First day of the road trip

The ALT Hotel was very stylish in many ways, although having opened earlier this month there was still work going on in a few small areas, but at least I had got it on a special opening offer price. The corner room gave a 13th floor view across to the domestic terminal and runway, right around to roads I would being doing my initial practice. In front of the window was a rather weird black chair!

Friday 21st June 2013

Next morning I ventured down to find my 'basic intermediate saloon car', only to discover it had been upgraded free to an absolutely brand new white Jeep Compass 4x4.  Loaded up I headed off to the nearby rural roads to practice driving on the wrong side of the road in a strange vehicle.  I had a GPS / satnav which covered all of US & Canada, which had been used for road trips in 2008/9, but I couldn't get it to move from where it was stuck at Las Vegas airport.  Half an hour later, having stopped for a while with the satnav on the roof for best signal, reset it several times, it still wouldn't work.  Thoughts there were to head back to the hotel and phone Helen to get best directions or to meet somewhere nearer than her home. As I drove back to the airport noticing it was Pratt & Whitney Drive, I glanced at the satnav and to my astonishment it was showing the same road ! 

Problem solved and I drove the half hour run into Helen's house, had a chat, went shopping for a few things like fruit and water for the trip.  After lunch together I headed off on my road trip alone  in my new sparkling white Jeep.

First issue was trying to get onto the Murray Mackay Bridge to Dartmouth, my satnav was out of date wanting me to go on at buses only entrance, then I was going round in circles on a one way system !  Eventually by ignoring the satnav I followed my nose and back tracked about half a mile so when I next followed its instructions I was now on the main approach road.  Considering the satnav hadn't been updated for over 5 years was just something I had to accept might happen. 

Driving alone in an unfamiliar vehicle, on the 'wrong' side of the road, it's of great benefit to have the satnav, it let's me concentrate on the road, read the signs and be able to check what I'm being told by it is correct.  It's a bit different when there's a passenger to aid in navigation, but to me the satnav is invaluable when driving alone in a foreign country.

First stop was Fishermans Cove , Eastern Passage where there is a community run small fishing museum which is free.

with various local artifacts on display

The village has small brightly covered shops along a boardwalk by the sea.

Just across the road was the first of the white wood churches that I saw, but then I discovered as I travelled on that all churches seem to be white and wooden !

Next stop was at Musquodoboit Harbour,and  Musquodoboit Railway Museum, but the museum in the old station building was closed.

Nearby the biggest railway snowplough I have ever seen

Heading onwards now to my stop for the night at Sheet Harbour at the waterside
Fairwinds Motel & Restaurant

This is the route on Google maps for the first day with the places mentioned  indicated 

Note that all the underlined names can be clicked and you will go to their site for more information





xxx