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Jane told us of her close encounter with Darrell and his wife at the Festival. Seems they were leaving since the kids were tired, and Darrel was just coming in for the evening’s festivities. She thought about letting him go on by, but the fan in her got the best of her and she tapped his shoulder and told him she was a fan from Virginia. He was gracious and talked to her for a while. She said his wife looked a little impatient to get in, so she said thank you and goodbye. We thought we saw him that night too but thought better of it. “That guy sure looks like Darrell! Nah!” DUH!

Went out to breakfast after the ferry ride – only 2 and a half hours as opposed to 6 hours, not bad! Found McDonald’s in North Sydney and Karen helped entertain Jane’s kids by giving them piggyback rides. Such nice people we have met through the GBS chatroom! And some interesting adventures because of it! Dan stuck around while Vic went to get the brakes done on the car. He wanted to make sure we didn’t get stuck in Cape Breton like they got stuck in Harrisburg this trip. No problems so we bid farewell to the Wallaces and Karen and I waited outside in the sun and listened to all the great Newfoundland music we had bought on the trip.

Drove to Louisbourg but when we realized that it was going to cost us so much to get in, we looped through the interpretive display and left. Karen and I were both tired and may not have enjoyed the long walk anyway. We were all tired and cranky, upset with each other and life in general. I guess it hit us that we had to go home now. I just wanted this to last longer...months even! Ha, ha! Back to reality. As soon as we left the Tropical Isle of Newfoundland I was hit by a real doozy of a cold. I have been coughing up a lung all day. Vic and I had gotten only 2-3 hours sleep in the last 24 and stopped at Keddy’s in Port Hastings to sleep before we killed each other. It was a great day for GBS watching on TV. At the restaurant in St. Peter’s we saw Consequence Free on the TV, then at the motel we saw the tail end of an interview done at the Calgary Rootsfest. Love that Canadian television!

August 11, 2000

Made reservations for the fast ferry to Bar Harbor at 8 PM. Feeling better now. Bagpipes across the street playing at the Visitor’s Center. God, I love this place! Wish it wasn’t so far away. It’s an adventure just getting here! Maybe we need to consider plane fare the next time. But then we’d have to rent a car and would have to worry about mileage. If it were closer, though, it wouldn’t be like this. I like it like this – another world entirely.

Drove to Yarmouth via the beautiful farmland of the Annapolis Valley. We have now gone all around Nova Scotia. Karen saw the low tide in the Bay of Fundy, when the boats were halfway up the hill and you are wondering how they got there. Won’t get to see the tide come in. Got to Yarmouth in plenty of time, ate pizza and Taco Bell. Wish I could taste food – I hate colds. We entertained ourselves by walking around, license plate watching. No Newfoundland ones this time. Mostly US plates. The CAT snuck into the harbor – boy is that thing quiet! We got on – they did not pack us like sardines-and enjoyed the ride over. Vic played with his GPS and tracked our progress. Karen and I traded CDs for a while. I think it’s great how I can share my music with her and she doesn’t think it’s corny. Well, most of it! I can tolerate a good portion of hers, too. And some groups we both like - GBS, Punters, Shannygannock, Fables, Barra MacNeils, Santana, Pushstars, Beatles, Doors, Motown stuff.

Hit Bar Harbor and decided to drive right on home. Vic drove till 2:30, then I drove till breakfast in New Jersey. Best part of the drive was the rainbow that appeared over Hartford as I drove past right after dawn. We had a Cinnabon fix taken care of in New Jersey! Made it home by 11 AM. Think that was a pretty good time from Bar Harbor.

Our adventures are over for a while. This is one trip we won’t soon forget, if ever. Newfoundland is everything the b’ys say it is and more. And the music, T-shirts and souvenirs we bought will keep the spirit alive for a long time. I can’t wait to print out some pictures. I hope we can make this an every other year thing. Have to start a vacation fund for this!

Well, God blessed us in more ways than one on this trip with meeting the people we met, and dealing with little troubles, and getting us home safe and sound. For an aside that will mean something only to the three of us. We will remember repeatedly searching for the “red uh…” and “the blue...” Also a highlight or maybe it was a lowlight was my trying (for the three weeks) unsuccessfully to sing the Potato Song through without slowing down and/or messing up. Tried all trip…still don’t quite have it. Topato, anyone?

Vic asked what would stick with us about Newfoundland. I said the vastness and contrasts in scenery and the music, Karen said how she thought it was so ugly when we left Port aux Basques that she wondered what hell we had taken her to. Then when she woke up about three hours later she couldn’t believe it was the same place! Beautiful! Then she felt much better about the trip. Vic said that the rustic beauty and primitive nature of the land, the friendliness of the people, the cosmopolitan nature of the place with many different cultures present, and the music which is “overflowing from a too-full bucket and spilling out to be shared with the world.”

That says it all!