After a whirlwind tour of the Canada’s deep south, I noticed something that defied all odds. At every stop on the route we took, including shopping areas, we bumped into someone we knew. Like, what the heck? Is everyone travelling at the same time?
To top it off, my daughter and my sister popped up out of nowhere. There we were, standing outside the twoonie store when we all exclaimed, “What a coincidence!” Just before a frenzy of hugs and kisses ensued.
The climate being totally unpredictable, our trip was nothing short of beautiful weather with a strong tinge of heat. That is, except for one short stretch of road, when the rain was a real drencher, which we passed through relatively unscathed. At least the car didn’t need another wash.
On another note, the news every morning announced tornado warnings within striking range. We missed most of them by a few hours. The great weather made the trip quite bearable, unlike last year when we had to contend with forest fires and lots of smoke.
My granddaughter, although not familiar with the south, pointed out a few vehicles on the road, mainly the new Teslas. We would check to see if anyone was driving the vehicle, as I slowly glided by in the passing lane. We noticed the big screen and I wondered if it distracts from watching the road. But I guess one could get used to driving expertly and safely as opposed to driving like an idiot.
On the last day at the Chisasibi airport, I looked under the hood and saw that I was low in some essential fluids and made note of it for the next trip. Sounds like a trip to my nirvana, the hardware and auto shop for some cheaper deals and small useless items that adorn my dashboard. Countless charger cable upgrades have turned my once-new car into an obsolete device with wheels on it. Thank God for software updates that are nearly impossible to upload without triple verification processes and the naming of your first pet. It’s funny that’s the only question I can answer correctly.
The only thing that I can really be thankful for is that my six cylinders still smoothly chug along, and those big comfortable seats that can still accommodate you and six others in style. I know, because I did the 4,000-km trip in a small vehicle and lived to crawl out of it as I slowly stretched my body to straighten it out. Yes, if you have to decide what vehicle you want to buy, get something comfy with a plush ride and a loud solid sound system to drown out the kids and rowdy passengers.
And don’t forget to get someone who can ride shotgun all the way. The one who screams at every strange looking bump or dangerous curve, just to keep you awake and way more cautious. Plus, drink a lot of liquids so that those healthy breaks on the side of the road keep you refreshed and relaxed enough not to jerk the steering wheel too hard when another scream erupts from your copilot.
Signing off from ground zero level one…