When my oldest friend Simon suggested we do a driving tour of Ontario along with his brother Nick I thought it could be either an adventure or an ordeal. After all it's all very well whiling away the odd evening at the pub with friends, but being cooped up together in a Camper Van or RV as all the trendiest folk seem to call them for 15 days could prove tricky. Which would it be? Well in the end the answer is probably "both", however we all still appear to be friends although it was a close run thing at times!
Day 1: 27/09/05: We fly to Ontario
It all goes remarkably well, no delays or any problems and several hours later we are trying to find our way from Toronto airport to the Hilton hotel for an overnight stay. We have booked a "Midi RV" over the Internet from Canadream and wonder if it will really be as good as the web site suggests. Being English we like to speculate that it's going to be some sort of home converted transit van rather than the splendid and plush modern vehicle adorning the web site. However we can't pick it up until the following morning hence it's the Hilton for the evening.
Day 2: 28/09/05: Downtown Toronto to Presquile, High Bluff Camp, site 67
After a hearty and expensive Hilton breakfast Canadream have sent a van to pick us up and take us to their HQ to sort out the vehicle. It's all going like a well oiled machine except that the pick up is 30 minutes late and Simon is annoyed and champing at the bit to get underway. At Canadream we find that they don't have the vehicle we ordered. - ahh here we go, enter the rickety old Beverley Hillbillies charabanc amid a backfire and a cloud of black smoke we think. But no, my god they have given us a virtually brand new "Maxi" and frankly it's bloody humongous, at least 3 times the size of anything I have ever driven. I break out in a cold sweat at the prospect of manoeuvring this leviathan on the 'wrong' side of the road. Jesus what have we done? I wonder how we can survive 15 days without an accident. The van has everything - double sink unit, gas cooker with extractor, fridge, freezer, microwave, shower, toilet, table with 4 seats, movable captain's chair, 30 amp power, water, generator, double bed at the back and two singles above the cab, all in perfect condition. Things couldn't be better except that Simon has had half a dozen misunderstandings over agreement details, and his credit card (brand new and previously unused) has been rejected. He has to call the UK to get it activated and like Queen Victoria is not amused.
The formalities completed we all stare at each other - Who is going to drive the first day!! Nick is volunteered as he is the only one of us who has experience of driving large vehicles and we set off on our grand adventure heading for Presquile National Park. It's not that far, we have planned each day such that we don't have to spend the whole day driving and can spend time exploring places of interest. However first we need to find our way out of Toronto and sure enough we go wrong within 500 yards and head off on a tour of the Toronto freeway system. The drive is a roller-coaster, the traffic heavy and exits come and go before we can identify them but Nick is doing well and soon we are well on our way down highway 401 running alongside Lake Ontario heading ironically for Brighton. Ironically because we live in Crawley in the UK which is just 30 minutes from the 'real' Brighton where I have worked for several years. Amazingly our navigation is faultless and we find the Park with ease and pull into site 67 on the High Bluff camp which is on the banks of Lake Ontario. Relieved to have made it intact we hook up the mains power, crack open a beer and after a walk to explore the nearby island and a recce of the camp to find the showers we watch the sun go down over the lake.
Day 3: 29/09/05 : Presquile to Charleston Lake , Bayside Camp, site 253
During the night a big storm, the remnants of a Florida Hurricane blows in, signalled by the van rocking around alarmingly in a howling wind. I wake in the early hours and look out of the little side window.
