The start of our journey
The moment we saw our RV parked in the harbor, we were so happy! There was a very happy atmosphere among all the "collectors", the sun was shining and the adventure could finally begin for everyone.
Halifax
The two weeks in Halifax were quite long. We did not find Halifax a very pleasant city. The boardwalk is very nice, but otherwise it is all rather dull and cold. What is absolutely not boring and chilly are the people. The residents of the apartment complex where we stayed were very friendly and gave tips for nice restaurants and beautiful places in Canada, the cab drivers had great stories and the 65+ port security officer wished us all the best and smilingly said: weed is legal in Canada!
We saw the ship sail by with our motorhome on board a few days earlier, which was a very happy moment, given the previous history with Robert WWS. We had received an invitation from the forwarder a few days before, so it was real, the motorhome was on its way and the sense of adventure was bubbling up all over again. If you want to know about the proces from the shipping until the pickup, read this blog.
After picking up the motorhome, filling up with diesel, propane and running errands, we headed to our first Harvest Host/Boondockers Welcome overnight stop. What a special experience that was! A beautiful place, super nice people and you immediately feel welcome.
What is really striking in Canada are the prices for groceries. In the Netherlands everything has become ridiculously expensive, in Canada it is no different. A cauliflower for CAD 7.97, excl. tax is very expensive. People are aware that things are not right, you hear it when you walk in the supermarket, sit in a cafe or talk to people.
Nova Scotia
This is the name of the province where we picked up the motorhome. While traveling across Canada with a rental motorhome in 2018, we spoke to several travelers who originally lived in this province. Because of the climate and work, they had moved west. In 2023, we hear the opposite: Nova Scotia is hot! Lots of housing is being built, there is a huge shortage of construction workers and general practitioners. After many budget cuts, the entire infrastructure of medical care is not geared to the increase in residents.
Are you renting a house in Nova Scotia? Then you can be evicted just like that. The beautiful apartment we rented, overlooking downtown Halifax, had been occupied by a couple for ten years. The house was being renovated, the couple had to move out, and it was then offered for rent through Airbnb. This couple was offered alternative housing, but always with a three-month lease.
Most people are very proud of their province, the enthusiasm is very nice to see.
Traveling and living in an RV is so much fun here. Compared to Canadian RVs, we have a minicamper, there is plenty of room to park everywhere. The roads are spacious and nature is beautiful to drive through. The solar panels are doing great, we are very happy with our composting toilet and showering in the camper is also going well. We are discovering where to empty and fill our garbage, toilet waste and our water tank. The people where we are staying allow us to leave our garbage and also fill water. This is very nice, of course, but we are also looking for places where this is possible along the way. We are going to keep track of this in a separate blog.
The first boondocking site
If you want to know more about boondocking, read here.
The first stop was a nice place in Waverly, near Halifax with very nice owners Angela & Ed. The place is close to the highway and shopping centers and is a great base if you are just arriving or leaving for Halifax Harbor. We were given awesome tips, a tour of their beautiful property, electricity, water and wifi were available. We were not allowed to leave a fee for the use of the water and wifi.
The second special place was in Earltown at the home of Andrew & Patty. A place in the middle of nowhere, as they call it themselves. A beautiful 12 acres of land, where we were allowed to choose where we wanted to pitch. After we found a spot, we were given a freshly baked sourdough bread. The next day we were offered a ride to the village of Tatamagouche and enjoyed coffee in the evening together. Again, such lovely people! You arrive and you feel like you have known each other for a long time, very special!
NewFoundland
The Canadians we have spoken suggest that we should travel to NewFoundland. The nature there seems to be particularly beautiful, unique compared to other beautiful places, and above all the people seem to be so nice. Even nicer? It's almost impossible to imagine! Since we are traveling without planning, we are now checking to see if we think it is worth going that way and if there is a spot available on the ferry. The short (!) crossing takes seven hours and the cost for a one-way ticket is CAD 260, excluding tax.
To be continued!
