12 March 2010

What a busy week it has been. In preparation for the trip to Panama I downloaded numerous birdsongs from Xeno-Canta to my PSP (for portable playback), photocopied various pages from the Bird-Finding Guide, and confirmed the various reservations we had made. I even bought a netbook so that I could keep up with my blog while I was in Panama, and of course that needed setting up to be of any use.

12 March 2009
Joanna and I were up early - but what's new. I finished the last of my 2009 blog postings and rapidly packed my suitcase and carry-on backpack. I also had to write a letter giving permission to Joanna to take Amelia out of the country without me (has it really come to this?), and I had to call VISA to let them know we were going to be using our cards out of the country. By 12:00pm it was go-time, as Joanna needed to check-in at the Victoria airport by 1:00pm for her 3:30pm flight. After doing that we went for lunch at a nearby restaurant and at 2:15pm I dropped Joanna and Amelia at the airport, kissed them both profusely, and wished them a great trip.

From there I went straight to Swartz Bay, where BC Ferries would take me to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal from which I would catch a coach to the Vancouver airport, and then a shuttle to the hotel I was staying in before flying out early Saturday morning. And that's where I am now - typing live and up-to-date from my hotel room.

Out of habit I documented all of the birds I saw on my trip from home to the hotel, and although they won't count toward the Panama Birding tally, they are useful, if not now, certainly later.

It is now just 10.5 hours to departure. See you on the other side.