Below: Brothers Simon & Nick at Charlestone Lake
There is just enough light to watch the rollers coming in and crashing on to the beach barely 10 yards behind the van as the rain rattles off the roof. Oh dear, I hope this is not a taste of things to come. I try to get some sleep and not imagine the van being washed into Lake Ontario which absurdly seems to be a possibility. Fortunately it had blown through by 10am and we ventured out to find that the people in the camp opposite had lost two of their tents and were hunkered down in their 4x4's which they had moved in the night to try and protect the remaining tent. Pieces of tree and tent litter the site. Today it's my turn to drive, I am nervous, never having driven a vehicle of such size and I set off slowly around the site, manoeuvring carefully around the multitude of fallen branches and general debris. We are heading for Charleston Lake a little further inland but intend to stop in Kingston for a boat trip in the Thousand Island area which is recommended in the guide. I find to my relief that the RV is remarkably easy to drive, providing you concentrate and don't hit the brake with your left foot! (Driving a left hand drive automatic vehicle when you are used to right hand drive manual tends for some reason to have you using left foot on the brake rather than the right. Unfortunately the left foot seems to have no refinement whatsoever, being used to operating the clutch. A left foot brake therefore tends to be more like a severe emergency stop than a gentle slow down) An hour into the journey we are waved down by residents and Police as a tree is down across the road ahead and Electricity wires dangle everywhere. I have to slip around it using a resident's horseshoe shaped drive and he graciously guides me though the trees still standing that threaten to ensnare our 4 metre high beast. Fortunately I get it round and we continue, my confidence growing. Simon is navigating and has made no comment on my driving but I can feel that he is as nervous as a kitten. Later we have to make a diversion due to another obstruction. The good news however is that the sun is starting to push through the leaden sky and the rain has stopped. It's been a traumatic and demanding start to my RV driving career. Subsequently it gets tougher as I have to get the damn thing on a tiny local ferry near Glenora to cross a tributary of the St Lawrence river. The guys operating the ferry come over and I admit to my novice RV driving status. I expect the sort of sighs and mutterings about f***wit tourists that would be de-rigour in miserable old England, but to my surprise they are friendly and can't help enough. They ensure I have a nice big space in the middle and I get on without incident. In Kingston I have a torrid time negotiating the busy town while simultaneously looking for somewhere to park. At one point I clip the kerb and Simon flinches involuntarily but no harm is done. Eventually I spot a car park with plenty of open space. The classic error we have already realised is to drive into a busy and confined car park and suddenly notice you have no room to reverse back out or turn around. We park up and go for some Lunch. Unfortunately the boat tours have been cancelled due to the weather so after lunch I have to negotiate another ferry, this time across to Wolfe Island for a quick tour before we return and make our way to Charleston, arriving around 5pm. Charleston Lake is beautifully tranquil and at this late time in the season very quiet. Simon is fretting about the lack of autumn colours he wants for his photography.
We explore the Lake area, take some photos and return to the van to make dinner. Nick decides to try and make a camp fire while I make dinner on the RV cooker. He soon has a reasonable pile of wood that he is trying to ignite while Simon advises, much to his brother's annoyance. They seem to bicker over everything, however Nick eventually has a good fire going in the site provided grate and we eat in its warmth on the site bench. All of the National Park camp sites had a place to make a fire and a table with benches in the bay provided for each vehicle. The sites were well kept and spotlessly clean as were the toilets and showers. Each vehicle has its own little bay among the trees and you wind your way around the tight little lanes trying not to hit low branches while you look for your allotted bay. In fact finding your bay in the often dense woodland can be more tricky than finding the park itself.We booked most of our sites over the Internet on the National Parks web site (which is a little confusing to use at first) and had no problems. Each park has an office at which to check in, but at this time of year they are not all staffed. This is not a problem as free maps of the site can still be obtained from dispensers and if you haven't already paid over the Internet there are forms and an 'honesty' box into which to place your form and payment. I can't imagine this system working in England these days.
Day 4: 30/09/05: Charleston Lake to Fitzroy, Two Rivers Camp site, 223
The drive to Fitzroy on the Ottawa river bordering Quebec is quite straightforward. I like Fitzroy. In fact at the end it is my favourite place despite the imposing Hydro Electric Power Station that dominates the area. We hire an Indian canoe here and paddle around the large lakes. Everything is on a giant scale here and at this time of year you can paddle the lakes and not see a singe person. As we paddle around the back of one the islands we observe the big warning signs regarding the Power station inlets. They are not joking, we notice that we are tracking both forwards and gradually sideways and at one point with the huge towers and cables rising above the lake we have to paddle quite hard against a slow but persistent current drawing us gradually towards the station inlets. Fortunately we manage to paddle past and the station makes an impressive sight if you like industrial installations. Past the Power Station we emerge onto an even bigger lake and into a persistent wind making it quite choppy. The lake is also worryingly shallow at points, stones scraping the bottom of the canoe and it occurs we could get stuck aground hundreds of yards from shore if we are not careful. The water depth varies from a couple of inches to several feet even out in the centre. We are heading for the landmark church at the far end of the lake but halfway there it is obvious we will not make it as its just getting too rough. We head inshore and take a rest on a floating pontoon anchored about 200m from the banks. After this we hug the shore and head back. At times we have to man handle the canoe through the shallows. We also take a hike along the river bank here which is quite beautiful. With nobody around it feels quite remote you could almost imagine being the first people to see the lakes.Day 5: 31/09/05 - 02/10/05: Fitzroy to Davidson, Esprit Rafting Centre
Today we are taking a diversion from Ontario into Quebec to a place called Davidson on the Ottawa river in order to go white water rafting with Esprit rafting:
http://www.espritrafting.com
We are staying at the Esprit site which has no power hook up so we can use the on board generator and see how it works. Unfortunately it doesn't, try as we may we can't get it to start. However a quick call to Canadream sorts it out. The vehicle is fairly new and the generator probably hasn't been used before, we simply needed to change a setting and it started.
