Montreal Language Skills October 09 2014, 1 Comment

After spending an extended period of time camping, you often learn things about yourself, life lessons that I somehow managed to avoid right up until week three of our Great Canadian Journey. I thought I'd share a few of these with you.

It's A Sign September 23 2014, 0 Comments

In Australia, when you're embarking on a hike, you will probably encounter several signs before the actual walk begins. There will be the typical 'you are in this park' sign, usually accompanied with a map. Coupled with this there is usually another sign providing details about the local flora and fauna.

Drive Right Through September 18 2014, 1 Comment

Whenever we mentioned visiting New Brunswick, we were more often than not greeted with the same bewildered expression coupled with the same question: 'why?'. Most people, it seemed, treated New Brunswick as a place they were obliged to drive through on their way to more exciting destinations. I, however, was more optimistic. After all, I said to myself, if everyone was driving through, then we would have an entire province of secret treasures to discover.

Stephanie September 08 2014, 1 Comment

 

Let me explain.

Barely Camping September 05 2014, 2 Comments

As an Australian, and more specifically as an Australian who loves camping, most people I talked to were taken aback at the level of anxiety I expressed about back country camping in Canada. While it is true that there are a large variety of creatures in Australia that are able to kill you, most of these creatures are no match for a solid, well aimed whack of some form of footwear. Canada, on the other hand, has a a slightly larger form of death inducing creature. Deciding that my usual tactics were ill advised against a frisky moose or hungry bear, unless I could find a really really big shoe, I decided to enquire at the visitor's centre.

Gros Morne Mountain; A Guide August 30 2014, 2 Comments

Some would say that the small black diamond over the Gros Morne hiking trail marked difficult would be enough. Others might suggest that the many warnings scattered throughout the pamphlets given out with maps might have hinted about the intensity of the trail. Some might even say that the many signs plastered around the start of the walk, and the inclusion of a decision point (a turn around and give up point) would have brought the possibility of arduousness to the fore of any hikers mind. Still, I was caught by surprise by the magnitude of the hike. It did't help that you cannot actually see the mountain from the start of the hike, but rather a good hour into it. So, for future hikers to ignore, here is a simple step by step guide to the Gros Morne Mountain Trail.

Oh, Canada August 28 2014, 0 Comments

I love Canada. 

The first time I came here was two years ago in order to visit an old school friend who had moved here permanently. Not knowing exactly what to expect, I booked my plane ticket to Vancouver thinking it would be fairly easy to make my way across to where he was living from there. Once there, feeling pretty broke, I figured the bus would be a cheap and easy option.

The Chorus Of Newfoundland August 28 2014, 0 Comments

It was like a refrain.

It haunted us through the first province of the journey, following us as we sped down the highways, greeting us at unexpected corners on the backroads, or looming out of the darkness as we arrived at our destination. With every slight variation in the weather he uttered it like a challenge. 

'Looks like a clear day!' He'd exclaim merrily. 'Think we've escaped it this time!'