Buenos Aires!

We're in BA. everyone had described it as the perfect mixture of new york and paris. maybe my expectations were too high, especially coming in on a saturday night and not going out (from australia, this was 100% opposite timing). So most things were closed, it was dark due to the farmer's fires and my first impressions were of lovely old building, garbage, spraypaint and pee.

Fortunately, things got better today. After waking up at 2am (Simon wouldn't go out with me, party pooper!) and aimlessly trying to sleep until 5am, finally woke up at noon and we went to st. Thelmo market... really just a bunch of junk, but lively. Had a good lunch. Cider BTW comes as a massive jug of cut fruits in juice, not alcoholic. quite the surprise! lots of dogs.

Spanish lessons start tomorrow. Hate not being able to communicate!

[Erica, Stu and fam - we miss you! Thanks for the wonderful stay in Australia. We still sing the (&*(!!) train song and miss bubba's belleh. I hope you enjoy your 'rest week' and am thinking of you for the radiation part]

Tess

birthday party!

Today we celebrated little Alex's (bubba)'s first birthday! Erica and Stu had organized a jumping castle and all their family/friends brought a lot of the food/cake etc. What a great community they have!

Alex was completely indifferent, but Sam loved the presents, crackers, cake and mess. We're all crashing from a sugar high. Pics to follow, I was trying to get some of Erica and Stu with the boys (there exist no pictures of Erica apparantly) and remembered today what a shocking photographer I am. aght well.

Exhausted. How do parents do it!?

Here's a newer picture of Sam and Bubba that Erica sent. What cuties. I miss you boys!

Changes

Started this to keep everyone up on what’s happening. The first post is a bit intimidating but here’s some background on us.

- Left our jobs and moved away from the valley – silicon valley, palo alto more precisely, idea is to settle near Vancouver area. Tough move since we loved our little cottage (garage), both had great jobs and enjoyed them. We want kids (well, at least puppies for now) and family nearby to look after them and there are some adventures brewing that are tough to do with jobs and babatjies.

- Moved to Abbotsford (just outside Vancouver) to my family’s ranch. It’s perfect in that we get to live in the most beautiful home, and even be somewhat alone as there’s a self-contained apartment downstairs. Since my grandpa died last August, it’s been tough on my nanny living in such a big house by herself.

- Are just on our way to Sydney Australia for a few weeks to visit with my old rugby friend from UBC, Erica Slack/Morgan. She got hit with pancreatic cancer – brutal - and is just about to start chemo. Hoping she dump-tackles it. We’re looking forward to spending time with the carrots (her kids have the craziest red hair) and her husband Stu.

- Then off to Argentina to travel up S.America for 3 months… neither Si nor I have been before. Landing in Buenos Aires. Rough agenda
o Learn Spanish - No habla espanol!! Help.
o Nan will come for two weeks in May to BA and Mendoza (the wine region). Heard that BA is the perfect mix of Paris and NY, looking forward to it!
o On to Patagonia, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Equador/Galapagos
o Saving Brasil for another trip

- Back sometime end of June/early July to enjoy a summer in Van/Vernon – no better place. August to northern BC/Alaska. Possibly new jobs or maybe SEAsia? Never been there either.

Okay, that’s the start. Let’s see where this goes! Please email with your updates or recommendations. Already been? Tell us what you loved.

Tess + Si