CT - Dubai - Toronto - Edmonton

We have a D-day and the flights are booked! (well reserved at least, until we pay :) The plan is to leave Cape Town on the 9th of April, fly to Dubai and land in Toronto on the 10th, spend a night there, land in Edmonton on the 11th and head to Whitecourt on the 13th! Four days of travelling half way around the globe. Can't wait!

Thank you to all who wished Craig well for his exam. Although he will only get his results at the end of April it did seem to go well and he is quietly confident that he'll get through. Keep holding thumbs for us!! Otherwise no other news for now on the Operation Canada front, just admin, admin and admin!

Good Luck Craig

Craig is writing his Canadian medical exam today, after studying for about four days in total.

Good Luck!

Whitecourt Info - letting you know what we're gettin into!

Whitecourt is a small Canadian town, about an hour north-west from Edmonton, the capital of Alberta. It is very close to the Rockies and within driving distance to Banff and Jasper, two of Canada's most famous ski resort towns. Although it is the beginning of spring, our sources tell us that it is still reaching -40 some days! About 8 000 people live in Whitecourt and it looks like a beautifully looked after town, where people know each other well.

For more information and pictures, visit www.whitecourt.ca and tell me what you think. It's a two year contract!

Whitecourt: Our destination for Easter '09!

The up, down, turn-it-all around whirlwind

And in other (surprisingly thrilling, shockingly fast) news... not 24 hours after I had been in tears as I finally accepted that we would not be leaving until the end of April (and would that really be the last delay, would we ever get there, is this limbo permanent...aargh!) Craig's exam number came through, after taking 3 days and not 4 - 6 weeks as was promised.

Now that's first world efficiency for you!

So poor, darling Craig is writing on Friday with the bare minimum of study time and has been working today through an onslaught of gastro. My champion!

Upshot being... we leave in TWO AND A HALF WEEKS!! Scaringly soon, but after all my moaning and groaning (thanks for putting up with me, friends) I just can't complain - I'm too excited!

Good and Bad News

Yesterday we were more relieved than jubilant when we found out that our visas have been finally and officially approved. It's all systems go, and we are now able to book a one way ticket!

But, as always with this process, three steps forward, two steps back - so predictable we should have been expecting it.

Craig has hit an exam hitch - he will be unable to work until he has written it, and the next time he can write it is on the 4th May. No exam, no work, no money to swan around Canada.

So we'll kick up a fuss, ask some questions, email everyone we can about it. Will keep you posted!

P.S. 38' C today... makes us think that a Canadian winter could be quite pleasant.