Day 8, Sunday 28 September

After a comfortable night, some of us gathered on the restaurant balcony of the Castle Rock Inn to look out down the hillside and across the sea before going in for an excellent breakfast, our first hot one.
Into the van again, and we were driven down Cape Breton, which I was very sad to leave. The sun continued to shine while I took far too many drive-past photos, most of which didn't work. There was one house we drove past that has umpteen wooden cut outs of Simpson cartoon characters.
It seemed like a very long drive today, although the views of the sea and cliffs were lovely.
Lunch was as good as ever but in a parking lot behind a gaming place.
Onwards and down Nova Scotia to Halifax, to the Best Western Chocolate Lake hotel, which looked out over a lake with people playing and swimming round it.
We had a short break before we got back in the van for the drive to Peggy's Cove, a small, very pretty fishing village. The coastline comprises huge granite rocks, which are a natural playground. The village is home to the most photographed lighthouse in Canada, so we spent a while taking pictures of it, of the village and boats.
Dinner was in the restaurant overlooking the lighthouse, with the sun going down behind it.

Day 7, Saturday 27 September

The sky was grey as we set off to go the fairly short distance up to the Skyline Trail, a loop of trail through the forest with views out over the Cabot Trail. As I was chatting to one our Australians, I noticed a smallish grey bird beside the footpath, which appeared to have no fear. Stopping to watch it, other females came out of the undergrowth, followed by a black male with red "horns" and its tail fanned a shaking as it displayed to its harem, oblivious to us. We were told later that they were spruce grouse, not surprisingly, food for every local carnivore.
We took the fork to a splendid stepped boardwalk down a point looking in both directions out across mountainside and the sea. No cetaceans in sight.
The party split to either a longer walk back, which Ian did, spotting a raptor and another chipmunk on the way, or to return the same way, which I did, with one our Swiss people. She pointed out that some of the tree groves looked as if they were settings from a Tolkien story.
As the walks had taken less time than expected, we were a bit early when we stopped for lunch at a clean and smart picnic sight. It was a bit telling when a coach tour turned up, everyone creaked and groaned their way off the bus, each with their large lunch sacks, and made their way into the wooden building where there were tables for them to use. We stayed out in the sunshine, looking up at the mountains around us.
Chad stopped at a couple of gifty shops to kill a bit of time then took us on to the sea kayaking centre. This was a sea-water lake which had no direct access to the sea but had moon jellyfish. Ian learned from a local that the sea seeps through the sand banks and must sometimes go over the top.
At the Eagle North Sea Kayaking Centre, most of us were suitably togged up and I was paired with Anya who flatly refused to steer, so went in front. I found the foot-pedal-operated steering counter-intuitive - pushing away with the right foot to steer to the right.
There were five kayaks out, including two singles with Chad and the leader. We paddled out to the left to be shown small oyster rafts, a moose skeleton and a gypsum cliff. The sun and sea were blue and we were surrounded by steep forest -  a stunning setting.

Carrying on, we were taken through a more marshy area towards reeds where we could see waders. Michael had us get out of the boats and make our way across the dunes to the beach on the other side where the sea was crashing dark blue. He gave us fresh Cape Breton oatcakes and hot apple tea -delicious. He then proceeded to give us a short history of the bay and its first and most recent shipwrecks. The former befell a group of rich French businessmen who had been travelling with much of their wealth and possessions, some of which are still appearing on the shore. The latter involved Michael's father and much booze found on board after the ship had been abandoned. It broke up a few hours later when the cargo of oats and split peas soaked up so much seawater that it burst apart. He was a brilliant story-teller - at this time of the year. At other times he line-fishes for halibut from shore, or manages his 450 lobster pots.
When we got back into the boats, the wind had risen and all the double kayaks had difficulty getting out of the shallows. In the end, Anya and I were towed out, much to the disgust of Monica and Radhika. It was a bit harder work getting back to the base, and we were taken back the way we came instead of going across the other side of the lake, which was more exposed to the wind.
Back at the centre, the non-kayakers came back from their long walk to the same beach from where Ian had been photographing the waves and us in the distance.
Altogether, it had been a wonderful trip.
Michael had told us about a camp just up the road where oysters could be tried at the little shop. Ian had one but I was not tempted. He couldn't see what all the fuss was about.
On down the trail with more amazing views along the forested coastline, we came to the best hotel yet, the Castle Rock Inn. It had views from its balcony and dining room out across more woods and the sea. With two dinner tables, we divided into the girls' club and boys' club, quite subdued after the exertions of the day.

