Canada: Early Trips
This is a short overview of an early trip to Canada. It really only serves to illustrate an earlier travel experience.
Some of my first trips were with my family. Because there are 13 of us including my parents, trips were impractical. My younger siblings have been able to travel more now that the older siblings have moved out.
The first time leaving the United States of America was on a trip to Canada. An eight hour drive from my childhood home. The two trips to Canada leave spotty memories. For one of the trips in the 1990s we took a ferry across Lake Superior, saw Niagara Falls, and visited Toronto. My parents had friends with children my age. They had a computer racing game with a physical steering wheel and pedal controls. At the time I did not understand why they had one and not my family. Now I realize it was because we couldn't afford it.
On a second trip around 2005 I went with a sister, her friend and a brother. They were going for church services. For me it was to see friends and to travel a bit. My parents were probably hoping it would re-indoctrinate me back to their beliefs. By that time I had already figured out the ruse and left the church. My dad paid the friend for gas, and she wanted to charge us as well. My sister had to tell her off. The highlight was visiting my friend, Stuart, and swimming on their farm. They had a jumping platform high above a pond and at night we jumped in. The problem was that ducks frequented it. Stuart reacted to the duck feces the next day with rashes all over his body. The drive back consisted of me driving like a teenager. Recklessly. We nearly got into a head on accident passing in a no-passing zone. Giving licenses to age 16 kids is not in the best interest of preserving life. Later I was pulled over for going 140 KPH (87 MPH), 40 KPH (25 MPH) over the limit. The officer gave a warning since we were on the way back to the States.
In the last few years slowing down and enjoying the journey has become a bigger focus. The journey can become the trip. There needn't be a destination.
Happy Travels
My next trip was to South Africa.