Cross-Canada Cycle Journey 10:
Nova Scotia
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I travelled Scotland and adored almost every single aspect of the experience, most notably its natural delight and profound cultural awareness drenched through every fibre of society. That said, I struggled with the local food offer (I’m sorry, the blood-drenched Black Pudding and Haggis’ minced sheep stomach just doesn’t cut it for me) and the cold nature of its people. But now I was about to hit Canadian Scotland! Not only was I hopeful that the local seafood offer would please the tastebuds in a way the European offer impossibly could, but also after having experienced the overwhelmingly kind and hospitable nature of the Canadians over the last few months, it seemed downright impossible to be met with the Scottish rudeness I remember from my past travels. Fair enough, I was met with the familiar Scottish weather the very second the ferry dropped me off on Nova Scotian land… yet, even the heaviest downpour couldn’t wash away my enthusiasm to be here. The last of the three Maritime Provinces (besides New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island), the second last province of my entire Cross-Country Cycling Adventure. Tiugainn!
Day 71: New Glasgow, NS – Troy
Distance: 126.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Shoulder and good road quality on the 104. Shoulder disappears once you hit Cape Breton Island.
Views: Forest, seaside.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: The starting point, New Glasgow, is a well-serviced town. If you follow the 104, there’s nothing until Antigonish (small detour). You’ll find one gas station and restaurant around Bayfield Road. The next hubs are Aulds Cove and Port Hastings.
(Sunny, hot, tail- and side-wind)
I started my time in Nova Scotia with a break day in New Glasgow. Not because of the glorious appeal of this town specifically, but because I had no idea where to go from here or what the hell to do with my itinerary. Generally, cross-Canada cyclists choose between two options: finishing in Halifax or finishing in St. John’s. Halifax forms the province’s capital, containing over 45% of its population. Even though big cities don’t necessarily attract me, I had heard positive reviews about this city’s intriguing cultural sector, its rich history and architecture and beautiful surrounding nature. That said, by choosing this option, I would not only miss out on allegedly the most stunning natural stretch of all: Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which is in the opposite direction (together with maybe the Kejimkuijk National Park and the UNESCO town of Lunenburg, both of which you also wouldn’t pass on the way to Halifax as it’s further). On top of that, I would also 100% skip the province of Newfoundland & Labrador. Wasn’t my goal to cycle across entire Canada? I couldn’t really sell it to myself, opting out seemed like missing the point. Especially when I read that Cape Spear, next to St. John’s is the easternmost point of the country, which clearly has a great ring to a full cross-country endeavour, my mind was made up.
I also decided that on my way to Newfoundland, for which I had to take a ferry from North Sydney, I would cycle the full detour around Cape Breton, following the Chabot Trail. It would add a few extra days to my trip, as technically, from New Glasgow I could be at the ferry terminal in two days, as we’re dealing with Canada’s second-smallest province here (after Prince Edward Island). Why rush it though? I’m here to see Canada and take my time exploring. Since I have been significantly pumping up the daily distances since the Prairies, I’m way ahead of schedule anyway. I thought I’d finish at the end of August or half-way September, but I’m looking at a month time gain. I can “afford it.”
Day 71: New Glasgow, NS – Troy
Distance: 126.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Shoulder and good road quality on the 104. Shoulder disappears once you hit Cape Breton Island.
Views: Forest, seaside.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: The starting point, New Glasgow, is a well-serviced town. If you follow the 104, there’s nothing until Antigonish (small detour). You’ll find one gas station and restaurant around Bayfield Road. The next hubs are Aulds Cove and Port Hastings.
(Sunny, hot, tail- and side-wind)
I started my time in Nova Scotia with a break day in New Glasgow. Not because of the glorious appeal of this town specifically, but because I had no idea where to go from here or what the hell to do with my itinerary. Generally, cross-Canada cyclists choose between two options: finishing in Halifax or finishing in St. John’s. Halifax forms the province’s capital, containing over 45% of its population. Even though big cities don’t necessarily attract me, I had heard positive reviews about this city’s intriguing cultural sector, its rich history and architecture and beautiful surrounding nature. That said, by choosing this option, I would not only miss out on allegedly the most stunning natural stretch of all: Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which is in the opposite direction (together with maybe the Kejimkuijk National Park and the UNESCO town of Lunenburg, both of which you also wouldn’t pass on the way to Halifax as it’s further). On top of that, I would also 100% skip the province of Newfoundland & Labrador. Wasn’t my goal to cycle across entire Canada? I couldn’t really sell it to myself, opting out seemed like missing the point. Especially when I read that Cape Spear, next to St. John’s is the easternmost point of the country, which clearly has a great ring to a full cross-country endeavour, my mind was made up.
