Prince Edward Island

So pretty. So, so pretty.

We came here with two intentions: go to Cavendish Beach, and find Thunder Cove.

I didn't realize that Cavendish Beach was on a National Park, so firstly there was an $8 charge to go on to the beach, which while I was annoyed I was willing to pay, but they also don't allow dogs on the beach.  Not wanting to make poor Lita sit in the car while Alanna and I played in the sand, we decided not to go to one of the prettiest beaches ever and instead we were directed to Cabot Beach.  Definitely underwhelming.  But still, nice to lay in the sun, and splash around in the ocean for a bit.

From there we tried to find Thunder Cove, but lack of internet connection made it hard to find.  I could see Alanna fading, but I was determined to find it.  I wasn't going to let our trip to PEI be wasted, and have us fail in both goals.

And we're both glad we did.

Beautiful.  So reminiscent of the scenery I spent a million dollars going to see in Australia.  Every day I'm amazed to discover what is here, right in Canada.  We should have just come right here, instead of going to Cabot Beach.  The beach here is phenomenal; huge, soft sands (it squeaks under your toes!), nice breeze... heaven.

I'm thinking that next year will bring my trip to western and northern Canada, rather than to the USA.  I want to stop branching out to other places before I'm done seeing what is here.

Today I learned two things:

It is impossible to drive under 160km an hour  when  listening to SLAYER because metal makes you drive FAST.

And Cows Ice Cream is  one of the best things I have ever eaten.

While driving to Peggy's Cove today, I realized how different the things I want in life are now from a few years ago.

If you would have told me ten years ago that I wouldn't be living in Toronto, and that I'd be dreaming of a little country house, and of having a little girl to raise, I would have said you were crazy.  Ten years ago, hell even five years ago, I craved the city life.  I wanted to move to New York City, or at least get my debt paid off and move back to Toronto.  And children... HELL no.  I wanted the convenience of the city; the bustle; the constant noise, always something to do.

Now, I want something simple.  I want to sit on my porch, watching the sun set over the water, my little girl playing in the sand a few feet from me.  I only have a few years left to make this happen, so I'd better get on that.

Peggy's Cove

I love being able to drive when travelling, and I'm loving travelling with A.  We both love things like stupid roadsigns and beautiful lakes, so while driving along blaring Gwen Stefani we both point and laugh at things and stop the car to get out and take pictures.  I've never travelled like this before, and I'm loving it.  The freedom to go where we want, when we want.  It's awesome.

Today we drove to Peggy's Cove, which is very justifiably listed in a million places as one of the prettiest places in Canada.  It was surreal to see a tourist attraction that wasn't jammed up with tourist booths.  There was one jewelry shop; one ice cream stand; and one art gallery.  Other than that, it was just gorgeous.  Sitting up on the rocks, cool wind blowing, sun shining, the ocean in front of me:  THIS is what I travel for.  I haven't felt that peace since Australia.  And this is in my own country!

I'd upload a photo to go with this but I lost my freaking camera case along the way so now I have to go out and hunt down a new camera cord.  But at least I didn't lose the camera itself.

Tomorrow we're taking a ferry over to Prince Edward Island, I'm excited to check out Cavendish Beach and the red red sands.

Being on east coast is making me miss my ex, for the first time really since we broke up months ago.  I've only been out this way twice, and both times were with him.  So I'm already finding myself saying 'M and I did this', or 'M and I wanted to go there', etc, etc.

We get along fine back in Ottawa but it's not like we're great friends, and I haven't felt this affection and nostalgia since we broke up, so it' surprised me to feel this way.  Although it's natural in a way I guess, because here I am re-doing a trip I've only ever done with him, but still.  WEIRD.  Nice though, because there's no reason not to feel affection for someone I lived with for eight months, it's not like we're enemies.  And it's not like missing him here is making me want to run back and get back together with him, but it does make me want to try and actually become friends.

Changes

Well, no Newfoundland.

It's hard for four people to be on the same page.  Sooooo...me and A are going to go our separate way and create an east coast tour of our own.

