Wedding photography in Canada

I'm leaving on the 21st to go to Canada. My friend Galo is getting married and I will takes photos. He told me he'll get me super discounted rates (I also pestered him to give me super discounted rates), and that he did! You know I'd travel if I can afford it and getting my fare down was an incentive I couldn't refuse.

I'll be visiting relatives and friends too. Most of my father's family are based in Toronto - there's my 94-year old granny, her daughter tita Len with tito Rolly and daughter Maricel. Then there's my father's youngest brother tito Dan with wife tita Prosie and children Dennis, Daniel and Christine. Tita Willette, the eldest is also there, visiting lola and her son, Kuya Juancho and family -- Ate Beng and Jan-jan.

Needless to say, I'm very excited! I'm flying Swiss Air, landing in Montreal and getting a connecting flight to Calgary - where the wedding will be held. Then I'm off to Victoria, British Isles to visit my friend Migs (hi batch!) before going to Toronto to stay with my relatives. After Toronto, it's back to Montreal then Dubai. Stopover, to and from is Zurich.

That is, if I'm able to finish the magazine on time. That's the agreement with my boss - because it's Saturday now, I'm getting a bit panicky but I know all will be finished by Tuesday at the latest. It's more than half done anyway, I'm just waiting for more materials to arrive tomorrow (reassuring myself). I haven't filed my leave form yet. Hehe.

Anyway, this trip is planning itself. I was very worried about the expenses but I'm finding ways to earn extra income, like the gig I've just been to tonight. I was a supporting photographer for a wedding, which is my friend's business. With my business, OrangeJar.com, the caricatures have been picking up. I still have one order to finish, after the three that I delivered last week (so please spread the word, I deliver e-copies for those not based in Dubai; feel free to check out the samples at www.orangejar.com/caricatures.html).

Oooh, there's still a major obstacle to get through to (magazine) but I know everything will be done on time.

Life is good.

Limos from hell

Have never had a limo ride in my life. And in the last month, I've had two. Both for events, of course. The first one, we had to sit for about an hour circling the Dubai Media City. After getting bored, irritated and mostly pissed off, we finally left. The venue was about an hour's ride but about 15 minutes away, we had to return to DMC to pick up another guy.

The night ended with stomachaches, boredom and fatigue... and worst of all, a logistical nightmare, there were no clear plans on how the press will be taken home and we were in the middle of the desert.

The second limo ride was just the other day. Things went well enough -- if you don't count the "choppy" driving -- until we had to go home. The driver was like a stranger dropped in the middle of Dubai traffic. He didn't know the routes and refused to listen to the suggestions of the PR rep. We wasted hours on what was supposed to be a 15-minute ride.

Limos look fab but it's hard to get in and out of the thing. Limos here don't exactly have bubblies, just water and sodas. Limos make the trip longer -- you can't very well speed up (but limo driver 2 was doing his best, the driver was probably more bored than us). So instead of really having fun on my first two limo rides, I just think they're a waste of time and money. Truly overrated.