The plan is coming together

I am leaving in around three weeks so I figured I better do something to prepare.  Besides my iceberg alerts, which have started!  

I ordered an updated NL Traveller's Guide (2024) from Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism. They mailed it to me for free and included a map of the province.  They really get me!  Old School paper products!  All to help me "Plan the Trip of a Lifetime".  

After reading some of the book and using google direction to determine distances, I came up with a quasi-plan.  A couple days in St. John's.  A couple of days in Trinity area.  A couple of days in Twillingate area.  Head back to St. John's.  I had booked a hotel in St. John's for the entire time I was there and I was starting to feel guilty about not cancelling the days I knew I wouldn't actually be using the room.  But, you know, I was busy.  Anyway, my thing today got cancelled so here I am on the computer. 

First, I changed my dates in St. John's.  Now I am homeless for 6 days so I am forced to book something else or sleep in the rental car I booked.  

Booking.com, my usual hotel (etc.) booking site.  There are lots of single houses which seem super-adorable.  Many  of them are 'saltbox' houses.  But a lot of them are multi-room and it's just me.  Plus, I know myself and if I book a house, I'm probably not going to talk to people.  I hear the NL people are too nice not to talk to.  So, the goal, find smaller hotels or B & Bs.  

I found an Inn in Trinity North.  I think Booking.com calls it Port Union.  I should probably look and see how close that is to Trinity.  No time, moving on.  

Next planned location, Twillingate.  Booking.com did not have anything appropriate for my dates.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zippo. Well, that's not entirely true.  There is a four bedroom house available.   As I write this, I think I should probably see what the heck is going on in Twillingate between May 28-May 31.   Plus, Booking.com doesn't seem to have much compared to what's in the Traveller's Guide.  

Red dots are 'not available' for my dates 

I tried AirBNB despite my aversion to AirBNB.  They seem to mostly have whole houses.  I do not want to ramble around in a four bedroom house, not matter how picturesque it appears in the listings.  Next, VNBO which I have never looked at before.  VNBO had lots of 'shared rooms'.  Nope.  Goldilocks does not want a four bedroom house or a bunkbed in an 'musician's retreat'.  There has to be something that is just right.  

First I booked something even further west which added hours to my car time.  In Triton.   But then I thought, my dates are flexible-ish. So, I changed my dates to leave the area one day earlier.  I found a place in Twillingate (yay!) but now I had an extra day to sort out.  No problem, Heart's Delight sounds like a nice place to stay.  And it gives me an excuse to pass through Dildo, a must see when one is in NL.  One night there, finally in a little one room Saltbox house. I'm sure I will be tired of talking to people by then.  And then one last night in St. John's before I return my car to the airport and fly home early June 1.  

So, all told, at present, barring any major issues, I have places to stay.   My route, without the detours I'm sure will happen: 

Now I need to start paying attention to the weather and figure out which coat to take.  I can only bring one since I only have carry on luggage.  Do I want to be too hot or too cold?  TBD.  

starting to plan a bit

I booked a hotel in St. John's for the whole trip while I organized my thoughts.  I also booked a rental car from May 26 to June 1 (my trip is May 23-June 1).  The car is 'Wild Card or Similar' so that should be an adventure!  

I am using the Newfoundland and Labrador tourism site. It is pretty skookum, I have to say.  Lots of trip planning ideas and routes. I am fully going to steal their "Eastern Journey" ideas.  I don't think I have time to that southern part though.  

I also signed up for Iceberg Alerts!  Looks like iceberg tours start in late May so hopefully the weather is good so I can do one.  See a puffin or two on the way? 

I started this post on March 12 and now it is March 20.  I bought two Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism books from the Sally Anne.  One from 2015 ($1.00) and one in French ($.50, green tag half price so $.25).  

I may have ordered another one of these, that province really knows how to advertise their product!  Reading the 2015 guide, I have come up with a very loose plan.  

A couple of days in St. John's.  Head toward Trinity.  Can't remember why.  Cape Bonavista is just right there, along the highway, just past Trinity, so a loop around that peninsula is in order.  Trinity for ? number of days/hours.  Head to Twillingate.  There for ? number of days/hours.  Head back to St. John's.  It's a solid plan.  

I don't want to book rooms along the way because I have no idea how long I will be anywhere.  I was talking to my friend Chuck who was there last year with his wife Susanne.  He said there are all sorts of attractions along the way that are not marked on any map so stay loose.  He did not say stay loose but I'm sure he meant to.   It is only a day's drive across the whole island but I want to keep open time for random diversions.  

And that is where we are at.  More planning to come, maybe.  

Another seat sale vacation!

I was sitting at a drop in desk in the atrium with my friend/co-worker Robynne.  She was just telling me that she wasn't going to be able to take her planned trip in May. The words were barely out of her mouth, still in the little conversation bubble over her head, when I get a notification from YVR deals that WestJet is having a seat sale to Newfoundland.  

I turned to Robynne and said 'so you don't need that time off in May..." and by the time she said 'no', I had already chosen my dates and was ready to hit 'book it'.  And then Robynne said, and I am pretty sure this is a direct quote 'I hate you so much'.  

So, that is how and why I am going to Newfoundland.  To annoy Robynne. 

I booked a hotel in St. John's for the whole week but that is just to hold it while I figure out what I am doing.  And I booked a rental car so I can toodle around.  Plans TBD.  

End of May.  I guess I will get some more use of of that Antarctic parka I lugged home from Argentina.