We are going to spend the next day rafting the Ottawa river. Esprit are very welcoming. It's a week early for Thanksgiving but they are having their big meal tonight as they will be closed by the real weekend and we are kindly invited to join them which is delightful, as is the magnificent sunset over the river viewed from their large deck area. There are a large group of young backpackers camping with them, mostly Japanese who will be joining us on the rafting trip tomorrow. Canada is proving a revelation from England as everyone is so friendly and helpful. The following day we head off to the river on a rickety old school bus. The staff are all young, confident and funny as they brief us on what to do should we fall out etc etc. We all have to introduce ourselves to the rest of the bus along with an interesting fact. It's a good icebreaker and everyone is upbeat and amused as some people are very funny. At the river head we sign the inevitable disclaimers and get
our kit of helmet, life jacket and paddle before assembling at our designated rafts. We join with our guide and some young Australians and set off into the rapids. I am at the back nicely out of the way as our guide, a twenty something girl drills us with the paddling regime - "Easy left", "Easy forward", "Hard back", "Hard left", "Down!". At the first rapid I am told to sit at the front and I take up position blissfully unaware of the reason. We shoot the rapid then turn back and paddle hard back upstream. As we reach the rapid we are shot into a sort of whirlpool where a large wave of freezing water smashes rather amusingly into the face of whoever is at the front of the raft - me. I am knocked back into the raft by the force of water and everyone is most amused. I get hit twice more before we swap positions and a couple of the Aussies get the same treatment. We set off downstream and shoot several more rapids each slightly bigger than the last. It's really quite exhilarating and great fun despite my drenching. We take a break and the guides take us out of the rafts and up the river bank to a Granite pinnacle that towers twenty feet or so above the fast flowing river for a personal challenge for each of us to jump into the river. It's an intimidating drop and I look with trepidation over the edge but after a few seconds take the jump into the cold water below. To my surprise the brothers are not keen, suddenly Simon has a knee injury that he can't risk and Nick admits he hates heights and won't jump. When the three tiny Japanese teenage girls
take the jump I get the chance to take the high ground and rib them without mercy. Unfortunately it doesn't last long as in the afternoon I am washed overboard in spectacular fashion and vanish under the raft. When I find myself trapped under the raft I momentarily wonder if I am about to drown, but soon find myself doing as instructed on the bus - hold onto my paddle and kick to one side. Suddenly I pop up but am being swept along downstream. I try to swim but the water is moving too fast 
and I am wondering what to do when one of the safety kayaks appears ahead of me and seconds later I am holding onto the special ring on the back of his kayak as he tows me to the bank. I recover my wits as I wait for the raft to come and get me. It was a great day and very well organised. In the evening we eat again with Esprit. The Esprit team are leaving the following day on a trip to Mexico using their ancient buses and I wonder how they will ever make it. The following day we take an Indian canoe out onto the lake and paddle around to the ghostly "Missionary Island" - The first white settlers in the area were missionaries and following a dispute with the local Indian tribes they were all killed and buried on the Island by the Indians. The Island is reputed to be haunted and indeed the waters around it prove to be eerily still and we could be the only people for miles as we paddle slowly through the glass like waters in the sunshine. When we return to Esprit we decide to move on to Algonquin which is not far and I drive to the Rock Lake campsite.Day 7: 03/10/05: Davidson to Rock Lake, Algonquin (Unbooked)
We haven't booked this site but when we arrive there proves to be plenty of space. I make dinner but make a fatal error. I always steam my potatoes and veg at home but we have no steamer so I decide to improvise and use the colander set atop a pan of boiling water. I set it going and move outside for a drink with Nick as it will take 20 minutes or so. Simon has gone for a shower. After 15 minutes I check and to my horror the colander has melted spectacularly and there is molten plastic all over the pan and cooker. My god Simon will go ballistic. I scrape like a madman trying to remove all of the molten red plastic and quickly bin the colander. Fortunately the veg is all done and unaffected but the plastic is proving difficult to remove from the cooker and Simon will be back at any moment. Nick lends a hand and we clean it up with seconds to spare but will have to hope he doesn't spot the melted colander
