Norfolk, Virginia -R&R time
I continue to reunite with fantastic friends on this journey. I arrived in Norfolk, Virginia just before noon on Saturday and went straight to the home of JP and Tamia to begin a couple days of R&R. JP and I flew together back in 2000/2001 and have maintained contact since then and any chance I get to see the two of them is always taken. Also visiting were Graham and Sue who were in transit from Ottawa to points south. As always with great friends, we quickly got right back into the swing of reminiscing about the ‘good old days,’ telling stories (lies), and discussing future plans. I did my best to convince these young guys to retire as soon as possible.
Coffee on the dock at noon eventually turned into a couple of cold ones as the day progressed. Energetic as always, the women put the lazy men to shame as they took out the kayaks for a paddle around the bay. We all headed downtown for dinner at a favourite establishment followed by an evening walk along the waterfront. The full moon rising over the water greeted us as we returned home and relaxing by the fire was the next order of business. What a wonderful day!
Graham and Sue had to depart Sunday morning to continue their journey; their coincidental visit was a wonderful opportunity for me to reconnect and get caught up . After more relaxation time, Tamia, JP and I headed out to First Landing State Park with their dogs Sandy and Lennox for an enjoyable hike in the forest. It was great to get out and stretch my legs after close to 2,000 km of driving in the last week. Tamia and JP prepared a delicious dinner to finish off a fantastic day.
I had to leave on Monday to continue my own journey southward however the three of us decided to do brunch at a wonderful diner south of town first. Afterwards, we went to the Military Aviation Museum of Virginia Beach where we saw a few dozen WW 1 and 2 aircraft and received a very informative tour from some veterans. After saying goodbye to my hosts, I headed south in intermittent, then very heavy, rain. For my first bad weather day, the brunch, museum and transit plan was the perfect plan.
Tamia and JP were incredible hosts and I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed their company and friendship. We’ve known each other for over 20 years and we have shared quite a few experiences together. I am very grateful for their generous hospitality and look forward to the next time we get together.
