Where Wouldn't You Go?
This winter changed our minds about holidays; it changed mine especially. Up until now I鈥檝e never understood why Canadians fly, drive and sail south during the winter months. Canadian winters are fascinating and helpful. Up until this winter, we sneered at the 鈥榮nowbirds鈥?who escape to Florida or Mexico for all 6 of the winter months. Or we鈥檇 turn our noses up at the families who go on cruises south of the equator. This winter for instance, we have practically been alone in our neighbourhood. Across the street from us, the family went to Florida and also had a cruise in the Pacific. The neighbours to our right decided on a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, and the ones on our left are in Mexico until April. And the couple four doors way are still on vacation and won鈥檛 be back until April. Between looking after four homes, we revel in winter鈥檚 erratic weather changes.
We wake up every morning in excited anticipation of what the wind chill factor will be, and whether this will be the day we have heart attacks from shovelling snow - and where to put the damned stuff. Up until this winter, we consoled ourselves by thinking what spring will be like - but this year the seasons have taken up different dates. This winter convinced us that it is time to become 鈥楽nowbirds.鈥?Next winter, we will travel鈥︹€ut to where? Where wouldn't you go? A dear friend in Central America suggested we spend next winter at his home on the beach. We welcomed that idea, and immediately began to daydream of sunshine and sand. He cautioned us about his two Rottweilers and two Dobermans, in case we were allergic. We reminded him that we were also dog lovers and the dogs would not be an obstacle. He went on to explain that three of the dogs were left outside every night, but a Rottweiler - the most vicious one - was kept indoors.
鈥淚n case it attacks someone? 鈥?our friend explained. 鈥淪ometimes the dogs that patrol outside get poisoned; the vicious one is the final protection, and of course I have the handgun under my pillow. When can you come down? We didn鈥檛 break the news to him straight away, that unless he came up to Canada - minus canines and firearms - it was going to be a long time before he saw us again. My wife has always wanted to see the Taj Mahal, but after the most recent gang rape there, she鈥檚 had a change of heart. I鈥檝e always wanted to see the Pyramids, but not during the present political turmoil. The decision was going to be difficult, so we retired to the local tavern to discuss our destination. We each took a notebook and pen with us and sat down with a beer. We discounted all the countries that were having military conflict, which left out Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Crimea and half of Africa.
Then we scored off the countries where the police and citizens seemed to have regular standoffs, and all the nations where murdering tourists seemed to be a favourite hobby. We were mulling over this list when a friend sat down beside us and asked what we were doing. When we explained, he called over to some other of his friends for their opinions. Within minutes the whole tavern was involved. Some of the answers surprised us. 鈥淒on鈥檛 go to London - the one in England, I mean,鈥?a voice called out. 鈥淎nd miss out Mexico; they murder tourists on a weekly basis.鈥?Another voice called out. 鈥淎s well as America; they all have guns and have you seen those real-life Cop programmes on TV? Sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account. 0 of 8192 characters usedPost CommentNo HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites. Your earthquake reminds me of the winter I popped into a corner store in a local village. The lady who owned the store was American, from the deep south. When I asked her 'What the hell are you doing shivering to death up here when you could be enjoying the sunshine? I supposed to find worms in this?