I felt your love every day and still feel you near, loving me (Unknown).
Adan called in the middle of the month of May 2004 and said he is bringing Nayomi to meet us. There were no direct flights from Ottawa to Victoria. Therefore, instead of taking a ferry, Adam decided to take a seaplane from downtown of Vancouver to downtown Victoria. Lynda and I went to Victoria to get them. We met Nayomi and we liked her. She was very respectful to us and never stopped talking. We thought she was a bit nervous.
In any case, we put them up in a nice motel in Sidney because Lynda didn’t like the idea of having them at our condo.
Lynda cooked a couple of meals for them then we decided to take them around in Sidney and Victoria for meals. Then we took them back to Victoria where they caught the seaplane to go back to Vancouver to catch their flight to Ottawa.
The next week on Monday, Frank from the Town of Sidney called and said that he had an application for developing a property in Sidney which is scheduled to discuss in the meeting scheduled for Friday. I said I would pick it up right away. The next thing I did was to go to the Town Hall and pick up that application from the front desk.
For the next couple of days, I went through the application with attached supporting documents and thought to myself, it wasn’t bad at all. The language was very simple as the developer was following the format that was implemented by the Town.
On Friday I showed up at the Town Planning Committee at the Town of Sidney offices. As soon as I walked in the meeting room, I noticed as if the folks already in the room were expecting me to show up. It was always nice to face the smiling faces in any room. I picked up a seat in the middle, and a guy got up and advanced towards me to shake hands. He said I chair the meeting, and I welcome you to the committee, Mir. I remember saying thanks to everybody.
Once everybody was present in the room, the chairman asked everybody to go around and introduce themselves. On my turn, I said I don’t have any experience serving on any town planning committee, but I will do my best to listen to you folks and learn whatever I can. The chairman said we have seen your brief resume, Mir. You have done tremendous things throughout your career, and it will not be very difficult for you to pick up what we do here. I said, I hope so.
The chairman reminded the group that a particular application for developing a property in Sidney is scheduled for the discussion. We all took the document that we had brought with us and put it in front of us. When the chairman stopped talking and summarizing the application on hand, one by one we all around the table summarized their our observations one by one that they made during the review of the application.
I waited for my turn and said, I don’t have any comments on the application itself, but I do have a question. The chairman said, go ahead, Mir. I said, going through all the documents that I have on the Town Planning, I cannot find any answer to the question that once the application gets approved and the building is built, who makes sure that the building was built based on the approved plan.
The chairman said, good question, Mir. Perhaps that information should have been included in the package. He continued; the folks who work in the planning department of the Town have the responsibility to visit the site once it’s completed. I said how they would know when to visit the building. The chairman said, the time the plan for the building is approved by the Town, it is indicated that they must notify the Town that the building is ready to be inspected. He continued; the process of inspection is the final step to allow the developers to start using the building.
I said, does it mean that the inspection is just a formality? The chairman said why did you say that. I said I would like to know if the inspectors point out any non-compliance or shortcomings. The chairman said, now I know what you’re getting at, Mir. The inspection report is extensive and if there are any questions, the developers are obligated to deal with them before they start using the building. The chairman said, thanks pointing it to us, Mir. He continued, I would make sure that the aspects of the inspection which we just discussed are added to the documentation, just to close the loop.
When I got home, it was getting late and Lynda was waiting for me. I said what’s up, babe. She said, maybe we should go for the fish & chips and talk about how your meeting went.
When we got to the restaurant and ordered our meals, Lynda said, you look tired. How did the meeting go. I said it is relatively less complicated than the Water Committee meetings, and the folks who are serving on this committee appeared to be friendly, too.
She asked if I felt comfortable participating on the committee. I said it’s going to take some time, but it will give me something to do.
Lynda asked if I would like to hear something about the fireplaces. I said, of course. She told me that boys are working on the second floor to convert the fireplaces and by the end of the week, every fireplace in the building will be converted.
I asked if she had to get in touch with Hydro folks. She said, no, because what we were doing doesn’t require permission from Hydro. The only difference would be that the amounts of individual billing will increase when the fireplaces are used.
