Travel Books of a Different Variety . . .

They say the more you involve kids in the planning and preparations for a trip, the more excited and "into" it they will be. Makes sense. So we've been reading a few travel books with Mitchell and Jackson lately. The ones that tell the story of what life is like for a young person in Tanzania and Japan have been the favourites so far . . . Mitchell was intrigued to read a book about a twelve-year-old Masaai boy in Tanzania who drinks cow's blood. Better than fiction! One of Jackson's favourites was "We All Went on Safari" which teaches you how to count to 10 in Swahili and has great illustrations of African animals. Hmmm . . . maybe I can get them to write a book review . . . and then we can be well and truly done with the travel book theme.

Last Word on Book Reviews . . . and a Great Trip Out West

I'm all done with travel books reviews but here is a link to someone else's opinion of the 50 Greatest Travel Books of All Time. It includes classics by Ernest Hemingway, Paul Theroux, Jack Kerouac, etc. I realize the books I read and wrote about were not necessarily great literature but they were the ones that caught my eye.

I was also thinking about all the great books I've read in the last few years that are not specifically "travel" books, but their settings were such a key part of the novels that you felt as though you had actually visited those places. I'm thinking of books like The Kite Runner (not that I want to visit Afghanistan), The Poisonwood Bible (again, not looking to travel to the Congo), The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (wonderful depiction of Botswana), or how about Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee and what it reveals about South Africa? Anyway, I guess I've decided that all books can be considered "travel" books and now I'm on to the guidebooks, Lonely Planet being my favourite at the moment. We have Lonely Planet and Rough Guide books for various parts of Africa, France, Australia, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam (including the famous "yellow bible" a.k.a. Southeast Asia on a Shoestring).

On a totally unrelated note, it is good to be back home after a great trip out west for niece Brianna's wedding in Vancouver. She is the youngest daughter of my sister Lori. I had to return to work after the long weekend but Ted and the boys took the ferry to Salt Spring Island for a few more days of sight-seeing. We also got to visit good friends in Kamloops in between it all. Here are a few pics of some special moments . . .

Brianna & Caleb at their beautiful wedding . . .

Mitchell and Jackson looking dapper in their blazers and ties . . .

Give me five, Alicia! This little miracle baby is growing up fast and thriving!




Gazing at the Pacific Ocean from White Rock Beach . . .

With Michaela, Ben and Thalia in Kamloops . . .

Waiting for the ferry at Schwartz Bay on Vancouver Island . . .


At the Salt Spring Inn (owned and operated by Jeremy, good friend of Ted's) . . .



Mitchell takes the helm (rudder?) aboard Jeremy's sailboat . . .