The World’s Largest Axe
There it is… it’s big.
Zesty and the axe
Maya and the axe
The Nicest Brewery on Our Journey
Continue readingRoaming About
A Life Less Ordinary
Category: Travel (page 21 of 28)
Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂
This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. Since June 2019 - we adopted Maya on June 4th - we have a dog section as well. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor's visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.
For the month of September, Mark, Maya, and I lived and traveled in our camper van, Zesty. This was interspersed with multiple-day visits to destinations in Quebec and Maine and nights at an Airbnb, a friend's house, a motel, and a hotel, courtesy of my parents, who joined us on September 19th. The generosity of ma and pa kept our expenses lower than they would have been, as they chipped in for groceries, fuel, and a national park pass and treated us to restaurant meals.
Our battery problem started in Halifax and continued on Cape Breton
Our friends Alex and Dave jump started us for the last time in Cavendish, PEI.
They had our size battery in Summerside, PEI.
Swapping our old, defunct car battery for a new one
Despite that, September was still an "average" month, due to camper projects, an expensive bridge toll, and personal splurges. We purchased a new car battery on Prince Edward Island, several parts and tools to fix the van this month, and a few drinks and meals out.
Splurge with food and drinks at the Evermoore Brewery in summerside
Lobster roll! Our first and only one this year.
Confederation Bridge ranks as the most expensive bridge we ever crossed.
Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional.
This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor. Feel free to swing by their sites and see what they’re up to.
The question for this month’s blog hop is long: “It’s been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don’t enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?
My answer
I believe that reading benefits people, whether they are writers or not. The advantage of being a writer who reads is that you always learn, consciously or not, and this improves your craft. The disadvantage of reading for me is that, 1) I compare myself to other writers, leading to two trains of thought, either “I’ll never be able to write this well and become successful” or “I can and do write like that, so why am I not becoming successful?” And, 2) I get annoyed by typos, feel like I have to proofread and correct the copy, and try to retain wisdom. As a result, reading often feels like work instead of enjoyment. In general, reading does make me a better writer.
However, I don’t agree that not reading means that you don’t enjoy reading, as suggested in this question. I rarely read because of time constraints, not because I don’t enjoy it. Also, writers might purposefully NOT read much (in certain genres) to develop original ideas and unique voices. Nothing wrong with that.
The world’s largest axe in New Brunswick
The world’s longest covered bridge in New Brunswick
Definitely the most impressive covered bridge we’ve seen and walked/drove through
Before Mark, Maya, and I drove north to “explore the Canadian Maritimes a bit”, we didn’t plan anything, as always. The only thing my husband and I discussed was visiting our friend Woody in the Halifax area – he received three days’ notice – and our friends Alex and Dave “somewhere on Prince Edward Island” (PEI). We didn’t inquire where on the island they were located, until a couple of days before we headed that way. We let them know about our arrival, which happened the following day, as things sped up thanks to Hurricane Dorian. There’s a fine line between a “surprise” visit and a “planned” visit when it comes to hosting us. You are warned!
In a car or camper, PEI can be reached by bridge or ferry. The exorbitant toll of the bridge is paid on the return journey; when you leave the island. A little-known fact is that the ferry to the island is free as well, even if you return via the bridge. The prices online are for the return trip on the boat. But what if you want to take the ferry there and the bridge back, because that makes more sense logistically? You could reserve a one-way spot and pay $79 for that privilege. Or, you could just show up early enough, get in line, and pay zero dollars. Guess what we did?
Wood Islands
Wood Islands Provincial Park was the perfect introduction to the cuteness, cleanliness, and charm of PEI. From the moment we drove off the ferry, we turned into this relaxing and beautiful park.
Leaving Pictou and Nova Scotia on the ferry – from one lighthouse to the next
Arriving at the ferry terminal of Wood Islands
Maya already likes PEI
From this park, we saw our ferry leave
Wood Islands Lighthouse – a more picturesque introduction to Prince Edward Island is hard to imagine!
(Hover over the photos or click on them to read the captions and enlarge.)
Continue readingMark, Maya, and I had five weeks to explore the Canadian Maritimes, before my parents would arrive from Belgium. Time flies! Especially when all hiking and sightseeing is postponed on rainy days. We knew we couldn’t circumnavigate Nova Scotia in its entirety, due to long distances, expensive fuel, and time constraints.
Crossing New Brunswick took about a week, then we spent another one in the Halifax area, where we had to choose: travel about the southwest corner of the province or the northeastern part. We picked the latter and headed to Cape Breton Island, many hours and kilometers away.
We hit the Cabot Trail – a famous scenic drive – on the first day of September. Another traveler had recommended we’d drive counter clockwise to take in the dramatic vistas from the best angle, so we did. While pretty, it wasn’t as spectacular as we anticipated; the nicer parts reminded us somewhat of the Acadia National Park shoreline in Maine.