I also decided that on my way to Newfoundland, for which I had to take a ferry from North Sydney, I would cycle the full detour around Cape Breton, following the Chabot Trail. It would add a few extra days to my trip, as technically, from New Glasgow I could be at the ferry terminal in two days, as we’re dealing with Canada’s second-smallest province here (after Prince Edward Island). Why rush it though? I’m here to see Canada and take my time exploring. Since I have been significantly pumping up the daily distances since the Prairies, I’m way ahead of schedule anyway. I thought I’d finish at the end of August or half-way September, but I’m looking at a month time gain. I can “afford it.”
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So unlike my cycle buddy, who settled with Halifax, I cycled off in the exact opposite, eastern direction. I wasn’t immediately being rewarded for my decision, as today was sacrificed to reach Nova Scotia’s highlight Cape Breton. Doing so meant following the unstimulating Highway 104, which might have a smooth road surface and a generous shoulder, but lacks in excitement. Sure, it’s immediately evident that I’m moving through exquisite lands, witnessing stunning sneak-peeks of the landscapes of reserves like the Beaver Mountain Provincial Park… I wish I just wasn’t battling the sound pollution and heavy traffic of this monotonous highway, which I could have avoided by taking the hillier and swirlier Road 4 instead, dreamily dubbed the “Sunrise Trail.” Learn from my mistake!
Day 72: Troy - Grand Etang
Distance: 126.9km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Some gravel on the coastal cycle strip of the Ceilidh Trail, but mainly asphalt with a very narrow or non-existent shoulder.
Views: Forest, seaside.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well. The natural sources are salty.
Food Situation: You can buy food in the towns of Judique, Port Hood, Mabou, Inverness and Grand Etang.
(Sunny, headwind)
I woke up at the excellent camping spot I stumbled upon the night before, just after crossing the bridge onto Cape Breton Island. A patch on the shore of a settlement called Troy. Very much unlike the hub of the former Roman Empire in current Turkey, but a green coastal corner with a little sheltered picnic area scenically overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was right on top of the Ceilidh Trail, the picturesque seaside roadway stretching out on the island’s west coast for 112 kilometres, which I’d partly follow that day. A name that already communicates the strong connection of this area with its Scottish roots (for as far “Nova Scotia” wasn’t enough of an indication). The province wasn’t always Scottish. It was in fact originally inhabited by the indigenous Mi’kmaq people before, like all the Americas, it got hit by the exploitive wave of European colonization. Yet, it were in fact the French who laid hands on it first, and absorbed into their creation of their first “New France” colony: Acadia (I wrote about this in the New Brunswick article). Over the years, the Scots and Brits would fight France over the ownership of this territory, after which in 1621-1629 King James VI of Scotland finally managed to found a Scottish colony (it changed hands between these two parties several times more). Nowadays, the Scots still form a majority in the province by 30%, whereas Nova Scotia houses the largest Gaelic-speaking community outside of Scotland. This is still very visible in most road signs, written in both English and Gaelic, as well as the culture visibly displayed. Today, for example, I randomly ran into a Celtic concert, luring me in with its cheerful folk sounds.
Distance: 126.9km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Some gravel on the coastal cycle strip of the Ceilidh Trail, but mainly asphalt with a very narrow or non-existent shoulder.
Views: Forest, seaside.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well. The natural sources are salty.
Food Situation: You can buy food in the towns of Judique, Port Hood, Mabou, Inverness and Grand Etang.
