a long discussion about travelling in Europe, in which he provided me with all kinds of information based on his experiences (at one point I began to wonder if he had become my travel agent and forgotten I was there regarding my medications, etc). Regarding my health concerns, he said he had no reason to think I'd be anything but just fine, that it was good to be living my life and that should anything go amiss, I could call him for instructions over the phone to avoid seeking medical care in Portugal.
We discussed the flight and precautions to be taken to avoid precipitating a manic episode. Nothing too complicated - I just have to sleep on the flight so that when we land in Frankfurt in the morning, I am waking up, as if I had gone to bed and woken in Frankfurt time and then I have to spend the first 2 -3 days relaxing (how hard can this be - I'm on vacation!). He'll provide me with a heavy sedative for the flight, which I will take a couple hours in, and then hopefully I'll pass the time passed out beside Dave. Unfortunately I will have to miss all in flight entertainment such as delicious airplane food, bad movies and counting the hours until the flight lands. What a shame.
Once again, I can only be grateful to be crazy… otherwise my life would never have taken this path that has led me to be, in a nutshell, unemployed, slowed down, living with Dave and travelling to Portugal. A reminder to everyone: there is ALWAYS a silver lining, sometimes it just takes a while to show up.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Nos estamos indo a Portugal!
(posted by ange)
Can you imagine being able to leave everything behind for a month? Just pack up and make home somewhere else? A month off work. A month away from the usual daily grind. A month away from the your regular routine. A month in a different place, a different environment, a different culture. It's sort of like those lottery ads - "Can you imagine?"
Well imagine this: Leaving Vancouver on February 24, a day that in all likelihood will be raining and grey, on Lufthansa flight # LH49324 to Frankfurt, where you will make a connector flight to Faro, Portugal, where it will surely be warm and sunny (they do, after all, get 3,000 hours of sunshine a year in this, the Algarve region). After collecting your bags you'll take a short bus ride to the town of Albufeira where you'll check into your 1 bedroom apartment (fully equipped with fridge, stove, washer, dryer, etc) at the Cerro Mar, which sits atop a hill, overlooking the town and ocean. Here you will spend 23 nights living like the Portuguese before spending a final 3 nights at the more swanky and urban Mundial Hotel in Lisbon. You will drink vihno (wine) and cerveja (beer) by the pool. You will relax on one of many beautiful praias (beaches). You'll enjoy the view from your superior do telhado (roof top patio). Você tornar-se-á fluent no português. (You will become fluent in Portuguese). Well, okay, maybe I'm getting a little carried away with the little translator website here, but you get the picture. Can you imagine?
Well, that's what Dave and I will be doing come February 24. Yes, that is our flight number and our itinerary. Nos estamos indo a Portugal! We're going to Portugal! (Picture me jumping up and down and screaming to get the full effect of how this reads.) We're going to live in Albufeira for 23 days, hopefully get a chance to see some of the rest of the country by day trips and the odd overnighter and then end the trip in the country's beautiful capital, Lisbon.
I've already pinched myself like a thousand times and it appears that I am not dreaming. Rather, dreams actually do come true! I'll be writing up a storm as I research and get ready for the biggest trip of my life!
Can you imagine being able to leave everything behind for a month? Just pack up and make home somewhere else? A month off work. A month away from the usual daily grind. A month away from the your regular routine. A month in a different place, a different environment, a different culture. It's sort of like those lottery ads - "Can you imagine?"
Well imagine this: Leaving Vancouver on February 24, a day that in all likelihood will be raining and grey, on Lufthansa flight # LH49324 to Frankfurt, where you will make a connector flight to Faro, Portugal, where it will surely be warm and sunny (they do, after all, get 3,000 hours of sunshine a year in this, the Algarve region). After collecting your bags you'll take a short bus ride to the town of Albufeira where you'll check into your 1 bedroom apartment (fully equipped with fridge, stove, washer, dryer, etc) at the Cerro Mar, which sits atop a hill, overlooking the town and ocean. Here you will spend 23 nights living like the Portuguese before spending a final 3 nights at the more swanky and urban Mundial Hotel in Lisbon. You will drink vihno (wine) and cerveja (beer) by the pool. You will relax on one of many beautiful praias (beaches). You'll enjoy the view from your superior do telhado (roof top patio). Você tornar-se-á fluent no português. (You will become fluent in Portuguese). Well, okay, maybe I'm getting a little carried away with the little translator website here, but you get the picture. Can you imagine?
Well, that's what Dave and I will be doing come February 24. Yes, that is our flight number and our itinerary. Nos estamos indo a Portugal! We're going to Portugal! (Picture me jumping up and down and screaming to get the full effect of how this reads.) We're going to live in Albufeira for 23 days, hopefully get a chance to see some of the rest of the country by day trips and the odd overnighter and then end the trip in the country's beautiful capital, Lisbon.
