Another travelling year!

It seems like every time I do one longer trip one year I end up doing at least one more longer trip the same year. And all of those years have one common denominator: one trip always includes BC and Canada (2005: Canada and Namibia, 2008: New Zealand and Canada).

This year is no different except that it's been four years since the last travelling year instead of three years (I "blame" JMK for that irregularity since they came to visit me in Sweden last year which made it difficult for me to visit them in Canada the same year...I only have that many vacation days a year). Another difference from previous years is also that I'm going to one country twice in one year. I saw part of the east coast of the US in May so now it's time to see part of the west coast of the US. I guess there is a third difference as well. That is that the "second" country's name this year doesn't begin with a N. :)

Since I missed out on Canada last year I have had a plan to go back this year. And it actually ended up being a good year for a visit since it's the ten year anniversary of finishing my exchange year over there. This also means that I have a ten year high school reunion to look forward to this summer!

At my graduation (I wasn't really allowed to graduate since I didn't have enough credits but I got to do all the fun stuff)!

Prom!

The first two week part of my trip will be all about Canada! And the second one week part will be all about US (with memories of Canada fresh in my mind of course :))!

My first week in BC, starting on Friday June 29th, will mostly be spent touring through the Rockies. It will apparently be me and lots and lots of Chinese on my tour. Maybe I will learn some Mandarin! I will then head over to Victoria on Vancouver Island and spend some quality time with my favourite younger sister and hopefully my favourite older Canadian sister. I will be in 100 Mile House for the last few days including July 14th when the reunion takes place!

I'm flying to San Francisco early on July 16th which will give me two full days in SF. I'm meeting my travel companion Bjorne from the last US trip there. We will drive down south in a rented cabriolet on Wednesday the 18th staying for a night in Cambria and then meeting another colleague in Los Angeles on Thursday. The drive to San Diego will continue and end on Saturday. While the colleagues stay in San Diego for an ESRI conference (company that produces GIS-software) I will begin my long flight back to Sweden on Saturday. It's mostly a long travel back because I will be in Chicago for 16 hours. My plan is to explore my sixth American city this year during those hours provided that I will be let out of the airport!

If all my connections work out I will land in Sweden on Monday the 23rd in the afternoon probably in a very tired condition!

Quatchi is very excited to "come home"! And he will have a travelling partner this time, Globe! Hopefully the two of them will get along (the Globe is inflatable and won't take up as much room as you may expect)!

Quatchi and Globe getting to know each other!