the space

So I am still in Dunedin, NZ. I am staying with my aunt Sue and uncle Kev who are both very, very nice and welcoming. I got here last Thursday at 5:10 pm. The plane was about 10 minutes early so Kev and Sue hadn't arrived at the airport to pick me up yet. It worked out well though because they were there less than 15 minutes and were able to get free parking. My cousin Sam came over for some coffee and I showed them all my picture collectin. Friday and Saturday were very wet and cloudy and we couldn't see anything outside so not very ideal for sightseeing. Kev has every Friday off because he is slighty retired, so we went down and took his car into the garage for a warranty. We walked back to Signal Hill Rd and had lunch. In the afternoon we went to look at my grandparents' house on Sligo Tce and did some shopping on George St. I bought a very nice possom sweater. My uncle Jack, aunt Margaret and cousin Rachel came for a little dessert and I showed them my picture collection. I also handed out some souvenirs from Afghanistan. Everyone seemed very pleased with what they got. On Saturday the weather was still miserable. We ended up meeting Jack, Margaret and Rachel at the Farmer's Market and going for coffee later at a place called Metro. It was here I discovered the ways kiwis name their coffee like Long Black or Flat White. I just had a passion fruit smoothie. After we went to a rug sale where they had rugs from all over but in particular, Afghanistan. The rugs were much more expensive than what I payed in Kandahar. We walked back to Signal Hill Rd and getting very wet in the process. We had supper and Sam came over and we went out for bar hop/Thompson family history lesson. He showed me places like where my great grandfather had a fish market, or where my dad used to go drinking when he was young. We talked about my grandfather's experience in World War 2 and about army in general. All very interesting stuff. I also had my first 'fish & chups' and second meat pie. We hit about 7 or 8 bars and I got in at 5:45 am. The next morning was very hard for me.  It is a shame though, because the sun had finally come out to shine. I woke up at 1:00 pm. Jack, Margaret and Rachel were all over eating lunch. They had met Kev and Sue at mass. Once they were done eating we all went off for a little walk up Signal Hill which has a very good lookout at the top. My stomach was rumbling around all day. I had to take a nap at around 5:00pm. I woke up and Sue gave me some Savaloy sausages to eat. They were yummy. And we watched Meet the Parents on TV.

 

Tomorrow Mat and Casha are coming to eat some pancakes. And then I'm going to hitch a ride with Jack and Margaret as they drive back to Christchurch.

 

Hello everyone.

 

I'm leaving for Afghanistan in just a few hours. If anyone wants to send me something, my mailing address is as follows:

 

594 MCPL THOMPSON C.L.

SHQ TP A SQN LdSH(RC)

TFA ROTO 3

2 RCR BATTLE GROUP

PO BOX 5058 STN FORCES

BELLEVILLE, ON

K8N 5W6

 

I'll probably still be able to check out facebook over there so you don't have to worry.

Early on Thursday morning I will be leaving for Afghanistan once again. This time should be alot more interesting than last time. I am attached with a squadron of tanks.

 

I spent last week in Montreal spending time with my family, friends and girlfriend Fal. I was there for 9 days and they went by at a pretty moderate pace. I was surprised, but I did so many things every day. I went to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa with my parents to see the Afghanistan exhibit. We also went to visit my buddy Jason Warren's grave in the Canadian Forces Cemetary. I jammed with Adamo and he posted some videos of us on youtube. Fal brought me to the Bell Centre to watch the Canadiens lose again against Carolina. But it was fun and exciting to be there. I had my Koivu sweater on and she had a hot pink Habs jersey. I bought a beer and hot dog and it cost 13$. Then we went to Cage Aux Sports cause I wanted to redeem some free beer from bottle caps but the waiter said that the promotion had ended.  I went to Transfig a couple of times and many people told me that they would pray for me while I was there and I thanked them all.

 

At the end of May and beginning of June I will have a 3 week break from Afghanistan and I will be going to Seoul to visit my friend Tim who is teaching english there and then I'll be heading to the south island of New Zealand to go visit family I haven't seen in a long time. It should be fun.

 

I should be back in Canada at the end of August. It will feel good to be back. My first order of business when I get back is to move back to Montreal. I'm getting homesick here in oil country.

 

I'll try to write a couple of blogs while I'm over there to keep everyone informed.

 

Seeya

 

 

 

The following are extracts from my grade two journal

 

88-09-09

 

 

My ant is staiing at my houes for 2 day.

 

88-09-15

 

 

I stred clekt Alis in wonedreland glasses. I have for glasses. I get them at moet.

 

88-09-23

 

 

I wach the olypmics ever day at 400 when I come back fomr school with my brother aned I always see gymnastics.

 

88-10-02

 

 

I watched the closing semauronea of the olympics and we saw all the danses and there was a big bridge and they danst.

 

88-10-14

 

 

My Cusin is coming in Noveber and her name is beackea and she is going to sleep in my sister room she lives in new zealand.

