Canada: Going Home

The next day (Friday) we left at 6 am (I had to leave the key in the room as the lobby was locked.) It was the exact day (July 20^th) that 43 years earlier my mom was on vacation in Prince Edward Island with her parents and siblings and saw the first moon landing. It was fitting to be in the same place on the same day so many years later.  We drove to Summerside and ate breakfast at McDonald’s  - again I had a very stupid girl taking orders and messing everything up. We then drove 2 hours to the ferry. We had reserved a booking for the 11:15 am ferry, but got there early enough for the 9 am one. The place was crowded with young hippies going to some festival in NS.  I have never driven a car onto a ferry and it was pretty scary since we had to drive up a very steep loading bridge. We then had to get out and go upstairs. The ferry was delayed so it was good we got the earlier one. I was glad to get back in the car and took a really cool picture of my car “swimming” in water while we were on the ferry. When we got to Nova Scotia I had to drive down the loading bridge again – it was like being on a roller coaster. We drove several hours in Nova Scotia (had lunch at an A & W – which I had never been to before) and then continued to New Brunswick where it was another 2 1/3 hours to the border.

We crossed into the US in Houlton, Maine. There was a huge line of cars waiting to enter Canada and a good amount waiting to enter the US. Many cars (me included) went into one lane only to find out there was a very small sign saying it was for Nexus cardholders only. I don’t have a Nexus card and so had to fight my way into another lane (there were only 2 open.) There really should be a lane for American citizens like there are in airports. The male border guy tried to act tough, but I wasn’t buying it. We used our American passports and he asked what my occupation was to which I replied “nothing.” I could have told him I was a caregiver, etc, but he doesn’t need to know what I do for a living. American passports until the 1950s had occupation stated in them, but they don’t anymore. We then went to a gas station in the nearby town (where I could pay-at-the pump and it was in gallons.) We also got a snack at a Dunkin Doughnuts there – my mom had her first iced tea since the trip began. It was good to be back in the States. It was also good to be back where people say “about” and not “a boot” or “sorry” instead of “suerry.”

I then had a very long drive through Maine with nothing exciting happening. It was good to eventually see the “Welcome to New Hampshire” sign. We had a quick dinner at a McDonald’s 45 minutes from home. There were lots of cars out even though it was 9:30 pm (most people in NH stay home when it gets dark.) We made it home around 10:30 pm. I checked our mailbox and found that even though our mail was supposed to be held they had delivered some. Our mailbox is a mile from our house and stands with about 10 other mailboxes so I don’t like that it was sitting there for so long where people can mess with it. When we got home I unpacked the car and put things away. The house is very quiet with my dogs – which we will pick-up from the kennel on Monday. I was very tired after the 15 hour drive (not including the 2 hour ferry.)

The trip was a lot of fun. I had a great time with my mom. Even though we had reserved our hotels ahead of time and had a basic idea of some places we wanted to visit along the way most of it was left to chance (something I’m not used to, but was good this time.) We had driven 2,130 miles and visited three provinces. It was a road trip I will remember for a long time.