Calo

Let's try and pick some firm dates for our GTG, girls. I may have to be at a conference in Toronto from Mar 19-21 (bleh), so wonder if we could work around that? If not, I just won't go to the conference
Suggestions? Ideas? Meeting Place?

LyndaS

Hi guys!

How about if we try Sat April 7th? It is Easter weeekend, but hey still too cold to go camping here so at least no one will be away doing that! And I promise that we won't make you miss your Easter dinner!

Safarimama has emailed me she can come up for that weekend.

Calo and Breezydreezy - it will probably be a busy weekend on the ferry but if you guys come by foot to Tsawassen I'll make sure someone picks you guys up and drops you back off - you can always overnight here with us if you like - we have a big house and love company!

Raelond, Mama Tembo are you guys in town that day I hope?

Africanxious, we'd love to see the pictures from your trip you are taking in Feb! I would bet after 5 weeks in Africa you would be around Vancouver, or at lest I hope?

MamaTembo

April 07th is great for me, but am away until the 5th so no earlier than that Sat. Hope that works for everyone. Just let me know time and location.

LyndaS

Just ttt for others - Calo, africaanxious, Raelond are you guys out there?

raelond

April 7th is great for me. I look forward to meeting all of you.

Calo

Yes, I'm here. The ONLY issue I have with April 7 is getting on and off the island on a long weekend. But we'll work around it. Count me in, and we'll hope Dreezy can come down from Kamloops. We just need to agree on a location and time. I'll leave that up to those of you who know Vancouver better than I do. Please let me know what I can bring.

LyndaS

Great! From the look of things I'd say April 7th is a good day - lets 'pen' it in guys!

The where is easy - Jim and I would love to host it - I live in Richmond which is a stone's throw from Surrey, and a stone's throw from the ferries as well. Hopefully Dreezy can get down that weekend too, we have plenty of room here for her and you also, Calo, to stay the night. Safarimama is coming up from Seattle as well and staying too, we can continue the GTG over breakfast the next morning!

Can everyone email me at:

lyndadswain at telus dot net
and I will give you guys my address and instructions to get here!

I can't wait!

Africaanxious may have already left for Africa, but I see he/she will be back mid March, I'll top this thread again then.

LyndaS

Hi guys-

It's me topping this thread again! I have heard from both Calo and Raelond that the Easter weekend isn't the greatest for them, and as I really really really want EVERYONE to come, what say everyone that we look for a weekend in late June or July? Later in April will be crazy busy for me (taxtime until april 30th here in Canada) and I may not be in town in May (hopefully more on that news flash over the next few days!) so I'm looking for a weekend we can all make it!!

Later in June would be good for me, or anytime at all in July - any opinions out there?

We WILL find a weekend when we can ALL get together - I just know it!

safarimama

I'm checking in from hot and muggy Tahiti!!!! They have had too much rain lately also. No relation to Africa, I'm sure, but still interesting? Late June or early July is open for me right now. I also can't make it in May. Norway is calling me then. Vancouver is at it's best in the summer as I recall and seeing the ships leave for Alaska is so much fun.

LyndaS

Tahiti!! Wow! My good Kristina it is SO hard to keep track of you!!

I'm coming back with a date tonight to throw out to everyone again...

Roccco

Hmmm...if you do Memorial Day Weekend (Memorial Day for us south of the borders is on Monday, May 28th), I may just be in town with a friend to see The Police perform their initial return concert.

I will either be in Vancouver or Mexico City on that particular weekend.

safarimama

I can't do May 28 darnit! (still in Norway then), I'm back after May 31. I would love to meet you Roccco. Why don't you hang around for another week in the Pacific Northwest, maybe attend CAT (cruise-a-thon) in Seattle or the Folklife Festival, the biggest outside of Wash DC. It goes on the entire Memorial Day weekend Fri-Mon at Seattle Center and it's free!!!!
I'm sorry to hear about your divorce, but happy that you have found a new meaning in your life. Yin and Yang, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang for a description.
I've learned a lot from you (good and bad!) which is a different story! hmm!

