Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

It had been a busy month packed with travel itineraries, via air, sea, and ground transportation. Visiting four countries with climate varied from +35 degrees to -20 degrees Celsius had proven to be a very challenging step to take, despite the brutal winter experience that I had in the past. Imagine moving from an oven room to a deep freeze room….that was exactly how it felt like!

On the good side, family and friends, delicious food, familiar environment, laughter etc. surely beat the busy traveling plans and extreme climate change.

During the period of silence (e.g. no new posts on the blog), I felt like I needed another vacation for my vacation, a down time after all the excitements, high-tempo daily activities, traveling etc.

One of the many exciting trips that I went on was visiting the rice paddy field in Sekinchan, a small town located in northern part of Selangor state. Sekinchan is famous for its rice farming community; it’s one of the major rice producers in the country.

It was harvesting season in December.

A close look at the paddy. Every grain of rice is preciously produced.

Rice harvester in action at the paddy field. Crop harvesting can only be done on non-rainy days.

These days, we don’t expect farmers to do planting and harvesting in the old fashion way; bending down in the muddy field under the scorching hot sun. Instead, rice harvesters are commonly used nowadays. The rice harvester was important from Holland; modified from a used wheat harvester. Why go through all those troubles? It brings down the cost of the machine by multiple folds! Hundreds of thousands (in Malaysian currency) for the modified wheat machine harvester, instead of millions for a brand new machine.

Typically, June and December are the two harvesting months. There could be up to 3 times a year for harvesting; each season (from planting till harvesting) lasts about 120 days.

Miles was trying out the rice harvester.

It’d had been a beautiful sunset, too bad that it was overcast that day. I’ve always wanted to enjoy a beautiful sunset; the ones in Kota Kinabalu (east Malaysia) were the best thus far. Clouds were in the way that day, blocking the striking rays of sunshine. Another day, another time, I’m still not giving up hope on a spectacular sunset some day.

Time was ticking… It was our last day to wander around the city. We were leaving for Los Angeles the next morning, through Greyhound bus.

After our lunch at Bouldin, we continued on walking along The Embarcadero and visited the Ghirardelli Square. Domingo Ghirardelli, the son and apprentice of an Italian chocolatier, established his first chocolate factory in San Francisco, in year 1852.

Busy traffic along the street. Hooters Restaurants seem to be popular in major cities, primarily owe to their attractive waitresses.

An extremely eye-catching gigantic Levi’s jeans on display.

The cable cars are part of the culture in San Francisco.

Here we were! At the Ghirardelli Ice-cream and Chocolate Shop!

Ice-cream with hot chocolate sauce and topped with whipping cream and a cherry. Yummy chocolate sauce….it’s a must-try!

The Ghirardelli Square.

Buying chocolates on a hot sunny day can be a disaster. Keep in mind not to expose them directly under the sun. You want them to melt in your mouth, not your hands, or purse ;)

A crowded cable car. Stand still, hang on to the bar, clench your teeth, and say “cheese!”

The Grace Cathedral, a renowned San Francisco landmark. It’s located at Nob Hill, on California St.

The interior of the cathedral.

Next, Ernest and I walked to the Cable Car Museum on Washington St. Very informative museum with the history of cable cars in the city. And best of all, free admission!

A cable car was moving along Washington St.

After the museum visit, Ernest and I went back to the Chinatown on Grant Ave. and explored parts that we didn’t get to go during our first visit when we just arrived. We went grocery shopping, mainly for our favourite snacks that we didn’t get to taste since we left home.

Since our previous “painful” experience of not able to find a restaurant just before 9 p.m., we’ve learned that we had to find a restaurant sooner for supper. Steps of Rome Cafe was on our list, highly recommended by the locals. We went to the cafe on Columbus Ave. A fine dining Steps of Rome Restaurant can be spotted on the same street too.

Bruschetta. Toasted sliced bread topped with diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, and extra virgin oil.

Ravioli with spinach that Ernest had.

I had a dish of grilled chicken breast with potatoes and greens, topped with creamy sauce.

Dessert time…the “Steps of Rome Famous Tiramisu” is to die for!!

