Page 9 Pics -Saskachewan - Vancouver
~*~ Click here for Link~*~

26th August - Santa Ana CA to Mobile AL

I left California and boarded Continental flight to Mobile Alabama with changeover at Houston. Oh brother did I have to run between flights one end of terminal to another. Arrived safely and early in Mobile to be met by Mark, had an early night ready for drive to Florida next day.

27th August - Mobile to Indian Rocks Beach FL - 536 miles

We left bright n early and headed down the highway to Florida, took us around 9 hrs with stops and lunch. Mark still whining about driving 300 miles listening to sappy love songs by Barry Manilow and Barry White..lol  I was amazed tho he knew all the words to those songs...lmao After arriving we met up with Troy and the new love of his life Claudia, known as Clau. Yes peeps newsflash !!!! Troy is in LOVE !!!!! I couldn't believe the transformation in him in 3 months since I saw him last. Wtg Clau it wasn't hard to tell he truly loves you. We all headed for dinner and laughed and chatted away the evening. I then started to wonder about Troy n Mark when they performed their dancing skills.lol  Those 2 immediately hit it off like they had been best buddies for years.

28th August - My Birthday !!!

I had a really lovely relaxing birthday, spent the morning walking the beach with Mark and then for a swim. We met up with Gena for lunch and then spent the afternoon relaxing some more... Met up with Troy later in the day and sat outside drinking and dining out on pizza....lol. The laughs were a plenty and was lots of fun...Thanks guys for a very memorable day and night.

Friday was action packed day and night. Took off to Clearwater beach for Mark to experience parasailing and jetskiing. We booked for both adventures.. 800 feet parasail and 45 mins on jet ski together. Mark informed me that he was afraid of heights...lmao... As we headed out on the boat I could see him going white around the gills..... I laughed !!! we got strapped into our harnesses then off we went into the wild blue yonder... I looked across at Mark to ask if was ok...I couldn't help noticing the whites of his knuckles as he was holding on so dang tight !!!!! Once I convinced him to relax he really did have fun and enjoyed the experience. There was no time to rest we then hit the water to ride the jet ski. After a very funny orientation on the rules n regulations off we went. I wanted Mark to start off driving but he chose to be passenger 1st...lol. We took off and when I opened the beast up we were flying...lol  I told Mark to hang on tight and protect his private parts lmfao, neither of us really wanted a dunking...lol. I drove for the 1st 15mins then Mark took over. We really did have fun and lots of laughs. Was a great start to a fun packed day.

After the fun packed day was time for the night life. Troy organised for us to take a dinner cruise which just happened to be the boat he took Clau on for their first date...lol. Off to Clearwater we headed again to board the Calypso Queen and cruise around the bay, and of course party !!!!! There was Troy, Clau, Gena, Mark, Jenn who is Mark's neice and lil ole me. As long as they kept up the mudslides all was good. We took in all the sights and the sunsets and cruised past several famous peeps lavish waterfront homes. We all danced on the top deck and generally had a blast with plenty more laughs. After the cruise was off to a beachside bar to keep the party mode going, then another bar...lol  Not sure what time we finished up, lol can't remember, I wonder why? The pics tell the story...lol ..Thanks to all of you for a wonderful and memorable birthday party, one I will never forget.

Saturday, surprisingly I woke hang over free...lol.. Had a lazy day though doing very little. Mark just had to watch his beloved Alabama football team play their first game of the season. Sunday we all went to putt putt golf...Mark, Jenn her boyfriend Jason and me. Mark was so hell bent on beating me...lmao. Looked like he was really gonna kick my ass first up. I kept putting my ball in some weird and wonderful spots, but as always Lozzy's never say die attitude found a way to get out of the sticky spots...lol and of course all captured on camera. By about the 15th hole Mark started to choke...lol.. we actually finished up tied !!!!! Was heaps of fun and yet again more laughs.