Roccco

safarimama,

Would love to hear all about the good (and the bad) that you have learned from me!

(drop me an e-mail)

safarimama

What I meant to say Roccco is that you're so honest. I enjoy your posts the way they were before the ... you know what! You told it like you see it.
Also, I'm looking forward the hearing about your next visit to Zambia. I stayed at Mwaleshi, Tafika, Chikoko and Crocodile Trails last fall. I must admit that the "straw-hut" camps were a bit too basic for me. I like to be closed out of the way of the bugs such as huge spiders crawling over my face while asleep inside the netting and scorpions crawling on the dirt floor. Drinking filtered river water from reused bottles also didn't appeal to me, but I didn't get sick, so it must have been OK. I like more luxury, but some people raved about being so close to nature. The microlight was fun at Tafika and the food was very good. The guides were great too. I'd love to visit some of the camps you recommend. Next I'm off to Botswana in March.

LyndaS

OHMIGOSH! That would be awesome if you could make it Rocco, as I would love to meet you too! I heard the Police were coming to town, but I wasn't sure when - but unfortuantely we will be away for the last two weeks of May! (see my next post...)

Hopefully you decide to come up again though in the summer, because GTG or not, you have to come over for steaks on the deck if you are ever in town. (that invite goes out to all of you guys if you are ever in town by the way!)

And Kristina, I do hope you have crossed the place with the spiders off the list of places we will go in 2009!!! Are you home again, or still in Tahiti?

So , lets see, I'm getting a calendar - I'll throw two dates out here for the West Cost GTG -

Sat June 23rd
Sat July 7th

Let me know which works for everyone?????

Roccco

Well, I would sincerely like to meet all of you, as well...even if I just fly in for a couple nights, I am going to try to make it. I will try to work around the schedule of everyone else...I do think I would rather be in Mexico City on Memorial Day weekend in any event...want to show a friend the sites and I do think I would favor the music/nightlife/archeological ruins/climate of Mexico City in late May and save Vancouver for late June or July.

While I feel a 3 night stay in Mexico City is the absolute minimum, not to take anything away from British Columbia, but I think a 2 night stay would be okay.

I will stay tuned for further developments!

safarimama

I'm back in Seattle. July 7 works for me as it's my birthday (same as Ringo - anyone out there remember the Beatles?). I'm always gone on my birthday as I don't want my kids to know that I'm getting older!!! June 23rd works too, but it's midsummer in Scandinavia and sometimes we go to those festivities then. There are loads of Scandihuvians around here and lots of traditional dancing etc. around midsummer.

LyndaS

OK guys this is it! How does July 7th fit with everyone (Safarimama's birthday!) ???

Calo (& hopefully Breezydreezy) & Raelond have emailed me that both dates work for them, and Safarimama has said either, so I just kind of picked that one. Rocco - can you come up then? You'd be welcome to stay with us for the weekend as well - we have a big house, we can put lots of people up if need be & we are good hosts!

Mamatembo, are you in town for July 7th? Africanxious, when you are back, I will top this post again.

Anyone else out there???

This is going to be so much fun - can't wait & I promise this date WILL NOT CHANGE AGAIN! (I just really wanted to find a date when everyone could come...)

Calo

&quot;<b>not to take anything away from British Columbia, but I think a 2 night stay would be okay</b>&quot;

You're obviously not planning a hop over to Vancouver Island = paradise, Rocco. Such a shame

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/Regions...uverIsland.htm

Roccco

Well, with the new date and the 4th of July holiday, I may be able to just stay more than a couple nights...however, I would only do so with a travel partner...would be nice to come up and the nights of the 4th/5th/6th and 7th in BC.

I do have a friend who has lived in the Pacific Northwest and who has made many prior trips to Vancouver so it just may work out...we'll see.

But I am pretty sure that I will be up there to join you guys at least for the GTG and at least one more night...sounds like a blast!