Trust in the Tortoise – the best is always yet to come.
Without going into too much detail, I feel a little like I can’t give an unbiased account of my experience at Niagara Falls. Granted, every other passenger on the trip said it was the most amazing, magical experience they’d had, but I feel the particular company I had just made this one of those perfect days that’ll stay with me forever.
Still, I’ll try …
Niagara Falls was definitely the most tourist-y place the GT tour visited. The sight of all the loud groups of children and sheep-herded travel-groups was a little disconcerting at first, but this misdirection would become a theme for the day. To sum up the experience of the falls themselves (and the boat tour we took of them), I really have to just quote my companion on the tour:
“Is that them? I thought they’d be bigger …”
That’s because those are the American Falls, and we were yet to turn the corner to …
Niagara Falls themselves. The boat we took kept going and going, and soon even the blue protective raincoats we were given were no barrier to the spray and splashes. Just like in the Badlands, or at Devil’s Tower, or Craters of the Moon, or almost any other stop on the trip, the feeling of awe, and the presence of the sheer force and power of nature was humbling.
So, spurred on by that experience, we all went on to have incredible nights.
The next day, we arrived at what would be our last destination of the trip. Our final campsite would be the Full Moon Resort – a perfect place to end the trip, having the isolation and rustic nature of most other campsites, but with a neat lawn, a pool, a beautiful creek, no tourists and relative safety from bears.
Or so we thought. This friendly little guy showed up around dusk (and later around 6am) but wasn’t a problem to any of us.
So we talked, we relaxed, we ate, we drank and we partied, just as we always did on campsites, only this time with the knowledge that we had, more than ever, to make the most of our time.
The next morning, it would be time to pack up our things and set off towards the end of our journey.
Gosh I just read your blog for the first time – amazing!
1. you’re a REALLY really good writer, talented/funny and a unique style!
2. I MISS GT!!!! reading through all our adventures makes me sad :( Can we please plan a northern-crossing-july 2010 reunion? like, SOON? :)
Hope things are well and you arrived back home safely. it’s weird to be back home after such a trip, as you know :)
hugs from switzerland!
Comment by Sophie — August 3, 2010 @ 5:56 pm