Getting settled

Passport photoIt’s been difficult getting settled into our new lifestyle. Dealing with another country’s bureaucracy is never easy. But we’re getting the hang of little things like paying bills: You have to go to the bank to do that, unlike Canada where you log onto your bank’s internet site and a couple of clicks later it’s all done. And of course, don’t forget to bring your passport when you do so! Everyone here wants to see your passport. (They must have a thing for seeing you at your worst!)

Getting around without a car is not easy. The bus service is not like Vancouver, with buses and trains running every which way dozens of times an hour. When we had to take the car in for routine servicing, we had to first find a garage that would even touch our Buick. We’ve found only one on the island that can do that. The local Chev dealer simply wouldn’t touch our car. Unfortunately the garage is a $40 cab ride away!

A glassy sweeperStill, there are lots of perks to living here as well. The weather for one. It’s the end of October and it’s a very warm 28 degrees. And it’s sunny and rarely rains, unlike Vancouver where it will be gray and rainy from now until February. It sure is nice to be able to go and swim in either the ocean or our swimming pool at any time of the day or night. Our car insurance is about half what it was in BC. Gas is 20% cheaper. Booze is cheaper, although I do miss all the craft beers available in Vancouver.

All in all, it’s been a bumpy transition, but getting easier and easier as we get used to things.

Home and back again

On the way to WhistlerPam and I have been to Canada and back! We returned home to Vancouver for a visit in early October. We rented a car and drove through the mountains to Calgary to visit family as well. We had a couple days in Calgary but a snow storm threatened to strand us in Calgary past our return flight out of Vancouver so we left Calgary a little earlier than we wanted.

The rental car was just amazing. A Ford Taurus if you can believe that. We got a free upgrade from the car we rented, and wow, what a beast that car is. It’s roomy and luxurious with every conceivable upgrade you can imagine. The stereo was one of the best I’ve ever heard, never mind best car stereo! The navigation package was stellar with a really cool feature that told you what the speed limit is… very cool for when you are in the middle of the mountains and it’s been miles since you’ve seen a sign.

Some the the devastation around 100 Mile HouseWe stopped off in 100 Mile House to visit with a couple of our oldest friends, Maggie and Tim. They’ve retired to a lovely home on the banks of Horse Lake, which was the scene of terrible wild fires this summer. Their home was spared, but they had to evacuate a couple of times. The devastation was quite shocking. Miles and miles of burned forest, and lost homes. Quite a sobering experience.

John Hendry ParkBack in Vancouver, on our last day there, we went for a stroll through John Hendry Park, more commonly referred to as Trout Lake. Buck and I used to run around the outer track 4 or 5 times a week. It’s a beautiful little park. Sure brought back a lot of memories of our first dog.

It’s nice to be back in Curacao. After the long flight, we were delighted to come home to a completely pristine apartment, freshly painted and all new tile work. We’re going to be able to relax a little easier here now, with all the stress of renovations complete. We’re interested to see how they handle Halloween here, as well. Should be fun.