In Vancouver!

We were both so exhausted last night after our ordeal of being stuck on hi-way 93, that neither one had enough energy to chat. We both went to sleep almost immediately. Shushma and I woke up early this morning, we both decided if it was at all possible to make it home by the evening we would do so.

After breakfast we hoped and prayed that TCH going west beyond Golden was in good shape. We wanted no more hi-way drama in our lives!

We were on the road by 9:30 a.m., gratefully the hi-way was not closed and the open road lay in front of us. I was most concerned about Rogers Pass through the Canadian Rockies near Revelstoke, I had traveled this stretch of the road before and remember it's beauty and the road's curvaceous nature! This pass is certainly the crowing glory of the Trans Canada Hi-way. The road is carved around the mountains and at times goes through the mountains with five tunnels. It is a sight to behold! The tunnels add a measure of protection from avalanches. Many railway workers were killed at Rogers Pass due to avalanches.

We filled up on gasoline every opportunity we had and we used the bathroom facilities at every stop we made! My sister is used to having her iPhone work in every location, however, it does not work in the Canadian Rockies! I think at times cell phone towers intrude on the scenic beauty of this planet and I was grateful the ugly things were nowhere to be found on these majestic mountains-- having said that, you are in a tough spot if you need help, there is no way of calling for aid. Though, there are plenty of other drivers that can be of assistance, it's not like driving to Alaska where for stretches of road my car was the only car on the road!

We stopped by Shuswap lake for lunch, we sat in the car with the top down and enjoyed our pizza and a Coke, took a couple of pictures, talked a bit more about our incredulous journey; marveled at our unique experience and then, we were back on the road.

We made it home by the evening and now it was time to relay our story to family and friends who were surprised, shocked, dumbfounded, but were glad to have two sisters home safe and sound from their excellent adventure!

For me it has been a phenomenal journey, I can look back and really appreciate the road I have been on for the past twenty five days. It took a long time to get here, yet easily one could spend another month on the road. After a while the familiar begins to beckon and the road stretched out in front looks alien. Soon it will be time to go home and sleep in my own bed!

Mini road trip with Shushma!

My sister Shushma arrived in Calgary at 2 a.m. about three hours later than her scheduled time due to a cancelled flight-- that set the stage for our mini road trip! After we awoke, we headed down to the dinning room for breakfast. We decided we would head to Banff National Park and then Lake Louise. Then, call it a night in Golden BC. It all seemed perfectly feasible, a leisurely day of sightseeing and conversation.

So, off we went; my sister and I are not navigators, it's like the blind leading the blind-- but somehow we both manage to get where we are going. We call it intuitive driving!

As we were driving towards Banff, I noticed a sign on the side of the road which said "TCH (Trans Canada Hi-way) closed take 93 south" I looked over at Shush and asked her if that meant us? She looked back at me and said "No, I am sure they wouldn't close hi-way one" Without giving the sign a second thought we continued towards Banff and got there in plenty of time. We decided to go up on Sulfur mountain in a gondola. We were more interested in the ride up than being up on the mountain, so we turned right around and went down in the same gondola we came up in. The young man who was taking photographs thought it was an awfully expensive ride.

After we came down, we headed out to Lake Louise which is a glacial lake, I was in Banff about thirty years ago and remembered how pristine this lake is. After our little excursion of Lake Louise we got back on TCH towards Golden BC, only to come to a road block where workers were turning people around. As we approached the flagmen, we were informed TCH was closed due to a mud slide; in order to get to Golden we have to go on 93 south to a town called Radium which was only another 100 kilometers away and then catch 95 north to Golden.

This seemed inconvenient but there was no other option, we figured we would still get to Golden by about 7 p.m. However, that is not how this was to day was supposed to end!

About thirty kilometers (approx. 18 miles) from Radium we came to a dead stop. There was a stream of cars ahead of us stopped. We both speculated as to what could be the cause of this traffic jam. We concluded there must be a wreck and we would be moving soon enough. But, thirty minutes later when we still had not moved an inch, we thought it has to be another mud slide or rock slide. At this point we both began to look at the map to see if there was any other way to get out of this predicament. We had made reservations in a hotel in Golden, since we were on our way to Vancouver and the only way to get there was through Golden, we decided to stay put and wait out the traffic congestion. About an hour passed, we had barely move a few hundred feet. I turned the car off since I was not sure if I had enough gasoline to keep idling and still reach Golden. The thought of running out of gas was an added stress to an already stressful situation.

Another hour passed, we moved another few hundred feet and again stopped. Not knowing the cause of the delay was just as frustrating as being stuck in a parking lot on the hi-way. I was quite impressed by the calmness all the drivers exhibited. A few people had to go into the bushes to take care of full bladders. One man next to our car decided not to be modest and relieved himself in plain view. He did however keep his back to us. But, even then it was unpleasant to witness! I am so grateful that both of us had used the bathroom in Banff.