is missing. The next morning we do the Rock Lake trail a 5Km hike that gives spectacular views over the park. The trees here are much more colourful, though still not enough for Simon who asks a woman photographer we meet on the trail about it. With her cowboy hat and cheroot she looks more like Clint Eastwood than any of us, but she tells us all about the trees and how the change often occurs very rapidly in as little as two or three days. Simon stops frequently to take photos and eventually toward the end of the trail we lose him as we have walked on, jabbering about all sorts of things, to look at the remains of the old railroad and plantation house. After the hike I go shower and on return to the RV to find to my horror that Simon has discovered the remains of the colander in the bin. He was not amused and immediately thought Nick was responsible and is already berating him when I arrive. He quietens down when I admit it was me. I deposit the rubbish in the bear proof bins and we move on, a short hop up to Canisbay only a few kms up the road.Day 8: 04/10/05: Rock Lake to Canisbay Lake, Hydro Camp, site 181
A 20km or so drive up the road for Simon through Algonquin to Canisbay and finally the tree colours here really are magnificent. The more exposed position has presumably set it into full swing here. Everywhere the trees are bright yellows and reds with the ground covered in the fallen leaves. A Japanese couple are in full wedding regalia having their photos taken amid falling leaves. The Lakes not just here but everywhere we have been are vast, on a different scale to what we are used to in the South of England and the campsites hidden in the forest are beautiful. The facilities are also excellent, the toilets and showers are clean and vandalism free. The showers are particularly good and spacious. I, am more used to the cramped English Marina showers on my sailing trips which must often be designed for contortionists and are frequently below par. 
Day 9/10: 05/10/05: Algonquin to Kill Bear, Beaver Dams camp, Site 362
On to Kill Bear on Georgian Bay. Oddly the trees here are not so advanced and are still mainly green. Nick has driven with me navigating. On the way we stop in a pretty town near Huntsville for some lunch. The sun is still shining beautifully and its warm enough for t-shirts despite being October. I walk over the road to look at a clutch of magnificent Harley Davidson’s parked up outside the local store. A Harley tour appears to be popular here as we have seen several groups on our journey. When we arrive in the campsite Nick commits a cardinal sin. Confident now in his ability to manoeuvre the van he reverses immediately into the site without letting Simon out to guide him back. Everything is fine, we haven't hit anything, but Simon is incandescent with rage and rants at Nick for being irresponsible.
At one point Simon pushes Nick and I think fisticuffs are about to ensue but they stop just short and Nick stomps off to find the toilets. Kill Bear has big sandy beaches and huge granite outcrops, some people go for a swim, but not for long. When I paddle the water is freezing cold. Simon has gone off on his own with his book but after an hour or so I go looking for him. I spot him reading on the beach and walk out of the trees to have a chat. The sand is really soft more like the Bahamas than Canada and I get right behind him and he still hasn't noticed me. I just can't resist it and give it my best Bear roar and he jumps up in fright before he realises its me. I take a walk down the beach periodically turning and running at the seagull that is keeping pace just behind me hoping I will drop a tasty morsel or two. Later we all take a hike to explore the coast of Georgian Bay but Simon is still not a happy bunny and on the way back Nick and I take a different route to give him some space. Day 11: 07/10/05: Kill Bear to Sudbury & Chutes (Unbooked)
It's my turn to drive and we are heading North up to the Nickel mining town of Sudbury. This has always been a destination favoured by Nick as he loves Industrial heritage and Sudbury has the largest Nickel mine in the world. It appears that the reason for this is that the Sudbury area was hit by a huge meteorite millions of years ago leaving a gigantic crater and massive quantities of Nickel buried deep into the Earth. Nick has found that we could have a trip around part of the perimeter of the crater (Some 120 miles around) if we get there for 10am so I am driving like the devil and Simon is having kittens as I use the whole road in order to keep the speed up. Periodically I brush the rumble strip at the side of the road, there is no danger, there is at least 4 feet before the edge of the tarmac but he gets ever more nervous. The ride feels like another roller-coaster as we charge on and on along the main highway. There are lots of huge trucks, many with massive trailers full of logs and there is an audible sigh of relief from Simon when we arrive safely in Sudbury at 09:45. Unfortunately we can't do Nick's trip as it's now out of season, Dohhh!!! so we go up and do the tour of the Big Nickel mine which turns out to be quite fascinating. They have set up different areas of the mine to reflect historic periods, from the 1890's through to current day. The guide is excellent and very amusing, even the women in the group were interested by his witty repartee and I would recommend a visit.Sudbury is very cold, last night I