We were still on the move immediately after our 14 hour flight from Qatar to Montreal, (click here to read that blog about our [final] last day in Qatar!), but not yet on the move towards our final repatriation destination – Halifax, Nova Scotia! We were on the move to drop off our two cats and little dog at their pet sitter, Michael’s cousin (thank you Jennifer!) in downtown Ottawa.

In our rental car, packed with three pet crates, three large suitcases and a guitar; we drove from Montreal to Ottawa. The two hour drive was a bit chaotic as one cat Bob, who hates being in his crate anyway – howled the entire way to be let out! Not possible in a rental car!

Maybe you are wondering why we dropped our pets off to stay with family in Ottawa? Maybe you are wondering why were we in Ottawa when our final destination was Halifax?

This is a bit trickier to explain, as it had everything to do with that final flight from Montreal to Halifax and logistical issues. So, we canceled the flight and decided to go shopping for RV’s in Ontario rather than Nova Scotia.

Shopping for an RV? Why?

Because Michael and I don’t yet have a home in Nova Scotia! We decided to purchase an RV to live in until we buy land and build our home!

So, to start this shopping adventure, we stayed two nights in downtown Ottawa, in average hotels that were shockingly but not surprisingly expensive! However, this gave us the much needed time to sleep, catch our breath, and start looking online for RV dealerships.

However, the first item on our very long to-do list was to see a doctor! I had what seemed to be an ear infection/water in my ear from snorkeling in the Maldives. This turned out to be a four hour wait at a walk-in clinic on Sparks Street, to spend 3 minutes with a doctor who told me my ear was painful from using Q-tips! He didn’t listen to me when I told him I just spent four days snorkeling, gave me a prescription and sent me on my way! $150.00 later – having to pay for the visit and the prescription as we were not yet residents of Canada and without health care coverage or medical benefits – I had a prescription that eventually did nothing! I later found out I had swimmer’s ear (Laura!!) and bought over-the-counter ear drops that healed it!

Anywho!

It was fun walking around downtown Ottawa during my four hour wait to see the doctor! I would walk around the busy, metropolitan area then return every half hour to the clinic to see where I was in the long queue to see the doctor!

Fun note!!!  Marijuana is now legal in Canada!! This was a new to me experience upon our return to Canada! People were walking around, smoking weed!  So much fun!!

Sights in downtown Ottawa!

Terry Fox!!!

S, 🙂