Haven't put a plan in motion yet, but thinking

Peggy's Cove
Price Edward Island
Cape Breton
possibly the Gaspe
and DEFINITELY spending some time at the Bay of Fundy.  Thinking around Parrsboro, there are a bunch of fossil sites there and according to the internet it's Nova Scotia's 'best kept secret'.

Mike and I camped out on the fundy shore last year and it was amazing.  Unfortunately we only had one night, and this time A and I have lots of time.  Originally our plan had been to get back to Montreal/Ottawa for the 7th, so we could both work the 8th and 9th before her birthday celebration on the 10th, but now that we're not going to Newfoundland we're going to head back sooner, most likely next Sunday, the 5th.  So we have a week to hit all the locations above, which should be fine.

I'm sad Newfoundland isn't happening (AGAIN).  BUT, I've never been to PEI, and my other trips to the east coast were mostly to Halifax to party and head back.  So this time, we got the partying done last night, and now it's scenery time.  Fuck yeah.

Day two...

Already realizing that everyone's plan for this trip wasn't the same.  At this moment, not sure what's gonna happen.

The only thing I know for sure right now is that I'm at one of my best friend in the worlds house in Halifax, drinking with his awesome girlfriend, and heading to a sweet metal show.  So at least right now rules.

Day one

What an odd beginning to a trip.  We've currently made a 'bar in a car', sitting in a truck stop outside of Woodstock, NB, where we're gonna pitch our tents and camp out.  We'd intended to make to Moncton tonight, but we got started hours later than planned so wouldn't have gotten there until about 4am.

Tonight is an odd one for me in a few ways.  I've been looking forward to this trip for so long, but for the last two weeks I've been playing house with my 'boyfriend', which quickly became the more dominant thing in my mind, and the trip became very secondary.  I say 'boyfriend', because, in many ways I will not put out here on teh intrawebs, it's a very real relationship that will never be real.  And to go from this pretend reality, to saying goodbye today and jumping in my car to travel, makes it all even more unreal.  So I'm excited to be on a real roadtrip, and excited to finally be getting to go to Newfoundland, and excited to get away... but I'm also wishing so much that the trip hadn't happened today and I could be in my bed with him right now instead. But reality had to step in at some point...

Anyway.  Tomorrow we'll stop in Moncton, then head to Halifax to party for the night before *hopefully* getting on the ferry to St Johns on Sunday.  It's only hopefully because, of course, one of the four of us (not me!) forgot identification, and it's required to take the ferry.  We have someone in Montreal sending faxes of it to us in Halifax tomorrow, so fingers crossed they'll let us on with it.

Well.  Now I'm going to have a drink, and hang out with my friends.  And not think about the boy.  And not be grumpy that I'm tired.  And not let the mosquitoes bug me.  Because I'm going to fucking Newfoundland in a couple of days, to climb mountains and play in the red sand.  Fuck yeah.

Hitting the road

Tomorrow morning I'm allowing myself to fall prey to Canadian advertising and I'm heading to Newfoundland.  For months now, I've stared in awe at the commercials for Newfoundland and Labrador and am blown away by the beauty that exists in my own country, but that I've yet to discover.

I saw more of Australia than most Australians I met.  And I met many Australians who had seen more of Canada than I had.  So many people use their travel time to go to other countries, without discovering their own.  So I'm hoping to change that.

I'm going as far east in Canada as I can get.  Me, three of my friends, and two of their dogs, are about to pack ourselves in to my junky car and head to what I'm thinking will be the most beautiful part of Canada I'll ever see.  When I'm done, I'll finally have travelled my entire country from east to west.  When I was 18 I packed my life into two garbage bags and a backpack and moved from Pembroke, ON to Edmonton, AB on the greyhound.  A few months later I made the same trip in a junky truck with a guy who drove the whole way without sleeping, while I pretty much slept right through the prairies.  At one time during my stint in Edmonton, a few friends and I drove out to Victoria, BC, which was my only experience in the Rocky Mountains.  Unfortunately this was before the age of digital cameras and cellphones, and well before online blogging, so my memories of it are very faded.

Next year I hope to make it back out to BC, and I also want to go north at some point. And I want to drive all over the U.S.  And and and...fuck I'm going to take my car everywhere.