was on the beach at Kill Bear in shorts and T-shirt at 7pm and today I am all togged up as it's now below zero. We drive on to Chutes National Park which is one site we haven't booked as at this time of year it's not staffed so it's pot luck. However we find it virtually empty and have the pick of the sites. We deposit our cash in the honesty box and go hiking on the trail along the very picturesque river. It has some great rapids but Simon is fretting about not having booked a site at our next destination on Manitolin Island and returns to camp on his own to try and phone around and book a site. Nick and I continue on the trail. Unfortunately at some point we lose the trail and find ourselves on a road. Our sense of direction tells us that if we walk up this road we will find the river and be able to cut through to the bridge we crossed on the way up. Unfortunately our sense of direction is somewhat lacking and after about 2 miles we realise the road is winding and we are going ever further away from where we want to be. It's very remote and getting dark so we are forced to walk all the way back to where we went wrong. When we get there we still can't see the route we need and so we are forced to walk all the way back the way we came. It's dark by the time we reach the van but feel we had a little adventure and are in good spirits.
Day 12; 08/10/05: Chutes to Manitolin Island (Unbooked)
Onward to Indian country and Manitolin Island across the ancient railway swing bridge, now used for road traffic after the demise of the railway in this area. There are many Indian Tepee’s adorning what is obviously a big tourist area. We stop and do the 'Cup and Saucer' trail following the 'adventure' route which is no disappointment and quite demanding in places and has some spectacular views from the high escarpment. we have managed to book a site at a trailer park in South Baymouth 5 minutes from the ferry terminal which we will have to use to get across to Tobermory. The site is a private site rather than a National Park and is obviously being run on a shoestring as the facilities are old and basic. In fact the toilet and shower block an old wooden structure is leaning at a precarious angle and looks ready to collapse at any moment. It is however quite clean and adequate for a one night stay, and the site has power and water hook up. We book in with the owner who has obviously just risen from an afternoon nap courtesy of Jack Daniels but he is amiable enough and very helpful. Now it gets amusing for Nick and I because Simon sorted out all of the ferry details back in the UK and put them studiously into our information folder. This part of the journey has always been a problem as most of the available sites are by now closed and the only one still open and a viable distance from Niagara is Point Farms, but its quite a long way from Manitolin so we need an early start. Simon says the ferry is is at 8.50 am, hence our need to stay close to the terminal tonight. Unfortunately however when we take a walk up to the terminal it is closed and signs suggest that the earliest ferry is nearer midday which will mean a long day driving. Simon is apoplectic with rage about the ferry company changing schedules and tries to ring various information lines but all are by now closed. He stomps off in a rage. We don't quite see what the problem is as although it will mean a long day driving without stops it's not really the end of the world. Later after his rage has subsided we decide to go and find a local eating place. The only likely one looks closed but isn't and in fact is quite busy when we enter. The owner Earl is rushing about and calls out for us to sit at a table in the corner while he takes an order. It appears he runs the place with his wife. He is stressed, very, works 18 hour plus days, seven days a week, has issues with his Hydro bill and can barely make ends meet - all this and much much more he pours out to us as he takes our orders. In fact so keen is he to impart every detail of his problematic life he even takes us on a tour of the cafe extension, kitchens, freezer room, the works, most of which he has built himself. We feel sorry for him, it's a tough life of endless grind that barely provides enough money to keep the place open let alone have some sort of life. Apparently he was 20 stone when he started the place 3 years ago and is now 13. It dawns on me how easy we have it back in the UK. His mother who could pass for an extra in a movie about the living dead also helps out taking orders with an attitude of total disinterest and indifference that is not likely to endear her to the customers. The usual "does that come with" type of query is met with a withering look and a weary "whatever". She has obviously had enough long ago but feels obliged to help out. The food is good and we leave a bigger than normal tip.Day 13: 09/10/05 : Manitolin Island to Point Farms (Unbooked)