 

88-10-24

 

 

I had a fake birthday party. My real birthday is on October 27th. I got a baskerball toy and a hotidyoumin from the real gostbusters. I got a resaler too and a ningua and a mudl.

 

88-11-09

 

 

My dad is going on a chrip. He is going for almost two weeks. He is coming back on Friday. ON Friday it is my mothers birthday.

 

88-11-14

 

 

Yesterday I went out. I went to bed at 11:30 in the nigth. I was tired this moning. I went at my aunts house and saw her halloween costume.

 

88-12-01

 

 

On Noveber the 29th 1988 in the night. My causen came and she had a blue suetcase. The suetcase awas the same couler of my brothers coat. We touck the van.

 

89-01-09

 

 

I had a lot of gifts. I had a new T.V. and a wersling ring and a farting cooshen and werslers and a bir pad and a hocky sweter.

 

89-01-19

 

 

We made a fort. We made it at the park. It was big. There were al ot of peaple helpping. There were a lot of bricks.

 

89-01-30

 

On Sunday I went Cross Contreey skiing. It was fun. But I fell down twlv time. I had a hut chocklit.

 

89-02-13

 

On Sunday I went tabaganing I brot my new sled. My new sled went fast. It has a stering weel. It's like a car.

 

89-02-16

 

 

Every morning I get the newspaper. It comes at 6:57 in the morning. I wake up at 7:00 and when I get up it's there. I alway look at the sports.

 

89-02-26

 

 

My haliday was fun. I watched t.v.. We bouth a secknd haded car. We soled the old car. It was 100,000 dollars. I got a hair cut. I had gests over.

 

89-03-03

 

 

Jamie's birthday was ufn. He had a lot of gifts. Six kids came to the birthday. It was on  Saturday.

 

89-03-14

 

 

ON Friday march tenth it was wreslling at the fourm. The fourm was coudid. There were seven matches. I dought the pogram.

 

89-03-21

 

 

Four days befor easter. I like easter because we eat chocolate. There's Wensday, Tersday, Friday and Saterday. I like easter.

 

89-03-29

 

 

I had two people at my house. Their names are Ceven and Dedra. Ceven's mother is a cousin of my father. They lived in New Zealand but now they live in Londen. They took our bedroom and we had to sleep in the T.V. room. We brouth our money because we thouth they wood take our money. I liked my easter.

 

89-04-03

 

 

There's a prablim in our vekaitions. We don't know were to go. My sister wants to go to Mesxeco. My mother wants to go somewere up north. I don't know were the others want to go. I said to my sister I want to go were ever she wants to go. So I want to go to Mesxeco.

 

89-04-10

 

 

I bouth new sheos. I bouth two pers of sheos. I bouth some for my first communion and they come from wilcats and the others are running sheos from reebok and they cost 57.00

 

89-04-17

 

 

We go to the maple house each year with our aunts and ucles. It's fun. We can walk aroud the forest and drink maple sirip in the buckits. There are videogames.

 

89-04-24

 

 

My sister bought a new bike. It's red. It's a supercycle. It's hevey. Now her old bike belogs to my brother and his old belgs to me.

 

89-04-26

 

 

It was fun. The bread was mashey. It wasn't blessed. I'm number twetey because we have to sit in a cheir. I know want to do. I have to do ofertorey pershen it's easy.

 

89-95-04

 

 

After my first communion we took picktrues and I can't until we get the picktrues come out. I got a casio watch from my mother and father. I got necklis from my aunt and uncle and sixty dallers from everyone.

 

89-05-08

 

 

I didn't give him a toy because I didn't find anything that he liked. So I gave him five darllers. His name is Richard. He lives acoss the street from me. In our suprise bag we got a Garfeld.

 

89-05-15

 

 

Before Sunday we went to a resterot called win wha and I saw Michel I said hi and then I went to my table. We had to go to the salid bar. My mother like the resterot. It was fun.

 

89-05-23

 

 

I didn't like the hockey on Sunday because the canaides lost four two for the flames. I think Patick Roy wasn't a wake. They were in Monteal. It was at 7:30 and ended at 10:00. It was sad when they lost.

 

89-05-29

 

 

ON Sunday my motherfather my brother and I went to see the movie IMAX. It was about space. Some Parts were funny. The funnyest Part was when they were eating. They picked up there food and the food foated. Someone jumped in a basket and crashed in to a net. It was a ganint screan. We were sitting in the second row. We went to see it last year but it was about doctor.

 

89-06-05

 

 

On Firday my father my brother and I and my brother's frind Tony. My mother drove us to my father's work. After that my mother went shopping with my sister. We went to berger king to eat. Then we went to the form.

 

89-06-12

 

 

My dad went on a bisnis trip with his work. It was sad when I saw him go. He left on Friday morning at 11:00. We just droved him there. I miss him.

 

89-06-16

 

 

How did you become a movie star? How are you? I am eight years old. I am going to be nine in October the 27. my name is Charlie Thompson. I like you very much.

love,

Charlie

 

89-06-20

 

 

Yesterday on Monday it was field day. I was in Ireland. My team won silver. We were agnest Scotland. They won two games and won all the other games. I liked the basketball throw the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Adamo and I are back in Edmonton after the greatest road trip ever!