We had now been waiting for three hours with very little progress. At this point, I looked at the map more closely and realized that 93 south meets 95 north at a T junction in Radium, I came to the conclusion that there has to be a traffic light at the junction, which is the reason we move a little and then come to a complete stop. My sister thought that is not possible-- she is a woman who lives in the city! I have seen and traveled through too many rural towns to know this is how roads are carved out.

Five hours later at long last, we get to the end of the road in Radium, where finally, the cause of our five hours of misery would be revealed. It was indeed a T junction but instead of a traffic light it was a four way stop light! I was stupefied! I could not believe the reason we had been at a virtual standstill for the past five hours was due to a 4-way stop light! There were two road workers who were directing traffic, trying desperately to keep the flow moving. To make matters worse, the town of Radium had run out of gas because many people thought they'd fill up their tanks there. Fortunately we did have enough gas to get to Golden, we arrived there at 11:30 p.m.

I am amazed that in a province where mudslides are common place that something like this is allowed to happen. To have just one small sign saying TCH closed and not to have any type of contingency plan in place. To inconvenience thousands of travelers with no forewarning; certainly there was no organization to alleviate the immense amount of distress caused by something that could have been so easily avoided!

I am embarrassed this happened in the province I call home for every summer.

Calgary, Alberta.

My day started off with grace this morning! As I was checking out of my hotel, I turned and looked at the dinning area where breakfast was served only to realize I had missed it. I lamented the fact that I missed breakfast when Myrinna, who was processing my payment offered to get me a muffin for the road. Appreciatively I accepted, she asked Janie the hostess to grab a muffin for me. We all got to talking when I told them about my epic journey across Canada. Most often people are amazed that I am doing this by myself, and usually the next remark is "You go girl!"

I found out that Myrinna has never been away from Sasketchewan, but Janie on the other hand has lived in many different provinces. She decided that she wanted to retire in a small friendly town such as Moose Jaw. As we continued to talk about our lives, both the ladies decided I needed fruit for the road too and a glass of juice also. I am always heart warmed by people's simple acts of kindness. With a great bran muffin and all my other goodies I headed out on the Trans Canada Hi-way.

I neglected to take photos of Sasketchewan yesterday, thinking today there would be plenty of time to stop and take a snap shot or two. Not so, it rained the entire day and soon I was crossing over to Alberta. Well, I will just have to contend with the memories I have in my mind and the ball cap I got yesterday. Manitoba and Sasketchewan both look like parts of Kansas and the panhandle of Texas.

The drive was a bit stressful since the rain was steady and heavy, though I have to give credit to most Canadian drivers, they stay in the left lane only to overtake leaving the left lane virtually empty. Little things like that make my day!

The next act of grace came a bit later in the day as I was searching for a good vegetarian restaurant. I spied a billboard claiming to have the best Indian food! Well, say no more! I decided to find it in the town called Medicine Hat. I got there just as they were closing up after lunch, disappointed I asked the owner when the restaurant would open again? He asked me to come inside and sit down, he prepared a vegetarian plate for me. Another gesture of kindness! The name of the restaurant is The Spice Route and the owner's name is Shir Brar. The food was indeed exceptional.

After lunch, Calgary was only a couple of hours away, I drove through rain and realized that today is the end of my solo journey. Tomorrow my sister will be with me. As much as I am looking forward to seeing her, I am a bit sad today that this part of my adventure has ended. Tomorrow will be a different kind of a road trip.

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan!

You gotta love the name Moose Jaw! I was going to stay in Regina the capital of Saskatchewan, but decided to drive a bit further to Moose Jaw so that I would be closer to Calgary. My sister Shushma is going to fly up from Vancouver to meet me and then we will have a mini road trip together. I have traveled with my younger sister Sadhna many times but Shushma and I have never gone on a road trip before. So, when her busy schedule allowed her to sneak away for a couple of days we decided to meet each other in Calgary and take advantage of this rare opportunity. She will get to see the most picturesque part of Canada, since we will be crossing the Canadian Rockies! I will be very grateful to have a driving partner!

This morning, I was still on the hunt for some type of a souvenir from Winnipeg. My hotel staff were not very helpful and I was unable to find anything. It's not that I want to buy a ton of stuff, that is not my style, but I so wanted a T shirt with lake Winnipeg on it. Well, some things are just not meant to be.

I got on the road towards Saskatchewan, it didn't take long to leave Manitoba, these two provinces are very narrow but, are long northwards. Saskatchewan is not as lush looking as Manitoba and the tress here are shorter. My family who live in Vancouver thought the drive through the prairies would be dull and boring, I find it to be the exact opposite. I love the fact that I had an almost 360 degree panoramic view of the earth, flat land covered in hues of green, yellow and the colour of mud meeting the blue of the sky at the horizon, with just a few white clouds to add drama to the sky. Nothing could be finer! The temps were in the upper seventies, the top was down on the car, the music was cranked up and I was having a wonderful time!

