Ottawa is COOOOOLD

finally, after:

6 airports
5 planes
5 countries
48 hours (or thereabouts - maths is not my strong point)

and hearing the plane safety message in aussie english, kiwi english, french english, french, tahitian, spanish, canadian french and american english.....(you want me to recite - which language you want?)......

i have hit ottawa........bbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

the holiday adventures commencing in auckland continued of course. i literally ran through papeete airport to get my next plane since the one from nz was running late. then had a seat all to myself so managed to have a nice sleep.

arrived in new york with plenty of time to catch the cross-city airport transfer bus. new york is enormous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i breezed through customs in every place except canada - they mustn't be sure bout me - and it wasn't helped when i had to explain how it was i'd come to be there......

the story sounds suss even to my ears:

• customs officer: why are you here in canada?
• me: visiting for a holiday
• co: do you know anyone in canada?
• me: yeah, the mate i'm staying with
• co: how long have you known this mate?
• me: five years
• co: how do you come to know him?
• me: ummmmmm, we met on the internet...........................................................................
• co: so you've met him before face to face
• me: ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, no.......................................................

yeah - sounds realistic doesn't it....so that's why i then had to visit the immigration officers at the airport too!

but anyway, i've made it, had a great night's sleep last night. introduced ray to bundy rum (nope - he doesn't really like it.......rotgut is probably the term that came to mind hehehehehehe).

and today - vegemite is on the menu - i'll try to get a photo................

catch you all later.