North America

by

Settled On a Route

With fall coming so fast this year, I’ve decided that a westerly route through Utah would be my safest bet. There are a lot of things I want to see on my way down in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota, but I will be coming north quite late next year and better able to take time off to have a proper vacation (I’ve been taking too much time off lately!).

The route through Utah will serve a greater purpose. There isn’t much left on my North American bucket list. Off the top of my head, there’s only L’anse aux meadows, Yellowknife, and Zion National Park. Guess which one is directly en route between Haven and Nogales?

final route This route has me off highways all the way to Nogales and will let me see a good part of western Wyoming, quite a bit of Utah and Arizona. I’d like to drive pretty hard to Springdale and then stop there for a week or so to work and explore Zion State Park.

I’ve routed myself through Billings rather than Great Falls, which is a more direct route, for two reasons. First, I haven’t been to Billings. Second, going through Billings will have me cross at Scobey rather than Opheim. I haven’t had good experiences crossing at Opheim just to get packages, but I had a very good experience at Scobey last time.

Now, I need to sort out accommodations along the way. I really do want to sleep in my truck for the first few days before taking a hotel for four days or so, but I’m struggling with having enough room in the truck to both sleep and carry everything I want to bring. Moreover, the bed setup I’ve been using for camping just isn’t going to work for this trip.

I bought an inexpensive cot at Cabela’s in Regina that I was hoping would work well, but it’s two inches too long for the bed of the truck and a bit of a pain to set up and take down. I’m rather disappointed. I’m going to take it apart again today and see if taking a hack saw to it could help solve the length issue. If so, that’s what I’m going to do and just store stuff on top of it while I’m traveling (it has a weight rating of something like 200lbs, so it can definitely handle a few totes) and store the stuff on top of it in the cab of the truck at night.

Besides working out the bed issue, today’s plan is to get the front room all packed up and clean. Somewhere in all of that, I am going to drive up the hill to better cell reception so I can make a Skype call to Mexico about an apartment that would be perfect if it’s still available. All appendages crossed!

by

A Right Proper October

Oh, it’s so good to be looking at maps again! 🙂

Thanks to Croft, I’ve made the decision to cross into Mexico at Nogales so I can take highway 15 all the way to Mazatlan. The more direct route would have me going straight down through Texas and crossing near Juarez, but that’s not a good route for someone not experienced with Mexico. I’m better sticking to the main tourist path for now and Nogales isn’t a huge detour.

I have the choice of three major routes:

to nogales

The westernmost one through Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona doesn’t appeal to me because I really have my heart set on seeing Wyoming. The middle route would have me go into northern Wyoming and then through Utah and Arizona. I haven’t been to Utah yet, either, so this is pretty appealing. The easternmost route has me going through all of Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, before veering west to Arizona. This is also an appealing route because I haven’t been to New Mexico (I have been to Colorado).

The weather and road conditions are going to dictate which route I take. Since I’ll be in the truck, which is more manoeuverable and less of a gas hog, I could decide to go take the middle route and then detour back to New Mexico, or vice versa. I’d really like to add Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico to my visited states map! That would leave just Ohio, Tennessee, Hawaii, Arkansas, and Rhode Island!

I’m getting quite excited about going, especially since we’re in a bit of a cold snap right now. I’m hoping to leave between the 7th and the 10th. The RM (rural municipality) checked in with me about water and I said that they can turn it off as of the 10th, but to give me a heads up in case I’m still here so I can make sure the holding tank is full for my last few days. But I really don’t plan to be here that much later. I’m going to wait for my September payments to come in and pay all my October bills so I can take off and not worry about budgetary matters for the first couple of weeks.

I’ve inquired about a couple of apartments and am waiting to hear back, have requested a quote for Mexican liability insurance for my truck, and have advised SK health that I’m leaving for longer than six months. Things are moving forward, even if the state of my packing is dismal! Work is slow, so I’m going to try to kick start packing and closing up in the next couple of days. I am going, no question about that. Mexico ho!

by

A Tad Run Down

After a few glorious days that should have rightly belonged to summer, southern Saskatchewan is settling back into more seasonal, and wet, temperatures. I’m starting to dream of a second warm winter by  the ocean…

Unfortunately, the cold I picked up in Quebec is persistent and I haven’t had the energy to do much more than just work. I can’t believe I lived most of my life feeling like this, as though everything I do is akin to swimming through molasses. I’ve just been so healthy the last year and a bit that this slow down right before the start of an adventure is quite a shock!

I am making some progress at getting on the road, though. No, I still haven’t lined up my apartment in Mexico. I’m sure my options have considerably narrowed by now. But my budget is so much better than it was a few months ago that leaving without something secured doesn’t worry me, if it comes to that.

My friend Croft has confirmed the paperwork I’ll need at the Mexican border. I’m going to be wintering near Mazatlan, which is well past the ‘paperwork free zone’, so I will need to get a tourist visa and temporary import certificate for my truck. The list includes originals and copies of my birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, truck registration, and proof of ownership of the truck and that there is no debt outstanding on it (otherwise, I could be asked to provide a letter from a lender giving me permission to take the truck to Mexico). I’ll also be getting Mexican liability insurance through the company Croft has used for years.

