Many MANY thanks everyone! (Sorry for the delay!!)

[Mystery Machine]

Hi Guys,

I'm SO sorry for not posting sooner - I've been back nearly 2 weeks now and haven't even logged on in that time!! (I'll come to the reasons why later...)

I got back safely on the 5th after a 22hr travel (lots of sitting around in airports!) and slept for 14hrs solid!

Boy oh boy – what a trip I had! Without doubt the best holiday/trip of my life and probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had too….and most of it is down to you lot.

I can’t even begin to say thank you enough for all your hospitality, time, effort and sheer kindness for looking after me for the duration of my stay in your wonderful country. Every single one of you made me feel SO welcome and at ease. The difficulty I have got is putting it all down without going off on a massive 20,000 word thank you speech – let alone covering, describing and recounting all the amazing places I visited, people I met, things I saw, food I ate and experiences I….experienced!

When I get chance, I will personally PM/email all who made my trip so special (or if I get time, I’ll phone some of you)

I have yet to sort through the 1,600+ photos I took, but when I do – I’ll be sure to post a select few up to ‘summarise’ my amazing trip.

Thanks also for the FANTASTIC Deli meet – a stunning weekend of dust, dirt, bugs, burnt food, Screech, Steve’s farts, hot springs and GREAT company! (Oh – and some cool Deli’s too…..)

So to the burning question…..am I now going to be moving to Canada??

Well, if I was single, then I would be back there already - looking for a job and a place to stay.

After a week of discussion and tough decisions with Amanda, we have decided to put plans on moving over to BC on hold for now. I desperately want to and she would like to – but she feels she is not ready for such a drastic change just yet. Because I fully respect her wishes and know that a relationship is a 2 sided thing, we have decided to sell up here in Bristol and move to Pembrokeshire in SW Wales for the time being (probably one of the most STUNNING parts of the UK)

This area is probably as near as you can get in the UK to the parts of BC that I fell in love with the most. Alright, there are no mountains etc….but it has the most amazing coastline, excellent surfing beaches, good biking, lots of character and not built up or commercialised like a lot of the UK.

The reason I have not been online since returning is because I have been working flat out getting my house ready to put on the market – we have decided to do this move and do it as soon as possible!

I might not be online much over the next few weeks due to sorting out the house (and finding a new one to live in!) but please note that you are all in my thoughts constantly – there is hardly a moment goes by where I’m not thinking of the amazing time I had and all the amazing experiences you gave me in my 16 days in BC.

Amanda and I WILL be moving to Canada…this has been decided…..but not just yet. It does hurt a little to know that I won’t be there as soon as I’d have liked – but then when do we ever get everything we want?? I have an AMAZING girl, good health and a lovely part of the world to move to until we are ready to move to the best part of the world. Maybe life isn’t so bad??

Thank you again everyone – and in the meantime…..keep enjoying and appreciating that wonderful place that you live….

Bruce.

[northvanmatt]

welcome back :D

[surferboy]

:D Hey Bruce, just missed your phone call yesterday, but thanks for your message, I am glad that you guys found a good alternative to the drastic life change of leaving everything behind to move to BC. sounds like SW wales is beautifull place to live while you guys gather your thoughts on moving to BC and work out all the pros and cons of it.. Family is important, and your girl's wishes to.. like you said, you already have what the most beautifull things life has to offer...an amasing woman, good health and a decent place to live... Do what you have to do my friend, I will never forget our meeting, good solid people like you are hard to come buy these days! Take care and call me whenever you have a minute, maybe next time, we will enjoy a cup of english tea looking at the ocean on your front patio in S.W Wales !! (would love to visit you over there soon..) Cheers and good luck! :P

[josh]

Bruce,

Glad you are doing good, and its great to hear that you made it home safe. It is also super rad that you truly did love Canada (and us Canadians) as much as you had thought you would. Enough to decide to move here. I cant wait! Its good news.

Don't work to hard, visit here a bit on your "breaks", keep in touch... and possibly get the ball rolling on the imigration process (I hear it can sometimes be a really lengthy process, and although you aren't planning on being here in the imediate future, you probably do not want to have to wait when you finally decide to come!)

I really enjoyed meeting you. I just wish we had more time to hang out.

Josh

[BCDelica]

Hi Bruce,

Glad to hear all's well. We'll all be ready and waiting to lend you a hand when the two of you cross that ocean!

Best Regards,
Kevin

PS. Your right, those long flights are brutal - I've had 3 hours sleep in the last 35 hours since leaving Bangkok! Too pumped to sleep but it'll catch up on me soon.