The Canadian Gap Year...

Ruby and Edd

The Canadian Gap Year...

Ruby and Edd, going on a gap year.Travelling from the UK to Canada for ten months. Staying in Toronto for the first month with fellow musicians we met online, then travelling North with 'WWOOF', an organisation of organic farming. Working on a different farm each month for free accommodation and food, travelling by greyhound bus to each destination, and flying back from Vancouver in June. Sweet!



North America » Canada » Ontario » Toronto December 6th 2010

It brings us great sadness to inform you that this is our last blog entry - this year at least. We fly home tomorrow, so as we sit in Starbucks, central Toronto, we will recall the stories of our last couple of weeks in Canada... So, we got a taxi to the bus station after packing and saying goodbye to our sweet little hotel above the sex shop, and for half the price of the taxi that took us there, making us realise how ripped off we had been on our first day in Montreal! We had a relatively long journey taking us from Montreal, back to Ottawa, then onto a connecting bus to Actinolite, a town on the route back to Toronto. We were now on our journey back to where we started, essentially back ... read more

North America November 14th 2010

We've conquered two big cities since we last spoke - there's just no stopping us, we've snuggled into the accepting bosom of Ottawa and we've kissed the streets of Montreal. We'll have to dance with Vancouver next year. We did indeed end up getting a free lift from the horsey home of Brian and Chris all the way to Ottawa - conveniently right up to the doorstep of our shabby, but homely looking bed and breakfast. We spent two nights in Ottawa. On the first day we arrived, we ended up getting a free tour of Ottawa from a friendly Belgium guy that served us our lunch in a sandwich bar! He finished his shift as we finished our sloppy messes of delightful fast-food, and after asking for directions to  the nearby cinema, he took ... read more

North America » Canada » Quebec » Montréal November 14th 2010

We've conquered two big cities since we last spoke - there's just no stopping us, we've snuggled into the accepting bosom of Ottawa and we've kissed the streets of Montreal. We'll have to dance with Vancouver next year. We did indeed end up getting a free lift from the horsey home of Brian and Chris all the way to Ottawa - conveniently right up to the doorstep of our shabby, but homely looking bed and breakfast. We spent two nights in Ottawa. On the first day we arrived, we ended up getting a free tour of Ottawa from a friendly Belgium guy that served us our lunch in a sandwich bar! He finished his shift as we finished our sloppy messes of delightful fast-food, and after asking for directions to  the nearby cinema, he took us ... read more

North America » Canada » Ontario » Pembroke October 27th 2010

Hello, hello! Since the last entry we are probably more bruised, possibly musclier, and prolifically dirtier, but we are another hundred miles further into our journey, and still content. Our time with Regis and Noreen was lovely, and we miss them already. We spent our final week in Val Gagne stacking wood, finishing off the greenhouse painting and learning several more games to play in spare evening time. We covered up the winter wood that we had stacked with plywood to protect it, we worked on little wooden projects of our own (which we are keeping a surprise...!), and we felled trees. Although we enjoyed the relaxed vibe of Regis and Noreen's, we were looking forwards to moving on to our next place for something slightly more demanding, little did we know how much we would ... read more

North America » Canada » Ontario » Timmins October 8th 2010

So, two weeks have past because we are lazy, but it coincidently means that we have more to talk about. Here goes... So, during our last two weeks in Toronto, we managed to cram in quite a few things!  One of the days we woke up early to see a live radio performance in Toronto's main square. We were having breakfast in the centre of Toronto, being serenaded three rows away from Dallas Green (of City and Colour and Alexisonfire). It couldn't have been more perfect! We carried on to get the train for a day trip to Toronto zoo. As it was a working weekday, the zoo seemed as if it was privately opened for us, and a couple of Irishmen - completely deserted. Much more interesting than the average English zoo, we finally saw ... read more

North America » Canada » Ontario » Toronto September 21st 2010

Sorry we haven't written an entry in a while, for the few of you that are intently watching for any news! It is hard to find good opportunities to write long, worthwhile entries. A lot has happened since the last one. We spent two more days in Owen Sound. Jon took us to the local waterfall which was beautiful, and only a ten minute walk away. We also ended up playing a few songs in a local cafe spontaneously, and had a generous round of applause and ended up with our photo on Facebook by the local Owen Sound music blogger that Jon had a meeting with. The music side of things also made progress. We recorded some overlapping melodies on some First Rate People tracks for Jon, and He and Edd helped by harmonising on ... read more

North America » Canada September 6th 2010

The flight was fine, only seven hours, but we seemed to arrive fourty minutes ahead of schedule. When we arrived, we were sent to immigration, and the main problem we faced was that customs hadn't heard of the WWOOf organisation. Once they found out it was legitimate, they issued us with a stamp enabling us to stay in the country for one year, as long as we didn't work or have an education. It was really hot - over 32 degrees. We got a coach from the airport into the centre of Toronto, and then found a taxi to take us to our first destination. The house we were going to was hard to find so we had to pay the taxi driver slightly more for helping us find it- that was okay, as we would ... read more




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