Off road driving, weddings, birthdays, canada, family, Niagra Falls, and a lot of airplanes.....
July....
The Evil Month in terms of travelling. Spanning 3 continents I have successfully jumped from Malaysia to Scotland to Canada to Scotland to Malaysia all within that evil little month of July. Whose mad idea was this you ask? Well, it could only be my mother’s couldn’t it.
My mother in her infinite wisdom decided it would be nice to visit both set of grandparents within the same convenient 3 weeks thus ensuring we do not leave anyone out. Naturally, as my family are rarely helpful in term of geographical location, this meant insatiably horrible jet-lag which, thankfully, my mother suffered from more than anyone else, this being her idea I find a certain amount of irony comes across.
Despite my sinicism, the trip was enjoyable and it was lovely seeing everyone for the brief time we were there.
Below I have provided some proof of our brave journey into the land of those peculiar Scots and oh so conniving Canadians. Hopefully it shall garner some insight into their odd cultures and mannerisms.
First I shall begin with the first driving lesson.
Ordinarily this takes place in an empty parking lot with an abundance of tarmac, no obstacles (bar the odd cat) and little by way of danger to all but the gear box. For my lesson we shall replace tarmac with mud and a lack of obstacles with hills and big ponds. I shall leave my explanation there.
While waiting Sian discovered that if she had wellies on then surely jumping in a puddle of mud wouldn't matter. She discovered the error of her ways when removing the wellies to discover muddy socks. But it's the fun of it that matters right?
Carrying on from this head-bashing adventure we all found ourself in a wedding (actually the wedding was before the driving lesson but I've taken a bit of dramatic licence with dates..also its too fidely to correct)Marc and his now-wife Arleene seem to have gone and gotten married, which is rather odd really but the reception was lovely and you can see the Weber family all in the same location for the first time in many months all dressed up in kilts, waistcoats and whatever you call what my mum is wearing (clothes, I suppose).
Taking a sharp turn from weddings to Birthdays the second annoying idea my mother came up with was a 70th birthday party for granny.
This. was. a. headache.
First we had to deal with the rather threatening aspect of Scottish weather for which we aquired a tent thing to cover the almost certain rain (which never came)
This was no small feat, as father dearest shows his attempt at translating the de-structions.
Add to the mix a small amount of margaritas, produced by oh-wonderful-brother of mine, an art which he has worryingly perfected, and you can gain an underdstanding of the night that was to follow.
It also involved bagpipes.
We discovered that, yes, it is possible to play happy birthday on the bag pipes...who knew?
We then rather suddenly find ourselves in canada.
Observe my Canadian half....
Then to Niagra Falls.
Tempted as I was, I did not try to go over the falls in a barrel...I decided it might mess up my hair...or i could chip a nail.
It's a canadian flag...
Thats the American Falls...puney in comparison to the might of the Canadian ones! (not that it's a competition)
Then we went for a wander around Niagra-on-the-Lake which is a gorgeous little town and the weather was scorching hot and splendid so I bought a big wooly coat...as you do. Sadly the picture of me wearing it, in the sorching heat, is on my dad's camera and I'm too lazy to retreive it...as i admited earlier.
And just because it's a lovely picture...here's oma in one of her favourite places, Niagra-On-The-Lake looking very cheerful.
Now I have finally recovered from my trips I can admit that they were lovely despite the evil jet-lag and that it was a wonderful trip with some, brilliant and...interesting...memories.