Day 6, Friday 26 September

Lovely sunshine as we made our way to the breakfast room for an early start. Into the van for the drive south east across the island, through Charlottetown and down narrow roads to the port. The scenery was rolling farmland with a much bigger scale than in the UK and no hedges or walls diving the fields, just quite a lot of mixed trees. The colours are not yet very developed but every now and then there are individual red or yellow trees, or small groves.
Everywhere we go there are very white birches close together and often quite twisted so they look very old.
We had a short wait at the small port, with massive trucks on one side and a bunch of islander bikers on their Harleys on the other on their way for a weekend blast around Cape Breton. The loading and departure were quick, efficient and seamless as we looked down on hundreds of cormorant and other birds below us. The weather stayed glorious for the crossing, and nowhere near as cold as we had expected.
The approach to Nova Scotia was very narrow and zig zagged past low spits and little lighthouses. Ian and some of party stayed below learning to play poker with our single Canadian as tutor.
Onto the main island for an hour or so's journey to the causeway that took us across to Cape Breton. There was a visitor centre as we arrived on the island where we had today's picnic, looking out onto the sea.
Onwards through scenery much more like Scottish highland but covered in mixed forest and clapboard rather than stone houses. The mountains are higher and steeper than we have seen to date.
We broke this part of the journey at the Glenora distillery which we learned had been set up 24 years ago with people from Bowmore and using their recipe. It's a modern distillery with little to see but nearly everyone managed their dram. Ian bought a bottle of the fifteen-year-old as recommended by Jim Murray in his bible. Our Canadian thought I was a bit bonkers to exclaim over my first sight of a chipmunk.
On to the motel in Cheticamp, a town with French heritage which had had a thriving gypsum industry. We checked in and got back in the van so Chad could show us views from the Cabot Trail, the road leading into town then right down the island. It is said to be up there with the Amalfi Drive as one of the most scenic in the world.

Chad then wanted to check out the views of and from a lighthouse at the end of the Isle de Cheticamp, reached by a causeway. I was the one who discovered that the fence round the lighthouse was electric.
From the motel, we walked to Le Gabriel restaurant where there was live country, with a hint of Scottish, music being played.

Day 5, Thursday 25 September

This was a day of contrasts as far as holiday activities were concerned. Breakfast was a little later, in rather a cramped breakfast room in a separate building. Mein host brewed coffee, sorted the rear of the food and chatted to visitors - he was very welcoming. 

We drove a short distance to the bike hire place where most of the party got out. Chadwick drove four of us, including Ian, to Cavendish Beach where we had a bit more than an hour. It was glorious with a deep blue, fairly placid sea. There were hundreds of Canada geese floating in a raft and keeping themselves at a constant distance from us. Every so often, a large number would take off, fly inland and then come noisily back. 

After a while a big bird appeared above the trees and we eventually worked out that it was probably a bald eagle. It flew off and returned later on the walk. 

Ian and I shed shoes and socks - Alun couldn't see the point. The sea looked inviting but seemed to shelve steeply and there were warnings of rip tides. We could have stayed there all day, just wandering up and down and enjoying the solitude, peace and quiet.

Chad drove us further along the coast to the small village of Rustico where there are a small lighthouse and lots of photo opportunities.

Eventually, we had to go back to meet the cyclists and I was very glad I hadn't gone with them - they had ridden much further than I would have managed whereas the beach had been fabulous.

Lunch was at tables outside a takeaway cafe and very good quality, although we could have shared a portion.

The afternoon was not fun. Chad had found out about a number of tourist shops on producers' premises. The first sold preserves, the second, Gouda-style cheese, the third goat's milk toiletries. Finally, he took us to quite a nice gift emporium. We dropped a few people at the Green Gables experience and the rest of us went back to sit on the porch outside our rooms where Alun shared his whisky again. I did housekeeping chores. 

Supper was at an oyster bar where Ian and I had rather expensive but excellent, fruity, local red wine at Stanley Bridge.

