Making plans for 2026

I have put 2025 behind me. It was a terrible year. And I never want to go through anything like that ever again. Instead I have drawn a line under it and I am starting fresh. 

2026 ~ I start the year knowing my family is gone. I have pinned over that for months now. But they are not coming back. So I have 2 options. I can sit here and cry or I can tell myself that is THEIR choice,... I can't change their minds so I have to learn to live with it. And my way of living with it is to pretend I don't even have children.

So this year,... this brand new year,... I have made some big plans. If i can't move and get out of Ontario Housing,... then I will plan on getting away from it as much as I can. And I will do this with travel.

I had originally wanted to go East. Newfoundland to be exact. But the more I looked into it, the more I wondered if i am physically capable of this trip. Apparently it is very hilly and not walker friendly at all. I haven't ruled this trip out,... but it has made me look furthur into other options.

The runner up is a train trip in the rockies. The Mountaineer has a trip that goes from Vancouver to Banff or Jasper (depending on the train you choose) With me having no car, I think a train vacation might be my best bet. As long as I can get to the train station, everything after that is taken care of. So for the past 2 days I have been on the internet trying to decide on a 'dream' vacation this spring.

East or West coast - I haven't decided yet. My physical health isn't as good as it used to be and having been homeless in BC I know how difficult it is physically to travel. Carrying suitcases and purses and me without the use of my hands. It is going ot be a real challenge. But it's that or sitting in my living room watching tv - BORED out of my mind. 

I cannot spend one more summer couped up in this compound they call Ontario Housing. I desperately need to get away from here. 

I love nature. I love being around water and forests,... so what better holiday than to hop on a train and see Canada from a moving window? It will be very, very expensive. But who cares? I have been poor and struggling for 25 years now. NO VACATION in 25 years. I deserve to get away on a luxury trip. I am looking at $10,000.00 to cover everything from plane fair to the train trip to meals and taxi's. But why not???? What else am i going to do with this money? I may as well spend it,... enjoy it,... do all the bucket list things I have been wanting to do for years. TRAVEL.

I really want to go to the UK. To England and Ireland and visit the palaces my family originated from. But with no passport that isn't available to me. So I am forced to stay in Canada. But lucky for me, Canada is one of the most beautiful and geographically diverse places in the world. It's size alone gives me many options of where to go. I am spoiled for choice here.

I admit I wish I had a companion to travel with. But who? So I travel alone. Maybe I will try and arrange a few days in Vancouver to visit with my two cousins Brian and Shelia. Treat them to a night out for all they had done for me. Who knows,... it's all in the planning stages right now. I need to talk to people about what trips will be "no car" friendly. I have to go where there are taxi's and buses, etc,... 

I wish I had someone to come with me. How perfectr would it have been to have hayley with me. My little traveller,... the girl who travels all around the world - a lot of the time - alone. I wish I could ask her,... but we all know the answer will be no. I would have even helped her pay for it. It would have been so perfect,... but sadly that will never happen. So I stand tall and move forward alone.

Travelling alone is not ideal, but it's not immpossible either.

2026 is going to be a year of getting out of this place. This toxic place of hatred,... gossip,... lies,... and generally just a horrible atmosphere I hide away from. Inside my unit,.... but no more. I can handle being a recluse for most of the year if I know I have a trip to look forward to to get me away from here.

Any suggestions???? I am open to any advice,... I am still a bit wary of getting scammed so I am being very careful about my planning. I hope to stick to a train tour group insterad of an itinerary I planned myself. Staying within a goup sounds a bit safer to me than going it alone. Once I am familiar again with travelling,... I would like to go to Vancouver Island and just motel hop and hike the Pacific Coast Trail. But that will be much furthur down the road after a lot of heavy planning.

But the key word for 2026 is "planning". I no longer wish to be a recluse in this place. Instead I plan on getting out and seeing Canada.

After 2026 when the money runs out,... ??? who knows what will happen. But for this year,... I plan to enjoy!!!!!