Why Canada?

There's a reason for our loop across into Canada to Toronto. I'm sure that Canada is probably a great place, but that's for another trip. This trip to Canada and Toronto is for love and romance.

We're getting married in Toronto.

There are five countries that recognise gay marriage. Canada is one of them. This isn't civil unions, or some alternative to marriage to keep the gays happy. Canada doesn't care. Canada couldn't give a damn about gender. As far as Canada is concerned, marriage is marriage is marriage. Yay Canada!!!!!!

The only tricky bit is Amy's divorce, She was married a very long time ago, and divorced an equally long time ago in the US. Canada needs a Canadian lawyer to certify that the divorce is for real, before it'll issue a Marriage License. So, we've been writing to Bruce the lawyer in Toronto to get it all happening.

Bruce seems a good sort of fellow - he very promptly replies to me and is very patient with answering my questions and me checking in with him that I understand what he's telling me. Poor man – in the end this means he has to explain things to me twice. He doesn't seem to mind. At least, as far as I can tell from his emails he doesn't.

I heard from Bruce this morning. What we're going to do is send him all the paperwork and he'll do his bit and courier it on to the Marriage registry. That means when we get to the Canada, we meet with Bruce and he can complete his bit, and then we can get our Marriage License issued. The only tricky bit is the timing – it takes 4-8 weeks to get the paperwork through so that a license can be issued. The paperwork to get the license issued is only good for three months. We leave Australia at the end of June and want to marry in early August.

It's all do-able though. If we send off our stuff in late April/early May it should be okay with all the timelines.

I'm getting married!!! For real!!! Not some hokey commitment ceremony to mimic a wedding.

I never thought I'd see it in my lifetime. I love Canada.

Getting there

After talking about, and deciding on it, and telling our friends and family and having it absolutely definite in our minds that we are going - we finally booked our tickets. That means we're really going. Out of Melbourne late on June 28 as far as Sydney overnight. Then Korean Airlines to Seoul, and onto LA, getting in on June 29. At least, June 29 according to the US calendar - I think our body clocks will feel like June 30, but it'll all come okay in the end.

It's amazing the differences in ticket prices. I'm all for Qantas - use frequent flyer points to get an upgrade from economy to business, get access to the clubs. But the difference in prices is crazy and just not worth it. So we used BestFlights.com.au and bingo! Korean Air for $2100 return each. I'd rather save the money to spend in the US.


Once we got that done the rest becomes simpler - it's a matter of filling the gaps so we went ahead and did that.

Disneyland, Las Vegas for the Star Trek Experience, Arizona, New Mexico, Alabama, Richmond, Washington, New York, Toronto, Chicago, LA and home again.