Samantha Evans

[mrrnice2 157005]

This recommendation is long overdue.

 

I recently had reason to make a coast to coast trip and I arranged a stop over in Vancouver while en route. The trip was scheduled months in advance and immediately that I realized where I was going and who was in Vancouver I made contact with Samantha to see about the possibility of spending an evening together. The idea of being in Vancouver and not attempting to make contact with this wonderful lady was simply not an option for me. I was most pleased when Samantha agreed to meet.

 

I ended up leaving the Maritimes on a flight that left at 6 AM, meaning that I was up and on the go at 4. I arrived in Vancouver after flying for 7 ½ hours before noon BC time on the appointed day. As we were planning to meet for dinner at 5, I went down to the waterfront and walked around enjoying the sunny weather.

 

Samantha and I had exchanged a number of PMs over the months that I have been a member so we were both at least a little familiar with each other in that context, and of course with me reading her many and varied and well thought out forum contributions I was very excited to meet her but also very nervous of it as well.

 

Samantha arrived promptly at 5 and we spent a few minutes in the hotel to say hello and make a brief acquaintance. She has a great smile and a great personality and we moved from our email contact to a much more personal and face to face level very quickly. As she put it, it was like meeting a friend, and I felt exactly the same way.

 

We went for dinner and it was a most delightful few hours that we spent together there. The several hours flew by. She is even more interesting and intriguing in person than she is as I know her through her writing. We covered such a variety of topics - from personal, to Cerb related, to whales, to professional interests and more, and I am certain that we could have continued for many additional hours.

 

Following dinner we retired to my room and our mutual exploration of each other continued but in a very different context. Suffice it to say that this time also flew by and was a perfect culmination to a perfect evening.

 

Over the months that she and I have corresponded, including time long before we ever thought that there was a realistic chance of actually meeting, Samantha has helped me a great deal in various personal contexts. She is an amazing person who is genuine and caring and in person, she did exactly that for me again.

 

It was a privilege for me to have met this wonderful woman and she treated me to an evening that I shall treasure over time. I look forward to a future opportunity to meet her and further explore together. Thank you Samantha for being all that you are.