Lessons learned in the wilds.....

I didn't post about it at the time, however, I did learn a lot by being away from the city and all its amenities. (I may have learned a lot of these lessons before as a Girl Guide, but I'd forgotten many.) By accident or by design (not mine) I learned that....

1. You can live without coffee especially if you have forgotten to pack it (it was on the list) and buying it up north means that what costs $4.00 or $5.00 in the city costs $8.00 or $10.00 up north and you may have to actually pay $15.00 for a huge tin of Maxwell House which could last you a whole year at home.

2. A bundle of band aids held together with an elastic is essential. We never needed the band aids (good thing), however the elastic band was used inventively more than once!

3. You can wash ziplock sandwich bags and re-use them, especially if you have forgotten to bring a box of sandwich bags.

4. Fires don't like rain.

5. Small ants live in little cottages in the country all the time. Large ants live in the city and come into houses on rare occasions.

6. Matches don't like wind.

7. If the current is with you, the wind is against you and you may never arrive, if both are against you :)

8. All BBQs are not created equal. Some take 30 - 40 minutes to cook a chicken breast or two.

9. You can still hike without hiking poles - I forgot mine and my husband doesn't have any to lend.

10. There is always a kind stranger on the dock to help you in and/or out of your kayak. They haven't invented winches for that purpose yet - maybe they should.

11. Wine is an essential and should be part of every car's safety kit.

12. Loons are tricky creatures. We either saw one Loon pop his head up 12 times or twelve Loons pop their heads up once, but not all at once.

13. Butter Tarts are Canadian. This isn't really a wilderness "thing"....or is it ?

14. You could wear goose down all year round - just sayin'.

15. There are no poisonous snakes in Algonquin Park, however, it is black bear country. Never "play dead" if confronted by a bear. You should, however, try talking to it, very loudly!!

16. People from Oshawa are very friendly - semi wilderness lesson :)

17. There is such a thing as single ply toilet paper!!

18. Given a choice between margarine or butter, pack butter.

19. Whatever coffee filters you pack will be the wrong size and shape and will never work, especially if you forget to bring the coffee.

20. Pack either paper towels or paper napkins. One will be redundant.

21. Bug spray left at the cottage does not repel bugs found on the trail.

22. A two seater Kayak is cheaper than two single kayaks to rent, however, the cost of the ensuing divorce negates the savings!!

23. There are some inanimate objects that actually have minds of their own. 1. smouldering fires - they burst into flame when everyone has gone to bed. 2. tandem kayaks - they tend to steer themselves and blame it on the occupants. 3. keys - they are actually inhabited by spirits that like to hide in mysterious places :)

Someone else's cottage

24. Thick "German" bread also gets mushy in a warm backpack.

25. Mosquitos rule!

Have an awesome day!!