Parrots, sea lions, tide pools, palm trees, taxis that don't come, an originally-booked plane that doesn't leave with you on it...the last few days of this trip were certainly exciting ones!
Here's some footage of a whale watching trip we took, to get started...
Sunday, February 17
Balboa Park
After a morning service at a large local church, The Rock, which happened to be within walking distance from our hotel, Mrs. LaFrance and I struck out to take on San Diego. We navigated the city bus system for almost two hours, eventually pulling into Balboa park...
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| From top left: a duck takes a dip in one of the park fountains; a scene from the cactus gardens; an orchid blooms in the botanical building; Conure and African Grey parrots |
Monday, February 18th
Whale Watching
3:08 PM We just came in from a 3-hour-turned-5-hour whale watching expedition. The first wildlife we encountered as our boat galloped over the dark waves was a large pile of puppy-faced sausages. Sea lions, I mean.
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You lean on the wide, wooden rail of the bow, staring at the ocean. ...Dark, glimmering and unchanging, it's getting a little hard to look at. But you continue to watch out anyway, moving with the bucking motion of the boat as it leaps up and down the crests of waves. The wind is blowing in your ears, the unceasing voice of the captain is broadcasting from somewhere, and a few pelicans are circling the water to your left. Without warning, a white blast of mist erupts from the otherwise unbroken ocean. A exclamation echoes through the crowd, the broadcasted voice grows excited and a passel of jackets gathers around you. A black lump, topped by a huge hole, emerges from the water and disappears. A second black shape, an arcing, crested one, appears seconds later. The flukes of a huge tale suddenly flip out of the sea, applauded by a load "Whoa!" from the crowd. Holding up your camera, you snap an award-winning shot of someone's ear as the giant animal in the water rolls on its side, one long, knobby flipper flashing white. The captain is ecstatic.
And YOU realize that you've just been waved at by a 30 ton mammal.
Tidepools, Taxis, and the Last Adventure
After whale watching, we cabbed down to Ocean Beach Pier to beachcomb, jump waves and hang out with the sea anemones.
Afterwards we wandered down the street in hopes of finding something to eat. Settling at a BBQ place, our only problem became the taxi that was supposed to come and take us home. It didn't. The restaurant began to close, night took over the streets, guitars started playing...We finally ended up calling another cab and getting back, in two groups, two hours later--but not before getting into some interesting conversations with the local colour. The ministry work hadn't ended just because we had crossed the border!
Rerouted
Written Seattle Airport, 10:06 PM: Ok. A change of plans. Unexpected adventures like this are actually my favourite part of travel. In this case, we were in line for our flight when Lana and I heard an unusual announcement. "Due to weight imbalances and weather...10 volunteers must be rerouted for the night to Vancouver..." Vancouver? Better yet, volunteers are to receive $400 travel vouchers. "You got three more volunteers," Mrs. LaFrance told the agent. So much for today being the last day of the trip!
Two phone calls home, one customer service line-up and three new boarding passes later found us checking in to a Vancouver hotel that night--or morning, was it? Meanwhile while the plane we had planned on boarding went home without us. But with a nice hotel, free breakfast, vouchers, new airport and extra day of travel, who could complain? It looks another missions trip is paid for!
Thanks for travelling with us.
Until next time!
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3, NIV
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