Transcontinental Travel Tips ( Part 6 )

Posted on March 28, 2015 under Storytelling with one comment

The starting point for our return trip on April 11th.

 

 

Tip # 19: Do not announce your arrival at a border crossing

Crossing the border into the United States or Canada always provides a small amount of angst for most travellers, even if you have nothing to hide. When you are traveling with a car loaded down with music equipment, there is always the possibility that you will be noticed.  But occasionally it’s not what’s inside the car that draws the attention of border officials.

In the space of 24 hours, I had spoken with two fine young gentlemen who trace their routes to Heatherton, Nova Scotia.  Go figure.  After a tasty breakfast, Pete, Dave and I walked the streets of Portland.  What we discovered is that this city is known as the craft brew capital of the U.S.  It also has more food trucks than anywhere on the planet and, per capita, must have the most strip clubs in the galaxy.  And … it is the home of Voodoo Donuts.  Apparently this is a must see while in Portland, and being good sports, we thought it best to support the local economy.

We passed through Seattle during supper rush hour.  This is the home of the reigning N.F.L. champs, the Seahawks.  Lots of vehicles had flags attached and you could tell that this was a source of civic pride.

And finally, after close to 10,000 kilometers, we could see “our home and native land” off in the distance as we neared the Peace Arch border crossing into Canada.  We stopped momentarily at the Duty Free shop and then queued up in a very short lineup.  It is about 50 feet from the Duty Free to the border and it was there that the muffler decided to give up the ghost.  Rather than announcing our arrival like a purring kitten, we pulled up to the booth with a deep throaty roar.  It was almost like we were proclaiming “We’re back!”

We arrived in Vancouver, in the rain.  A welcome shower to cleanse the dust of many miles off the car!

Tip # 20:  Choose your travelling partner wisely

Travelling with anybody for 17 days, with much of it confined to a car, isn’t easy.  It requires a lot of patience and compromise as you learn about each other’s idiosyncrasies.  If you choose the wrong partner, it may be a very long trip.  But if you choose well, it can very well be the trip of a lifetime.

We had a fantastic supper with my brother Don, at a small Indian restaurant in his neighborhood.  I think Vancouver may have the best selection of ethnic restaurants on the continent.

The final leg of our trip started with a detour into Delta so that Peter could pick up a couple of speakers.  The purchase had been arranged a few weeks earlier online.  I was wondering how on earth we could possibly fit a single sheet of paper into an already jam-packed vehicle, let along two fairly large speakers.  Obviously I am not a professional musician, as they are used to finding ways to make gear fit anywhere.

After a short ferry ride, the city of Victoria emerged on the horizon.

Not everyone gets a chance to drive across a continent, and even fewer have the opportunity to do it with one of their children. It takes a confluence of events, perfect timing and a very understanding spouse.

I am one of the lucky ones and I am proud to say that Pete and I completed the trip of a lifetime with our friendship still intact!  Make no mistake.  It was a gruelling journey and even the best of friends will have moments of frustration, especially when there is a generation gap involved.  As usual, we found much more common ground than disparity.  The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree.

It was a wonderful history and geography lesson combined.  We saw a lot, did a lot and ate a lot.  There is a basketful of memories and some gorgeous pictures documented through Peter’s eyes and camera lens.

Yes indeed.  As Tom Cochrane so aptly sings, “Life is a highway. I wanna ride it all night long”.

( We will be making the return trip from Vancouver to Halifax on April 11th. through the Northern U.S.  Stay tuned for pictures and stories. )