Mark, Maya, and I spent about two weeks in Nova Scotia, a beautiful province that is part of the Canadian Maritimes. This is the first of two posts I will publish about our time there, the end of August and the beginning of September 2019. Before that, we explored the southern part of New Brunswick.
Economy
Our intended camping experience near and hike to Economy Falls failed, due to the road’s horrible condition. Mark and I could have biked to the trailhead, but not with Maya. Ten miles of running beside bicycles on top of a five-mile romp in the woods would be too much. So, we opted for free camping option two: Thomas Cove Coastal Reserve. There, we found a peaceful spot to park along the Bay of Fundy, at the beginning of multiple flat but fun hiking trails. (Click on photos to enlarge and read captions.)
Not a bad spot for a couple of nights
Almost low tide in the Bay of Fundy
Look at all that cushy moss – Maya loved jumping around in it!
Nobody else was around during this fun walk in the woods
Exposed rock during low tide
Hiking in the woods
Low tide
After running around for miles, Maya’s tongue was hanging pretty low!
Giving Maya a bath – finally the outdoor shower comes in handy!
I was going to post a blog about our August expenses today, but something else came up. Well, it actually looks like I won’t post anything on this Sunday, September 8th, 2019, because the electricity and internet are both down on the entire island. Good thing we have a self-contained camper van; we have power and can even take a hot shower, which is more than some tourists staying in hotels can do. Internet, however, we can’t reproduce.
You might remember my whining about how we always have bad luck with the weather, wherever we go. Somehow, we encounter extremes: the wettest spring in California in a decade (hey, it did end the drought), the coolest and rainiest September on Vancouver Island, the coldest winter in Southern California and Southern Arizona (we even escaped into Mexico for a few days to look for elusive warmth), the most miserable May in Southern Utah ever, with rain, sleet, hail, and snow instead of the average 75 degrees (24C) that time of the year, the hottest and most humid June in Toronto and Montreal, and the hottest day of the year in Massachusetts (on which Maya got lost)!
Even though this selection of the last two years sums up our weather misfortunes well, none of it beat our experience this past weekend. The three of us found ourselves in the path of Hurricane Dorian – the same one that caused havoc in the Bahamas managed to make landfall on Nova Scotia, with strong effects on Prince Edward Island (PEI), where Zesty is located. Yep, a hurricane in Canada. The last time that happened was Hurricane Juan in 2003. What’s the chance of running into this? With us, pretty big.
Continue readingAfter spending a few days at our friends Mark and Jen’s cabin in Maine – the perfect place to hang out, write an article, and arrange part of my parents’ upcoming visit – Mark, Maya, and I hit the road again. Our (late) summer destination: the Canadian Maritimes.
Three people (Jen, Mark, and Mark) and three Dogs (Moose, Stubby, and Maya) in the kitchen
Maya is pretty mellow.
Small falls on a lovely hike
Mark, Mark, and Maya pose in front of the main falls
Maya likes to be on a “perch”
And, she still loves the water
But first, we had to endure an evening of buzzing and feasting mosquitoes in a free beautiful, forested, riverside campsite. We had “planned” a two-night stay, but left first thing in the morning and crossed the border; an uneventful affair.
Welcome to New Brunswick, Canada
You can read part one (about sights and boondocking in Colorado) here and part two (about the Midwest and meeting a TV celebrity in Iowa) here. The last stretch of our trip east from Kanab, Utah to Newburyport, Massachusetts started in Ontario, Canada.
Niagara Falls
Lake Erie, Ontario
Part of choosing this route, was to check out some of the Great Lakes, which I’d never been to. We found a nice-sounding boondocking spot along Lake Erie, before our real city tripping started. If it wasn’t for the hordes of biting flies chomping on our flesh, we would have stayed an extra day to relax. (Click on or hover over photos to enlarge and read the captions.)
Entering Ontario and Canada
Comfy Maya in the car
Stroll along Lake Erie
Trouble! Maya finds food everywhere…
Scenic spot, but biting insect-ridden
Mark and Maya in the golden light
Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂 Since July 2018, Mark and I have been combining van life in our Zesty and house and pet sitting, which we did full-time before that. The best of both worlds!
This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for the two of us. Under groceries we incorporate all the food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and Mark's vitamins and supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor's visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.
I'm a bit late with my expense report for June. The excuse: a long and challenging ride east with soaring heat and humidity, mediocre camping spots, no internet the last week, an anxious dog, and little time for anything other than driving, searching for shade, and outdoor activities. More about that later. The entire month of June was spent in our camper van Zesty and we have no more house sits lined up.
Driving into Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Scenes on the road
Mark drove the entire way, usually no more than four hours a day.
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