I sat up bolt upright in bed at 06:20 – what happened to my 06:00 alarm call? So I quickly showered and dressed, loaded up Casey and took the key back to the office ready to give them a piece of my mind when I glanced at the clock – 05:55. Yes, I’d forgotten to retard my mobile phone to “Quebec Time”, hadn’t I?
D’ohhhh!
So at least I was ready nice and early down to the ferry port and I insinuated myself into the queue with all of the other cars.
As we were loading up I idly noticed another smaller ferry making its way out of port. “I wonder where that might be going” I said to myself, and thought no more about it.
And maybe two hours later we had the skipper on the ship’s PA system”we will be arriving in Godbout in about 30 minutes ….”
Consequently I buttonholed a passing steward
“Godbout? isn’t this the ferry to Baie Comeau then?”
“No – that leaves from the terminal next to ours about 30 minutes before we go”
So Godbout it was – about 20 minutes farther across and a 50-minute extra drive. Blast! This is going to mess up all of my plans.
I headed off to Baie Comeau where I fuelled up Casey, and set out for the 400-odd km drive to Quebec. I didn’t hang about too much, although there was still time to take some photos of all of the things that I had missed on my way up and when I had come here in 2001.
But getting closer and closer to Quebec it was getting darker and darker, and I realised that what with the changing weather and the late arrival I was never going to get my two hours or so around the old town.
And as we started to climb up the legendary Cap Tourmente out of the wilderness and over into the Plains of St Lawrence (you saw the pic on my way out a few weeks ago) there was a huge snowplough parked ominously at the side of the road.
The hill is about 790 metres high according to my altimeter (this satnav really is good what with all of these options) and at about 500 metres it started to snow. And by the time we made it to the top it was a veritable blizzard blowing.
But I’m in Quebec and the light beat me to it. But anyway I didn’t fancy going out because it’s absolutely teeming down outside. I bet it’s snowing like hell up there.
And the motel is a reasonable one – 60 dollars plus tax and quite respectable (or at least it was until I got here) – good value for a major city motel.
Mind you I can’t get used to the noise and the people after all this time in the wilderness. It’s all quite uncomfortable. It makes me wish I was back out on the Coasts of Labrador again.
And I certainly don’t want to go home.
