PEN PAL

That was the photograph of my pen pal whom I got to know when I was 12th. His name was James R Sollis. I hope I spell the correct surname. When I was in Canada I tried  to find him but to no avail. His last address was in Tenn.

I think it was a Disney program then or was it Sesame Street where they have a pen pal section.

I hope to meet James one day.

Columbia Icefield

Columbia Icefield, Jasper August 1988

Believe me, that was the real me in 1988. It was not super imposed.I was thin because I ate a lot of sardines. Why? Because it was hard to buy a muslim slaughtered beef or chicken then. We have to buy those from Winnipeg.My critics accused me of eating non slaughtered beef (its beef or chicken but was not slaughtered by muslims) which was untrue. But I did buy some kosher meat and chicken.

I was there in August 1988. The reason I wore a short and the Australian map t shirt was to denote it was cold (below zero) at Columbia Icefield  Canada in August (summer) but it is winter in Australia. I remember as I finished taking that photo, I hopped into my rented car and switched on the heater full blast. I was not a hero!

I thought I could go again to Jasper for a skiing trip but what can I say. There are many other wishes which did not materialize such as wanting to rent a one bedroom apartment at downtown Saskatoon. The rent was CAD 600 yet my scholarship was only CAD 420 per month. Another wish was to take a train trip along Banff and Jasper National Parks.

Lake Louis was another place I envy. But sad to say I burned that picture  I took at Lake Louis during my "uncertain period" between 1991 to 1998. Everybody I met in Saskatoon shared with me the feeling  of having a good honeymoon in Banff and Jasper.

I wish the royal couple Prince William and Kate the very best on their coming wedding.