July 24, 2008

We're back ... but what happened?

After 342 days, 78 cities and towns, and after visiting 20 countries we are home.  After visiting 5 continents, the lowest Burger King in the world (adjacent to the Dead Sea, Israel … NO we didn’t eat there), and freezing in southern Argentina in July, we are home.

After posting 351 photos, 82 texts, 29 quotes and 5 videos to this blog … we are home. 

We experienced so much natural beauty in the world, experienced some of the worlds most amazing buildings and didn’t get as much as a stubbed toe (Connor did get an ear infection but didn’t complain because he got to spend time on several occasions with beautiful Thai nurses).

We met other travellers from countries too numerous to mention.  We saw extreme poverty and walked the smooth granite sidewalks of Singapore.  We crawled through the Tunnels of Kuchi outside of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and stood in awe at the sight of the buildings at Petra in Jordan.

We studied Spanish in Buenos Aires and marvelled at wild orangutans in our camp in Borneo.  We saw the unique Olympic buildings in Beijing and crossed the Mekong River from Thailand to Laos in a wooden canoe.  We stood in awe as we looked into the boiling abyss at Iguazu Falls in northern Argentina. 

We found ourselves without words after visiting Yad Vashem (Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem).

We experienced the heat of tropical Malaysia, froze in the mountains in the north of Vietnam.  We made mugs from freshly cut bamboo using machetes in Thailand and listened to Monty Python in the silent White Desert of western Egypt near Libya.  We saw Ferraris for sale in a Bangkok shopping mall and witnessed a family of five children under the age of 10 begging by themselves on the subway in Buenos Aires.

The McBrides spent almost a year together and came away loving each more than ever.  Alannah and Connor grew into wonderful young teens, both growing in height so much that NONE of their clothes back home will fit upon return.

After travelling a distance equivalent to 1.4 times around the equator of the Earth, we are HOME. 

And we couldn’t have done it without the help of Fay Brunning back here in Ottawa.  Thanks so much, Fay.

To all of you who told me you enjoyed the photos taken by both me and Alannah and of Connor’s writing … a huge thanks.  We are very pleased you liked what we created.  We worked hard in some of the strangest Internet Cafes in the world (like the one in India that had LIVE mice as well as the computer versions).

  Thanks for following our “Snowfree” travels around the world.

Warren McBride … (sadly) signing off.

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Throughout the year we sent home packages of items that we purchased in different countries.  Here are Alannah and Connor in front of small mountain of boxes.  Kathryn and Will have already left our place and moved into their own purchased house. Now we face the task of “moving back in” … unpacking boxes and setting up our lives again.

Throughout the year we sent home packages of items that we purchased in different countries.  Here are Alannah and Connor in front of small mountain of boxes.  Kathryn and Will have already left our place and moved into their own purchased house. Now we face the task of “moving back in” … unpacking boxes and setting up our lives again.

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Finally, we arrive back at 899 Kingsmere Avenue in Ottawa … home.  We all felt very funny, sort of sad that the journey was over.  Here Connor in his new Mexico T-shirt says goodbye to our taxi that delivered us from the airport. 

Finally, we arrive back at 899 Kingsmere Avenue in Ottawa … home.  We all felt very funny, sort of sad that the journey was over.  Here Connor in his new Mexico T-shirt says goodbye to our taxi that delivered us from the airport. 

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July 23, 2008
Alannah and Connor joined the RCMP and are pictured here in front of their patrol car.  His commanding officer DID say that Connor’s hair was not following proper protocol … though he COULD act in an undercover capacity. 

Alannah and Connor joined the RCMP and are pictured here in front of their patrol car.  His commanding officer DID say that Connor’s hair was not following proper protocol … though he COULD act in an undercover capacity. 

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We visited “Depot” where all RCMP recruits receive basic training.  Here we came across a troop of 32 new arrivals who were practising on the parade square.  Not all participants were being as successful as others.  

We visited “Depot” where all RCMP recruits receive basic training.  Here we came across a troop of 32 new arrivals who were practising on the parade square.  Not all participants were being as successful as others.  

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Across the Prairies.

We drove across the Prairies from Calgary to Winnipeg in our rented Nissan Sentra.  A very pleasant car with a huge trunk … 3 huge back packs, 4 day packs, a roller bag and a new Canon Printer (free when Connor purchased an MacBook at the four-day-old Apple Store in West Edmonton Mall).  We stopped in Moose Jaw for a couple of days and then went onto Regina and Winnipeg.  I’ve never seen the prairies so green due to all of the summer rain.  A beautiful sight with green hay, yellow canola and light blue flax flowers.

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That’s “Mac the Moose” in the background.  In the foreground is Alannah and Connor with Aidan and Grayson McBride.  Mac the Moose can be found adjacent to the TransCanada Hiighway at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.  

That’s “Mac the Moose” in the background.  In the foreground is Alannah and Connor with Aidan and Grayson McBride.  Mac the Moose can be found adjacent to the TransCanada Hiighway at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.  

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What drive across Canada would be complete without a photo of grain elevators.  Unfortunately these buildings are fast disappearing from the prairie landscape.  These two are pictured at Tuxford, Saskatchewan, between Keeler and Moose Jaw.  Check out the prairie sky ! 

What drive across Canada would be complete without a photo of grain elevators.  Unfortunately these buildings are fast disappearing from the prairie landscape.  These two are pictured at Tuxford, Saskatchewan, between Keeler and Moose Jaw.  Check out the prairie sky ! 

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Grayson McBride, Aidan McBride, Connor McBride, Rob McBride and Warren McBride leaning on Aiden’s (he is 12) 1964 Chevy Impala at Rob and Barb McBride’s Farm at Keeler, Saskatchewan …  Chevy runs well, needs paint. 

Grayson McBride, Aidan McBride, Connor McBride, Rob McBride and Warren McBride leaning on Aiden’s (he is 12) 1964 Chevy Impala at Rob and Barb McBride’s Farm at Keeler, Saskatchewan …  Chevy runs well, needs paint. 

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An old 1937 Plymouth at the Rob and Barb McBride’s Farm in Keeler, Saskatchewan, just outside Moose Jaw. 

An old 1937 Plymouth at the Rob and Barb McBride’s Farm in Keeler, Saskatchewan, just outside Moose Jaw. 

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