I got to Moose Jaw around dinner time, decided to eat Greek food tonight, but I was sadly disappointed with the variety as well as the taste. It's hard to be a vegetarian, to look at the choices on the menu that all sound good if only they could be vegetarian options instead of meat. As a vegetarian there is always just one choice in a menu filled with at least 20-30 meat choices-- c'est la vie!

I was able to find a ball cap from a store with the logo of a moose, with Moose Jaw written across the top, I think it will be a treasure to have!

Lake Winnipeg.

Today i decided to drive to Lake Winnipeg. I went to Grand Beach which has a white sand beach, I have never seen a lake with a white sandy beach. So, off I went on Hwy. 59 towards Grand Beach, it's about an hour's drive from Winnipeg. The lake is apparently under duress from nitrogen and phosphorus seeping into the lake. Algae is growing at a remarkable rate and it is killing the lake. It is the eleventh largest freshwater lake in the world and now there is a movement underway to save the lake and clean it up. I hope they will be successful.

I got to Grand Beach and saw the white sand beach I was transported back to the times I have taken my children and nephew to the beach. My son Mahesh would sit at the water's edge fighting waves, while my daughter Reina and I would build sand castles. My son and Sudhir (my nephew) would dig giant holes and just sit in them! It was fun to see families frolicking in the water. I asked a woman to take a picture of me with the lake as the backdrop, her name is Jan, she was there with her daughter and grandchildren. We got to talking about my epic journey across Canada. It's always good to converse with people share stories and exchange ideas.

After Grand Beach, I decided to drive to Gimli at the suggestion of the hotel staff. It's a resort town; I wanted to be able to find a T-shirt with a rendition of Lake Winnipeg, I have developed an affinity for this lake. As hard as I tried to find a shirt, none was available. I would make a ton of money in this small town, because I would design an absolute bevy of Lake Winnipeg shirts! I asked my waitstaff, Linda if she was aware of any gift shops that may sell shirts or hats, she pointed me to a store around the corner, but alas, they too didn't have anything! Discouraged, I left Gimli and headed back towards Winnipeg, on the way I noticed among the fields of green, every so often there were groves of trees. As I looked closely, I realized that in the middle of the groves; nestled were houses. The only indication that anyone lived in the small wooded patch was a small dirt road leading towards a house and perhaps a mailbox by the side of the road. I can understand why the trees are grown in this manner, they surround the house, protect the homestead from wind as well as heat. A small oasis!

It was a fun day to explore a small part of Manitoba, tomorrow I head towards Sasketchewan. I have been fascinated with all the Canadian Provinces for a long time. I am so glad I get to see each of them in their unique way.

Winnipeg!

Well, I am finally out of Ontario, thank the Maker! As I left my hotel room this morning I stopped at a grocery store to pick up some fruit. The town of Ignace is very small, population is about fourteen hundred people. Most everyone I spoke with was complaining about the heat wave this region is experiencing. I smiled at the fact they think temps in the nineties is a heat wave! As I was driving out of Ontario, I stopped and took some more pictures of their solid granite hills and more stone sculptures. I could not resist stacking a few small stones of my own. I too wanted to leave behind a "Sunita sculpture"!

As soon as I crossed over to Manitoba, the terrain changed almost immediately. Instead of granite hills I was in flat land and could see for miles. I wonder how that happens, crossing from one state or province to another and all of a sudden the topography is different. I have noticed that in the United States also, it's almost as if who ever drew the lines for the boundaries did it deliberately.

Tomorrow, I will visit Lake Winnipeg, it is the eleventh largest fresh water lake on the planet and it's about an hour's drive from Winnipeg. Even though right now I am tired of driving, I think I must go and see this lake and dip my toe in it, especially since I didn't get to dip my toe in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland! But, first, I am sleeping in tomorrow.

Still in Ontario!

I have no idea how long it will take to get out of Ontario, it's like California, it goes on forever! I will be in Manitoba tomorrow for sure. I am looking forward to being in Winnipeg, just the name makes me smile.

Today most of the day was spent driving through Ontario, at times I was by Lake Superior, it's an immense lake, the only problem was that there were very few turn offs to get closer to the lake. That is one thing which is so different than in the USA. In America lots of points of interest are available right off the road, with plenty of signs showing you when a turn off is coming. Not so in Canada. That was disappointing. On the way the road is dotted with numerous lakes, three in particular caught my attention; one was Mom lake, next came Baby lake and then Dad lake! I would have liked to have been able to stop and take photographs of the three lakes, but there was no room on the side of the hi-way. Since the road is just a two lane hi-way and the shoulder is very narrow it was not possible to pull over to take pictures. I guess I will have to depend on my memory to remember. I was able to take a photograph of stone sculptures that I am assuming young people make and leave atop of giant rocks by the side of the road. I began to notice them as I began to get into rural Ontario. Through the entire area of Ontario beginning with Sudbury and continuing to Thunder Bay people have defaced rocks with names, which makes me sad, it takes away from the natural majestic beauty of the immense rocks. However, seeing the small rock sculptures made me smile each time. They are usually made with small rocks on either side to make the legs and then a large horizontal rock to make the body and arms, then a small rock to make the head. They stand as if to bid you welcome. While driving the wonder of nature keeps me occupied and I truly enjoy this spiritual connection with the earth.