The next step will be to visit my local SaskTel dealer to have my cell phone unlocked for a fee of $50. This will allow me to get a US SIM card and then one in Mexico. I will also be allowed to suspend service for the first three months I will be away. It would have been nice to be able to suspend it for the full eight months, but three is better than none! I’m going to keep the Bell (Mifi) account active since it’s just $10.50 per month and the contract will be done when I get back next May. And then I can throw the last Mifi off a tall cliff!

Other things that need to be done before I leave, once I have a better idea of my departure date:

– secure health insurance for my time in the States (I do that through my bank when it’s just for a short period of time);

– advise SK health that I’ll be away for more than six months;

– inform my bank of my travel plans so they don’t put a hold, or worse, cancel my cards!

– call SaskPower to inform them that I’m shutting down power at Haven for the winter (by turning off the main breaker and locking the box) and asking them for the procedure to send the last metre reading;

I’ve already advised SGI (SK DMV) that my truck is leaving the province for an extended period of time and the RM (rural municipality) knows not to bill me for water and garbage pickup as of October 1st. It won’t be a problem if I’m here a week to ten days longer, but water is going to be shut off October 15thish (I’m on a public hydrant), so that’s really the latest I am going to want to leave!

My clients are also aware that October is going to be a trying month for availability. I’m going to focus on my law enforcement contract and will probably not do anything else. The plan at this point is still to travel Mondays and Tuesdays (my slowest days) and find a m/hotel or some other suitable location to get work done the other days. There’s really no reason I can’t travel and earn a full-time income in October if I put my mind to it. I’m just going to miss my office very much!

I’m now narrowing down my packing list. My truck really isn’t that big, especially since I am rather counting on being able to sleep in it quite a bit on the way down (weather permitting) and the bed is going to take up lots of room. This is probably not a bad thing! I know that I really won’t need that much and that there are stores in Mexico if I forget anything. 🙂

I’ve got quite a bit of typing to do in the next few days, ending September off with a bang, income-wise, and then I’m going to focus on closing up Miranda and Haven. I’ve decided that departure will be a day or two after I get my cheque for the September law enforcement work, so probably October 10th(ish). I have the funds to leave before, of course, but if I get asked to produce bank statements at either (or both!) borders, the balances will be better! 🙂

Yes, I’m terrified about the changes coming up in the next weeks. Gloriously, thrillingly terrified. I haven’t said it recently, but it’s still true: I love my life!!!

by

Sleep Deprived

I’m home from my very brief trip to Quebec! Between the sleep deprivation (I always sleep poorly at my mother’s for a variety of reasons), a cold (thanks, kids!), and the high carb diet, I’m feeling surprisingly rundown. But I am glad to have seen everyone.

Sunday, my mother and I spent the bulk of the afternoon working on the floor plan for my cabin! So exciting! 🙂 I’m nowhere near ready to start on construction, but having a very rough plan will help me make some decisions over the winter.

Monday, I borrowed the car and drove to Ville LaSalle to see my cousin. We had lunch and she sent me on my way with books and Japanese treats!

I was out later than planned (lost track of time gabbing…), but I made it back to Chambly in time to have dinner with my family and my grand-mother. We had pâté chinois (shepherd’s pie), so that was two times in one day eating beef! I very rarely seek out red meat, but I do eat it if it is offered, no problem.

It was a very early start today, 6AM, with just enough time to finish packing and gobble down a cup of coffee and a little cottage cheese. My step-mother gave me two beautiful wool vests that I’ve always admired and my sister gave me two tops, a pair of brand new jeans, and an incredible jean dress (yay for a 60lb weight loss!), so let’s just say my suitcase was VERY full.  So full, in fact, that I wound up layering the two vests!

I managed to squeeze the books from my cousin into my tote, but the Japanese treats and a small loaf of my mother’s fruitcake had to travel in a plastic grocery bag. I love my new carry on bag (a Grand Traveler by Vera Bradley), but I could have carried a bigger tote than I did, been better able to distribute my load, and would have looked less overloaded for carry on. My bag still fit fine under the seat since it was 100% squishable, but I got a scolding from the flight attendant for the Montreal to Winnipeg flight. She also made me put my tote in the overhead compartment even though it had traveled between my legs the whole way east and barely gave me time to get what I needed from it for the flight. It was only a 2.5 hour flight, so it wasn’t worth getting up and opening bins to find the one with my iPad, computer, wallet, passport, etc…, but I was one of the first ones up to claim her bag when we arrived!

I had hoped to be at the airport for 7:30 this morning, but Montreal traffic is disastrous and we got to the terminal around 8:10. Boarding was to commence at 8:20 and the flight was departing at 8:55. Thankfully, there was no line up at security! I learned from my Regina security experience and was not wearing a belt or under-wire! My head scarf did get patted down, a first, but I was asked beforehand if I was wearing it for religious purposes and if it was okay to touch my head. It was one of my easiest and quickest security checks ever! Even my mother’s fruitcake, which looks like a block of hashish, got through no questions asked!

