‘WELCOME HOME!”

“All good things must come to an end….” That’s a saying I don’t particularly like – but it’s true!  We are coming to the end of this amazing trip, but first have to get back to the good ol’ USA!   There are a couple of ways to get back from Nova Scotia – one of them being a ferry ride from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia to Bar Harbor, Maine!  And guess what?….. THAT’S WHAT WE DID!

Putting our Airstream on the CAT Ferry was on Leonard’s bucket list, and he was so excited to have this opportunity!  I’m glad that I wasn’t the one who had to back the trailer off of the ferry – yep… BACK IT OFF!

We arrived in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, at our campground which was only about 10 minutes from the ferry terminal – we had to be at the terminal at 7:45 am, so we wanted to be close by!

After getting checked in and set up, we did a little sightseeing in the town.  Lunch at a place called Blueberry Fields Bakery and Café – a little place we found online – was DELISH – We shared a delicious chicken salad sandwich on a buttery croissant – the chicken salad was filled with cranberries and pecans!  Blueberry peach lemonade to drink, and we also shared a homemade peanut butter cookie cream sandwich – AMAZING!!!!!!  A perfect amount of lunch before heading out to the Cape Forchu Lighthouse…

The Forchu Lighthouse is called an “apple core” lighthouse because its unique, concrete, tapering tower has a distinctive shape that looks like the core of an apple.  It is the tallest one in Nova Scotia and can actually be climbed!  Unfortunately, it requires reservations and we had no idea – so we just admired it all from the ground as we looked up!  There are SEVENTY-SEVEN steps to the top so maybe it was good we didn’t know – haha!

After a good night’s sleep, we were all up and ready to board the ferry!!  Making sure our refrigerators were cleaned out (no fresh fruit or fresh vegetables can come back into the US) , off we went!  Getting through the customs area was a piece of cake!  After waiting for about an hour, the workers began loading the ferry – first with cars, and then the motorhomes and trailers!  It was our turn!

Leonard did such a great job driving ON to the ferry – let me say, they sure do cram the vehicles in there!!!  Hopefully you can see how tight it is in these videos!

IMG_7339

IMG_7340

IMG_7341

After catching our breath from the drive to our “parking spot” on the ferry, we headed upstairs to begin the three and a half hour ride from Canada back to the US!  We were amazed at the ferry and the luxury of the inside!  Several different seating areas, VERY comfortable leather chairs, tables with seating for playing cards or eating or just visiting while riding!  After taking a little tour of the ferry, we found a table to sit and have breakfast…The breakfast cafe had muffins, croissants, breakfast sandwiches, coffees, etc…

We weren’t sure what the ride would be like, what the weather would be like, what the “seas” would be like on the trip – let me just say, God gave us another BEAUTIFUL and amazing weather day !! There was a little fog at the beginning of the trip, and then it lifted and the sun was out – blue sky and calm, smooth water!!!

 

During the trip on the ferry, we walked around and sat in different areas so we could see the water from different views…

An announcement came over the loudspeaker that there would be a game of trivia at the back of the boat!!  So off we went!….What a fun thing to do as we glided across the smooth waters back to our home! There were two rounds with 10 questions in each round… at the end of the game, the host of the game announced that there would be an opportunity for bonus points…then she said these words – “remember as I tell you the way to get the bonus points that you will never see each other again after this trip” –  OH NO!  That sounded a little sketchy to us – after the laughter died down, she said that the way to get 2 bonus points was to come up in front of everyone and sing a few lines from the Carly Simon song “You’re So Vain” (one of the trivia questions referenced that song).   Two women jumped up right away to go up and sing!  I’ll say this…they did OKAY but definitely didn’t know the words to the song! Haha…but they got their 2 bonus points!

As you read this, you may be wondering where it’s going…well, I’ll tell you! A lady at the table next to us wanted to go up and sing, but none of her teammates would join her – so guess what?  I told her I would join her up front to sing!  That way we could each hopefully get ONE bonus point!  The host allowed us to do this and share the two points – so UP WE WENT!  What fun it was!!!  As I write this, I am trying to decide whether or not to show you any of the video (because of COURSE Leonard had to video it!)… I realize that you all have come along on every other part of this trip, so you might as well be part of THIS also!  So here goes…

(DISCLAIMER: I had a cold when I did this, so my voice shows it!)

IMG_3813

After the bonus round ended, the answers were tallied and the winner of trivia was announced…

IT WAS US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We won free gelato on the ship – and may I say, it was DELISH!

The entire trip on the ferry was such a blast and a WONDERFUL experience!  We would do it again in a heartbeat!  Everyone went to the front of the ship as we approached the dock at the end, not only to see the captain pull the ferry in, but to also see BEAUTIFUL Bar Harbor, Maine!

The realization hit us that NOW we (I say WE, but I mean LEONARD) had to back the truck and trailer off of the ferry!  As I had said at the beginning of this post, we were packed in like sardines and EVERY one of us had to get off!

After watching lots of cars exit the ferry (and by the way, the vehicles got to drive off the ferry FORWARD! – only the trailers and motor homes had to back off!), it was our turn!!!  We took a deep breath and started backing up (again I saw WE but mean LEONARD)…

IMG_7394

IMG_7397

IMG_7399

Leonard did a fantastic job and we made it safely back to the US!!  There were mixed emotions for sure, because we had such a wonderful time in Canada and could have stayed longer and seen more, but we also were thrilled to be back home!  And the best part was that we got one more afternoon in Bar Harbor!  We walked around the town a bit more and had a delicious lunch at Stewman’s Seafood, right on the water in the harbor!

What a perfect ending to an amazing trip!!!  We have seen so many amazing things and also had amazing experiences – we wouldn’t trade any of it!  We now start back, and the blessing is that we get to go and spend time with Leigh and our grandsons!!!  To get to Virginia Beach, we made one more fun stop on the way – LANCASTER, PA!  Our campground  was right in the midst of beautiful Amish country!!!  In fact, we could hear the “clip clop” of the horses on the road as the buggies went by  – what a wonderful sound!

Here are some pictures of the beauty in Lancaster – enjoy!

After two RELAXING evenings in Lancaster, we headed off!  Bob and Bobbi and Leonard and I talked and talked about all the wonderful things we were blessed to do and see, and shared which thing was our favorite on the trip – mine was DEFINITELY the tidal bore rafting trip – if you haven’t seen the videos, you can back to the Tidal Bore Rafting blog post and see them – it’s worth watching – you will get the idea of the fun that it was!

I want to thank each of you for joining us on this year’s journey – it’s so fun to share it with you and I appreciate more than I can say that you are willing to read this and come along!  I’ll do a short post from Virginia Beach, because we are going to be there for the BLUE ANGELS AIR SHOW again!!!  (if you remember last year’s post about it, we not only experienced the BLUE ANGELS but also shared the campground with the HELL’S ANGELS! – haha) I already asked the people here at the KOA in Virginia Beach, and unfortunately the Hell’s Angels aren’t joining us this year!  But we will enjoy the Blue Angels for sure!  The sound of the jets flying over us (and they literally fly right over the trailer because the KOA is across the road from the Naval base) is the SOUND OF FREEDOM!!

Until next time…