(Sunny, headwind)
I woke up at the excellent camping spot I stumbled upon the night before, just after crossing the bridge onto Cape Breton Island. A patch on the shore of a settlement called Troy. Very much unlike the hub of the former Roman Empire in current Turkey, but a green coastal corner with a little sheltered picnic area scenically overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was right on top of the Ceilidh Trail, the picturesque seaside roadway stretching out on the island’s west coast for 112 kilometres, which I’d partly follow that day. A name that already communicates the strong connection of this area with its Scottish roots (for as far “Nova Scotia” wasn’t enough of an indication). The province wasn’t always Scottish. It was in fact originally inhabited by the indigenous Mi’kmaq people before, like all the Americas, it got hit by the exploitive wave of European colonization. Yet, it were in fact the French who laid hands on it first, and absorbed into their creation of their first “New France” colony: Acadia (I wrote about this in the New Brunswick article). Over the years, the Scots and Brits would fight France over the ownership of this territory, after which in 1621-1629 King James VI of Scotland finally managed to found a Scottish colony (it changed hands between these two parties several times more). Nowadays, the Scots still form a majority in the province by 30%, whereas Nova Scotia houses the largest Gaelic-speaking community outside of Scotland. This is still very visible in most road signs, written in both English and Gaelic, as well as the culture visibly displayed. Today, for example, I randomly ran into a Celtic concert, luring me in with its cheerful folk sounds.
Where Scotland blew me off my socks with its intriguing rugged and rough landscapes, also in Nova Scotia I cycled through the day impersonating Owen Wilson. Wow, wowwwww, WOW, woooow! Cape Breton exist of an almost unfathomable level of beauty. From its verdant forests to its robust cliffs, and its deserted beaches to its windy shoreline. These types of raw landscapes make me feel alive. Especially passing Long Point Provincial Park, Mabou Provincial Park, the Chimney Corner Nature Reserve, and upon entry of the compelling Cabot Trail. The latter proudly marked as “world famous”, yet this world traveler has never heard of it before (cycling the whole damn thing will do the trick). It doesn’t come easy of course, as the most rewarding things in life hardly ever do. Expect an ample supply of hills today, of staggering steepness. While beating those, the stormy conditions will test your absolute limits… in my case, blasting right on my nose. Yet, every corner, every far-stretched vista, every friendly Canadian Scot waving at you in their passing reminds you why you’re doing this.
I demanded the absolute most of my body until I reached Grand Etang. A colorful settlement on the open windy cliffs overlooking the coarse sea. It was the home of Kevin, a British Warm Showers host who chose this far corner of the north as his charming home. It was this evening that I could finally taste the relieving difference between the Scottish and Nova Scotian cuisine. After a seafood chowder (soup), my burnt calories were replenished with a mouth watering delicacy: fresh crab! My god, that beats the hell out of “neeps and tatties” or those deep-fried mars bars.
I demanded the absolute most of my body until I reached Grand Etang. A colorful settlement on the open windy cliffs overlooking the coarse sea. It was the home of Kevin, a British Warm Showers host who chose this far corner of the north as his charming home. It was this evening that I could finally taste the relieving difference between the Scottish and Nova Scotian cuisine. After a seafood chowder (soup), my burnt calories were replenished with a mouth watering delicacy: fresh crab! My god, that beats the hell out of “neeps and tatties” or those deep-fried mars bars.
Day 73: Grand Etang – Ingonish
Distance: 124.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Asphalt with a very narrow or non-existent shoulder.
Views: Forest, seaside, mountains.
Water Situation: There are a few houses along the way where you could ask for water (limited in the national park section). You can buy water in shops en-route as well. Most natural sources are salty.
Food Situation: You can buy food in the towns of Grand Etang, Cheticamp, Petit Etang, Pleasant Bay, Cape North, Neil's Harbour, Ingonish.
(Cloudy, tailwind until end of island, then I looped into the other direction and it turned into headwind)
I remember telling Kevin how challenging the stretch was towards Grand Etang. His face showed a faint smile and a slight hint of amusement. I wasn’t sure what that was all about, until I embraced today’s adventure. Whatever I said about yesterday’s hardships… it’s all true, yet entirely disappears next to the battle I was about to fight today. I would face one of the most awe-inspiring sections of my Cross-Canada Cycle Journey, and simultaneously also one of the most exhausting, heavy days of all.
The day is dictated by the presence of two giant hills. That doesn’t mean that anything of the area in between is flat, besides maybe the first 25km. In fact, in the anticipation of the first one, the French Hill, I kept thinking I was climbing it… but no, I was just playing around with some steep pre-hills. It’s clear when you hit it though, we’re dealing with a serious climb. That said, it’s of an inclination level that’s digestible. After the previous 8000-km-or-so of training I didn’t have to dismount my bike once, I could keep on driving in one straight attempt. Very much unlike the second one, the North Hill, which is not as high but unforgivingly steep. Its abrupt angle is of almost a comical level. I had to walk chunks and basically had to keep on walking, as it was impossible to get on my bike again without immediately driving backwards while doing so. What a monster to slay! Both have rewarding downhill sections at the finish line, yet the swirliness doesn’t allow you to fully embrace it, as you’d fly right out of the curve without constantly braking during your descend. Both have a little town at the end as well (within a stretch of very limited services), Pleasant Bay and Cape North, providing you with all the sugary soda and snacks you most definitely deserve after such an effort. Mind you, you aren’t done yet! Whether psychologically you feel like you finished the rough parts, there’s still a mean little surprise-hill between Cape North and Neil’s Harbour, squeezing that last limited supply of energy right out of you. It’s not fair, I know!
