Italy here we come ! 

Pre-Vacation Preparations

With 26 days left before departure, it was obvious that we needed to get "supplies". So on Saturday, we went downtown on the GO train to Front Street to visit the "Europe Bound" store. Neat little shop with all the requirements, we ended up getting a great map of Italy, two disposable rain poncho's, a pair of two way radio's (just in case we get separated going by a pizza shop) along with a $14.00 pair of binoculars (what a deal).

On Sunday evening we slid in the two DVD's that Wayne gave us for Northern and Southern Italy to plot the course of traval on arrival. At this point we're planning to land in Rome, spend two or three days, then head north to Florence for one or two more days. From there we'll rent a car and head over to Portofino and the "five cities" for a couple then head back down to Rome to finish things off.

I think we're ready.....stay tuned !

Passport Process

Having Brad Sutton from AMG sign off as my guarantor this morning, I took the application, photos, birth certificate and all to the Passport office in Mississauga. Who knew...............I was number A188 and the number on the board was A023. I didn't think that many people even travelled. After two hours or more, I finally made my way to the counter to get processed. All seemed to go well, they even accepted by long-form Birth Certificate, that's a relief.

So in 10 days from now, the new and improved passport should arrive at the house via mail, I hope.

Deb called from home today (only 1/2 days on Friday.....what luck) to say that our tickets were in the mailbox, quite excited she was.

The Passport Headaches

Now it's completing the new and improved Passport Application in order to get on the plane, or rather to get back in the country as a "Canadian" once I return. I can travel with my U.S. Passport, but chances are likely that I won't be allowed back in to Canada unless I can prove it.

Deb's Ok though, she's got her new PR (Permanent Residence) Card so she'll be fine.

Off today to get the pictures taken and hopefully expedite the application.

Announcing the News

On Saturday, July 31st, Deb and I got to planning our September Holiday. It started off pretty basic given that our initial thoughts were to take VIA to Winnipeg via Sioux Lookout. But after surfing their site and a price tag of $3,800 for the two of us, we turned our sites to Halifax via train.

Later that afternoon, reading the Saturday Star I saw an article about Air Canada cancelling people's air miles accounts without any notice. With that, I jumped on the phone to A/Canada to find out that I had 140,000 miles in the kitty.

With that and only 120,000 miles, Deb and I are off to Rome, Italy on Friday, September 3rd for 10 days. Stay tuned for further updates to the Forster Chronicles.