Tonight I am staying in Ignace Ontario, my hotel room is a throwback to the seventies, except for the internet. The furnishings and keys remind me of the times I took my little children on a cross country trip and stayed in some shady locations!

I have not been able to find too many vegetarian choices for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am looking forward to being in Vancouver and eating some fresh veggies. I have been stopping at local grocery stores and picking up some fruit, that seems to make the lack of good veggie choices a bit easier to tolerate.

Wawa Ontario.

I do believe that I am getting tired of driving! I didn't think I would ever say those words! I have been on the road now for eighteen days and really do wish the trip had already ended. I have slowed my pace somewhat, for some reason my right shoulder is sore and it has been difficult to drive for long periods of time without a break.

I left Sudbury this morning in a leisurely manner, the hotel I had stayed in offered me a complimentary brunch since the night before rowdy teenagers had kept me awake until 4 a.m. I was grateful for an understanding hotel manager.

As I was driving through on the Trans Canada Hi-way I noticed a sign for spicy Indian food-- of course I had to stop and see this place! Inside I was met by two friends who were having Sunday brunch with each other. They invited me to sit and join them, while the proprietor made "channa biriyani" for me. the owner is from Pakistan and the two gentlemen who were enjoying their brunch were from Canada.

Farewell Toronto.

I woke up this morning with a heavy heart, knowing I will be leaving and I have no idea when I will see Farzana, Shablee and their family again. Farzana had invited both her children and their spouses and her grandchildren to lunch today. All I have done is eat splendid food the entire time I have been here. I feel like I have stayed at a five star hotel!

The vegetarian feast before us was splendid and the conversation jovial. I got to meet Sabrina, Adil's wife. Both Adil and Sabrina work in their respective careers and are raising two adorable sons. Shayaan their incredibly smart son sat next to me, he is fascinated by my journey and Spitfire (my car). He wanted to have his picture taken in the car, so of course I obliged. Their younger son Rayaan is also very curious, though I didn't get a chance to get to know him. It was really wonderful to see Adil and Nadia again, the last time I saw them they were both teenagers and still living at home. Nadia has grown into a lovely young woman and Adil is a very handsome young man. Both of them have married people that match their personalities. Nadia has always been a quiet and observant person. Chad her husband is an easy person to converse with and he is a good listener. Adil is married to Sabrina who in the short time that I was with her, seems to be a lively conversationist and is beautiful.

After our lunch it was time to start packing and heading out. It's never easy to say goodbye to loved ones, staying another day seems so appealing, though at some point a person has to leave. It's best to leave while your hosts are still enjoying your company and not waiting for you to leave!

We took our photos hugged and cried, hugged some more and made promises to see each other sooner than another twenty years. I got in the car and drove off. Toronto traffic was heavy even though it was a Saturday afternoon, though soon enough I was out of the city and onto the open road. Misty eyed I drove on and stopped for the night in Sudbury Ontario.

Catching up...

I slept really well, Farzana had made a wonderful vegetarian dinner, we sat around the dinner table catching up on the last twenty years! We talk on a regular basis but face to face contact has been very limited. This morning Shablee had made breakfast for all of us. He is a good cook, though, no one can top the way Farzana cooks!

In the afternoon, we looked at old photographs of the times I have not been able to share with my friend. We sat on the floor reminiscing about the time when we were both young mothers and now our children are grown and leading their own lives. Farzana's daughter Nadia came to visit with her husband Chad, it was good to see her. She and her husband are both teachers and seem to enjoy working in the Canadian school system.

Nadia wanted to know what was my favorite portion of the trip so far, of course spending time in Toronto has been a wonderful respite, I told her my choice picks would have to be Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. They have been thinking about taking a trip to the east and my journey may just prompt them to go there in the near future.

Tomorrow I will be leaving and continuing my journey, a part of me does not want to leave, I wish Farzana and I lived closer so that we could see each other more often; the way we used to when we lived in London.

In Toronto!

I left Quebec, in fact I was eager to leave that Province, I felt like I was in a foreign country! I was able to get to Toronto by dinner time. My dear friend Farzana and her husband Shablee had made a wonderful dinner! So good to eat homemade Indian food after having been on the road for so long! Farzana has two adorable grandsons, I got a chance to visit with them before their father took them home. To me her grandsons reminded me of her son Adil when both of us were young mothers. Our friendship is now decades old, I am grateful that we have continued to stay in touch with each other. This trip across Canada had a two fold purpose; one was to drive across Canada to Vancouver to see my siblings and the other was to see Farzana! We met each other in London while we were both teenagers. When I moved away from London, the only way we could stay in touch was by writing letters to each other-- in other words snail mail! When she moved to Toronto, it was so much easier because then we were able to talk on the phone. I will stay with Farzana until Saturday and I hope to spend some time with both her children and their spouses, after that I will begin my journey again.

