Cape Bretton

We arranged our trip to Nova Scotia to ensure that we had a few days after ISAR for a short visit around Nova Scotia - our friends Simon and Kim had come down to watch ISAR on the weekend (they are studying at the Coast Guard College in Sydney) so we decided to join them on the trip Back up to Sydney and have a look around.

I normally plan out all my travels - so "winging it" like this was a bit of a departure for me - but as you will read - it has worked out brilliantly!

The trip up was fairly uneventful (despite laughing at the McLobster signs - serious!) - we stopped for lunch in the town of Baddeck and arrived up in Sydney in the early evening and managed to find a B&B in town (great B&B by the name of Paradise Found B&B) We met another traveler there that was planning a trip around the Cabot Trail the following day - she was traveling on her own and was hoping to find a traveling companion - the best part was that she was also Heading Back down to Halifax on the 4th (something we needed to do and didn´t have planned) so we struck a deal - we would do the driving and pay for gas going round the trail if she would give us a ride Back down to Halifax - perfect!

Simon, Kim, Kellei and I then went out to dinner - where we promptly bumped into one of our ISAR team-mates and the contingent from the Irish Coast Guard all at the same restaurant! - we closed the place and had a WONDERFUL evening - we also may have our Honeymoon planned - as the lads from Ireland seem very keen to help us plan a trip there! We may also have a sister Coast Guard station in Ireland now (or several)

After a sterling breakfast the following morning we departed for the trail and shared an indescribable day with our new traveling companion Anik from Alberta. We were all of much the same mind and we all amazed by the stunning beauty of this part of the world. We completed the full loop[ around the highlands pushing our return to Sydney to the late evening but not regretting a moment.

I could go into detail here - but this post would get far too long if I did - I´ll let the photos speak for themselves.

We finally made it Back to Simon and Kim´s house where we were supposed to have dinner and a movie before returning to the B&B - but with the late hour settled for a nice chat and some of Kellei´s famous popcorn.

It´s off on the road Back to Halifax and the Miner´s Museum tomorrow.

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