The final experience was going to a "ceilidh" in the local WI hall, which was packed. Four chaps played, sang and told tall stories, interspersed with dancing by a young girl and a couple of recitations. In the break we were served ice cream and strawberry compote. The overarching theme was Irish with country and a bit of bluegrass thrown in. Some of the Irish music smacked of Val Doonican and there was even an iconic Steamhead tune. 

The concert went longer than expected and drifted into the self-indulgent so, mindful that Chad was waiting outside, we tried to leave as discreetly as possible.

Day 4, Wednesday 24 September

Woke to sunrise over the sea with the tide at its lowest point again and the sky beautifully clear. Ian and I ate our breakfast in the room overlooking the sea before leaving early but not before a short time taking a few more pictures.

Into the van for the drive to Hopewell Rocks so that we could be there as the park opened and so it gave us the longest time on the beach before the tide came in. A short walk through woods goes down to steps which themselves go down to the beach and which incorporate platforms overlooking the first rock stacks. They are truly astonishing, of red shale with bright green trees on top which looked stunning against the blue sky.

Some of the stacks stand alone and others are still being formed from the cliffs so are just vertical clefts in the rock. The beach is inevitably reddish, pebbly and a bit muddy. It was filling up with people as we came away and made our way back up to the visitor centre.

The visitor facilities that we have come across have been of a very high standard and this one had quite a classy shop along with restaurant.

Mid-morning, we were back in the van for the drive to Prince Edward Island which included going through Moncton. The scenery was much more agricultural with less forest, so we had good views of farmland and the lovely clapboard houses, all well-spaced with neat, clipped gardens none of which have much in the way of boundaries. Unlike at home, so many residents have managed to keep their gardens looking spruce and colourful this late into the year. Quite a number also have little displays incorporating pumpkins on their doorsteps and porches. 

Finally, in the far distance along a straight road, the Confederation Bridge heaved itself up into the air. This is the longest (8 miles) bridge over iced water and is staggering. It doesn't appear to be over a shipping lane but us quite high in places to allow ships to pass underneath. We had been told that it incorporates lobster and bird habitat. The low PEI stretched out in both directions.

Just over the bridge we stopped at the Gateway visitor centre where we had a picnic lunch still in sunshine.

Some if us wanted to take up the offer of a tour round a historic house in Summerside, which meant we had quite a lot of time to kill. Chadwick let us loose in the shops which were all pretty tacky, so that was not great. 

Summerside is a town (city) of about 15,000 residents, wher one Wanda Wyatt lived in some comfort in a house built in the 1890s. Next door was a larger house where her grandparents had lived. She bequeathed the two, plus three others to the city for them to maintain as of historic interest but also to encourage study of history and the arts. One of the houses was the MacNaught History Centre, named after a former owner.

The tour was very good and showed that the house had developed over time - Miss Wyatt had been a contemporary of my grandmother and had been a student of law and a traveller. At the end we were offered glasses of rhubarb cordial and dishes of ice cream with rhubarb compote, so delicious but a major sugar hit. The others had to wait for us to come out, ready for the drive to the hotel.

Bay View Motel was lovely with rooms opening onto a long covered porch with wooden chairs outside. The view was out over an inlet with an oyster farm.

We had opted for dinner in a huge lobster restaurant where the price included chowder, the main protein, an eat-all-you-can salad bar, plus soft drinks, dessert and coffee. Ian and I opted to decline the main protein and shared a lemon-meringue pie, which was plenty. 

Back to the hotel with the stars shining much more visibly than at home.

Day 3, Tuesday 23 September

An early start to travel to Fundy State Park, we left in cold sunshine and were driven through the rest of Maine with many more trees but often breaks with huge vistas across farmland and forest. We stopped for a comfort break not long before the border, where we waited a while as we were processed but didn't even have to leave the van.
On to Frederickton where we called into a large supermarket, Sobeys, for Chadwick to replenish picnic lunch food and for us to buy something for breakfast the next day. This proved tricky, inevitably, because goods are packed in such large quantities.
Back into the van for quite a long drive until we were approaching Fundy State Park and Chadwick found us a pretty picnic site beside a small lake. It was good to get out and stretch our legs but the wind was a bit troublesome with the food.
Down through more woods to the Parkland Village Inn, Alma. We didn't check in then but were driven up into the woods for one of two walks. We all went part-way up the road to a covered bridge and separated then to go along at a lower level or up higher on the Coppermines Trail. Ian and I were already concerned about being able to keep up with the trio of younger women but were assured that they wouldn't go too far ahead.
It was quite a stretch but not for very long before we dropped back down and met up with the others. Interesting views across the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. It was just a shame it was pitch dark when it was high.

