Happy Trails

I am really excited today. I (finally) got some time off confirmed at work which means I'm taking a trip I've been looking forward to for a few months now...

From May 14th to 22nd, my boyfriend and I will be visiting Montreal and Ottawa! Ok, so it's not Hawaii but since I can't afford an exotic trip right now, this is what I have to take. Besides, who cares how far away or exotic your trip is if it's somewhere you have always wanted to go, right? My friend is getting married in Ottawa on the 21st so it was the perfect excuse to make an extended trip out of it...

Part of my excitement is just about taking a trip period. I get the urge to move and change the scenery once in a while (don't we all?) and I feel I haven't had that in a while so it feels good to finally be doing it. Do you ever get that itch? To just get away?

I think it's kinda crazy that there are so many great cities in my own country that I have never visited! I have been to Toronto, Vancouver and Quebec City but other than Atlantic Canada that's all (well, I have traveled extensively outside my own country, but that's all within Canada). I mean, there is something sort of crazy about that! I have always said it and will continue to say it - I am really proud of my country; very proud of where I come from. I feel very lucky to live here and so it really does not make sense that there is so much of it I haven't seen. In my defense, Canada is pretty freakin big (I don't think people who live outside of it really get it, but to give you some perspective it is about an 8-hour flight from Halifax, where I live on the very Eastern coast, to Vancouver on the very Western coast - however, I can fly to New York City in about 2 hours).

It is going to take 14 hours alone to drive from Halifax to Montreal (or 11 hours to Quebec City, where we might stay overnight on the way, haven't decided yet)! I'm not going to lie, that drive is going to be uncomfortable, but it's soooo much cheaper than flying and renting a car. Plus we are sharing the driving, and also road trips are a lot of fun! I don't know what it is, but there is something really exciting about being on a journey and having the open road just folded out in front of you. The possibilities are endless and I feel like you get to see so many corners that you miss if you fly.

Did I mention I'm excited?!

Things are a little hectic in terms of planning since I just got the time off confirmed today and we leave in 10 days, but there is something exciting about that, too! It's fun to make last minute plans sometimes, or to resist the urge to plan to death too much in general, just let the chips fall where they may. That is something that is hard for me because it's in my nature to plan and organize things, so I have to hold myself back from scheduling in every. little. thing. But I try to be spontaneous whenever I can and this is one of those times I am going to try and do this.

Anyhoo, if anyone has suggestions for cool things to see and do in Montreal and Ottawa, please let me know in the comments! Even if you don't, I would love to hear your thoughts on travel and escape in general!

I'm excited...did I already say that?