I did a little more slow walking yeaterday to try to get my back in shape.  I didn’t feel like going very far so I wasted some more time in the library and made a few interesting discoveries on the GPS.  They have pictures of notable graduates all around the library but I couldn’t find one of Scott Spurgeon.

The bus ride to North Sydney was uneventful apart from finding a woman’s purse on the seat I had chosen.  The driver knew that it belonged to a student that had just departed so she likely has it back now.  Scenery wasn’t great (but a little better that from the airport to Truro) until we got to Cape Breton, although I could have missed something because I had a couple of naps.  CB is very hilly (or mountainous) and there is plenty of water not far away.  Coming into N. Sydney there was fog but no real rain.

 The bus goes right to the ferry terminal and as soon as I picked up my backpack from the bus an agent was there to ask if I wanted to check it, which I did of course.  Everything seemed very well organized so i had my ticket in 5 minutes, got some helpful information from the Newfoundland Tourist booth and spent a half hour having a forgettable meal in the terminal cafeteria.  Just before I finished it was time for the “walk-ons” (about a dozen) to board.  The same agent that took my backpack suggested I take the elevator up to the 5th deck.  Our ferry was the MV Lief Erickson, apparently the smallest and oldest of the fleet.  It seemed plenty large to me.  I did one tour around the 5th deck and was then the first to claim a seat in the unreserved section right at the prow.  It was still two hours to departure at 11:30.  The chairs are quite comfortable for sitting (much like those on the bus) but trying to sleep in them for six or seven hours was something else.  I did sleep of course but it wasn’t what you call a sound sleep. The crossing was calm so rough seas weren’t to blame. 

At daybreak the captain announced that breakfast was being served so most made their way to the cafeteria (at the stern) including me.  That was an adventure.  The morning is the worst time for my pain anyway but after being scrunched in various positions for six hours I lurched from one support to the next while everyone else just speed along.  Although the sea was calm the ship was rolling mildly which impaired my ability to keep on an even keel.  I made a stop at the washroom along the way too (somebody opened the door for me) so I think it was a twenty minute jouney.  I was really aching so sat down at the nearest table to rest.  It wasn’t long before I saw that you pick up your breakfast on a tray and carry it to a table.  I instantly knew that I would never make it with my cane and backpack so I made the return trek to my seat (after an extended rest) thinking that there would be time to have breakfast in the terminal building when we disembarked.  The captain announced that we would be docking in about an hour so I looked out the window (or is it a porthole even when it isn’t round) and tried the GPS.  It worked well.  We were 25 km out heading a few degrees east of north and moving at 25 kph.  It was a little foggy but you could still make out that there were bluffs. 

 Just when it seemed that docking was imminent the captain advised that we were going to do a circle to delay our arrival for some reason.  I knew that the bus departed at 8:00 (courtesy of the pleasant woman at the Tourist booth) but wasn’t worried because there was lots of time.  Then a new factor was introduced.  The walk-ons have to wait for all the vehicle traffic to depart first.  We were still waiting at 7:50 so i asked the burser if the bus pulled  right into the terminal building.  “Yes she’ll be there for you”, he replied.  There was some problem getting the vehicles off including one motorcyclist in full leathers who had lost his keys.  Last I heard they were going to empty the waste bins looking for them.  It was close to 8:30 when we boarded the bus but no one seemed annoyed or flustered.  On the contrary everyone was very happy.  Welcome  to newfoundland.

The landscape around Port aux Basques is pretty rugged with lots of cliffs.  Then it becomes hilly and mountainous with a lot of bush along the way.  Again I can’t describe it in much detail because I was regularly taking naps. 

I missed my breakfast in PAB of course so when we got to the Irving Station in Cornerbrook I figured that I had to get some OJ and take my medication anyway.  The Tourist Office was right across the highway (4 lanes at that point) so I carefully chose my time and hustled across as best I could, but the office was closed.  I had a map of CB, from the same lady in N Sydney, and decided to walk to the Valley Mall where my internet sources told me there was internet access in the library.  I hadn’t figured how long it was but I could see that it was all downhill.  As I went along I seemed to get more stable but it was a long walk so I had a bowl of chili at Tim Horton’s before getting to the Mall. 

 

I’ll have to continue next time because I think that they are ready to put me out now and I still need to find a place to stay.

Tags: Travel, Tag Index

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