Distance: 124.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Asphalt with a very narrow or non-existent shoulder.
Views: Forest, seaside, mountains.
Water Situation: There are a few houses along the way where you could ask for water (limited in the national park section). You can buy water in shops en-route as well. Most natural sources are salty.
Food Situation: You can buy food in the towns of Grand Etang, Cheticamp, Petit Etang, Pleasant Bay, Cape North, Neil's Harbour, Ingonish.
(Cloudy, tailwind until end of island, then I looped into the other direction and it turned into headwind)
I remember telling Kevin how challenging the stretch was towards Grand Etang. His face showed a faint smile and a slight hint of amusement. I wasn’t sure what that was all about, until I embraced today’s adventure. Whatever I said about yesterday’s hardships… it’s all true, yet entirely disappears next to the battle I was about to fight today. I would face one of the most awe-inspiring sections of my Cross-Canada Cycle Journey, and simultaneously also one of the most exhausting, heavy days of all.
The day is dictated by the presence of two giant hills. That doesn’t mean that anything of the area in between is flat, besides maybe the first 25km. In fact, in the anticipation of the first one, the French Hill, I kept thinking I was climbing it… but no, I was just playing around with some steep pre-hills. It’s clear when you hit it though, we’re dealing with a serious climb. That said, it’s of an inclination level that’s digestible. After the previous 8000-km-or-so of training I didn’t have to dismount my bike once, I could keep on driving in one straight attempt. Very much unlike the second one, the North Hill, which is not as high but unforgivingly steep. Its abrupt angle is of almost a comical level. I had to walk chunks and basically had to keep on walking, as it was impossible to get on my bike again without immediately driving backwards while doing so. What a monster to slay! Both have rewarding downhill sections at the finish line, yet the swirliness doesn’t allow you to fully embrace it, as you’d fly right out of the curve without constantly braking during your descend. Both have a little town at the end as well (within a stretch of very limited services), Pleasant Bay and Cape North, providing you with all the sugary soda and snacks you most definitely deserve after such an effort. Mind you, you aren’t done yet! Whether psychologically you feel like you finished the rough parts, there’s still a mean little surprise-hill between Cape North and Neil’s Harbour, squeezing that last limited supply of energy right out of you. It’s not fair, I know!
Despite the high level of difficulty, I kept pushing. My weather app had informed me about a prelude of a hurricane, causing heavy storms to hit the island tomorrow… and not in my favour. It was crucial that I kept pushing as far as my body would allow me. I managed to reach the town of Ingonish, where I knocked on some doors to ask for a wind-sheltered camping spot in someone’s shed. I didn’t find what I was looking for. I got something much better. One Ingonish-resident brought me to Ed: the village’s most well-travelled man who is known to host travellers from all over the world. He had quite the life behind him, working as a professional scuba diver on oil rigs, while digging up ancient treasures in his spare time. The last year had been unforgivingly harsh on him though, taking away both his wife and his son. The arrival of a foreign visitor visibly filled him with joy and heavy emotion. A beautiful encounter with a beautiful human in one of the most beautiful realms of the land. A day I will never forget.
Day 74: Ingonish - North Sydney Ferry Terminal
Distance: 102.5km
GPS: All Trails (end of recording missing)
Terrain: Asphalt in variable quality, mainly with a shoulder. Englishtown ferry, free of charge. Very dangerous bridge crossing at Seal Island Bridge. The last 20km towards North Sydney there are ridges on the shoulder, making it unusable to cyclists.
Views: Forest, seaside, mountains.
Water Situation: There are houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well. Most natural sources are salty.
Food Situation: You can buy food at the starting point in Ingonish. Then there’s only a very expensive bakery 20km before the Englishtown ferry. North Sydney is a big town with all services.
