So it's true, we had really signed up to do this, with our own free will I might add!
It's the night before we pack up the car to hit the road and you know what we are talking about ... can the two of us (Cathy & Kelly) be able to drive half way across the country without anyone else but ourselves and manage to enjoy the experience, for realsies and not just a temporary attempt to put up with each others' nuisances and idiosyncrasies? Not only is this a concern, considering only one of us loves to drive, but there are also the thoughts that if this 5 day trip doesn't work out in a car, are we going to be in trouble when we jump into running a business together?
The truth is that it has been four years since we have had an opportunity of this magnitude to really be in each others company for any extended amount of time without the addition of other people being around. Mother and daughter reunited; super exciting forsure and well ... yah, a few tiny pockets of uncertainty bound to linger as well in this time of catch up and reacquainting! A chance to reconnect, learn and discover how some things just may have changed in both of our lives as we have grown individually over the last four years we have lived apart and also to realize and cherish how other things , the heart things, have survived the distance and will always remain beautiful and untouched. It was going to be an epic journey lol!
Well guess what, 5 days of hotel hopping, Bed & Breakfast touring, Casino gambling with rose petals and champagne, some tears but way more laughter, car dancing and singing, picture taking and reflective moments of gratitude and the freedom that naturally comes when living in the present moment .. and of course, too many McDonald stops along the way to count .... WE MADE IT! We had arrived in pretty good shape I'd say for the amount of hours and miles endured. We still had smiles on our face and moreso, we had new memories to share and keep as well as the silent knowing within that our partnership was golden ... together we will do great things! The best part is the mutual respect we hold for each other and our creative differences (and lets not ignore our shared fondness of good wine!) This roadie showed us that there is more than enough room for both of us to truly be who we each are and the union of that artistry is simple magical.
LOVING WORDS OF ADVICE TO OUR FELLOW ROADSTERS ...
Now for those of you ambitious travelers reading this post who plan to take on the wonderful drive from Manitoba to Nova Scotia, we actually do have a few things to suggest. Firstly, timing of year is something to be aware of. If you can plan a trip when the leaves are starting to turn and the air is starting to crisp, you will not be disappointed. To drive through the rolling hills that Canada has to offer you should also be informed of how beautiful the wild life can be. Keep an eye out for the bald eagles to soar on by or the porcupines to waddle along. Thirdly, it must be mentioned that the days do start to collide while you are on the road, so we do recommend taking lots of photo's or writing down the unique experiences you encounter. Lastly, a little dose of fresh air does wonders when you start to feel like you are beginning to go insane... Now the rest is for you to discover while you make your way over to this wonderful part of the country but we do recommend stopping whenever there is a scenic lookout because as long as it's a nice day, they are definitely worth the stop.
Another place we discovered worth noting are the gas stations... Now this may sound strange but there wasn't a gas station that we left in under twenty minutes. For some reason this became our stopping grounds. It was a place to get out and stretch but also catch up on social media and lastly a wonderful place to empty our personal tank while filling up the automotive tank.
Now enough about the personal details, when Thelma and Louise hit the road (yes we nicknamed ourselves) we discovered there was no turning back. One of the best things about road trips is that you either learn to adapt to one another or you are forced to practice tuck and roll. We adapted quite nicely!