Quebec.

Quebec is my least favorite Province. All of Canada is bi-lingual in their hi-way markings except Quebec-- the only writing here is in French, don't they realize they are in Canada and not France? I stopped at a gas station to fill up and buy something to eat, none of the attendants would speak to me in English they just kept barking at me in French. I can understand a little bit of French, I used to be able to get by when I was in high school, but that was a long time ago! I am anxious to get out of Quebec as quickly as possible. The last time I was here was for the '76 summer Olympics in Montreal and I remember how frustrating it was to get anywhere, well, it has not changed a whit!

If I could have avoided Quebec altogether I would have, but that was not possible. I am looking forward to seeing my friend Farzana tomorrow, today leaving PEI was a little tough, I got in a couple last shots of another church and then it was onto the Confederation Bridge with a toll of $43.00 I guess they have to pay for that one billion price tag!

Anne of Green Gables!

The farm where Lucy Maud Montgomery based her book Anne of Green Gables is a National Historic Monument. It was fun to see the haunted woods come to life as I walked around the farm house. The farm house has been decorated to look like the place Anne grew up. It was enjoyable to see the book come to life, they have done a good job of keeping this piece of history alive.

It was a very pleasant drive to the town of Cavendish. Every town in P.E.I. is very accessible. It took only forty five minutes to get there from Charlottetown. I was in no hurry, so I drove slowly taking in the serene beauty of this island. Stopping every time I spotted a white church with a steeple. There's something about a white church with a long spire against the blue sky that has always appealed to me. Of course, I am always fascinated by the graveyards next to these tiny churches. As a Hindu where cremation is our way of paying final respect to the body, I find burial of a body interesting. On the one hand it gives the ones left behind a place to memorialize the final resting place of a loved one. On the other hand, a lot of land is devoted to dead people. As an environmentalist I find that to be wasteful, I can also see the comfort a final resting place brings to friends and family members. It is hard to go to the River Ganga in India, every time a Hindu misses the ones who are gone!

I had an extremely pleasant day, even though the day started off with rain and overcast sky. I was determined not to let that be a hinderance. I slept in and woke up when my body felt ready and then, after breakfast, I was off to explore. The day turned out quite well, every so often the clouds would part and allow the sun to peak out. The temps were in the upper seventies, which allowed me to have the top down for most of my sightseeing.

Tomorrow the driving begins again, this time the destination is Toronto, I am going to visit my childhood friend Farzana who lives in Toronto with her family. We have not seen each other in about twenty years. We speak with each other regularly and keep abreast of each other's lives. It will be wonderful to see her again.

Prince Edward Island.

Well, this entry is being made from Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province. I left North Sydney this morning and headed straight towards P.E.I. It seems all the cute, charming cottages and houses wanted to live here on this island! The entire island is green and so well manicured.

Getting here I went across Confederation Bridge. The bridge is a marvel of modern day engineering. The bridge is eight miles long and it goes over the Northumberland Strait, it took over five thousand local workers, four years to build at a cost of one billion dollars to complete the task! The bridge opened in 1997, linking Prince Edward Island to the mainland of Canada. I was very happy to travel over the bridge instead of having to take a ferry to the island. I think I am done with ferry rides for a while. I used to have a house on Salt Spring Island off the coast of Vancouver, just getting to my house would take four hours on the ferry!

Tomorrow I am going to visit the farm where the author of Anne of Green Gables used to visit. I am looking forward to driving over this island and taking my time discovering. I noticed there are a lot of white churches with steeples, I plan to stop and take pictures of as many churches as I can.

Back on the ferry!

I am making this entry from the ferry to Nova Scotia, I just learnt from Doug Johnston, a fellow passenger that the ferry route is an extension of the Trans-Canada Hi-way. He also pointed out that this is the only "road" you can have an alcohol beverage! The crossing has been a bit rough so I will not be partaking in anything that can add to my queasiness!

The drive to Port aux Basques took 91/2 hours I was on the road at 8:30 a.m. I am glad I got up early and drove out, I made it to the ferry terminal at 5:58 p.m. and loading began promptly at 6:00 p.m.

I stopped on the way at Mary's diner where Ramona my waitstaff provided me with a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. When I asked her how long she had lived on Newfoundland? "All my life". She answered, not only that, she had lived in the town of Eastland her entire life. She seemed very happy and content with her life. It's hard for me to imagine living in one place for an entire lifetime. At times I do envy people who have such deep roots, my roots are spread all over the world. I guess I call the entire planet my home not just one place.

Well, my next entry will be from Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest Province, we will be docking soon and tonight I will go straight to bed!

Cape Spear!

Today I wanted to see the easternmost part of the North American continent, it's located at Cape Spear, it houses one of Newfoundland and Labrador's oldest surviving lighthouse. The 1835 structure is on a rocky cliff 245 ft. above sea water. I was hoping to dip my toe into the Atlantic Ocean at this point, but it was not meant to be. The rocky cliffs are slippery and the ocean tide is very strong with rogue waves coming in with no warning. As much as I wanted to inch my way towards the water, I resisted and took many photos instead. Somethings are just not meant to be and this was one of them. I was treated instead to Humpback whales! I saw a baby just frolicking off the coast. Every few minutes it would come up for air and then disappear into the sea. The only hint the whale was about to surface would be when the water around the whale become a light hue of blue, and the glistening body of the whale came out of the water. Then, water spew out of the blow hole and under she would go again. I was delighted that this extra special treat was in store for me!

I also went to Signal Hill just a short drive from downtown St. John's this is the location where in 1901 the first transatlantic wireless message was received by Guglielmo Marconi. The morning was shrouded in fog at Signal Hill so I was not able to see the ocean, but the view of the harbour was visible. St John's looked very picturesque tucked away off the shore. With the brightly coloured houses, boats and ships docked and a perfect sky as the backdrop. I have enjoyed my stay here in St. John's and I am glad I made this trek to the eastern shore of Canada. Tomorrow begins the trek back to Port aux Basques, the long drive and then the ferry crossing back to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

This has been an incredible journey and even though it has been tiring at times, I am gratified I came. I will be sad to leave St. John's and Newfoundland.

Shopping St. John's style!

Today, I woke up late! What a joy it is to sleep in, I have been on the go so much my fatigue level was at an all time high. It was good to get the needed rest, after breakfast, I headed towards the historic downtown of St. John's it is the oldest city in Canada. The houses downtown are row houses all painted with bright colours. I am sure to keep the bleak days of winter and fog at bay.

I wanted to be able to pick out gifts for family members from the eastern most part of Canada. Being and artist myself, I prefer to purchase one of a kind handmade items by local artists. I was not disappointed, I found just the right thing for each member of my family! Then, I was off taking pictures of the charming painted houses and the port of St. John's. The downtown area is quite hilly, I wear a pedometer so that I can keep track of the steps I take daily and today I logged well over thirteen thousand steps which is 6.1 miles!

In the evening I went to India Gate on Duckworth street, a local Indian restaurant which has been in business for the past twenty years. I neglected to make a reservation, I simply couldn't remember what day of the week today is and of course on a Friday night in a bustling city such as St. John's reservations are required! The proprietor of the establishment whose name is Varinder could see the disappointment in my face, he very kindly made room for me and I enjoyed an amazing dinner!

At the end of my meal Varinder and I exchanged stories as to how we both ended up so far away from our native lands, during the conversation I find out he lived in Vancouver for a while. He knew who my sister is, he had watched her shows on television and listened to her on the radio! We both remarked on what a small world this truly is. I have come across so many people of Indian descent who know of my sister Shushma, I am heartwarmed by her popularity!

Tomorrow, I will head to Signal Hill and then to Cape Spear, the eastern most part of Canada; dip my toe in the Atlantic Ocean and consider my quest to get to the furthest point of Canada complete!

St. John's!

After a long ten hour drive I have arrived at the eastern most part of Canada! Leaving Port aux Basques this morning was eerie, the fog was dense and it was difficult to see the road but within about fifteen minutes I left the misty conditions behind and the clouds parted, the sun was shinning and all was well with the world!

Most of Newfoundland has gently rolling hills, I expected it to be much more rugged and rough looking, but it has a gentle, soft personality. Pools of clear water lakes dot the landscape, the hills dip into the lakes at a slow incline and the water seems as though it's a mirror. The people of Newfoundland also match the personality of it's surroundings, they are very kind and helpful. This evening the hostess at a local restaurant went out of her way to suggest where I might find local artists selling their handicrafts. Her name is Sarah and she kindly drew a map for me so I won't get lost. I think Newfoundland's greatest treasure is it's citizens, they are the gems that sparkle along with their crystal clear lakes.

Trans-Canada Hi-way through Newfoundland is a well planned road, even though it's a two lane hi-way; every so often a lane is provided so that people can overtake the slower vehicles. Everyone moves over if a faster car is approaching, which was usually my car! The road is in good shape and there was no trash on the road anywhere and very little roadkill!

Canada does take very good care of it's roads. The Canadians have us beat when it comes to healthcare, road conditions, recycling and overall trash management. In every hotel room I found a bin just for recyclables. At the ferry terminal there were large bins for composting as well as recycling. I like that mentality I wish we could implement more of that back home.

I am tired after the long drive and I am not looking forward to making the same drive back to Port aux Basques so that I can catch the ferry back to Nova Scotia and then drive across Canada-- what was I thinking?!

