Sept. 29 Day 31
Today was a day of ending and beginning. Last night we said goodbye to Chris and Boris. Today, Alex and Bonnie received one last hug. The time in Vancouver has been awesome and it’s hard to see it end. Even baby Alex seemed to know we were leaving. This morning our active grandson who is usually too busy for hugs, crawled up onto Grandpa’s knee and stayed there. Every time Tom tried to put him down he objected. Thanks to Bonnie and her efforts at Skyping Alex knew us before we arrived. What a wonderful blessing.
The trip home has begun. We arrived in Kamloops about 4:30 ready to stop for the night. Our frustration mounted over the next hour. On the way west we had stayed five nights in four different Choice hotels. They have a fall special that offers one free night after two separate stays in a Choice hotel. We went on line to book our free night at a Choice hotel in Kamloops. Neither of us could remember the Password, so we called instead. Patiently we found our way to a representative. After giving all our information, he informed us we did not have enough points for a hotel in Kamloops. The advertisement doesn’t mention points, I said. It states that two nights in two separate hotels earns the free night. This representative just kept saying “not enough points.” I asked to speak to a supervisor. After about 15 min. on hold, the call cut out. Obviously, their system timed out. Needless to say, tonight we’re in the beautiful new Fairview Hotel which is connected to the Marriott hotel chain. Their rates were less than a Choice hotel as well. It will be a long time before we look for a Choice hotel. We don’t do business with company’s that put out false advertising. I’ve already sent a note to the head office of Choice rewards and tonight I’ll email Trip Advisor.
In the grand scheme of this trip, that frustration is barely on the radar. We had a lovely drive today. This part of BC is quite desert-like. Everything is a faded yellow. Even the weeds look thirsty as you can see in the picture. Still the naked mountains felt magical as we winded our way through them.
After we checked in to the Fairview high up on the side of the mountain, Tom and I drove down into the heart of town. Kamloops is spread out over a huge valley and meanders up the sides of the mountains as well. It’s a beautiful city. During our drive we checked out possible supper spots. In the end we chose “The Noble Pig”, just because I liked the name. Turned out it was a brew pub with a young clientele. The dining room was partially separated from the bar area, which made it quiet and secluded. The food was fabulous. The menu said that all beer and food were produced on the premises. Supper was an experience, a wonderful experience. We started with a bacon potato soup and a buttery cheese onion biscuit. Wow. That soup had just enough bite to make it interesting. The smooth texture and warm orangey color brought comfort to our souls. I had a delicious salad with a fresh Pacific red salmon steak on top. Tom had curried bison with cashew nuts, green beans, cilantro and much more. Both meals were artistically laid out on the plate, melt in your mouth yummy, fresh and tasty. We would recommend “the Noble Pig” to anyone who travels through Kamloops.
Where was God today? For sure God was with us helping us to say goodbye, and keeping us focused on the next stage of our journey. The mystical mountains with trees dotting their sides certainly spoke to us of God’s amazing creation. Tonight, at the restaurant, we felt God’s warmth and joy in the friendly, extremely competent waitress who served our dinner. When we raved about the soup and asked about a recipe, she happily talked with the chef and brought us the ingredients. I stretched out my knees and arms as I swam in the pool an loafed in the hot tub tonight. Now we’re both doing our “computer thing”. Tom says, “Maybe God intended us to be in the luxurious hotel tonight. The comfort and exercise has helped with the sadness that comes with goodbyes.” This is definitely what we need tonight. Tomorrow will be a new day, a new walk with the Spirit. God is good, all the time.