V is for VOYAGE to VISIT

Welcome to our week honouring the letter V as in vitality, vitamins, vigil, van, visa, vine, vigor, vacuums, visit and voyage.

In about 10 days, I'll be departing YVR (Vancouver International Airport) and heading to England and Wales.  This voyage is something I've been anticipating for a very long time.  I'll try to post something next week, but after that I'll be gone for at least 4 weeks.  I will be visiting friends in Newport and Swansea (Wales) plus in Hampshire, Liverpool, and North Yorkshire (England).

About half the time will be to areas that will be new to me.  For example, I'll be seeing more of the south western coast of Wales (courtesy of Liz and her hubby) plus northern Wales with Liz and my good friend Jane.  Below, Liz and I enjoy lunch overlooking the beach at Rhossili back in 2012. Jane will pick us up at her place and the three of us will tour Northern Wales.  I hope to visit the seaside town where my paternal grandmother was born and brought up - Llandudno - as well as some other areas around there. 

Also, on my own, I'll spend a bit longer than last time in Liverpool, where my paternal grandfather was raised.  At the same time, I hope to visit with Di (from here on ABCW) and her husband for at least a dinner after I have completed the hop on/hop off bus tour of the city.  Here's a photo from 2012 when my friend Cathy and I met them for dinner at "Gusto's" on Albert Dock.

Then it's on the train to head east to North Yorkshire to visit my friend Jill and her family.  We plan on doing a lot of touring around the Yorkshire area plus spend a day and a night in York - just the two of us - a nice girly outing!  Here are Jill and me one day when we went touring around in 2012 and stopped here for lunch.

After a week with her, I'll hop on the train again and head back to southern Wales to stay with my good friend Jane, whom I met 10 years ago when ... well, that's another story for another time.  We plan on celebrating our 10 years of friendship both there and here when (hopefully) she comes over to visit me again.  This time, it'll be in a different home, but the same village. Our birthdays are 2 days apart and she's celebrating a "biggie" this year so we're going all out to party - maybe go to Whistler for a few nights and/or to the Okanagan wine region to tour and taste some wines!  Here we are 4 years ago!

The letter V came up at just the right time so I could announce all about my voyage to visit my good UK friends.  If anyone thinks they might like to "break into" my place, forget it.  It's like Fort Knox with all the locks and CCTV cameras, etc.  Plus my daughter will be living at my place to take care of Tegan while I'm away.  So if you miss me, never fear, I will return with more and more photos and tales to tell.

With vigorous thanks to that vixen Denise Nesbitt, creator of ABCW, and to the valiant Roger, our administrator who is vital to the ongoing success of this meme. Also thanks to the valuable team of helpers who faithfully visit all the contributors to leave validating comments.