Warning: This is the least eventful day I have ever written about.

Should be a nice chill relaxed day, we don’t have anything to do until 11:15 PM. Well, there are a ton of small things we have been putting off. I can’t stop thinking about an oil change that’s needed and I’d like to get the brakes checked after these mountains. I know once that’s done, I can finally relax. Amy found a friendly mechanic who was happy to help us out. He was two hours away but I wanted to get it over with so we got out early and drove straight there. This area is known for being friendly and we continue to see why all day. Zach the mechanic is the next in a long line of Canadians looking out for us. His garage sits on an old military base right on the dock. The rest of the area is covered in huge piles of scrap metal, remnants of the giant oil tanker being dismantled and recycled next door. Could be a fun place to explore, but not a great place to kill a few hours with kids. 

Amy found a provincial park only a quick 35 minute walk away, and so we set off anxious to get back to the bus. Within minutes the day gets strange, we notice a man calling to us from an abandoned building with broken windows, he was wearing one of those arm suits you see on tv when police train their K9. He tells us to step back, we look over and see a group of cops with a dog sniffing around looking for the “perp”. We have accidentally wandered into a police dog training. They were as surprised to see us out here as we were them. Not a normal place for a family to be out on a stroll. It was fun watching the dog hone down on the building then go inside, then suddenly, the shouts and screams of a man being eaten by a dog. Amy’s GPS has decided to take us on some sketchy turns, we find ourselves at a bridge that doesn’t look used too often. We cross it and quickly notice we are the only people not in military uniform. We get some strange looks but nothing too concerning, once we get to our next turn we see that we are in the midst of a Canadian Coast Guard training facility and I start to feel out of place. When leaving, a guard would, in fact wonder how we got on his base and explain we were not allowed there. I suggested they should put a sign on their bridge. He looked at me like “we have a bridge?” I hate being away from the bus, even for a short while, it’s our livelyhood in a foreign country. I was actually slightly relieved when Zach called and said I had accidentally taken the bus keys with me. Amy could stay at the park and relax with the kids but I wouldn’t relax anyway, I can’t relax until I get the bus back. I walked all the way back, this time the long way around the training facility. I found an old train track which took me to the dock. I ended up chatting with Zach and his friend for a while, I love how friendly everyone is, and the accents get stranger by the day. I decided to not create a watched pot that won’t boil and took the bike to meet everyone at a small restaurant they walked to. I wasn’t hungry and can’t relax until we get the bus but what else am I going to do. After lunch we chill at the park until I just have to bike back, I get back right as he was putting back on the wheels. The brakes are good, the oil change went smoothly, and I finally have the bus back! 

Now might be a good time to get some other chores out of the way, still 10 hours until our ferry, I want to get there super early because I know once we are checked in through the gates then I can finally relax. We grocery shop and reset the whole kitchen, we find a Walmart to grab some small things we needed. We find the Cape Breton Fossil Center and spent an hour and a half with the extremely enthusiastic and passionate staff. Fitz liked the Mastodon skeleton and Amy and Everest went crazy going through their laboratory. Once they had to close we still had time to kill but I really want to get there early so I can finally relax.

It’s about four hours before departure but the kids spot a pizza place and that could speed things along. We grab it to go and pull up to the Ferry about 7:30. We are finally checked in. There is no less than ten thousand cars, trucks, and RVs in front of us. There is zero chance all of these can fit. I’m nervous, I’ve had this reservation for six months, who are these civilians in front of me. I know once we are finally on the ferry I can finally relax. I’m too wired, so I mainly pace back and forth around the trucks. To nervous to eat.

Finally the alarm sounds to head to our vehicles, it’s 9:30, I’m ready to go. At 10:30 I’m still ready to go but this time I’m ready to kill whoever is picking which line goes on next. Everyone around us has entered the ferry, even the clowns pulling up at the last second. So many eighteen wheelers boarded this boat that I was just waiting for them to jump out in front of me with a big sign that read Sorry Boats Full! Then I’ll never be able to relax. Somehow, this magical everfull boat just kept swallowing them until it was our turn, we made our way down the parking deck and finally we were here, its 11:30 but nothing can stop us now. These Ferries are run at a very reasonable rate and for a very small amount more I secured us a small room for the evening, I hope I did it right. Everyone waiting in line was complaining they can’t get a room. For them, the night will consist of finding a chair somewhere that seems quiet and trying your best to get some zzz. I know once we get into our room I can finally relax. It turns out, my boarding pass is my room key and so we go straight there. The room is technically for four but a nice housekeeper saw our situation and loaded us up with pillows and comforters for Maples ground bed. It’s almost midnight but we have to explore the ship a little, there is a restaurant, a coffee shop, and I spot a little bar. The kids are up super late and I know once everyone’s asleep I can relax finally. Eventually we put a program on the TV and instantly Amy falls asleep. Everyone is in bed and I’m still wired. I find a private table looking out at the ocean and order a drink at the bar finally ready to relax. This ferry will take about eight hours and by the time the sun rises we should be in Newfoundland, the original goal of this trip. Now all I can think about is finally getting to this new island, I know that once we get to land in the morning then I can finally relax.