Port aux Basques, Newfoundland!

Finally, I am here! The apex of my journey. It seems like just getting here all the stars had to align just right and prayers to all the travel Gods in the pantheon of all Gods were sent out. The prayers were answered, even though I got on the wrong hi-way, I was still able to find the ferry terminal and get in line ahead of time. For those of you who have been following my blog-- you know that mornings are not my best time of the day. Though, when push comes to shove I can function in the mornings, which I did this morning. I got ready in record time and was on the road by 8:15 a.m.

Getting on the ferry is it's own travel drama, one has to report to the terminal two hours ahead of sailing time and then you wait in your designated lane until the ferry personnel motion you forward to board the gigantic vessel. Spitfire had to remain in the parking hold of the ferry in the bottom deck while I went upstairs to a very comfortable lounge.

I had ordered perfect weather, clear blue skies, minimal wind and a calm sea. All of the above were granted! The sailing was smooth as we bid au-revoir to the North Sydney coastline of Nova Scotia. I went to the dinning room for some lunch to find that no vegetarian choices were available for me, as I stood there pondering what I might do to satiate my hunger the chief chef came over and said "I will fix you a vegetarian platter with a salad and it's on the house!" I was indeed moved by his kind gesture. His name is Albert, he is the chef on the vessel named Blue Puttees, if you ever happen to be in this neck of the woods.

I met a charming family from Toronto who were on a family vacation, I enjoyed my conversation with Sue and her son. If I get the opportunity, Sue and I may meet each other for lunch while I am in Toronto. These are the joys of travel, meeting perfect strangers and finding out you have so much in common with each other. We exchanged e-mail addresses and will stay in touch.

Our ferry arrived in Port aux Basques the south western tip of Newfoundland on time at 4:30 p.m. As we were approaching Newfoundland, fog started to roll in and the harbor town was barely visible. Such a difference in less than an hour! We went from summer to late fall like temps in a matter of minutes! The landscape looks like Scotland, granite hills with fog hovering; you expect to see someone playing bagpipes emerging from behind the fog curtain!

The hotel I am staying at is close to the ferry terminal, tomorrow a long 7-10 hour drive awaits me as I journey eastwards to St John's. I may decide to break the journey in half depending on my fatigue level!

Sydney, Nova Scotia!

It was a long day getting here to Sydney, narrow windy road part of it was not in good repair. The northern part of Nova Scotia near the ocean is picturesque the rest of it is gentle rolling hills with plenty of pine trees. I did drive down to Halifax hoping to catch the coastal hi-way but, got lost and decided to go on the Trans-Canada route to Sydney instead. Tomorrow from North Sydney I will catch the 11 a.m. ferry to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland-- try saying that really fast three times in a row! It's been a long day and I really need to get to sleep so that I can be up early to wait in line for TWO hours before the ferry sailing. So, I will make a longer entry tomorrow, perhaps even from the ferry if they have an internet connection.

Fredericton, New Brunswick

This morning I woke up to fog in Maine! Fog is rare in Oklahoma, but I remember plenty of foggy days in London as a teenager. By the time I was on the road at ten in the morning the fog had burned off and the day was beautiful. I was going to check some of the lighthouses that Maine is so famous for but decided to head towards New Brunswick, I was anxious to get my journey across Canada started. After topping off Spitfire's (my car) gas tank we headed north on I-95. The top was down since it was only in the upper seventies, Robert Palmer and Prince helped to rev up the journey to high octane and away we went. A lot of the hi-way was very similar to the road I took towards Alaska along with signs warning of moose crossings!

It took less than ten minutes at the Canadian border, customs is my least favorite thing to do on the planet! Memories of being pulled over when I was driving to Alaska will always remain fresh in my mind, so this time I had my story ready along with details of how long I will be in the fair country of Canada. No problems this time I had nothing to declare, questions such as "Do you have any firearms with you?"-- brought a smile inside my head, I was not about to elaborate on my personal feelings about carrying guns, or about being a pacifist; too much information! I have had to remind myself that I only need to answer questions with a 'yes' or, 'no' answer, too much information given out by me always gets me in trouble!

Well, I entered New Brunswick and took a photo of the beginning of my Canadian adventure, Fredericton was not far away and I made it to my hotel by teatime. Indians, Canadians and the British know how to do afternoon tea. I sat in the elegant dinning room sipping on hot English Breakfast tea and eating scones. I didn't have to tell the waitstaff to bring cream for me, they know how to serve afternoon tea. Such a wonderful respite afternoon tea is, it rejuvenates in a very calm and serene manner.

After my tea I went to my room and began to plan out the journey to Newfoundland. This portion of the trip did require schedules since the only way to get to St. John's is by ferry hotels on the way have to be booked in advance so that I will have a place to stay. As much as I dislike planning ahead in this instance I do have to be meticulous in my planning. Getting to St. John's is quite a trek after catching the ferry to Newfoundland, there is a 7-9 hour car journey to arrive at St. John's! Good job, I like to drive!

