On the Road again... heading home!

We home!  After many, many hours in the car we made it home. Finally!

We left Cape Breton yesterday.  It looked like the sky could open up at any moment, and it sure did along the way!  Again, we traveled in the rain, and not just a little!  When we left Baddeck, it was cloudy and the more we were heading West the cloudier it got.

Cape Breton and its people were nice.  Would I want to go back?  Not really.  Been there, done that, wouldn't really want to do it again...  It was nice, but I think we've seen nicer on our way back home...  Halifax was nice and there I wouldn't mind going back.  Don't think I will anytime soon, but still, it is a nice little city.

Heading home, we took a different path, and basically went around the other way in New Brunswick, going through different towns, and along the coast.  It wasn't as woodsy as on the way to Nova Scotia.  It might have been nicer if it didn't rain so darn much!

We crossed to Québec, using an inter-provincial bridge (between New Brunswick/Québec) not too far from Matapédia.  To my surprise they had this cute covered bridge, so we had to take a picture.  There were a few of those along the way, and not everyone was this cute and well maintained... some I would not have wanted to cross!

Since they had decided to break their ride home rather than doing it in one day like we did on the way there, they had reserved a little motel in Pointe-au-Père where Stinkypaw had stayed a few years back, when she attended a meet-up there (that is in Rimouski).  The location of that place is right on the water, by the lighthouse.  Yet another!

This morning when we were getting ready to hit the road again, you could barely see the lighthouse from the motel - and it is about a five minutes walk, at most!  There was this think fog, making the waterfront really eerie...

After seeing the place in this thick fog, we all wondered how ships did it on the sea with fog like this... no wonder they hit things!

We also hit some rain, but on and off, and the closer we got to home, the clearer it was getting... the sky that is, not the road!  There was quite a bit of traffic, people heading off for the long weekend most likely.  Many caravans, cars and trucks loaded, trailers, etc.  I guess vacation time started for many.  Here we're crossing the Pierre-Laporte Bridge in Québec...

We did well on time, and despite a few rocks being kicked up from other cards - all in Québec by the way, nothing like that while visiting "Canada"... I guess the road conditions have a lot to do with this.

Also, the closer we got to Montréal, the more expensive the price of gas was. Interesting things you notice when paying attention to not only the scenery!

Anyway, we are now home.  Everything is unpacked and put away and at this very moment, I'm just happy to be out of the car!

Cabot Trail - Check!

Our road trip continues!  The day started out nicely, with a nice sun and a good breakfast at the lodge.  You must admit, it is hard to have a bad day when it starts off with such a view! 

Today, since it was on Stinkypaw's list we had to make it to Cabot Trail.  She had been told by many that it was a beautiful sight and a must if in Nova Scotia / Cape Breton, so after Hubby looked it up, they decided that they would do it in one day, the full loop.  He had read that it was better to do it counter clockwise, only because the passenger (in this case Stinkypaw) was on the outside of the path, and would be able to see and snap pictures. So, we left right after breakfast and headed North.

We made a few stops here and there, along the Trail, to get some postcards (duh!).  Stinkypaw also wanted to make it to a beach, so we made it to Ingonish Beach.  We had a little pause there, time enough to hear the waves, for her to touch the sea - which was cold - it wasn't a lay on type of beach as such, but it was nice nonetheless.

We stopped a few places, some view points, some sights were pretty and impressive, and others were just meh... I guess that having been in places like Norway and having driven along fjords and glacier made us a little unimpressed.  It was pretty but much of it remind us of sights we have in Québec, so pretty but not really breathtaking.

There was road construction along the way, in and out of Parks Canada.  It cost $16 for the day pass to access the Cape Breton park.  We figured since they do maintain the roads, etc. it wasn't a bad thing as such, but there was a lot of construction.  Some parts we had to follow a pick-up, very slowly, other parts we had to wait until the opposite had made it through the zone.  It added to the joy of it all!

We had lunch at the Rusty Anchor in Pleasant Bay.  Everything was about anchors and marine things in there.  It even had candle holders shaped like lighthouses.  Just my size, check it out!

After lunch we kept going, heading North and the sights did get somewhat better.  We drove along the coast, not as much in the woods as the other side.  It was neat to see the road winding through the mountain and along the ocean. Also noticed that side being more French with their names.  When we started the drive the names were in Gaelic and as we were doing the loop the names (of places, lakes, streets, etc.) were French and there were more Acadian flags.

It was about a seven hours tour; a fun way to spend a day in Cape Breton.  I will say this in closing, Canada is a nice and BIG place!

Tomorrow we will be heading home, and decided to go a different way than the one we used coming... should be interesting!

Going Further East...

Today we left the Prince George,our home away from home since Friday night.  It was well located, right smack downtown Halifax, comfortable and come on, you have to agree with me, how can anything be wrong with the place when their logo is so darn cute!

Today, we hit the road again and headed East.  We drove four hours heading for Cape Breton Island.  Along the way the road changed color and became this pink color... Stinkypaw, who has been to Prince Edward Island and Hawaii, knows about red dirt but seeing a pinkish road like this was a first even for her. 