I asked if she had to talk to the gas company. She said, she did talk to them just to let them know what we were doing, and they were very cooperative. They wanted to know if they should stop the delivery of the gas. She said, she would call them when she was totally happy with the conversion.
Once we had our supper and we were waking back to our condo, Lynda asked me if I would like to see one of the fireplaces which had been converted. I said, yes, and we ended up going to one of the folks on the second floor to take a look. We talked to the owners of the condo, and they were happy with the smooth conversion from gas to electricity. They asked Lynda if they had to let the Hydro people know about the conversion. Lynda said, there was no need for it.
When we got back to our condo, Lynda said, we have been so busy since we got here. Now that the conversion of the fireplaces is done, the owners seem to be reasonably happy with the way things are going with the committee. She also tried to make sure that whenever she is dealing with the problems in the building, including calling the contractors, she is getting Carol involved. She wanted to make sure that sooner or later Carol would have to take over from her.
Lynda said, I am changing the topic of our conversation, now. I said Shoot. She said one of her Sorority sisters were saying that it’s cheaper to cruise when we use repositioning cruises. I asked if she knew anything about repositioning cruises. She said, no. I told her to leave it with me. The next day I decided to look into the repositioning cruises.
Repositioning cruises can be an excellent value if you’re flexible about your travel plans. These cruises happen when a cruise line transfer ships from one region to another for a new season—for example, from Alaska to Hawaii or from Europe to the Caribbean. Some of the main advantages of repositioning cruises are:
- Lower Fares: Because the cruise line is relocating the ship, these voyages are often priced lower than comparable round-trip cruises. You may get more days at sea for less money per day;
- More Relaxing: Repositioning cruises usually have more sea days, giving you time to enjoy the ship’s amenities, entertainment, spa, pools, and restaurants without feeling rushed;
- Unique Itineraries: You may visit ports that aren’t included on regular cruises, making the journey part of the adventure;
- Less Crowded Atmosphere: Since many travelers prefer round-trip cruises, repositioning cruises can sometimes feel quieter and more relaxed;
- Good Value for Longer Vacations: A 14- to 18-day cruise can cost less per day than a typical 7-day cruise; and
- Opportunities for Enrichment: Cruise lines often schedule extra lectures, cooking demonstrations, craft classes, or guest speakers to keep passengers entertained during the additional sea days.
At the same time there are a few trade-offs to consider:
- You’ll usually need to buy a one-way flight at either the beginning or end of the cruise;
- There are fewer port stops than on some traditional itineraries because the ship is traveling a long distance;
- The dates are fixed by the cruise line’s seasonal schedule, so there is less flexibility; and
- For travelers who enjoy spending time on the ship and don’t mind a one-way itinerary, repositioning cruises are often considered one of the best values in cruising.
When I shared the information with Lynda, she said perhaps we should look into a reasonable repositioning cruise for us. I said, you’re right. I got you involved in the committee activities which kept you busy since we moved here. She said not just me, you were also busy with anything I did, we were a team, and I think we accomplished a lot. Regardless of whether we continue to live here in this building, or not, we have got them going in the right direction. I said I agree with you.
It didn’t take too long for me to find out that there was a repositioning cruise sailing to Hawaii from Vancouver Harbour in almost three weeks.
We decided to book the cruise, and the plan was to be on the ship for fourteen days with the destination to Honolulu and stay a week in Honolulu before we fly back home.
We were both excited about the idea of cruising, and it was hard for us to wait for the departure date. It took a couple of days to register online to complete the required forms instead of lining up when we go there to embark.
On the day we were supposed to be in Vancouver to take the cruise ship, we took the ferry from Victoria and got to Vancouver then a bus to get to the harbor. By the time we got boarded, it was in the afternoon. When we got to our room on the ship, we opened our suitcases and organized ourselves before we decided to go on the deck and have a drink.
We had been on a couple of cruises when we were living in Vegas, but they were only for a week or ten days, and those ships were relatively small. We were told that there were 5,000 passengers and almost 2,400 crew members on board.
When we were having a drink on the deck, we met a couple of folks from Sidney who were living not too far from where we were living in Sidney.
We were relaxed and Lynda appeared to be happy.
