Tuesday, 9/22, 4:23 PM Tulloch Inn, Inverness, Cape Breton

Just arrived at tonight's lodging.  A charming Inn right on Lake Ainslie.  Very serene, only one other guest besides me and they are not here now.

 

Had a great night’s sleep Sunday night, lovely lodgings and started Monday very rested and ready.  Visited the UNESCO historical site at Grand Pre.  It is really well done and a great presentation of the exile of the Acadians.  Got a beautifully illustrated volume of Longfellow’s Evangeline. 

 Thoughts and feelings were all over the place on yesterday's drive from Grand Pre to Tatamagouche, about 3 hours.  I found I have a USB port in the glove compartment, so I can charge my phone and use the GPS at the same time, that dramatically lowered my anxiety.  Now, if needed I can turn on my “hot spot” and access all my files (Oops, didn’t print everything before leaving home, so need the computer files, did save them to the cloud) if needed.

 Am much more relaxed about being so GPS dependent.  If fact, used the postal code to find Monday night's lodgings and wound up in the wrong place.  Reset after assistance as to where I needed to be, kept going, and no panic or anxiety attacks.  

Everyplace I have been or purposefully stopped for directions, info etc. I am amazed at how kind, helpful, friendly everyone is.  The lady at the Irving gas station, the gentleman I met outside, the 2 guys at the Grand Pre welcome desk, the 2 ladies in the gift shop, the staff at McD’s in Trenton and the 2 customers in line, and the liquor store clerk here in Tatamagouche.  When needing info each took so much time to be sure I understood exactly how to get where I wanted, patiently repeating when I asked.  When recommending they made sure their choice matched what I wanted.  All have made me feel so welcome here.  Am a bit embarrassed to think these folks might not meet the same level of hospitality in the US

My friends W & I, who summer on Cape Breton advised not to under estimate the time it takes to get from one place to the next.  It was when I was told this that I edited my trip and destinations.  Even with that I find I still may be a bit ambitious.  Took me a while to remind myself, this is my trip and I can do or not do as I please.  And, I don’t have to “do” something every day.  I can spend a whole day relaxing, reading, napping; it is my vacation after all! 

Am finding I do okay with the driving as long as I have beautiful landscapes to enjoy.  Get a bit lulled on long, monotonous highways.  I am good for about 1 ½ hours, then need a stop to stretch and move a bit.  So cross country is physically possible though may be slow.

The room at the Train Station Inn was adorable and dinner in the dining car lovely.  Had breakfast this morning in the Station Café. There was a couple from British Columbia and sisters from Halifax.  We all had a great time at dinner and breakfast chatting, taking each other’s pictures and comparing travel notes.

Met a really nice couple at Grand Pre, they are from Louisiana and were tracing their Acadian routes.  They have an RV attached to a truck, spent 2 months getting here and plan another 2 months to get back home.  After our chat they’ve got me seriously thinking about a small RV, not a trailer, but one that I can drive around as well as “camp” in.  That would eliminate the need to change lodgings every night!

 I started this day enthused, excited and ready to continue; then when home begin to plan my next excursion. 

 

Stopped at a sheep farm and a lavender farm, both were in my plan, didn't do the winery, and glad not.  The drive from Tatamgouche to Cape Breton was so pretty, a bit long, but picturesque.  I feel like I should have a video camera on the roof that just keeps panning back and forth, want to show everyone everything I'm seeing.  At one point during a long stretch of farmlands and woods, no homes or businesses, felt myself starting to get anxious.  Thinking, what am I doing, I need to turn around and get home.  It passed, civilization appeared and I went onward.

 

Stopped at the Quilt shop at the very beginning of Cape Breton, saw a wall hanging I really like.  If it is still there when I am heading home, well, I will take that as a sign I'm meant to have it.

 

Barring any changes in the forecast, tomorrow I shall meet the whales.  Need to be in Cheticamp for noon as we sail at 1:00 PM.  The weather has been great, pray it continues if only for this one more day.

 

Ciao