The hotel was rather cute - three stories accessed from outside including the corridors. Ian and I were given a suite which had two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Dinner was in the hotel and another jolly time was had by all.

Day 2 Monday 22 September

Our leader had forecast some rain this morning, with better weather later, so would leave the hotel, Baxter Park Inn, at 9. Breakfast of cereals, pastries, fruit and muffins, was available in a cramped room and all eaten off plastic plates. The disposable cutlery and dishes were to prove fairly common.
By the time we met to leave, the warm sun had come out and we had a colourful, quite long and slow drive up to the park. The miles of tracks are all dirt and have a restricted speed limit. Saw turkeys on the way.
The ranger at the entrance advised going straight to Sandy Pond where we were more likely to see moose, so we set off on what should have been a short walk through the mixed deciduous and conifer woods. At the pond (what we would call a lake), there were several viewpoints but no moose, although we did see some fresh tracks. The view to Mount Katadhin, highest point in Maine at over 5,000 feet showed its head in the clouds.

At the first point, we saw a large raptor soaring over the trees.
We had been offered a steep walk to Owl Peak, but didn't really know what to expect, so we opted for the less strenuous walk. We learned later how fast the younger members of the party can walk.
In the end, it seemed Chad had taken a wrong turn and we walked further than expected. Although it was not far, it was tricky terrain with tree roots, rocks and a lot of narrow, slippery boardwalks. Back at the van we had lunch under the trees until the chilly wind drive us out into the sunshine.
We had about an hour's drive through the park to Daicey Pond for more walking. Ian and I opted for the walk down to Little and Big Niagara Falls on the Nesowadnehunk Stream, about the size of the Ure at Aysgarth. This forms part of the Appalachian Trail.
As Chad suggested we might, we met a solitary young man, who was surprisingly clean, with a neat beard, coming to the end of his trail, after six months hiking the 2,200 miles.
We walked with Bea, Andy and Chad, finding the upper falls easily and then missing the sign to the lower. The woods are lovely, with few recognisable trees and shrubs.
We all met back up near the van where there was a wooden shack containing lots of old books to borrow and some games. There is no power or running water and people go up to spend time in
wooden cabins. Two of the young women went out for a paddle on the pond in a canoe.
The long drive back to civilisation proved hard for some in the back of the van because the roads are so twisty and bumpy.
Dinner that evening was on the way back to the hotel at the Loose Moose restaurant, which was in darkness as we arrived - the power had gone off. By then it was starting to get dark and it was cold, with a strong wind. Those from warmer countries were finding it a bit tough.
The choice of beers was odd, with several people choosing the Canadian Barking Squirrel. Quite a jolly, candlelit meal, with Ian talking a lot to Alun about whisky.

Day 0 - Journey to Boston

On a grey, drizzly morning, we were collected by a friendly, chatty lady and driven up to Manchester Airport. Through check-in easily, the plane took off on time for Kennedy International. I switched my watch to US time and we had lunch at 6:30am and a snack at11. It was a bit frustrating that we came over North America at St Johns and flew down over Boston before turning out to sea and approaching JFK from the south-east. My neighbour pointed out Manhattan as we came down.

Our first encounters with locals were frustrating -they were so hard to understand. In some cases they were downright rude. Through immigration with finger printing and iris recognition, and a long wait for baggage which then, although booked through to Logan, had to go through the queue for customs.

One of the runways had been closed, which meant that our plane was late coming in from Boston and we spent the whole afternoon hanging about. The woman in Starbucks short-changed us, annoyingly, and had to be challenged. The plane took off for a short ride through the gloaming.

A friendly couple who had also come in on the Manchester flight, pointed us to the taxi rank and we were hurtled along the freeway to the hotel. The room was very big and comfortable. Ian couldn't face going to look for food at 1:30am UK time, so we went to bed.

The Anticipation

The holiday still feels unreal and so unlikely.

It must have been November when I finally asked Ian if he would come with me on a Grand American Adventure so that I could see the US, and particularly New England before we retire and slide into penury. 

Pinterest is a great place to look for images of the scenery we may see. Prince Edward Island looks lovely and Cape Breton absolutely stunning. 

Six days to go and counting...