(Cloudy, rain, hurricane as headwind - dangerous)
Yesterday I thoroughly enjoyed one of the best days of my entire cycle journey. Today I was going to reach a new low, as life’s little reminder of how high that peak truly was. Turns out, my weather app can’t ever be blamed of lying. I was facing a hurricane alright, pushing full force against me. The most sensible thing to do was to wait that bastard out in the comfortable home and presence of my new friend Ed… but as I was to knock out my final province, both the ferry and flight out was booked. I had no choice but to keep on going. Facing discomfort, exhaustion and even significant danger.
Vista-wise I was still cycling through paradise, marvelling at the unspoilt magnificence of Mother Nature’s best work, leading me over Cape Smokey Provincial Park, the Sugar Mountain and the French River Wilderness Area and more of her masterpieces. Yet, at the same time, her violent temper made it close to impossible to move forward. Where I normally cycle around 18-20km per hour, of course depending on the hills and the severity of the terrain, today the head-faced storm slowed me down to max. 8 downright draining kilometres an hour, with a break every 10-15km to regain strengths (normally every 30-40km). For long sections I was urged to walk, if only for the heavy wind gusts pushing you left and right. In the gutter, if you’re lucky, but often right into traffic without prior warning. Life-threatening, literally.
Day 74: Ingonish - North Sydney Ferry Terminal
Distance: 102.5km
GPS: All Trails (end of recording missing)
Terrain: Asphalt in variable quality, mainly with a shoulder. Englishtown ferry, free of charge. Very dangerous bridge crossing at Seal Island Bridge. The last 20km towards North Sydney there are ridges on the shoulder, making it unusable to cyclists.
Views: Forest, seaside, mountains.
Water Situation: There are houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well. Most natural sources are salty.
Food Situation: You can buy food at the starting point in Ingonish. Then there’s only a very expensive bakery 20km before the Englishtown ferry. North Sydney is a big town with all services.
(Cloudy, rain, hurricane as headwind - dangerous)
Yesterday I thoroughly enjoyed one of the best days of my entire cycle journey. Today I was going to reach a new low, as life’s little reminder of how high that peak truly was. Turns out, my weather app can’t ever be blamed of lying. I was facing a hurricane alright, pushing full force against me. The most sensible thing to do was to wait that bastard out in the comfortable home and presence of my new friend Ed… but as I was to knock out my final province, both the ferry and flight out was booked. I had no choice but to keep on going. Facing discomfort, exhaustion and even significant danger.
Vista-wise I was still cycling through paradise, marvelling at the unspoilt magnificence of Mother Nature’s best work, leading me over Cape Smokey Provincial Park, the Sugar Mountain and the French River Wilderness Area and more of her masterpieces. Yet, at the same time, her violent temper made it close to impossible to move forward. Where I normally cycle around 18-20km per hour, of course depending on the hills and the severity of the terrain, today the head-faced storm slowed me down to max. 8 downright draining kilometres an hour, with a break every 10-15km to regain strengths (normally every 30-40km). For long sections I was urged to walk, if only for the heavy wind gusts pushing you left and right. In the gutter, if you’re lucky, but often right into traffic without prior warning. Life-threatening, literally.
Yet, nothing would be as horrifying as the Seal Island Bridge, connecting the Cape Dauphin Peninsula after Kellys Mountain with Boularderie Island. It’s a narrow 716m bridge reaching over the Great Bras d’Or, without any nearby alternative to get across. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, it’s made so incredibly narrow that there’s hardly any space for traffic to safely pass by without scraping the vehicles arriving from the opposite direction, let alone for a cyclist or pedestrian to get passed. Zero shoulder. To make it worse, there’s a vertical bend in the middle, blocking out the view of the upcoming traffic as you reach midway. But what option did I have? There was nothing in its wide surroundings to get across the water, and my time to catch the ferry was running out after the incredible hurricane-slowdown. I approached this treacherous situation rationally: I would walk all of it, as to give traffic the time to see my presence due to my slow motion, and being able to hold on to the railing while the cumbersome storm was pushing me right into traffic over this vast open water. By holding my bicycle in between me and the road, I would also create a shield between myself and the passing traffic. Then, just before reaching the bending middle, I would change to the left side, as to anticipate approaching traffic and allow me and the drivers to see me before passing. If I’d stay right, they wouldn’t have the slightest idea of a person being on the road a mere meters further, as the bend would make me entirely invisible.
My approach would have worked, with the one requirement that all traffic users keep their fucking eyes open. Instead, shorty after the bend, I witnessed a heavy truck steaming into my direction over the world’s narrowest bridge while looking at his phone. Due to the narrowness of the bridge, he was almost scraping the ridges. I had nowhere to go. My only option would be jumping off the bridge, which at 152m height and hurricane weather would very likely kill me. I stood there screaming from the top of my lungs and waving my arms in a last attempt to get his attention, embracing to reach my almost certain end. In that moment, I didn’t see a single scenario in which I would survive this. I was looking death in the eyes. This was it. It’s been a good run.
Nano-seconds before my light would go out the driver looked up, and frantically pulled his vehicle into the other lane, risking a frontal crash with the opposite traffic stream this insane bridge didn’t allow him to see. No one died. I didn’t die. I just stood there. Nailed to the ground. Unable to re-start my brain or move my body. After a while someone stopped, blocking all traffic behind him, to ask if I was alright. My brain went back to reality and I started crying, hysterically. Without wasting a second he loaded my bicycle in the back and drove me away with it. Away from this gruesome, terrifyingly irresponsible bridge that almost ended me, and very likely will end other innocent individuals in the future.
Still, in the deplorable mental state I was in, still being subjected to a hurricane and now also facing drenching downpours, I refused to be dropped off at the ferry terminal. I had to do it myself, every single meter. I’m almost there, goddamnit, I can’t fail myself now.
I was one of the last ones on the ferry. I was done. Today had been torture, with the only bright side my interactions with Ed that morning, and a shower at one of the campsites before North Sydney. Days like this put everything in perspective. Nova Scotia, it has been a wild ride. Incredible highs, excruciating lows.
After Nova Scotia: 74 days, 8530.4km
My approach would have worked, with the one requirement that all traffic users keep their fucking eyes open. Instead, shorty after the bend, I witnessed a heavy truck steaming into my direction over the world’s narrowest bridge while looking at his phone. Due to the narrowness of the bridge, he was almost scraping the ridges. I had nowhere to go. My only option would be jumping off the bridge, which at 152m height and hurricane weather would very likely kill me. I stood there screaming from the top of my lungs and waving my arms in a last attempt to get his attention, embracing to reach my almost certain end. In that moment, I didn’t see a single scenario in which I would survive this. I was looking death in the eyes. This was it. It’s been a good run.
Nano-seconds before my light would go out the driver looked up, and frantically pulled his vehicle into the other lane, risking a frontal crash with the opposite traffic stream this insane bridge didn’t allow him to see. No one died. I didn’t die. I just stood there. Nailed to the ground. Unable to re-start my brain or move my body. After a while someone stopped, blocking all traffic behind him, to ask if I was alright. My brain went back to reality and I started crying, hysterically. Without wasting a second he loaded my bicycle in the back and drove me away with it. Away from this gruesome, terrifyingly irresponsible bridge that almost ended me, and very likely will end other innocent individuals in the future.
Still, in the deplorable mental state I was in, still being subjected to a hurricane and now also facing drenching downpours, I refused to be dropped off at the ferry terminal. I had to do it myself, every single meter. I’m almost there, goddamnit, I can’t fail myself now.
I was one of the last ones on the ferry. I was done. Today had been torture, with the only bright side my interactions with Ed that morning, and a shower at one of the campsites before North Sydney. Days like this put everything in perspective. Nova Scotia, it has been a wild ride. Incredible highs, excruciating lows.
After Nova Scotia: 74 days, 8530.4km
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Canada Facts
Short History Recap
Ice Age: First humans migrate from Asia. 11th century: Norse establish first known European settlement on Newfoundland island. 1583: Newfoundland England's first overseas colony. 1701: 38 indigenous groups sign peace treaty with France. ’56: Seven Years' War between New France and larger / economically-stronger British colonies. ’63: Treaty of Paris → England acquires all French colonies east of the Mississippi incl. New France (becomes Quebec). ‘74: Quebec Act recognises French language & Roman Catholic religion. ‘76 onwards: Refugees from American War of Independence settle in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec & Ontario. 1800s: Immigration from UK. ’37-38: Armed rebellions, dissatisfaction with ruling elites, poverty and social divisions. ’67: British North America Act → unites Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Dominion of Canada. ’85: Canadian Pacific railroad. 1914: WWI → Canada fights on side of England and France. ’39: WWII → Canadian forces in Europe and Atlantic. ’49: Founder member of Nato. ’50: Canada/UN participates in War in Korea. ’65: New flag. ’70: Front de Liberation du Quebec kidnap an English trade official and murder a Quebec minister. ’82: England transfers final legal powers over to Canada. New constitution. ’91: Canadian forces participate in Gulf War. ’92: Canada, US & Mexico finalise North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). ’95: Referendum in Quebec rejects independence by a margin of 1%. ’99: Territory of Nunavut created in northern Canada (self-governing region with majority of indigenous population). 2002: Troops in Afghanistan. ’10: Winter Olympics. ’14: Mission to map Arctic seabed, in support of bid to extend territory up to North Pole. ’16: Free trade agreement with EU. ’17: Promised compensation to indigenous people who were kidnapped to be brought up by primarily white middle-class families. New trade deal replacing Nafta.