IMG_0198

My mother’s fruitcake didn’t raise any eyebrows. Dang that stuff is GOOD. It’s going to be a nice treat on high activity days. I have it with a piece of cheese and it makes a full meal. Next to it, some of the Japanese treats!

After security, it was a mad dash across most of the airport to get to a gate that felt like it was halfway to Winnipeg! I arrived just as boarding started, so I had just enough time to use the washroom first.

Other than being in an aisle seat and not having access to my tote, the flight to Winnipeg was good. It was my fourth time (at minimum) landing in Winnipeg in six years and I can officially say that there’s something up with landing in Winnipeg. I have never had a smooth landing there and I always arrive with my ears blocked!

I was quite hungry by the time I deplaned, but I only had about 40 minutes till boarding for the next flight, not enough time to get a meal at TGI Fridays (a YWG treat when I have time). I settled on some of the strangest sushi I have ever seen as it contained HUMMUS. Made with brown rice, it was a satisfying meal, but rather strange!

The flight to Regina was super quick. We were in the air less than an hour, barely enough time to receive and drink a cup of coffee! This commuter flight had ‘Skycheck’, which I love!!! It’s the best of both worlds: you don’t have your big bag on the plane, but you don’t have to wait at baggage claim to get it back. I also had Skycheck’ from Ottawa to Montreal. There, we boarded at ground level and put our bag on a trolley. In Winnipeg, we boarded higher up and our bags were sent down to ground level on a conveyer belt.

IMG_0199

Can you spot my bag? I’m such a girl! 😀 There’s no mistaking mine, though, in that sea of black!

I left Montreal in a cold drizzle and arrived back on my beloved Prairies in sun drenched HEAT. Landing in Regina, I didn’t have a feeling of ‘being home’, but I still had 2.5 hours of driving to do! I found my truck without any trouble, it started fine (wasn’t worried!), and then it was time to pay for parking. That’s $11 per day, so I expected to pay $77, but was only charged $71. Six bucks is six bucks! 🙂

I probably should have picked up food while I was in the city, but I just wanted to get home. It wasn’t until the Moose Jaw skyline (what little there is!) disappeared behind me and the landscape started to undulate that I started to get that little hit of emotion that told me that I was heading HOME.

It was wonderful to pull into my very own property for the very first time in my life after a long trip far away! I topped up the water tank, fired up the water heater, had a shower, and then collapsed in my very comfy bed for a much needed nap!

Tomorrow, it’s back to work and between spurts of that, time to close up the property, pack up the truck, and get back on the road!

by

Tehran Restaurant, Montreal

IMG_0197

My last day in Quebec on this trip was Monday and I promised a cousin on my dad’s side of the family that I would meet up with her for lunch. I told her I was in the mood for sushi or Lebanese food. She countered by proposing an Iranian restaurant she loves. I’d never had Persian food before, so I was game. The restaurant is called Tehran and it is on de Maisonneuve Boulevard West, right at the edge of Westmount.

We were greeted warmly by our server. Since it was lunch on a Monday, the place was quiet, with only a large Iranian family eating there besides us (a good sign!).

IMG_0193

The meals come with soup or salad and my cousin encouraged me to try the traditional ash soup. That alone would have been two meals for me! It is a very thick soup made with lentils, chick peas, herbs (including mint), fried onions, noodles, and goat yoghurt. I had a few bites and had to leave the rest. I wasn’t crazy about it (not a fan of goat milk so I kind of ate around the yoghurt), but it’s something I would be thrilled to sit in front of on a cold winter day.

My cousin opted for the green salad. I neglected to ask her what the creamy dressing consisted of. 🙁

The soup came with pita. That’s such a rare thing out west that I indulged in what probably amounted to a quarter of a round. I really am trying to cut my bread intake and my family’s meals are very carb heavy, so the last thing I needed was to inhale an entire plate of pita. But when’s the next time I’ll get to eat fresh pita that I haven’t had to spend all day making myself?!

I wish I’d made note of the dish I ordered or at least the ingredients in it. It was some sort of very tender chicken kebab that was bright orange, oily, and super, super flavourful! My cousin and I think it might have been cooked in tomato and/or saffron. It was served with a whole roasted tomato and plain jasmine rice topped with a little saffron rice (what looks like shredded carrot in the pic!). I would have had enough for two meals! My cousin took almost half of my chicken home for her lunch the next day!

IMG_0194

As for my cousin, she had the steak and gave me a generous sample of it. Wow! It had a lot of flavour from the seasonings and it melted in my mouth. I would actually consider having the steak if I were to go back to Tehran one day!

IMG_0195

Our meal ended with cardamon tea. My cousin had it the traditional way, with sugar cubes, but I had mine plain. It was the perfect palate cleanser!

My cousin considers the prices at Tehran to be extremely reasonable. I have no idea. Sales tax in QC is so high that it skews the numbers a little. My plate was at the lower end of the price scale, around $12 and my cousin’s at the higher end, around $22. After taxes and the tip, our meal came to $52. It was my treat, paying forward a tiny bit of all the meals my wonderful blog readers have treated me to!

Even though I know that I barely scratched the surface of an ancient cuisine, I’d consider my tiny foray into Persian culture a success!