I learned a lesson today

[Bok_Tukalo]

When talking to Canadians, and it is necessary to determine distance and direction, nail it down.


While planning a business trip last month, I asked the individual I will be working with where the facility is located. His reply was "a little north of Toronto." Now, I hear that and think 20 miles, 40 miles tops. No biggie. Since his reaction to my suggestion that we work on Sunday was akin to "I understand the words 'Sunday' and 'work' but they don't make sense in the same sentence," I figured I could bum around a great North American city for a day so I booked my hotel in Toronto.

Turns out, Canadian for "a little north of" translates into Texan (also known as reality) as "over a hundred miles west of" so now I have to get up ALOT earlier than I thought to make it on time.

Not to mention the scary words in the directions: "turn left at the place that looks like a farm ..."

[progmom]

1. Hey - that sounds like the place where we vacation!

:P

Seriously though - what area are you headed to?

[Bok_Tukalo]

4. A little over 100 miles west and slightly north of Toronto

Not far from a very large body of water with, it appears, no major highways in which to get there.

I was way too cavalier in the initial phases of planning the trip.

[yvr girl]

2. We're a really big country

It's all a matter of perspective.

[Bok_Tukalo]

5. I'm still decifering the directions

What, other than a farm, looks like a farm?

[Gyre]

3. Get yerself a GPS.

It'll make a killer souvenir, and it might save your ass.

Gyre

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. Oh, the individual is Canadian?

Does he know Bob?

:P
FSC

[Bok_Tukalo]

7. I'll ask him. And I'm taking Gyre's advice and getting GPS

I ask you ... "a little north of Toronto" ??