Even the best laid plans can go awry as we unfortunately discovered this week. We had to cut short our stay in Canada by 12 days and high-tail it back to Maine. You may wonder, why the sudden return?! 

We’ve had a terrific three weeks and met a number of wonderfully kind people.  Canada is a beautiful country and the people generally are very friendly and easy going. We heard only a single horn after we crossed the border (and Joe had to be reminded NOT to use ours), and speed limits and traffic laws actually appear to be enforced. We didn’t fear for our lives as we do sometimes on US highways.

All was going swimmingly and we were happily motoring along until Joe felt like he was getting a cold. We waited a day, skipping rally events, and when Joe was still feeling off the next morning, we traveled to a local pharmacy for a COVID test kit.

It was true, more than four years after the start of the pandemic and numerous scares, one of us had tested positive for COVID. The dreaded “grippe”, ugh!

In a moment of serendipity, as Joe was waiting for test results and frantically making calls to health officials, Sue spotted The Willow Bakery adjacent to the pharmacy. She quickly ran in and scored two “Cinny” buns and a large coffee for Joe. Truly delicious, even reheated days later. 

We considered isolating on PEI until we learned that our healthcare coverage does not extend into Canada and it would be difficult to have prescriptions from the US filled. So off to the closest US city with a pharmacy. Hello, Houlton, Maine!  A five-hour drive.

A big shout out to Penn Medicine for great remote care.  We had a long conversation with the triage nurse the day Joe tested positive and a phone call the next morning from our internist to discuss our treatment options. 

We had hoped that only one of us would become ill but when Sue tested positive three days later, we decided it was best to stay on the US side of the border and isolate.  We cancelled our remaining trip through PEI, New Brunswick, and Quebec. Oh, all those reservations made so long ago!

We were lucky and got a terrific site at the Houlton Canadian Border KOA for five nights. We couldn’t have a nicer site or RV to be isolated in, truly! As sad and disappointed as we are, we feel so lucky that we can isolate in such a pretty location. All-in-all, it could be a lot worse.

Providing all goes well and our symptoms subside, we’ll head to Vermont on July 4th, masking all the way….

Obviously we are behind in blogging.  Now that COVID has given us some “free” time, we hope to catch up.

The Hopewell Cape and Fundy Parkway are next to come. Here we are in those healthier days…

Thanks for sticking with us.