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Published: August 7th 2007
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Our Little Pal
The little pal came in handy Since our last visit we have had an incredible week! In this blog I will answer some FAQ's regarding our trip and share a couple of our experiences since our last update.
My final administrators meeting of the 2006-2007 school year took place in Val Marie. Since our family had never visited the area we went the night before with the intention of setting up our tent at the local campground. Unfortunately when we arrived we found that the town campground did not have fire or BBQ pits. The idea of cold smokies on a bun was somewhat of a downer to say the least. So we headed to a privately owned campground located 6 KM's out of town. The Crossing- is a B & B and campground located on the border of the Grasslands National Park. We arrived at supper time and with growling tummies we set up our tent, in a fairly strong wind, at the most convenient site. After a few tense moments it was time to make a fire and get the blood sugar levels back to normal. The camping area at The Crossing has a covered kitchen area where a fire pit and large BBQ
Big Tipi
The van provides some scale is located. There was a sign at the fire pit that instructed guests to acquire permission from the owner before starting a fire. We headed up to the office and found our hosts. We inquired about the fire and informed them we were looking to BBQ some smokies. In an instant I was holding a small portable BBQ, a bag of briquettes, fire starter and a box of wooden matches. It was perfect...we went to the kitchen and I started the BBQ process while the family took care of rolling out the bedroll and further setting up the camp(perhaps avoiding me). While I was cooking one of the hosts came and informed us that our fees would be same whether we used a tent site or slept in one of the massive tipis at the bottom of the hill. It turns out that because I work for Chinook School Division the $60 per night rate for the tipi was reduced to $24. I polled the family and the result was a resounding ALRIGHT! We ate our smokies and then moved to the tipi. It was pretty awesome sleeping in the tipi...except for the 4 Celsius overnight temperature. BRRRRRR. The family toured the Grasslands Park while I enjoyed my last out-of-town meeting of the year. Part of our meeting was a tour of the local Grassland Museum and overview of the Prairie Learning Center. It is a very unique part of the world and I would recommend the area to anyone interested in biodiversity and Canadian heritage.
The Crossing is an awesome place to stay too.
We made it home and found a message that we were going to have company the next evening. I know we are supposed to be packing but actually having many things to do creates a sense of urgency. It was great to have Nataghia's mom and Herb come for a visit. Actually it turned out to be a double blessing as we were going to have to drive the boys to Saskatoon on Saturday so we could run in a 10K marathon in Swift Current on Sunday. Grandma and Grandpa took the boys to Saskatoon on their way home and saved us five hours of driving.
We ran our marathon on Sunday morning in perfect running weather...cool but not cold. Nataghia schooled me and my 42 year-old body beating my time by one minute with a terrific time of 1 hour and three minutes. Not bad for a beginner and a chubby guy. We headed to Saskatoon after the marathon driving in a torrential downpour. Father's Day 2007 in Saskatoon was a record setting day. It rained 96mm or nearly four inches. WOW! We had a great visit with my parents and sister and took a few summer things to Saskatoon and are now home in an exhausted state. Back to packing...
So what will we take to Costa Rica? How will we find a place to live? Will I have a job when I get back?
We are taking 10 days worth of clothing with us to Costa Rica. We will have one nice/formal outfit and the rest summer clothes and some rainy wear. We are taking some small appliances like our coffee grinder and bodum, hand mixer, and two laptops with a small LCD projector, and a couple of pairs of field glasses. We are taking a couple of memory sticks with our music, and of course we will have our MP3 Players. I am bringing a wireless travel speaker system as well. Electronics are expensive in Costa Rica. Waterproof map of Costa Rica purchased through Scott Oliver's "I Love Costa Rica" website and three guide books (Lonely Planet, Fodor's and Chris Howard's Living and Retiring in Costa Rica). We are taking many books and learning resources. Probably two fifty pound suitcases worth. We are taking linens for our home. Sheets and towels are also expensive. We are also taking footwear to last the year as large sizes for men and women are not always easy to find. We are also taking a bunch of Canadian gear like hats, stickers, pencils, etc. As far as other personal effects we are going to do without. We will have to buy dishes, utensils, and cooking equipment when we get there.
Our housing has been arranged by my employer. We will be living in a middle class Tico style home (typical Costa Rican). Three bedrooms in a safe and secure neighbourhood.
I am on leave from Chinook School Division for one year and must advise Human Resources of my intentions for the 2008-2009 school year by March 15th, 2008. Of course I am at the mercy of the system with respect to where I will be offered a position but am hoping the good work I have done during my tenure will have earned me some levity.
Nataghia is at Owen's soccer wind up with the camera so I can't upload pictures of our adventures but I will try to upload them ASAP...until then. Pura Vida and more packing.
PS - If you want to leave a comment just click on the "add comments" hyperlink at the bottom of the entry. I have to review and approve the comment before it shows up so don't worry if you don't see it right away.
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Melissa
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I definitely agree with the shoe sizing...in Japan I could only wear unisex shoes...so no cute heels for me :( Have fun!!