You just do not know

Five years ago na pala nang una akong makapunta dito sa British Columbia. I was newly married then and I vacationed in Edmonton for six months to be with my husband. I have an aunt in Surrey, BC so nag-long drive din papunta dun/dito.

Who would have thought that we will end up living here? Sometimes you don't really know where life would take you. Having already established a life in Edmonton, I really thought I'd spend the rest of my adult years there.

Up until now, I am still having mixed feelings on living here. I miss my friends in Edmonton and I miss having a house. The housing market here in Metro Vancouver is so crazy and buying a house now is very risky. I don't think I can fully settle here without my own place.

And to add up, the aunt, who I visited in 2012 and was very close to me, the original reason why I wanted to move here in BC, suddenly became a stranger. Things have happened in our family that lead to our drifting apart.

Wala talagang permanente sa mundo. You really can't hold onto something forever.

One year ago today

I can't believe it, it's exactly one year ago (January 26, 2016, Edmonton time) when we received a very bad news that majorly changed our family life.

What we went through wasn't easy. I'll write about it soon. But looking back, we are grateful. Nalampasan namin. Nakayanan namin. We came out stronger.

I truly admire my husband for all his courage, patience, and perseverance. Bukod sa IQ, mataas din talaga ang EQ niya.

I know this won't be the last challenge that our little family will encounter. Pero sige lang, ganun lang naman ang buhay. Kung walang conflict, walang story. =)

Missing Royal Star

I received an email today from someone offering us a livery for our bus fleet.

credits to the picture's owner

credits to the picture's owner

I regretfully informed him though that we already sold our city bus (EDSA) franchise last November 2012 pa.

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I suddenly missed Royal Star. My family started the bus business in December 1995 and life has become better since then. Those buses gave us a truly comfortable living and we will forever be grateful.

However, some good things have to end. After seventeen years of operation, we finally decided to sell our franchise because we couldn't take the "EDSA pressure" anymore. I was already married that time and was about to migrate in Canada already. We thought it's best to focus na lang on our more lucrative company, Roadlink Travel and Tours (which operates tourist buses naman).

Now how can I even forget Royal Star when the color scheme of Edmonton Transit System (ETS) is similar to our fleet?

Our very first bus actually looked quite similar to this.

Madalas pag nasa kalsada ako, I am secretly wishing na sana may dumaan na Royal Star o Roadlink at sasakay ako haha!