 

 

However, it didn't start off so great. We packed up Theresa (my tercel) and were off at 10:00 am on Jun 30th. About 45 minutes later, while we were on Hwy 2 heading south just shy of Ponoka, Theresa started to shake and rumble. At first I thought it was just the road but then I turned the music down  (which was coming from the california playlist from my iPod) and I thought it may be a flat tire. I was also thinking about how much I had to pee. So I pulled over and we checked the tires. The ones on the driver's side were alright. I then looked over at Adamo and he looked at me and said in his calm demeanour, "Charlie, you have a flat tire." So I took a piss on the side of the highway, so did Adamo. We pulled everthing out of the trunk to get to the spare tire. I changed the tire and we were probably only stopped for 15 to 20 minutes which we thought was pretty fast. We drove 80 km/h until we got to Red Deer. We stopped off at Don's Tire and only had to wait about an hour for them to finish off the job. So we went to Adamo's favourite cafe: Second Cup. He bought the coffees seeing he had his employee discount card (which was expired). So instead of taking 5 hours to get to Lethbridge, it took us 7 hours. I was just relieved that this incident happened early on in the road trip.

 

 

While in Lethbridge we stayed at my old time cyber space buddy Tracey. I had only met her once before when my old army buddy Dave dropped by Edmonton for a visit with his younger sister. Tracey showed us all over Lethbridge, including the bridge in Lethbridge or as Adamo called it: The Lethbridge Bridge. We also went to a pub that Tracey frequents and saw the new crappy Superman movie, which sucked. She made us pancakes (at Adamo's request) and coffee and we were on our way. Before taking off, we wanted to take a picture of all 3 of us. So Adamo placed the camera on the roof of the car and set the timer. All of a sudden, a jogger passing by asked if we would like him to take our picture for us. So we agreed. He then continued to mention he was a professional photographer. Wiping the sweat from his shining face, he ordered us to stand beside the car while he frantically kicked a dirty Player's cigarette package that was on the ground out of the frame. He took aim at us with the camera. Unhappy with the sun's position he moved a couple of feet to his right, took aim again, bent his knees a little, leaned forward, and looking at the LCD he squeezed the shutter release button atop the camera halfway. Now he was ready to take the shot. He took one last breathe, held it and in exactly that moment, he took the greatest souvenir picture ever. Simultaneously, he exhaled and released the shutter release button. He took a second to view his art and we could tell by the expression on his face that he was delighted. He gladfully handed back the device to Adamo. "So, what are you guys doing for Canada Day, eh?" he asked. "We're going to the sates!" I replied. He had a sad look on his face. Adamo, Tracey and I viewed the artwork he had just taken and it was amazing. We looked up to thank him for what he had done for us, but he was already gone, just like superman, on his way jogging down the road.

 

 

It took us about an hour to go from Lethbridge to the US border. We had to wait for a very long train right before the border. Adamo took some pictures. So we got to the border and the guard asks me, "Do you have any alcohol, tabacco, fire arms, fruits?" I replied no to all of them. He then asked, "Do you have any meat?" I hesitated for a moment. I had brought some quesidillas mix that I had made the day before. I was thinking if it had any meat in it because some quesidallas have meat. Mine didn't though. So I gave him a delayed response. He didn't like my hesitation. So he said, "You need to go to number 2!" Which was an inspection station. So some guy looked at what we had for a couple of seconds and that was it. We were in the land of the free at last. Our first stop was a McDonald's which Adamo treated me to cause he had American money and I didn't. We stopped a couple more times in both Montana and Idaho. Our final destination that day was Salt Lake City. We had been driving for 13 hours. We weren't tired, but we knew we had to take a break. We stopped off at a Flying J for a late supper. Then it was off to Theresa where I planned to sleep. When the conversion of a car to a camper was completed, Adamo complained that he wouldn't be able to sleep in such conditions. There was a Best Western across the street so we went in and inquired about rooms. They had none available. So we drove down the freeway and saw another hotel and it was also booked. So we decided to just park and sleep. Or at least park and just sit there. So once the sun rose again, i woke Adamo up and we on the road again. We stopped at the iHop in Cedar City, UT for breakfast. It was good, but not as good as Vancouver. Our waitress' name was Celeste. She took our picture. Now it was off to Vegas for the Damster and I.

 

 

We got into Vegas at noon and found the Hooter's Hotel Casino right away. But I had only made reservations for the Monday and Tuesday, not the Sunday. When I was planning this road trip, I anticipated that we'd be tired of driving so I thought we woundn't make in two days, but we did. Hooter's was all booked so we stayed at the Tropicana right next to it. This is one of the original hotels in Vegas and it both looks and smells like it. The elevator was really slow and gross, so I'd have to take the stairs, holding my breath and running so not to inhale the fumes. The worst part of it was that this room was 4 times the price of the Hooter's room and the Hooter' was so much better.

 

...more to follow...