Reggie loved to travel. During the years when he had money to spend, he travelled extensively in Canada and also made trips to the United States, Mexico and Europe.

His own timeline helps place some of these trips, although I don’t have exact dates for all of them. Travel was another important part of Reggie’s life, and some of the trips produced stories that he continued telling afterward.

Europe — 1993

After their wedding in Souris in 1993, Reggie and his wife travelled through Europe on their honeymoon, visiting seven countries and cities including Amsterdam, Munich, Prague, Vienna and Budapest.

That trip has its own story, including an unexpected night spent sleeping in a Budapest train station.

Quebec City — 1994

Reggie also travelled to Quebec City in 1994.

Iceland — 1995

Reggie had always wanted to visit Iceland, and eventually he went.

Unfortunately, the trip became memorable for a very different reason. Reggie went into heroin withdrawal and spent approximately three days in his hotel room before enduring a very difficult flight home.

That experience is covered separately in Heroin Withdrawal in Iceland.

Western Canada — 1995

Reggie’s own timeline helps date his travels in Western Canada. For 1995, he wrote:

“Semi-retired from work. Spent time developing heroin addiction. Trip to Calgary, Vancouver.”

I remember him making several trips to Alberta during this general period and visiting his cousin Tim. His travels also took him to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories and Vancouver.

The Vancouver trip produced one of those stories that was very Reggie.

He told me that he had heard David Lee Roth talking about a hotel where he had stayed in Vancouver, so naturally Reggie decided that he wanted to stay there too.

According to Reggie, the hotel turned out to be in a very rough part of town and his room was filthy. He said there were bugs everywhere and that he wouldn’t sleep on the sheets. Instead, he sat on the corner of the bed and slept upright, leaning against the wall.

Whatever Reggie had imagined when he heard David Lee Roth talking about the place, the reality apparently wasn’t quite the rock-and-roll experience he had expected.

Florida

also remember Reggie travelling to Florida during these years.

I believe the trip may have been connected with buying one of his Datsun 240Zs, but I haven’t been able to confirm that. Based on what else was happening in his life, I would estimate that the trip was sometime around 1993 or 1994, when he was acquiring several cars.

I also have a recollection that he may have been refused entry to the United States on one trip because of his criminal record. I am not certain enough about that recollection to present it as fact, but it is something I hope to confirm as the archive develops.

Travel During Complicated Years

Looking back, these trips are another reminder of how complicated this period of Reggie’s life was.

He travelled, bought cars and, outwardly at least, was enjoying some of the rewards of having money.

At the same time, Reggie’s own timeline tells us that by 1994 he had begun using heroin, and by 1995 he described himself as “semi-retired from work” and spending his time “developing heroin addiction.”

Those two versions of his life weren’t happening at different times.

They were happening at the same time.