“Take vacations, go as many places as you can. You can always make money. You can’t always make memories” Ernest Hemingway

“I really don’t want to go home” is my catch cry as I sit here at the airport waiting to board the first of the flights that will take us home to Australia. This I guess will be my final entry for the moment as life is calling me back to reality. While I understand that reality and commitments summon me,  I have to admit, it is pretty disheartened person writing this final blog at the Vancouver Airport in Canada. If truth be known, it is rather depressing, knowing that in a few hours, we will be leaving Canada and the two weeks holiday or vacation ( depending on which part of the world you are reading this)  will be at an end.

The last two days we have been in Victoria – on Vancouver Island, the capital of British Columbia, sleeping in an amazing place. Marc wanted something special to stay for the final two days and so we have been residing in the highest room in the highest tower of an old 19^th Century Manor house (that cost us less than a basic sterile motel room in CBD Sydney). The room itself was incredible and the view across the harbour through our extended set of bay windows of the illuminated city at night made us want to just stay in the bed watching this city landscape display and simply enjoy the view!

Of course, we ventured out.

The Royal British Columbia Museum held us captivated for many hours as we learnt about the native Indians (referred to as ‘First Nations’ here in Canada) and how life in BC evolved after the arrival of the “white man”. Reading and seeing displays in respect to this history was both fascinating and also very distressing … knowing that as a ‘white Australian’ we did exactly the same thing to our own First Nation people. We walked around and through Beacon Hill Park, Victoria’s version of The Domain in Sydney, which was quite extensive. We checked out the interesting houseboats that makeup Fisherman’s Wharf. And of course, the general shopping at tourist stores … just to see what they had to offer. Combine that with a walk through Butchart Gardens World-Class botanical gardens with 55 acres / 22 hectares of floral display for a few hours was impressive and extremely peaceful.  A dinner out at an Irish Pub with my most favourite person culminated a wonderful final two days.

Australia is such a great place and I love living there. I wouldn’t at this time and place in my life live anywhere else. But I love to travel. I love to see how other people live, the elements of nature they live with, the people themselves and how they act and react to things. The physical infrastructures, the natural world. Some people I know prefer to see more of  Australia, and yes, while it has its significant places, I am Australian, proud of it, but want to share myself with the rest of the world.
I want to see the world!

I guess the purpose of having a holiday/vacation may be just to get away from the place that can produce you stress. I love my job, but I agree, that a holiday is a chance to escape, to relax, enjoy moments in a quiet place, to recharge the energy you need to return to work routine. And now, in two days’ time, I will be back to work and actuality! Marc will be in demand even more so.
But I’m not really complaining. I‘ve done some amazing things, challenged myself in various ways I didn’t expect. I met and saw many interesting people, places and things! I have travelled through only a small part of Western Canada but in reality, have seen so much!

I know that this recent time away has made me feel so much better than when I left … which was only two weeks ago!I was with my love and best friend. I walked ( and slid) in places which I did not know. So many memories have been made filled with love and laughter and the reminder to breathe in the occasional panic and at times full-blown fear as I stepped outside my comfort zone. Each day tumbled into the next one. I guess the best part of our trip is that we do not remember individual days, we simply remember moments…special moments.

I found the quote at the beginning of the blog which was symbolic of my thoughts …  and even though one of my readers posted that ‘work, and the income from that work, fund the holidays …’ which of course it does, the memories Marc and I have made are priceless and no monetary value can be placed on that. Those memories are in both our minds and the many photographs taken and will remain with us always. Memories of laughter, fear, tears, loneliness, panic, joy and happiness all have culminated from a wonderful two weeks away in Canada.

But…emotionally, I am just not ready to give this part of my life up yet! That’s the hardest part! I feel like a child wanting to stamp their feet in frustration.
I don’t want to go home yet.
Yet I know I have to go home.

So, as I sit here waiting for our flight home, I can say I definitely have no regrets.  Extremely sad as I am to leave and really wishing we could stay on further exploring this country, I know that the short time away, time spent with my darling man, enjoying a challenge( or fear) each day, exploring new places and fresh activities will be imprinted in my mind forever.

I also know that at the beginning of our holiday was a blank sheet of paper. But here…right now, we have written a book…into something special for just us.
Our book!

As Leroy Tolstoy wrote “Time flies … it’s up to you to be the navigator”.
Oh, we will.

“Hello Australia, I’m coming home”.
“Goodbye Canada …for now”

“But…we will be back!”