Hellooooooo from the lake!! Yes, the lake! As promised I am currently blogging on from my cabin with a lovely view of Oxtongue Lake, near Dwight, the gateway to the stunning Algonquin National Park. And what a difference a day makes (sadly to the weather too, the rain has returned)
But before I furnish you with the delights of this place, we have a journey of approximately 315km to discuss. Easy you think, get up, pack, load car, get in car, drive car to get supplies, drive car to get petrol, leave Ottawa city directly onto a long road, arrive at beautiful lake. Yep simple. If you are not me. So I bid farewell to my cell and to the interesting girl at the reception desk and headed out.
The first two went fine, as did the third really (apart from getting in the wrong side twice). Then the trouble began. Go get supplies. Sat nag had a helpful list of shops as well as garages entered into her memory bank so I didn't have to try and decipher the mumbling of the girl on reception, and I also added a petrol station to my list of stops. Got to shop fine, got supplies fine, petrol station was opposite the shop so even better. But it was very full and there were lots of people waiting to get in which made it a little tricky so I decided to ask sat nag to take me to a different one.
Bad move. The next one wasn't there. The third was under the flyover I was driving on, the forth up a one way street and the fifth.....well the fifth turned out to be the first but coming in from a different angle. So an hour, a drive up a one way street the wrong way, an unnecessary tour of the beautiful city of Ottawa that I had already seen from the comfort of a boat-bus, copious amounts of beeping, shouting and gesticulating later I arrived back at the garage opposite the shop I got my supplies in.
From this experience I gleaned some knowledge into the road laws of this particular part of Canada (I cannot speak for other parts yet as I have not visited them, this goes for the corridor from Quebec, via Montreal to Ottawa) and they are as follows, in no particular order or sequence and by no means final:
You must stop at all red lights, unless they are red and you want to turn right, unless there is someone crossing the road, then you can't, but you must stop at red lights. But not always, and quite possibly only if there is a C in the month, or you are wearing green trousers. If the person in front of you does not do this within 5 nano seconds of the light going red you must honk your horn at least a hundred times and rev your engine wildly. You must completely ignore traffic signs and intermittent lines painted on the road, and traffic lights. Unless you are ginger and driving a car called Vera. Then you must be subjected to honking and revving as mentioned above. You must stick to the speed limit ONLY if you are driving a car called Vera and are ginger. If you are neither you MUST tailgate the said car for at least 20km whilst ignoring copious overtaking opportunities until you hit a blind bend on the crest of a hill, when it is then acceptable to overtake and promptly do the same to the next ginger Vera driving unfortunate. You must ignore speed limits at all times. You must always be impatient. When travelling along a main road with roads to the left and right, you have right of way, or not, depending on the solar calendar. You may, or may not, stop at the non existent stop line indicated, or sometimes not, by the 50p sized stop sign that may, or may not be there. And you must always have your crystal ball speed limit instrument on at all times, unless you don't want to and that's just fine. And finally when you are on a motorway and traffic is merging you must NOT move over to let them in and you MUST force them to take invasive action. By the same token, if you are merging onto a motorway you must NOT speed up or slow down in order for you to merge into the traffic on the motorway that will not let you in. You MUST play a potentially deadly game of chicken to see who bottles it first.
Think that sums up the basics, I may have forgotten some salient points but I think you get the gist. Other that that, its a breeze....
So where was I? Oh yes, nerves on edge but finally free of the city confines and finally on the road to Algonquin. The journey was much the same as the others, pleasant surrounding on a dual carriageway until I hit the '60' at a cute little town of Renfrew. Now this is what I had been waiting for. A normal road, an 'A' road we would call it through some of the most gorgeous scenery and quaint Canadian townships and villages. Up hill and down dale, trees and fields and livestock and lakes. I went through Douglas, Eganville, Golden Lake, Deacon, Barry's Bay and the much amusingly named Madawaska (say it out loud and think of the film...made me chuckle!!) and each one was going about it's Sunday in much the same way - sitting on front porches, mowing lawns, washing cars, having garage sales, it was lovely to see. The different side of Canada I had been waiting for.
Finally about 60km out from my destination I hit Algonquin National Park. Stunning. And raining. But still stunning. And as I drove through the road wound round and up and down, past more lakes and trails and I was smiling from ear to ear despite the rain. My grin only got wider when I reached my destination, Cloverleaf Cottages.
I was meet by the wonderful hospitable owner Shelley and we chatted about my travels and what I could get up to here on the lake and she gave me the key to my home for the next 3 nights, Cabin 7. OMG it was soooooooooo cute!! Nestled into the trees with a view of the lake, bbq, fire pit, gazebo and everything I could possibly need. And the lake was stunning. There were canoes, boats and pedalo's, the list was endless. So I got myself settled and quickly headed out to the little store up the road for coffee and beer!! No beer, but got coffee and spent an hour chatting to the owner and his wife about their travels in Ireland and how they met here at the lake when they were holidaying as kids and moved here 3 years ago when they retired. Too cute. I was in heaven. So back home, coffee on and after a quick explore I settled in with my book and before I knew it darkness had fallen and I was sleepy. All I could hear was the silence (after I had taken the battery out of the very loudly ticking clock, sorry Mum) and I slept like a baby.
I woke this morning at 6am, rested and headed down to the lakeside to get some early morning pictures. I was going to quickly head down in my pj's but I thought better of it as it's mega mozzie season here and the little blighters are the size of sparrows!! So I slipped my jeans on and my raincoat and popped out. Then it was time to get back in, put on the coffee, have a leisurely breakfast and blog on. It was still only 7am so all was quiet. All I can say is I'm glad I got dressed. For when I returned to my cabin and turned the handle I was struck with the realisation that I had locked myself out. Bugger. Double bugger. No office til 9. There was an emergency number but 7am was a bit harsh so I stuck it out til 8 watching the chipmunks scuttle around (this made me very happy!!) and the man from a neighbouring cottage get a shock when he came out in his pants to get a quick shot of the lake too (hope he didn't lock himself out...) and saw me lurking around, but the mozzies where getting the better of me so I finally caved in at 8 and called Shelly!! She was so lovely and got to me with a spare key as soon as she could. I am sooooooo glad I wasn't in my pj's...
And now here I sit, Monday morning by the lake. I plan on doing a lot of nothing for the next few days, recharge and rest and enjoy the view. The weather and the prehistoric sized mosquitos may not be in my favour but I am in a beautiful part of the world, with kind warm people and am going to enjoy every second!!
So until later my faithful followers (and a particularly big hello to the person in Moldova who viewed my blog yesterday!!) I will say, as always, TTFN..... xxx
Sounds just what I need:-) enjoy re-charging xx
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