I'm packed. Ready to go. Waiting for my traveling companion to arrive.

My car was checked earlier in the week and an oil change done in anticipation for this trip.

This road trip was born from tedium. The everyday minutia. I needed an adventure of some sort and so did my traveling companion.

After knowing, the person who would become my copilot, for just over two weeks, we decided together that a road trip might be the perfect get-a-way and an opportunity to get to know each other better.

Let's do this! OK Let's!

Itinerary: Oakville, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and then home.
We'll leave on a Friday afternoon and return on Monday, spending one night in each location. I'll take care of our stay in Montreal and you take care of Quebec City, we'll leave Ottawa for the last minute. Done.

The planning was effortless. A definite indication that this trip was meant to be.

And once all was settled and our plans confirmed and I realized I'm actually doing this. I told just a few friends about my plans to travel. There was concern. "you've only just met, you sure you should be taking a trip together"? The answer was a resounding "YES"
There was absolutely no doubt in my mind!

And so on a Friday afternoon, we set out on this adventure. Two people, taking a chance and saying yes to each other, yes to spontaneity, yes to self discovery and yes to new experiences!

He arrived at my place and we packed up my car. He brought along some foldable chairs so we could people watch (an activity we both enjoy) on our roadside stops and I packed some sugary snacks, because although I didn't know him long, I did know that he enjoys his "snackies".

And then as easy as that we set out. Smiling. Happy to be doing this. Traffic...what traffic? Each of us taking turns driving. Talking. A lot. Finding the right tunes to play. Discovering what we have in common and what we don't. In a car together for 8 hours...yep that's how long it took us to get to our first destination.

One might think there would be awkwardness. But there wasn't. Easy travel companions. Each of us accommodating the other - making it easy to be ourselves and to be comfortable. "You do you and I'll do me"
Going with the flow and enjoying the process. Taking the time to enjoy the surroundings, no rush to get "there".

"It's about the journey Darling, not the destination" and that was true of the entire trip.

There were other things that we discovered about each other - we both enjoy setting out in exploration and neither of us felt the need to hover if one of us became engaged in a conversation with a passerby, street vendor, artisan etc. If we found something of interest we'd bring it to the others attention. We could walk holding hands or set our own pace and walk ahead, always mindful of the other. Both of us enjoying the additional exercise provided by a steep staircase or hill and the enjoyment of pushing myself, of keeping up and reminding myself that I'm healthy and in good shape!

We both enjoy good food and would gladly share a taste of each others food indulgence.

And at night, when it was time to relax, there was an ease and flow to that as well. A comfort. No masks (well, facial masks - yes we pampered ourselves...lol!). Both of us recognizing what the other needed.

It was a whirl wind of car travel. But our triad of destinations made it interesting and gave us the opportunities we needed to explore three beautiful cities and also to explore our own two beautiful souls.

So here are some of my thoughts...

Always go with your gut.
Follow your bliss.
Say yes to opportunity.
Stop caring what other people will think or say.
Be open to the possibilities.
Live in the now. That's a good place to be.
Don't rush things.
Accept what is and what's meant to be.
It's the process that's invigorating, not whether things work out or not
Keep an open mind.
Enjoy what there is to enjoy.

...and finally my most important take away is that these adventures are definitely more about our own self discovery. Yes, you get to know the other person better, but you also get to know yourself better. You learn about what drives you, what type of expectations you have of yourself. You learn about what's important to you and how to set boundaries. You learn that you are special. That you like who you are. That you are not afraid to take chances and live your life. You learn that life is about ebb and flow and that you embrace both. You learn that when you come from a place of love and respect that the universe offers up a cornucopia of life experience, that either good or bad, make you the awesome person that you are. Our experiences are amazing if you choose to look at them that way and it is a choice. Your outlook determines your experience...invest in rose colored glasses, it makes all the difference.

Special note: Thanks CJ for a fabulous mini break! Until the next one...