07/12/2018

North Sydney, NS, Canada

Ever since we made the ferry crossing from Labrador to Newfoundland we have been in the 'wondering' travel mode. Yesterday I decided I wanted to get back in the 'directed' mode of travel.

Last Tuesday our destination was the Viking ruins at L'Anse aux Meadows. Wednesday it was the Tablelands at Gros Morne Nat'l Park. Both places we had exceptionally well done guided walking tours that were both entertaining and enlightening. In the afternoons, we 'wondered' kind of like when you go 'window shopping' on any main street. Just looking and as with that undirected effort I soon became bored and fidgety. Wednesday started out as a totally undirected day.

NEW PLAN:

About 10 am I decided to point the truck South for the Ferry out of Port aux Basques and head for the house. I'm just getting tired of the 'tourist' thing. I don't begrudge a business a profit. I totally understand make it when the opportunity arises. What I have wearied of is being 'stuck in the eye' pricewise at every single turn. We have not been able to eat a meal 'out' for less than on average $20 -$30 per head. We stopped at Mary Brown's Famous Chicken & Taters - two piece chicken meal $17. Another place two piece fried Cod and chips meal $23. Even the waitress said things have gotten so expensive because of the tourist that the locals could not afford to go out and eat any more. As I said I don't begrudge them profitable businesses but I hate being a 'target' for every need up here from diesel to toilet paper.

So the new Plan is IF one of us is interested enough to research and get directions to some specific place AND it is along the way home, we will stop. Otherwise, we keep heading South. No more wondering.

Since I did Nova Scotia on a motorcycle with a psycho girlfriend two up in the early 80's, I have left the choosing of the places we will stop and the planning up to Rick. So far we are still 'wondering' and I'm experiencing mild pouting from the otherside of the cab. (-:

FERRY RIDE:

We left NL last night at 11:45 pm on a Ferry out of Port aux Basques, NL, Ca. We landed this morning at 7:30 am. Wonderful smooth rode and loading / unloading but since we were a last minute 'stand by' there were no overnight berths available. Sleeping in a Greyhound Bus seat sucks at my age. Oh, did I mention how good 'ferry food' is? (-:

Come time to disembark from the ferry we are looking for a place to eat a decent breakfast and make some progress South. We miss a few turns and end up on this road that generally was headed in the right direction when we happened up the Herring Choker Cafe & Bakery. You just can't help yourself from stopping at a cafe whose name includes Choke. So we did. Turned out to be a charming local bakery that served egg wraps and great coffee.

WILDLIFE:

We have seen in Labrador / Newfoundland road signs warning us to avoid collisions with Moose. We have now driven the entire width of Labrador and the length of Newfoundland and are now in NS. We have not seen one furry animal along the roads. Not even one that was roadkill - not one!!!!!! Bizarre!!!!!!!