After sending off the first email, much to my delight, we started a regular correspondence of emails, letters and phone calls with me even sacrificing watching new episodes of Top Gear on a Sunday night so we could have lengthy chats. It was strange – we were learning more and more about each other without actually seeing each other but the conversation was so easy – it just felt so right.
Around the beginning of May I was overjoyed to be told that she was planning on visiting a friend in Amsterdam and wanted to stop by and see me on the way back. Plans were made and on the last Saturday of May, I found myself getting lost in West London trying to find the hotel where I had arranged to pick Alla up. It was nervous for us both at first but after spending a few days together, getting lost in the medieval maze at Hampton Court, walking along the cliffs on the south coast at Dover and in the woodland around my home in Canterbury it was time to say goodbye. On our drive to the airport, we made arrangements for me to visit Toronto in 6 weeks time and then she was gone. It was back to email and phone calls again.
Reunited and enjoying Dover.
Time was booked off of work (the joys on contracting) and after a brief panic where I realised my passport was about to run out, I was soon arriving in Toronto for my second visit to Canada.
Now this was somewhere completely different to Calgary – the temperature was above zero degrees for a start – in fact it was hotter than the UK and the humidity – oh the humidity – I was glad I brought a few spare shirts. It was also bigger, busier and more built up – much more like the European cities I had been used to from my previous travels. We did the tourist thing – up the CN tower, lunch by the lake and then it was time to meet her sister and her family and time for best behaviour with some English charm (cough). We had a wonderful evening where I was plied with Baileys over crushed ice and beer – there seemed to be more variety than just Labatt’s – I was impressed!
Testing out the wares at Bass Pro.
Next up it was a trip up to meet her parents at their home in Kimberly, north of the city near the bay. The car journey flew by, with a quick stop off at Bass Pro at Vaughan Mills – a supermarket filled with fishing tackle!!! (I was in heaven) and we were on our way out of the city on the 400. Now this is a highway which is comparable with any of the motorways in England for people tailgating, cutting you up and undertaking – I felt at home again. After we left the highway and travelled the last few miles to their house in the Beaver Valley I was amazed at the countryside – there were no fences between the land – it was open fields and woodland – something very different to England where everyone wants hedges, fences and walls to separate their land for their own little bit of privacy and to stop anyone else looking in.
Parents were met and my gift of a bottle of Pimms with all the trimmings was gratefully received and a pleasant afternoon was spent drinking in the summer sunshine before they left for the city and we could spend a few days together. That evening we sat on the deck watching the sun set where I discovered that the mosquitos up there had serious attitude as I was repeatedly bitten on my backside through a chair. We relaxed in the evening warmth and watched the stars come out and told each other we had fallen in love while I scratched my now bumpy backside.
Over the following couple of days we did lots of chatting and agreed that we didn’t want to go on with the long distance relationship and that we wanted to spend our lives with each other. After some lengthy discussions we agreed that Alla would initially move to England with me for a few years and we would then eventually move back to Canada together. After a few more days together enjoying the open space (and hot tub) I returned home and it was then her turn to travel to me.
Alla’s flight arrived at Heathrow on the last Friday of August and unfortunately I couldn’t get out of a work meeting so she was surprised to be met at the arrivals gate by my Dad (who she had never met) holding up a great big photo of her. That night it was off for a traditional British meal (a curry) to meet my close friends and then it was up early the following morning as we were off down to Devon and Cornwall for a long weekend. Now the last weekend in August is a Bank Holiday weekend (much like the Canada day weekend at the beginning of July) and it seemed everyone else was thinking the same, so a journey that would normally take a 4 or so hours took all day. Still we had fun, stopping of at Stonehenge on the way and me scaring the life out of her racing along the tiny little Devon back roads before arriving at our destination in Cornwall later that evening. The place was packed and we couldn’t find anywhere to eat so we settled on the balcony for another classic British meal of Sausage, Chips and Mushy peas washed down with a bottle of red wine – I knew how to treat a girl!
How romantic.
I returned to Toronto again at the beginning of November to see the last of the fall colours. We went down to the falls at Niagara and then stayed for a few days at Niagara on the Lake where I discovered that Canada had history (Her dad had been telling me this already but for some reason I hadn’t been taking it in) as well as a superb wine producing region, the delights of which were sampled extensively.
Our next trip was a return for us both to Calgary to visit my new born niece (no waiting around for my recently married brother and sister in law) as well as a chance for me to meet Alla’s other sister and family. My first Canadian Christmas was my first white Christmas too and the excitement of waking up to snow all over the ground was a novelty to me and a pleasant one at that. We said our goodbyes after a fun packed festive period on New Years Day thinking that we would next see each other when she was due to arrive in a couple of months at the beginning of
March.
March.
Cold weather, warm heart.
Two weeks later I was sitting at home watching TV when the phone rang and I found myself talking to a gruff sounding man who I realised to be Alla’s father who said ‘Jamie, I need to talk to you about something’. Immediately I panicked wondering what was going on (guilty conscience?) and thoughts were rushing through my head about him not being happy about her moving to England to be with me. Who else had I upset?
It turned out that they were holding a farewell party for Alla with family and friends in February and he wanted to fly me out as a surprise. I was a bit taken aback but agreed and I flew out with empty suitcases (which meant she could bring more stuff over) and through an operation of stealth and supreme sneakiness I was smuggled to the venue where I was to wait outside until the big moment.
Unfortunately the big moment took a bit longer than anticipated due to a plate of food being thrown over the floor as I was about to be brought in and presented to everyone. I learnt again that waiting around in shirt and trousers in sub zero temperatures while it was being cleaned up was not a good idea. The surprise was a success and tears flowed all around – in a good way I hasten to add although by the look on Alla’s face it took us a few moments to be sure of this.
I flew home the following day, knowing that I had better get the vacuum cleaner out and sort my flat out as in a couple of weeks time we would finally be living together…
Loving the story! Jamie, I am a friend of Kath’s and remember very well going out for dinner with Alla shortly before the two of you met and thinking ‘why hasn’t some guy snagged her up already?’.
Your story also reminds me of my own long-distance love – me here in Alberta and him in London. I took 8 trips overseas to see him before he could immigrate to Canada. We’ve been married now for 18 months and are expecting a baby in 6 weeks! We both agree that the time apart and having our relationship grow through talking on skype or the phone for countless hours is the secret to our success. Although the time and distance between us was difficult, I would do it again in a heartbeat!
What a fun story, and a great way to introduce yourself to all of us readers! I look forward to reading all about life once you’re on this side of the pond!
Love it! Love the pics. Love the British-isms. Can’t wait to hear more.
Oh, what a great story – so far… I can’t wait to read more of it, Jamie!! (My now-marriage started out as a long-distance relationship too, albeit not nearly as far-reaching… Toronto-to-Montreal for over two years was rough, but not the same as crossing oceans.)
Hooray for true love!!
How I love tales of people not put off by long distance relationships! Loving your tale Jamie!!! Can’t wait to keep reading!
I LOVE this story – so romantic. Le sigh. BTW, it was my plate of food that went flying all over the place when Bobo was stepping backwards and talking with his hands. Poor Bobo got so flustered! I’ll never forget the moment when you walked in and the expression on Alla’s face, priceless.
I’m looking forward to hearing a lot more from you Jamie, you spin a fabulous yarn (true yarn).