The next morning Simon is straight on the phone to the Ferry company demanding an explanation! Unfortunately the explanation is that the times are correct and haven't changed. Simon it appears has booked the ferry from Tobermory to South Baymouth rather than the other way around. At first it looks like we will have to pay for a new ticket and wait on standby to see if we can get a place (It's Thanksgiving the next day and the ferries are running full). There is an anxious wait before they inform us that we do have a place and will transfer our ticket rather than making us pay again. We park up in the queue and wait for the ferry. I wander off to explore and watch the ferry which is much larger than expected arrive. It indeed proves to be a long drive. The landscape here changes from rocky and forested to flat prairie and farm land. We also manage to take a couple of wrong turns but eventually we reach the park. It's busy - very, due to it being Thanksgiving but we get a site. They take Thanksgiving very seriously here and virtually every van in the park is festooned with carved pumpkins, spiders, witches the full Halloween regalia. It has a real family fun feeling about it with lots of smiling and happy groups and families gathered around their fires. We take a walk along the sandy beach on the shores of the great Lake Huron before it gets dark and talk to a couple of people.Day 14: 10/10/05: Point Farms to Niagara (Unbooked)
My last drive and unfortunately the weather has finally turned to autumn, it's very overcast and raining off and on all the way. The road network here is also vastly more complicated and we get it wrong several times before we arrive in Niagara. I have to say it's not what I expected. I suppose I had assumed this great landmark would still be surrounded by forest but far from it. The town surrounds the spectacle, tall buildings loom large all around, most currently disappearing into the low grey cloud. The tourist area is like a mini Las Vegas with wax works, burger joints and arcades everywhere. The roads are busy and tight and I am having a tough time manoeuvring the beast in the heavy traffic which seems to be coming from every direction, along with hoards of Japanese pedestrians, traffic lights and junctions. At one point there is an almighty crunching sound and Simon shouts out at me - surely I must have smashed something big time, but there is no horn blowing or any sign we have hit anything and it's so busy we can only carry on. It appears I must have hit the high kerb or something similar. When we finally park up in the special RV park I get out with trepidation.
However, sigh of relief - there is no serious damage. I had hit the kerb with the edge of the metal door step that folds under the van as we rounded a bend. The step guard is bent but is easily twisted back into shape by hand. Although the area is a tourist monstrosity the falls themselves are still very spectacular and I could not have come all the way to this part of Canada without seeing them. That evening we go to the IMAX cinema and see a movie about Niagara which is quite spectacular and most entertaining, along with the exhibition of contraptions people have built to go over the falls, some fatally. Its well worth a visit. We stay the night at “Jellystone” Trailer park with Yogi as our host. Another private site it is obviously for families, and is very well equipped with excellent and spotless facilities. On the way back from the IMAX Simon decides we must fill up with petrol, he is convinced for some reason we won't be able to get some tomorrow. However Nick and I feel we should get fuel in Toronto just before we take the van back as we need to give it back three quarters full - as it was when we picked it up. The usual argument ensues before Simon insists and we fill up.
Day 15: 11/10/05: Last Day - Toronto
The last day has arrived and we deliver the van back to Toronto. Of course as we have filled up in Niagara we are giving back something like $25 extra in fuel we need not have put in. Nick and I are in a quiet told you so mode. It also transpires that we have gone over our agreed mileage by about $20 worth. Simon decides that this will be covered by the extra fuel, but no deal. The hire company will not pay for extra fuel that may have been put in. Nick and I leave as he ensues in an argument demanding that the extra miles should be waived by the extra fuel. He emerges an hour later still with no deal, we pay. We are picked up by one of their Dad's oldest friends who emigrated to Canada a long time ago but still keeps in regular contact. He kindly takes us on a full guided tour of Toronto including a visit to the CN Tower before taking us to his delightful home where he and his wife treat us to a lovely meal before taking us to the airport.
This was a great trip to a truly beautiful country and I recommend a visit to anyone. Canadream through whom we hired the RV were first class as were Esprit the rafting company.
Things I noticed:
How friendly and helpful the local people were, along with the other campers.
How good, clean and un-vandalised the facilities at the campsites were.
How despite extremes of weather the roads were in as good condition as those in the UK.
How easy going the drivers were - we were frequently allowed out of tricky junctions by other drivers and nobody crowded us or tried to overtake in stupid places or flashed angry lights or hooted us to get out of the way. In fact the whole trip made us realise what an angry place the UK has become.
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