Canada Facts
- Capital: Ottawa
- Language: English, French
- Population: ± 39 mln (Ottawa: 1.76mln)
- Sq km: ± 9.985 (Montreal: 365)
- Currency: Canadian Dollar ($ - CAD)
- Electricity Outlet: A + B / 120 V / 60 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +1
- Emergency Phone: 911
- Visa: Some countries need to apply for a visa, which can be done here or here.The ones that don’t need to apply for a visa waiver, called an ETA, which is a very cheap and fast process.
- Vaccinations: None.
- Climate: The country is so huge, that we’re dealing with several climate zones. The far north has a Tundra Climate (ET). Below that a zone of Subarctic Climate (Dfc), with patches of Dwc and Dsc. The southern stretch along the US border is mainly Humid Continental (Dfb), with patches of Temperate Oceanic (Cfb).
- High season: June-September. Summer is most pleasant due to the harsh climates in the colder seasons.
Short History Recap
Ice Age: First humans migrate from Asia. 11th century: Norse establish first known European settlement on Newfoundland island. 1583: Newfoundland England's first overseas colony. 1701: 38 indigenous groups sign peace treaty with France. ’56: Seven Years' War between New France and larger / economically-stronger British colonies. ’63: Treaty of Paris → England acquires all French colonies east of the Mississippi incl. New France (becomes Quebec). ‘74: Quebec Act recognises French language & Roman Catholic religion. ‘76 onwards: Refugees from American War of Independence settle in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec & Ontario. 1800s: Immigration from UK. ’37-38: Armed rebellions, dissatisfaction with ruling elites, poverty and social divisions. ’67: British North America Act → unites Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Dominion of Canada. ’85: Canadian Pacific railroad. 1914: WWI → Canada fights on side of England and France. ’39: WWII → Canadian forces in Europe and Atlantic. ’49: Founder member of Nato. ’50: Canada/UN participates in War in Korea. ’65: New flag. ’70: Front de Liberation du Quebec kidnap an English trade official and murder a Quebec minister. ’82: England transfers final legal powers over to Canada. New constitution. ’91: Canadian forces participate in Gulf War. ’92: Canada, US & Mexico finalise North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). ’95: Referendum in Quebec rejects independence by a margin of 1%. ’99: Territory of Nunavut created in northern Canada (self-governing region with majority of indigenous population). 2002: Troops in Afghanistan. ’10: Winter Olympics. ’14: Mission to map Arctic seabed, in support of bid to extend territory up to North Pole. ’16: Free trade agreement with EU. ’17: Promised compensation to indigenous people who were kidnapped to be brought up by primarily white middle-class families. New trade deal replacing Nafta.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains Canada: Sobeys, Metro, Walmart, No Frills, Foodland, Maxi, Your Independent Grocer, Real Canadian Superstore, Safeway.
- Local Dishes: Poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy), Tourtiere (meat pie), Wild Pacific Salmon, Pate Chinois (layered ground beef, cream corn and mashed potato), Alberta Beef, Rappie Pie (grated potatoes pattie with pork fat, sea food and ground meat), Hodge Podge (vegetable/potato stew), Yukon Reindeer, Caraquets (oysters), Nova Scotia / Newfoundland Lobster, Fish and Brewis (hard biscuits mixed with cod or pork), Pealmeal Bacon (broiled lean pork loin), Split Pea Soup (incl. pork), Jiggs Dinner (beef, greens and split pea pudding), Fiddle Heads (cooked rolled fern leaves), Bannock (typical bread), Beavertails (deepfried bread with sweet toppings / Canadian donut), Montreal Bagel (boiled in honeyed water), Trempettes (crispy sweet pancakes), Touton (thick pancake), Cipaille (meat pie), Maple Taffy / Tire d’Erable (maple syrup frozen over snow), Butter Tarts (pastry), Saskatoon Berry Pie, Nanaimo Bars (crumb-custard-chocolate cake), Pouding Chomeur (cake with hot syrup), Cretons (pork spread), Oreilles de Crisses (deepfried pork rinds).
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Canada, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here.
- National Drink: Ceasar Cocktail (Canadian bloody mary, sometimes with food hanging off of it), beer, wine.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: You probably knew already, before even booking your trip, that visiting Canada isn’t cheap. This goes for accommodation as well. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, but in Canada they usually offer cheaper stays than in hotels or even hostels. Be mindful of the additional booking and cleaning costs though, as they can really add up. Writer’s Choice: In Nova Scotia I found hosts via personal contacts, as well as via the online network of Warm Showers. I also wild-camped, which is legal on crown land.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Canada definitely is a rather active one, incl. events organized in most of the cities. If your’re biketouring you can also look into Warm Showers, which is a bikepacking community focussing primarily on 1-night stays.
- Wild Camping: is officially legal in Canada. You can pitch your tent anywhere on crown land and you’ll even be abe to find free camping spots. The WikiCamps App Canada is extremely useful for finding these, with community reviews. If public land is scarce, you can ask permission to camp on someone’s private land. Canadians are very kind and hospitable and will likely allow you to do so. In national and provincial parks camping is only allowed on designated campsites or with a permit, and you’ll have to pay a nightly fee (wild camping in these areas is heavily fined).
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Canada is a very safe country with a low crime rate. Outside of the main cities, I met people who don’t lock their houses or cars. In nature, there are several wide animals to take into account, including black bears, grizzly bears, rattle snakes, coyotes, lynxes and cougars.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. That said, I do find their customer service rather questionable. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Both Revolut and Wise have the option to open a Canadian Dollar wallet. Most Canadian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are accepted everywhere.
- Simcard: Data is known to be incredibly expensive in Canada, with one of the highest rate-per-gb in the world. Prices are even higher if you buy your SIM at the airport. Therefore, either go to the flagship stores to buy a sim (yes, you also pay seperately for the sim, without anything on it), or simply buy one in supermarkets, post offices, gas stations and even in the Dollarama. You can then add credit or a bundle online or via the app. The brands with the cheapest deals are known to be Lucky Mobile, Chatr, Koodo Mobile and Fido (although still terrible money-worth compared to basically everywhere else in the world). The best network coverage is known to be by Telus, Bell and Rogers. If your phone supports eSims, this might be worth looking into, as it’s in most cases more affordable. I used Lucky Mobile which had the cheapest data packages (sim bought in Dollarama), and noticed I had a similar coverage compared to any of the more expensive brands.
Transport
- Walking: Montreal is a pedestrian friendly city. Yet, as it’s rather big, alternative transport from neighbourhood to neighbourhood might be recommended.
- Cycling: Montreal has 1065km of bicycle lanes. Find a map here. There’s a bikesharing system called BIXI, which charges an unlocking fee and a rate-per-minute.
- Public Transport: Montreal has buses and an efficient metro system. You can pay per ride (incl. 1 transfer to bus) or 2 rides, or get a 3-day, unlimited evening, unlimited weekend or week ticket. Oddly enough, the week ticket runs from Monday to Sunday, so if you buy it on a Sunday it only works one day. The weekend ticket starts Friday 4PM. You can pay at the ticket machines, at the metro desks or get an Opus Card. Buses also sell tickets. Children travel free.
- Taxi / Uber: Canada has taxi apps such as Uber, Lyft and Zoomzoom. Car2Go is a car sharing app.
- Train: Canada has a train network operated by Via Rail, but this is a notoriously expensive option (generally double the bus prices, which are also not cheap). Book as early as possible and buy tickets on Tuesday to save some money. There’s a train line to the suburbs as well, called Exo.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Canada. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from an airport.
- Airport: Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. Reached by Bus 747 (special ticket needed) runs 24/7.
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe and easy in Canada, but definitively not common. Don’t bother with the ride-share websites or Facebook groups, as people dare to ask more than the bus and even train tickets. More info on hitchhiking in and out of Montreal can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- In Canada: Newfoundland.
- International Destinations Close By: United States, Greenland.
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