Hello, Quebec! Travelling in the camper with the French couple was yet again enjoyable. They brought me to their home south of Montreal near Saint-Michel with the sun still beaming in the sky. They showed me their vineyard, I met their doggo, and I set up my tent in their backyard. We had great chats, great food, and I had a great sleep knowing I wasn’t spending the night in a forest.
The next morning the couple kept their promise and I had the most delicious fresh waffles and coffee. It was absolutely fantastic and I knew it’d keep me going for a nice bit of the journey that day. After breakfast I packed up my tent and belongings and they gave me a ride to a main road to continue my adventure. I said goodbye to my new friends and made sure to give doggo all the love.
Back on the road, let’s go! The sunshine and alone time felt like freedom at this point. I’m a bit of an introverted gal so spending the last few days with people, constantly talking and sharing energy, being in another’s space… I was ready to be alone and walk for a bit. I do very well on my own but I do enjoy meeting new people and sharing stories. Time to strap on the backpack and get some exercise while enjoying the weather.
I wasn’t quite sure where I was walking, or what road I was even on, but I didn’t much care. I was lost in thought and enjoying the views around me. Walking felt great and by nightfall I found myself in Châteauguay. I made camp in a beautiful forest area and got a fire going to cook up some food. I really enjoyed the sun’s rays beaming through the trees at sunset and listening to the fire throughout the night.
The next morning I had to make a decision – go North towards Montreal to cross the bridge, or go South towards Cedars to cross the bridge. I wasn’t much in the mood for the hustle and bustle of Montreal at this time so I went south towards the bridge crossing over to Cedars.
After walking for over an hour I made it to the bridge. I don’t actually know if you’re allowed to walk this bridge but I went for it anyway. Eventually, after much confusion and side roads, I made my way to a shopping area in Vaudreuil-Dorion. I grabbed an iced cappuccino and took some time to figure out my next move and to call my parents and check in with them.
Not understanding French very well was a problem for me. It made things a bit more difficult travelling through this province compared to previous on the adventure. Communication with people offering rides was nearly impossible and I quickly decided and realized that I’d be walking most of Quebec to avoid such embarrassing interactions. Written French is much easier for me to comprehend but I can pick up on some words when spoken to me. Not enough to trust getting into a vehicle with someone, though.
I decided to walk for some time and then caught a bus to Rigaud before nightfall. Rigaud is very close to the Ontario border so I figured that’d be a great place to camp for the night. I was very tired and quickly found a forest area to set up camp. I barely put any effort into properly setting up the tent and honestly crawled in and went to sleep without one of the poles even in the ground. Sleep and getting my backpack off my back was all I craved.
Until next time…
Whoa Dana 