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August 2006
When looking out my childhood bedroom window on clear days, I could see the Rockies. Although I repeatedly moved back and forth between Calgary, Alberta and Regina, Saskatchewan, I now choose to tell most that I grew up in Calgary. Time spent, memories made and schools attended all support calling Calgary home... as well as the fact that any non-Canadian can't hide their smile if I say I grew up in Regina. Why do we pronounce it that way anyway?
Weekends, more often than not consisted of hikes in the mountains, bike rides in the city parks, swimming, camping, skiing or anything outside. Until spending my first shipboard contract sailing the Bahamas, I hadn't realized how fortunate I was. Living in Miami now, I think about it every day.
This particular photo was taken on one of my favorite hikes. Pile my brother, his wife, their 6 children and me in a Suburban and you've got yourself a holiday! The 2 oldest nieces and I chose to conquer a mountain one afternoon. Amidst our awe and exploration, we could not stop laughing. Bumblebees, trips & falls and unidentified droppings. In a 13-year-old's words: What animal pooed that?
P.S. If you happen upon the same question, I found this site to help. It's awesome. My favorite line:
Look, more than touch!! If you have to touch, use a tool and/or properly gloved hands!! STAY UP WIND!!
~
October 2004
It's a special thing when you meet someone who shares your travel vision. In this case, we both wanted to experience our own country before seeing the world. And experience we did.
This particular moment caught on camera was an instant of revelation.
We arrived at Meat Cove well past midnight after hours and hours on the road. We were no longer speaking. We hadn't seen civilization in hours. It was cold out there. Was the car making funny noises? But you see, I'm persistent to a fault. Call it stubborn; I am immovable: "I swear this place is for real", "I don't think it matters that the campsite is closed" , and most significant "But I want to camp at the top of the world!".
Once we arrived (although it was so dark we weren't really sure we were there), it was obviously closed. We had to manually open a gate, and may have actually driven the car under a chain blocking the road. We "borrowed" firewood from the only house around (the population is less than 100) and built a fire. We set up tent in the dark. We were still not speaking (but I was secretly smug... we were at the top of the world!).
So I end as I started, this particular moment caught on camera when we woke up and stared in awe, was an instant of revelation: THERE IS NO REASON TO WASTE TIME ARGUING. I AM ALWAYS RIGHT!
Top of the World = The most Northerly settlement in Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island (see map).
Here's an excerpt from an email written, by me November 2004:
CANADA ROADTRIP
15 000 kms (that´s 10 000 miles) on the road.
2 months.
1 small car.
1 miscalculated budget
What an incredible experience! Not only have we come out of it still speaking, we had an amazing time everywhere we ventured (and not one speeding ticket, that warning in New Brunswick doesn´t count). We hit 9 out of our country´s 10 provinces, missing Newfoundland as it would have been another trip in itself. Highlights were Montreal (it felt like an entirely different country; so much culture), Halifax (cheeseburgers & poutine out of a truck at 3:00 in the morning?), Meat Cove (breathtaking! Check your map of Cape Breton), Niagara Falls, Confederation Bridge, and every stop in between. We slept everywhere from an x-ray room in Kelowna, Ottawa´s old jail (ask to see the home video tour; he got spooked and came back to the room), the top of the world (Meat Cove), motels, hotels and a variety of campsites, some open, some not. We had a riot trying to get motel rooms, a campsite and find beer in small Quebec towns with our pitiful French... and why do they sell cheese curds by every cash register?
~
