From Tourist to Road Warrior – My Canadian Adventure Begins
I landed in Toronto on August 10th, full of excitement but completely unprepared for the challenges ahead. The first six days were a whirlwind of exploring the city, visiting Mississauga, and taking a day trip to Niagara Falls in a rental car – all while desperately searching for a vehicle I could actually afford for my cross-country trip.
My dream was a Toyota Sequoia, but reality hit hard when I saw the prices. After days of searching, I settled on a Nissan Pathfinder from a dealership – a decision that turned out to be one of my best. The buying process was its own adventure, with insurance costs that made my eyes water and paperwork that never seemed to end.
On August 16th, I finally got the keys. Now came the real challenge: turning this family SUV into my home for the next month. For three straight days, I lived at Canadian Tire and Walmart, gathering supplies:
- A car fridge to keep food fresh
- A 500WH power bank (plus solar blanket for emergencies)
- A makeshift bed using a bookshelf and plywood (not perfect, but it worked)
- All the cooking gear and spices I’d need
By August 19th, I was bursting with excitement to finally hit the road. My plan was simple: make it to Sault Ste. Marie on day one. Mother Nature had other plans – I hit peak Toronto traffic and crawled along the freeway until Barrie, where I made one last supply stop.
The drive north was my first real taste of Canadian wilderness. I couldn’t resist stopping at the railway underpass near Nairn Centre – the way the tracks cut through the dense forest was too photogenic to pass up.
By the time I reached Sault Ste. Marie, darkness had fallen, and I experienced my first night of what would become routine: sleeping in a Walmart parking lot.
As I lay in my makeshift bed that first night, listening to the sounds of my new mobile home settling, I realized this was really happening. The adventure I’d dreamed about for months was finally underway. Little did I know what surprises – both wonderful and challenging – lay ahead on the road to Vancouver.
To be continued…
(Next: Episode 2: Sault St Marie to Rossport (Lake Superior)