Sunday evening Troy, Clau, Mark and I met up with Mike aka mr right at Angry Peppers sports bar in Madeira Beach. We enjoyed dinner and a few cold ones and yet more laughs....see video...lol

Monday was yet another relaxing day in paradise...lol. Mark and I ventured to Madeira Beach again to lunch at Gators. Was nice and relaxing sitting on the balcony in the sunshine watching the dolphins playing in the marina. We then headed for the beach for a cooling swim. The water was rather yukky with lots of seaweed as a result of Gustav, but still was nice and refreshing.

Met up with Gena and Troy again that evening for Cribbage by the moonlight...lol. After all the games of crib Troy has played it was hilarious trying to teach him the 'Canadian Way' with 10 card crib. He was truly like a fish outta water !!!!! With Gena n Troy paired and Mark n I paired... Gena providing cribbage board and deck of cards...... the 1st hand proceeds. I looked at my cards....wow all face cards and cut card too..weee a double run. As the cards were played seemed everyone had high cards....Gena in her wisdom..lmfao only tried to play cribbage with a pinochle deck !!!!! So Lozzy to the rescue with her deck of Tassie Devil cards......lol The 3 of em were catching onto the game well so I thought..lol all was going well til the 2nd last hand. Gena plays 1st card...she leads a 5....YES A FIVE !!!!!!! Well Troy went white around the gills, and called Gena a few explicit words, Troy being as competitive as he is was hell bent on winning this game...Down to the final hand...they had 1st count we need to peg 7 for the win. I trained my partner well....and you better believe it ...we pegged the 7 for the win...lol ..once again see the video...lol

After spending a wonderful week with Mark and catching up with Troy n Gena again, sadly it was time to move on yet again. I said my farewell to Mark at Mobile Airport and was New York bound as the North America leg of my trip was drawing to a close.

On arriving at JFK Airport in New York I was met by Fran aka Samba, Head Admin of Fantasyland. We immediately met up with Vinnie, Fran's brother who I was staying with while in New York. As we drove through the streets in Queens to pick up Vinnie we passed the home of John Gotti. Was then off to dinner at Don Pepe's, very well known Italian restaurant in Queens. Fran, Vinnie, their sister Mary and her friend Warren and I dined away the evening. The food was superb and the service too. Then of course they just had to make me try sweets...Canoli ... was yummy. All in all we had a pleasant evening and thanks all for the great company.

Friday night Fran and I were off to the Mets game vs the Phillies at Shae Stadium. It was good to get my second game of baseball in. We both had high expectations of a good game...but needless to say the Mets remained scoreless and it was a pitchers game therefore rather boring to say the least...lol sry Mets fans...lol Phillies 3 - Mets 0... During my whole tour of North America I think I only met up with any Aussies on about 3 occasions. At the Mets game was a couple from Melbourne sitting directly in front me. Thanks Fran for a fun night at the baseball. Also thanks Vinnie for allowing me into your home, was much appreciated.

Saturday was my last day in North America, I kinda felt numb all day to think the last 5 months had flown so fast. I spent most of the morning hosting...lol trying to take my mind off things.. wasn't working tho...lol. I was all packed and waited for the taxi to pick me up at 3pm to get me to airport. Around 2.30pm the heavens opened as predicted and the wind started to blow. All this was tail end of Hanna hitting New York right on schedule. I got myself checked in on the British Airways flight to London, went and sat outside for my last few smokes for quite a few hours, and just watch the torrential rain falling, wondering if I will be flying at all.

We boarded on time so everything looked ok for a scheduled takeoff. We were then told we would be sitting in line for take off for approx 90 mins due to back up of planes waiting clearance to take off.....wonderful I thought...lol...dang another 90 mins without being able to have a smoke...lol I will say tho the staff on the British Airways flight were really good and the Captain did keep us well informed. When we finally did take off .. holy cow the first 45 mins I thought I was in a movie. The plane shook and rocked so much, was the roughest I had ever experienced flying anywhere. I guess the fact too that I was feeling kinda at my lowest at that point to be leaving North America with so many wonderful memories of you the friends I finally met after all these years and also the fun times I shared with you all. Thanks to all of you who opened your doors to me and allowed me to share your lives and into your homes. I do surely have many lifetime memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life !!!!

Goodbye North America.

Thanks for the memories !!!!