They had reserved a room in Baddeck, which is one of the places where the Cabot Trail can be accessed.  Stinkypaw has been wanting to drive that coast line for a while now, so being in Halifax was the occasion to indulge in this scenic drive that is said to be breathtaking and one of the most magnificent drives in North America.  By the time we made it to the lodge the clouds had moved in, so they decided to instead stick around town (if we can call it that!).  Since everything closes very early - like 6 pm (even worst than Halifax!) we made our way to the center of town for a place to eat.  Let's just say the choices were quite limited.  There was only ONE shop opened (a Celtic one), and after talking with the person there, she suggested a little place not too far from her shop.  It was by the Yatch Club. 

The  little street leading to that restaurant, called The Old Freight Shed, is a REALLY small place, a shed really, was right on the water.  The scenery was very nice.  A nice light house, some sail boats and this pirate.  I just had to balance him out and sat on his shoulder.

There was a long waiting line before getting seated (over one hour!), so they left their names and went for a little walk around the pier. Along their walk, they spotted this old cannon aimed at the lighthouse.  That old cannon came from a ship that sank in the 1700's in Louisbourg and was found by a local in the 30's and brought to Baddeck in the 60's.  A real piece of history just sitting there...
 

On their way they stopped to get some water for Stinkypaw, and she spotted these Cheetos - shaped as Maple Leaves, really, only in Canada!

Escaping Winter and Christmas Time All Together...

This year, Stinkypaw and her husband decided to escape for Christmas AND New Year and took me along for this ride! We ended up across the world in beautiful Hawai'i. Stinkypaw loves it there and she didn't want to go just for one week, so they manage to go for two beautiful weeks.

Here I am at the Honolulu airport waiting for our connecting flight to the Big Island.  They had just enough time for her to enjoy her (first) Mai Tai and him a Long Board.

I also made friends with these two!

As we were about to land in Kona, the flight attendant gave us all a treat, some deeeelicious chocolate covered Mac nuts.

My new friends wanted in on that treat!

Right after I enjoyed my yummy chocolate, I noticed the beautiful view on the Big Island, it is quite dry looking on that side of the island... Look at those waters, so blue!!

Since this was their # visit on the Big Island, these two knew their way around, so they went for groceries for the week, hit a place to eat for dinner and even booked themselves a Christmas Eve dinner! Our first morning came by, full of sun and oh so fragrant! It smells so nice and the birds chirping constantly, unreal! When they got back from their morning walk, Stinkypaw gave me this beautiful plumeria, so pretty, don't you think?

  

We've been gallivanting around the island. She always bring me with them, but depending where they go, sometimes I just stay chill in the car.

We made a pit stop along the way, where you could see many old lava trails left from the 1800 eruption, and how nature is slowly growing back among it all.  It is pretty fascinating when you think of it.

Hubby holding me down

Hubby had to hold me down it was sooo windy there!  I actually flew off when Stinkypaw took that first shot. It was somewhat scary if you ask me!

We ended up at the Black Sand Beach, that was so cool! Well, not really! The sand was VERY hot, but seeing all that black sand was cool!

 Plus we were lucky enough to see some sea turtles just enjoying the warm sand, quite the sight! Check it out!

The Big Island was, as usual (I'm told!), the calm and relaxing place it is.  It's not Kauai, but a close second!  We had a great week, visiting some, beaching most days, and did I mention doing sweet nothing but enjoying it all?

We flew back to Oahu, for our last week, and I actually got leid when we checked in!

Don't I look just like the perfect little tourist!  This is the view from our little lanai, in Waikiki, right by the marina, our new home for a week.  I'm told here it will be a very different vibe, as for one, they have friends they want to catch up with.  It is not quite the same as the Big Island, but as far as I know, it's still hot and I like it!

Today they actually meet up with a friend of theirs, from Australia, who is also in Waikiki, staying at the hotel next door from us! Talk about a coincidence! This is me posing as we're heading out to meet with this dude from Down Under for a bite to eat...  That Marina you see, is where they filmed the opening sequence in Gilligan's Island, remember that old show (way before my time!) from the 70s?

They met up with this crazy Aussie then went for a drink, or two, and I have a feeling that dude thought I was a weird little thing... but Stinkypaw stood by me!

Despite having a great time, and enjoying every little moments we could, it is time to think of heading home...

Yeah, so these two don't really travel light! I have prime sitting in her travel bag, and for that I am thankful!  On our way to the airport we stopped for a bite to eat at a local diner with their good friend.  She Hawaiian (born and raised) and she's like ohana to them.

Stinkypaw might look happy there, but deep down she was crying...hard.  She will miss her friend and that heat...

Here I am poking my head out for a breath during our long flight home.  Man oh man!  It is a beautiful place, but man it's far!

Over twelve hours in a flying banana isn't really my idea of a fun time, but it was a smooth flight.  Usually they try to cut their flight time in half by making they way to the West coast first which is about half way.  This time, because they were flying on points, they couldn't do that.  On the way there we had a short flight and then a long one, but coming back it was the opposite, so here I am trying to stay awake for the last leg of this journey home...

I don't look too back considering being stuffed in a bag for more than 9 hours! This is a little montage she did from the view we had upon our departure and the one we got upon arrival.  Quite a different scenery, wouldn't you say?

Aloha oe! I will see you again, it's a promise...