Still home, dreaming

Ah, the weekend is here, and I'm still home. I decided to push my visit to Acadia out a few weeks since the weather wizard still claims that some wet and cool days are likely. I'll probably head up the coast for an extended weekend in early June.

My mind has still been exploring destinations for a longer vacation, and right now I'm really leaning towards Newfoundland. I've been thinking about it for many weeks now, pulled by the thought of wandering in Gros Morne National Park.

I've been bouncing all over from a mode of travel standpoint. Even though I live in the northeast and Newfoundland is also in the northeast part of North America - it's really really far away! I thought I was set on driving and ferrying, but then I decided I should check airfares again. They have come down by a couple of hundred dollars since I last looked, but the flights are atrocious - starting with a puddle jumper that makes multiple stops between Boston and Montreal. I wonder where they stop... that route seems much to short to have 2 stops in between those two cities. And oh! My stomach really doesn't like puddle jumpers. (But then again, it might not like the ferry either!)

Back to the ferry... I was leaning toward starting with the ferry from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, thinking that it would save me time. As it turns out, the distance by car from home to North Sydney, Nova Scotia - which is the jumping off point for the ferry to Newfoundland - is 809 miles. From home to Portland and then Yarmouth to North Sydney, the distance is 530 miles. And 300 miles is about 5 hours of driving time. Interesting... the ferry is 5 1/2 hours. So the amount of time it will take to drive vs. drive + ferry is about the same. Ah, back to thinking...

Someday soon my travel plans will fully emerge. In the meantime, it's fun to dream.