Tomorrow I am going to get to Nova Scotia and drive to Halifax. I hope everyone at home had a very pleasant July 4th!

Freeport, Maine.

I crossed over many states in one single day, from Connecticut to Massachusetts, through New Hampshire to Maine! Amazing! It takes two days just to cross the length of California. I decided to get off the major interstate I-95 and go the coastal route on hi-way 1. Soon I realized it was a mistake because it seems everyone in all the eastern states had the same idea. It was bumper to bumper traffic on this tiny hi-way. It took ten minutes to travel less than a mile. Even though the small towns that dot this scenic road, are little jewels, I headed back towards the interstate. I didn't know how long it would take to get to Freeport, I had stopped to make a reservation around tea time. I knew a room would be waiting for me, at the same time I was not willing to crawl at a snails pace during the dusk hours.

The two towns I did get to see were Portsmouth Maine where the US navy started, and Kittery. In Portsmouth the middle of the town square there was an old working village, where people dress in period costumes and speak old English. It was intriguing to see how people lived in this brand new country. Remarkable to see how much this country has been able to achieve in a mere two hundred odd years. Kittery on the other hand is a shoppers paradise, it's a shame I could not find any parking or a few well chosen items might have found their way into the trunk of my car!

Tomorrow I plan to be in New Brunswick, Canada, but before that I am going to check out the charming little hamlet of Freeport and learn it's history.

Danbury CT.

Well, I made to Connecticut! I have never been in this part of the country before and I must say the small towns remind me of rural England, with windy narrow roads and no grid pattern apparent. I can see why the east coast is so different than the west coast. The east was colonized by the British and of course they would make this new land look like the home they left behind. As charming as they are, it's easier to navigate on a grid pattern!

Today, the driving was even more pleasant because there was no destination in mind except to get closer to the east coast. I will get to Maine and then on to New Brunswick Canada in the next few days.

I think all the east coast drivers are on some type of hyped coffee or, they all take steroids. I have never been around so many aggressive drivers. Even though the speed limit in Pennsylvania and New York is sixty five miles on the hi-way, none of them pay attention to it and most everyone was speeding-- my kind of people! The Pennsylvanian drivers maybe the best drivers in the nation, they understand the need to get in the left lane only to overtake, even if they are doing it at breakneck speed! It was my turn to be in the slow lane and I am not sure I liked that too much! I did get to enjoy the scenery, it was enjoyable to see the heavily forested lands and the picturesque farms of Pennsylvania. I had not expected that, for some reason I thought the land would be an urban sprawl. Most of the towns are tucked away in the valleys off I-70.

Connecticut is charming I can see why people would want to live here, the forests have tall majestic trees and the homes are lovely. Along with tiny windy roads to compliment the picture perfect location. More tomorrow!

New Stanton, PA.

Well, I didn't get as far as Harrisburg today, the eastern part of the country is definitely harder to traverse than the western half which I am so used to traveling on my way north to Vancouver. The way I have been driving so long and hard, by now I would have reached Portland Oregon! So, a change in plans, I will not be able to make it to New Brunswick by July 4. Time to step back and remember the reason for this trip-- to enjoy the journey! I think the reason for my haste is rooted in the ferry schedule for Newfoundland and consequently lodging in St. John. I dislike having to book ahead of time it takes all the fun out of spontaneity! This trip has had to be different because I have had to plan ahead and book hotel rooms along the way to insure arrival in St John. Well, today that went out the window! There is more traffic and even more construction on the roads and most drivers just don't stay out of my way!

I came to my hotel room exhausted and regrouped. I cancelled most of the bookings I had made and decided to slow down and enjoy the idyllic Pennsylvanian countryside. I kept one hotel booking on Newfoundland for later next week just in case I do get there, other than that I will be flying by the seat of my pants as I usually do!

Today, as I was racing towards Harrisburg I was mulling over what wonderful fast food chain will I patronize when I noticed a huge sign written in Gurmukhi, it is the way the Punjabi language is written, I can speak Punjabi but never learnt to write it; though I recognize the script. Gratefully, under the Gurmukhi script there were these words in English "A Taste of India next exit and then turn right"! This was another truck stop catering to Sikh truck drivers just as I had found a truck stop in New Mexico last summer. I was overjoyed!

I decided to take the exit knowing I would get to eat authentic Punjabi food. I was not disappointed. These truck stops cater to Indian truckers so the food is like homestyle. It's not made for the North American palate. Sumptuous and spicy I enjoyed my lunch, I was thankful I didn't have to choose between Cracker Barrel or Subway!

The rest of the afternoon was very pleasant, amazing when the belly is full the brain is happy. It also helped that the weather is cooler in this part of the country and I was able to have the top down and listen to some great music!

I have no idea where I'll end up tomorrow so it will be as much a surprise to me as to you! Until then.