The sailing started when we were having our supper in the beautiful dining room with every guest dressed up and looked like a million bucks. We were assigned to a table which was organized for 12 passengers. Everybody was there before we got to our table. Men in Tuxedos and ladies in beautiful gowns. We went around the table to introduce ourselves. There were two couples from Calgary, two couples from Vancouver, and two couples from Sidney. They all retired from doing all kinds of different things in their lives.
Somebody said, so Mir and Lynda, you two live in a senior building, but both of you are not officially retired. Lynda said the age requirements in living in a senior condominiums in Sidney is 55. Mir just turned 64 and I am two years younger. Somebody said that you both don’t look that old. I said thank you.
As expected, the meal was very nice, and we all enjoyed our meals as well as our conversations on various topics including some personal information on everybody. I told them briefly where we lived and how we ended up in Sidney. Somebody asked Lynda how she managed to keep up with Mir’s revolving carrier in different countries and different provinces. Lynda said she got used to it.
Right after supper we walked to the theatre where we watched a show and when we went to our room, we were tired and decided to go to bed right away.
The next day, after breakfast buffet, we went on the deck and decided to grab a couple of chairs and sit-down to watch the ocean.
It took five days before we got to Maui.
We visited Maui – The Valley Isle. Maui is known for its mix of beautiful beaches, lush valleys, and scenic drives and the highlights were:
- Haleakala National Park – Watch the sunrise or sunset from the summit of a dormant volcano over 10,000 feet (3,055 m) high;
- Road to Hana – A famous winding coastal road with waterfalls, tropical forests, and black-sand beaches;
- Lahaina – A historic whaling town; and
- During winter, humpback whales migrate to the waters around Maui, making it one of the world’s best whale-watching destinations.
We travelled in the night to go to the next island and we visited Kauai – The Garden Isle. Kauai is the oldest of the major Hawaiian Islands and is famous for its lush green landscapes and the highlights include:
- Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park – Spectacular Sea cliffs rising thousands of feet above the Pacific Ocean;
- Waimea Canyon State Park – Often called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”;
- Wailua Falls – One of Hawaii’s most photographed waterfalls; and
- Many movies, including parts of Jurassic Park, were filmed in Kauai because of its dramatic scenery.
We travelled during the night and visited Molokai – The Friendly Isle. Molokai has remained much less developed than the other major islands and offers a quieter experience and the highlights include:
- Kalaupapa National Historical Park – Preserves the history of the isolated settlement where people with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) once lived;
- Halawa Valley – One of Hawaii’s oldest inhabited valleys, with waterfalls and cultural significance;
- Some of the world’s tallest sea cliffs line up the island’s north shore; and
- Molokai is known for preserving traditional Hawaiian culture and a slower pace of life.
We travelled during the night and visited Hawaii Island – The Big Island. The Big Island is larger than all the other main Hawaiian Islands combined and has the greatest variety of landscapes and the highlights include:
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – Home to active volcanoes, lava fields, and unique volcanic landscapes;
- Mauna Kea – Hawaii’s tallest mountain measured from sea level and one of the world’s premier astronomical observation sites; and
- Akaka Falls State Park – Features a stunning 442-foot (135 m) waterfall surrounded by tropical rainforests.
On the 14th day of our cruise, we got to Honolulu and we were so tired that we checked into the hotel and went to bed. After resting, we learned that Honolulu is a beautiful tropical city on the southern coast of Oʻahu. It is the main cultural, economic, and political center of Hawaiʻi and is best known for its beaches, Hawaiian culture, history, and spectacular scenery. We also found out that:
- Honolulu also has an important place in Hawaiian history. It became the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom in the 19th century and later became the capital of the State of Hawaiʻi. Today, the city combines Native Hawaiian traditions with influences from many Pacific and Asian cultures.
We visited:
- The most famous area, Waikīkī, known for its sandy beach, surfing, hotels, restaurants, and views of Diamond Head (Lēʻahi).
The time we left Honolulu we realized that Honolulu is a vibrant Hawaiian capital where beautiful beaches, rich history, Native Hawaiian culture, modern city life, and spectacular nature come together.
The time we got back to Sidney, we were so tired that we felt like we needed another vacation.
