6 July 2018
Goodmorning Nanaimo.
Strolling through cousin Giuseppina’s backyard.
A little tree hugging.
This 800 year old tree in Cathedral Grove is taller and wider than the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Billy goats gruff 🙂 Coombs Old Country Market started as a store with a grass roof. The Norwegian owners decided to put goats on the roof to attract passing trade. It is now a popular tourist spot.
Discovered my ancestry on my maternal grandmother’s side includes nobility.
5 July 2018
Crossing into Canada from Seattle there was a crazy lineup of cars and I had to get a ferry to Vancouver Island on which I had reserved a car spot and was worried I was going to miss it. Someone I met yesterday told me to take the far lane on the right to the duty free to bypass the traffic. I did this but the lane was marked Nexus. I wasn’t 100% sure what Nexus meant but I found out you get a full car search while being held in the waiting area. The waiting area had the type of Americans I have not yet met on my travels. The type who the world stereotypes and I was embarrassed to be in their proximity. A loud mouth female bragging she was being held up because she had Trump “pads” (what are they) and tazers in her car. She engaged another man in conversation who was a Trump supporter and I found their conversation disturbing. I was almost annoyed with having to sit there listening to these ignorant people instead of being in my car in the queue. The Nexus lane is a specific fast lane for people who have a permit and have completed specific background checks to get a quick border pass.
However I did get processed quickly and got to the ferry terminal in good time. I had no fear of them finding any contraband and definitely no Trump paraphernalia good or bad.
At the ferry terminal I embarked with my car on the ferry Queen of Alberni which goes from Tsawwassen to Vancouver Island. The ferry takes 2 hours, holds 1200 passengers and 295 cars and is the primary mode of transport to the mainland. The cost is $90AUD one way for car and passenger.
I am staying with my cousin Elena and her family for a few days in Nanaimo.
How about these views from Elena’s kitchen and front of her home.
4 June 2018
This was my third time in Windsor meeting up with my cousin Adrian and Great Aunt Luisa. The previous times I was here in winter experiencing a white Christmas once with Carlos and then with Dion.
This time the weather has been mixed but definitely no snow.
I have enjoyed a few days taking it easy with my Great Aunt Luisa.
I spent time with my cousin’s partner, Maria Luisa.
And I went to a Croatian wedding of Marko and Kira, my cousin’s neighbours.
Today I was very excited to hear the sound of the Grand Prix running in Detroit. It would have been exciting to go but I did not realise until too late. Besides I was up until 4:00am watching an exciting game of NRL where unfortunately my Wests Tigers were beaten by the Roosters.
My final photo in Ontario is the evening Detroit skyline.
29 May 2018
Leaving Niagara Falls I stopped at the Butterfly Conservatory. What a magical place this is! I was only meant to stay for perhaps 15 minutes but it was so beautiful I stayed for one (1) hour and could have stayed longer. Many species of butterflies in a controlled enviornment and the only Australian butterfly called the Eggfly (it should have a prettier name) landed on my toe!!
I drove to Windsor to be with my cousin Adrian. We went for a walk along the Detroit River in Windsor and took a photo of the Detroit skyline across the river. The USA border is only 12 minutes from this spot.
I enjoyed a sunbake at Sand Point Beach in one of the Great Lakes. The water was freezing, a lot colder than Sydney beaches.
Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond 