Froda Travels to Europe and Canada 2010 Part Nine: PEI (Prince Edward Island, Canada)

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Then we were off and heading for our next homeexchange in. Jim and Ursula had stayed in our Martinborough apartment a couple of years ago and we had "banked" our exchange. It was all pretty straightforward and soon we were on the highway - 4 lanes – 2 in each direction. Rain all the way. Larry managed wonderfully – only hugging the right side a little. We had a short rest stop shortly before the ferry and Larry managed to get into the wrong lane as we left the main road again. Toilet only as we were running late for the ferry. Minor hold up with road works but reached the ferry still loading – up ramp lane 10. We arrived at the ferry just as they were about to close off ready for sailing and there wasn't going to be another sailing for a couple of hours. We were the last car to load. It was still raining and we had very little view as we made the 75 minute crossing. We had coffee and muffin and walked around the ship a bit, sat reading a newspaper and we oldies were entertained by a small child . . . . Got some maps and chatted to an assistant about NZ. Everything to order until we neared Stratford. Road in rather poor condition – channels where the wheels ran were full of water, but then, following google's directions we turned off too early and got ourselves quite confused. The rain had eased off by now so it was a little easier to find our way. However, we arrived at Seahorse Suites shortly after 5p.m. Jim and Guiness (the dog) greeted us and Ursula shortly after. They had not received our text (they gave us the wrong number) so they hadn't known when to expect us. Soon we were established and left alone. The suite was well set up with quite a lot of food things: bread, eggs, margarine, milk, juice, red wine (Seahorse wine – Jim makes it from a package) strawberries, fruit, cheese and crackers. But we needed to get out to buy some bits. Chippies, wine, and an ATM. Also I needed a pair of knee-his and Larry an adaptor – also yoghurt, coffee and biscuits. We tried one shopping area, a convenience store and a liquor store but the ATM in-store rejected our debit card. But then we found Sorbeys, the major supermarket, and there we were spoilt for choice. But even here the ATM rejected our card. So many salads and ready to go meals! We settled on chicken and mashed potato and gravy and a bag of coleslaw. We used our credit card to buy this lot of groceries. Home. Wine, chippies then dinner. Electric jug leaks but we used it anyway. Pretty soon bed. Very tired.

Tuesday June 29th

Grey misty rain but cleared to become hot and sunny by the afternoon.

Hand washing, then downstairs to see Jim and Ursula. Jim was building an extension to his shed. We reported boiling jug damage and asked about hairdressers and the track to the beach. Ursula tried to phone hairdressers for me but only got answerphones so we got directions for Charlottetown and headed for a big shopping mall up the top end of the University Avenue. We actually spent 3 or 4 hours in the mall – looking in a variety of shops, having lunch, visiting the toilet, getting $400 from an ATM, going to the supermarket at the end of the Parking Lot and then back to get my hair cut (rather badly) while Larry studied the car manual book to work out how to lock and unlock my door. 2 clicks for all doors! We bought sewing things and the "Girl Who Played with Fire". So back home by about 2.30. Used the air conditioning quite a lot as the upstairs suite is quite warm. Larry also found it quite humid, requiring several top washes. Sleep. Then, to enjoy the sunshine, we put on our sunhats and tried the path down to the beach. Down their extensive back lawn, past the garden with its scarecrow, across the red dirt/sand "private" road and into the overgrown undergrowth where the track was only just discernable. Into the open and a sign "Dogs Must be On Leash". And a short sloping walk down to the the red sandy beach. Just a short space to walk perhaps 1 – 200 metres – a few flattish rocks to climb, photos to take and we returned home – very hot. No one on the beach apart from a boy and his dog. A very steep set of steps up to the house on top of the cliff and just a couple of houses to be seen through the forest. Ursula refers to them as "cottagers" our equivalent of weekenders, I guess. Back to cool down and wine and chippies. Then some TV and a simple dinner (we bought it while up at the Charlottetown Mall) of sliced ham, potato salad and coleslaw. A/C in lounge doesn't seem to be over efficient unless sitting right in front of it. Bedroom was hot.Wednesday June 30th

Cool, overcast morning, but a bit of a breeze. I hung my blue pants on the line – they told us it would clear and be hot and sunny again this afternoon. After a chat with Ursula and Jim (road directions etc.) we set off for Cavendish to visit the "Anne of Green Gables" sites. Jim gave us the Season Pass Tag that gives free entry into the National Park but there was also an entrance fee of $7.50 each for the Green Gables House, Barn, Haunted Wood, Shop and LM Montgomerie house and environs – very easy to confuse what Anne did with what her author did. There was, it seems, quite a bit in the "Anne" books that was autobiographical. The walk through the haunted wood, (through the golf course then across the road to LM Moontgomerie's home etc.) was very pretty but quite hot where it emerged from the "wood". We stopped at the souvenir shop and I bought a copy of "Anne of Green Gables". The cafe was very much just snacks and no place to sit down so we drove on a little way and found the Sandbox Cafe which gave us a huge plate of very brown chips and a BLT – a bit sparse on the filling and so rather dry but they did give extra coleslaw and tomato sauce. I asked for tomato juice but they'd never heard of it! Large coffee to finish the meal. Large iced water to start. From there we took the coastal drive along the North Shoreline. Stopped a couple of times to get a bit closer to the beach. Here the sand tends to be a bit whiter than on the South Coast where we are (they say the South Coast also has the better – warmer - swimming). In places there were signs of significant erosion where the sealed parking area had been eaten away by several metres. Took a wrong turning once but that took us into a quaint fishing village. Easy to follow signs for the most part. We were soon driving through Charlottetown and heavier traffic. The traffic had been very light all day which made the driving very easy. We stopped at Sobey's for a few groceries and we were home. Afternoon nap at 3.30p.m. And brought my pants in from the line. Jim had the framing up for his shed. Then time for Jim's Seahorse Merlot – one of the nicest reds I've drunk and the end of the "chippy" cracker biscuits. TV, dinner, TV, finished the email I started and sent it – this one retracing Stockholm mainly. And so to bed. Haven't done much reading since the train. Short walk up the road – not back via the back road as we were scared off by the very prominant sign that warned "PRIVATE ROAD" and dire consequences if we were to dare venture that way!!!

Thursday July 1st

Canada Day. Clear, bright sunshine. What a lovely day. Jim is fitting ply to his shed. Invited to dinner tonight. Returned Jim's National Park pass ticket. We set out after Larry had done washing – light pants on the line – and we found a park at the end of Water Street, that was convenient for us to walk along the waterfront where festivities were set up for Canada Day. We found it very pleasant in the sun with our sunhats on and a pretty marina, a certain amount of low-rise apartment buildings but a lot of smallish homes – single dwellings with a bit of lawn/garden front and back. Closer to the main entertainment area were lots of souvenir shops, food cafes and stalls. Stages were erected all around – a couple of sound stages and a couple of specifically for BMX and skate boards. There was to be a competition later (BMX and Skate boards). And for a while we stood and watched sand sculptures being created.

We stopped to watch a busker juggling clubs for a while. I indulged Larry and we bought a "Cows" ice cream each. In a souvenir shop bought calendars for gifts. There was also an ice skating rink being set up – no ice in it yet. We bought petrol on the way home to Keppoch Road (The Seahorse). For lunch – cupasoup – (the Seashorse cups were a bit small so we had it in a bowl). Afternoon nap. Emails and a test text to Annapolis Royal which failed. Then we drove to Sobeys to buy wine but they don't sell it, so on to the wine shop (relieved to find it open) and bought two bottles. Just lazed about (finished red wine and chippies) till news time then went downstairs to join Jim and Ursula for drinks and dinner. Jim cooked pork, new potatoes, cauliflower and salad. Followed by rhubarb, strawberries and ice cream. Jim and Ursula thought we were staying until Monday – this is the second time people have got our dates wrong. Much excitement as they awaited a phone call from their daughter – she and husband have just put in an offer on a house nearby. The call arrived later in the evening to say their offer has been accepted. Jim and Ursula are planning another trip to NZ so we assured them that there is always a place for them in Martinborough. Home by 10p.m. When we hoped to catch some of the Canada Day celebration fireworks from our balcony – but we didn't see any sign. We could hear something that might have been fireworks. In bed by 11p.m.

Friday July 2nd

PEI – Annapolis Royal.

Another sunny day. But rain overnight. Jim had left at 7.30 so it was just Ursula we said goodbye to at about 9.45.

Our first stop was just after the 8 miles (13km) long Confederation Bridge – rather disappointing as the wall was just high enough to obscure the view - (we were now in New Brunswick) – In the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre there was an Information Centre/Observation Tower/Cafe etc. on the other side.

We climbed up the tower and Larry took photos then down for a scone/muffin and coffee. Larry managed to catch a lucky photo of a humming bird through the cafe window. All sorts of conservation issues here – the public toilets were Clivus, composting ones; wind generated solar heating; they use bore water but conserve it by using rain water for toilets and laundry and dish washing. Wonderful. Stopped for 45 minutes. Back on to the highway and heading for Truro. Towards Amherst on the Trans Canadian Highway - we took a turning that seemed to have several more exits and we ended up just keeping on going round and round the clover leafs. Larry seemed to keep very calm but I was panicking a bit – I kept seeing signs to PEI looked like we were heading back to where we'd come from. However we came out of it and were again on our way.

Next: Annapolis Royal Nova Scotia
 

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