I've already pinched myself like a thousand times and it appears that I am not dreaming. Rather, dreams actually do come true! I'll be writing up a storm as I research and get ready for the biggest trip of my life!
Friday, January 05, 2007
Let the 2007 Travels Begin...
(posted by Ange)
5 days into January and a trip is booked. Mexico. The Baja Peninsula. Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. Surf, sand, sun, and margaritas... relaxing in Mexican time. Sounds lovely for the end of January, doesn't it? Yes, it does. And Dave will be enjoying this little vacation when he flies off with the Travel Guys on January 21 for 10 days. If I haven't mentioned it previously (and I probably have, but I don't feel like reading back to check), Dave goes on these "working" trips with a local t.v. show (Shaw Cable) called the Travel Guys as a second camera person/production assistant. It's a hard job. He has to stay in nice resorts and check out local tourism activities (i.e. swimming with dolphins in Puerto Vallarta). It's a tough schedule...working about 1/2 the days he's there and about 1/2 the hours in those days. Aaaahhhh... but somebody has to do it.
Meanwhile, I'll be here in Vancouver, manning the umbrellas and trying to figure out how to call his hotel so I can hear about either a.) his tourism adventure of the day or b.) how much he drank at the pool bar, after which I can tell him all about how much it has rained, how windy it has been, any other bizarre weather stats that may occur, and how much I have not had to drink at any kind of bar, pool or otherwise.
Dave will enjoy his trip to Mexico, but he'll be wishing I was there because let's face it, how much fun can Mexico be without me? :)
5 days into January and a trip is booked. Mexico. The Baja Peninsula. Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. Surf, sand, sun, and margaritas... relaxing in Mexican time. Sounds lovely for the end of January, doesn't it? Yes, it does. And Dave will be enjoying this little vacation when he flies off with the Travel Guys on January 21 for 10 days. If I haven't mentioned it previously (and I probably have, but I don't feel like reading back to check), Dave goes on these "working" trips with a local t.v. show (Shaw Cable) called the Travel Guys as a second camera person/production assistant. It's a hard job. He has to stay in nice resorts and check out local tourism activities (i.e. swimming with dolphins in Puerto Vallarta). It's a tough schedule...working about 1/2 the days he's there and about 1/2 the hours in those days. Aaaahhhh... but somebody has to do it.
Meanwhile, I'll be here in Vancouver, manning the umbrellas and trying to figure out how to call his hotel so I can hear about either a.) his tourism adventure of the day or b.) how much he drank at the pool bar, after which I can tell him all about how much it has rained, how windy it has been, any other bizarre weather stats that may occur, and how much I have not had to drink at any kind of bar, pool or otherwise.
Dave will enjoy his trip to Mexico, but he'll be wishing I was there because let's face it, how much fun can Mexico be without me? :)
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Happy New Year!
(posted by Ange)
Happy New Year Everyone! 2007. Are we all used to writing 07 instead of 06 yet? My bank teller (yes, I actually went to an actual teller) yesterday had to rip up 3 slips. She wasn't fully here yet.
I'm not one to make new year's resolutions. I think they just set us up for failure. If we really want to make changes in our lives I think the best thing we can do is make small, realistic, attainable goals and then set out steps to follow in attaining them. Blurting out grand resolutions at midnight after an evening of cocktails is unlikely to have the desired effect. So normally, no resolutions for me. I just keep plodding along, working on keeping my life together and on track.
But this year, I thought, let's break with tradition and make a resolution or two. What the hell.
Ange's 2007 New Year's Resolutions...
1. Travel by plane.
2. Travel by train.
3. Travel by bus.
4. Travel by car.
5. Go to Portugal?
Stay tuned...
Happy New Year Everyone! 2007. Are we all used to writing 07 instead of 06 yet? My bank teller (yes, I actually went to an actual teller) yesterday had to rip up 3 slips. She wasn't fully here yet.
I'm not one to make new year's resolutions. I think they just set us up for failure. If we really want to make changes in our lives I think the best thing we can do is make small, realistic, attainable goals and then set out steps to follow in attaining them. Blurting out grand resolutions at midnight after an evening of cocktails is unlikely to have the desired effect. So normally, no resolutions for me. I just keep plodding along, working on keeping my life together and on track.
But this year, I thought, let's break with tradition and make a resolution or two. What the hell.
Ange's 2007 New Year's Resolutions...
1. Travel by plane.
2. Travel by train.
3. Travel by bus.
4. Travel by car.
5. Go to Portugal?
Stay tuned...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
