Should We Stay or Should We Go - Our Travel Journal

After leaving St. John's, with a quick stop in Gander along the way, we made our way to Twillingate. This was the place I had been looking forward to most. Even though it was my fourth visit, I couldn't wait to get back. There's just something about Twillingate . Spread across a series of islands connected by bridges and causeways, this historic fishing community sits along Iceberg Alley on Newfoundland's northeast coast. Every spring, massive icebergs break away from glaciers in Greenland and begin an incredible journey south. Carried by ocean currents, they drift for an average of two to three years before finally reaching the waters off Newfoundland, earning Twillingate the nickname The Iceberg Capital of the World . But the icebergs are only part of what makes this place so special.  Fishing stages still line the shore. Colourful houses dot the hillsides overlooking the harbour. Boats come and go throughout the day, and despite the number of visitors each year, Twil...

I've realized over the years that I'm not someone who enjoys travelling with every minute planned. I know some people love having a detailed itinerary. Every attraction is booked, every restaurant is chosen ahead of time, and every day has a schedule. There's nothing wrong with that.  For me, however, it just isn't how I like to travel. Our recent trip to Newfoundland reminded me why. Before we left home, we knew where we'd be staying each night, and we had a list of places we wanted to see. But beyond that, we kept our plans pretty flexible. Each morning we'd look at the weather, decide what we felt like doing, and head out. Sometimes we'd stick to the plan. Other times we'd change our minds completely. If we saw a scenic lookout, we'd pull over and enjoy the view a while. If a little museum looked interesting, we'd go in. If a small shop caught our eye, we'd wander through it. Those little stops often became some of the best parts of the da...

  If you've never seen Come From Away , it's based on the remarkable true story of what happened in Gander during the days following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As the attacks unfolded that morning, the United States made the unprecedented decision to close its airspace. Every aircraft already in the air and heading for the U.S. had to land immediately, but not on American soil. Canada launched Operation Yellow Ribbon , diverting hundreds of international flights to airports across the country. Because of its long runways and history as a major transatlantic refuelling stop, Gander International Airport became one of the primary destinations. Within just a few hours, 38 wide-body aircraft landed in Gander carrying more than 6,600 passengers and nearly 500 crew members from almost 100 different countries. For a town of only about 10,000 people, it was an astonishing challenge. The population had suddenly grown by more than half, and no one knew whether the str...

O ne of my favourite parts of travelling in Newfoundland is the local expressions. I’ve known many Newfoundlanders and a lot of times don’t even know what they’re saying - especially when they’re talking to each other. During our two-week trip, we heard words and phrases that made us smile, laugh, and occasionally had us opening google to figure out what was said. By the end of our trip we even adopted a handful into our own vocabulary. Some of the sayings made perfect sense once they were explained. Others...not so much! So I decided to have a little fun. Warning: I may have gotten a little carried away. Somewhere in the list below are five sayings that are completely made up. The other twenty-five are genuine Newfoundland expressions. Can you find them? No Googling! (Where's the fun in that?) Grab a piece of paper, jot down your five guesses, then scroll down to see how you did. The Challenge Best Kind Stay where you're to till I comes where you're at. Lord Tunderi...