Tiramisu lovers, listen up. This is a MUST-try when you visit San Francisco. It’s the BEST tiramisu ever!!! Very smooth texture, not too sweet, and quite filling! *Two thumbs up*

We’ve planned ahead of time to visit the Alcatraz Island on our third day (a Monday) in San Francisco. It was convenient to make ticket purchase online from the official website. Situated in the San Francisco Bay, the island is about 2.4 km offshore from the pier. It used to serve as lighthouse when it was established in 1934, a military prison later on, and now, a national recreation area. Needless to say, a prominent tourist landmark in California too.

We took an Early Bird Tour to Alcatraz. The view of Coit Tower from the ferry.

A short ferry ride to the island. Ernest and I joined a audio/visual tour in the old prison. There are some bizarre stories from the past.

At the Embarcadero.

Boats, boats, and more boats!

A street entertainer; dancing along with the music like a robot.

It was a happening place by the Fisherman’s Wharf.

Bread making at Boudin Bakery. They looked so yummy…..

Fresh bread for sale. They smelled so wonderful!

We had a nice lunch at the Boudin Cafe. It’s a must-visit!

Ernest ordered  the New England Style Clam Chowder, and I had the Beef Chili with shredded cheddar cheese and onions. Of course, in bread bowls!

It was a long bus ride to the Golden Gate Bridge, due to bus transfer. We passed by the Palace of Fine Arts Exploratorium and visited the Marina Green on our way to the bridge.

Lots of sail boats!

Unique landscape and busy traffic in San Francisco, on a Sunday afternoon.

Finally, we arrived at the bridge!

The city view from the bridge.

The Golden Gate Bridge, an internationally recognizable symbol of San Francisco. The longest suspension bridge in the world when it was opened in 1937.

Very thoughtful facilities on the bridge, including this….

It was a sunny and windy day. Ernest and I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge that boasted 2.737 km (1.71 miles) in length, 27 m (90 ft.) in width, and 227 m (746 ft.) in height.

For those who know me well, walking is one of my biggest enjoyments when traveling. To me, that’s a great way to experience the culture and meet the locals. According to Mom & Dad’s traveling experience with me in Canada, they are witnessed to be darker and skinnier after the trip due to extensive walking and busy itinerary. I’d like to add on, healthier too! I’d like to thank Mom & Dad for putting up with me, and Ernest too (especially our 5.5-hour way in Las Vegas in the wee hours). *v^

In the evening, I met up with Daniel, a good friend I knew from Urbana Conference. It was about two and a half years since we last met. Luckily, we has no problem recognizing each other. We went back to Lombard St. to capture pictures that I missed out from the day before, and visited a few other places after that. Thanks to Daniel for being a nice tour guide.

Lombard St., the “crookedest street.” There are always lots of traffic here. Enthusiasts who are eager to experience the extraordinary landscape of the street. I had an odd feeling that the community must be tired of tourists swarming into their neighbourhood.

Very steep hill on Lombard St. Parking at 90 degrees angle here could be a big challenge!

The Coit Tower at Telegraph Hill, built in 1933 at the bequest of Lillie Hitchcock Coit who was a volunteer firefighter.

Overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge at the top of Telegraph Hill at dusk.

The Bay Bridge from Telegraph Hill.

Before the end of the day, we visited Japantown and had a nice Japanese meal there.

The Japantown.

Interesting road signs in Japanese.

Japanese stores and restaurants everywhere.

This was the first “full-day” that we got to enjoy ourselves in the big city. Based on previous experience, my traveling mindset is very straightforward. Those “must visits” are the priority on my trip itinerary. Another important thing to keep in mind is the day of the week. For example, it won’t be a great idea to try to get into the Universal Studio on a weekend, when it’s loaded with people. So, try to avoid that if you’ve a choice.

It was a crisp Sunday morning. The Golden Gate Park and Golden Gate Bridge were on our list. Another nice thing about staying in the hostel (not all, but most do) is that breakfast is provided! Simple yet filling. Loads of bread, bagel, bun to choose from; fruit jams, peanut butter, and margarine on the side. Toaster was available too. How convenient!

Tourists were everywhere!

Ernest and I took the street car on Market St., before catching the bus that brought us right to the park entrance.

Street car station.

Busy cable lines for street cars and buses.

Attractions in the garden include: Strybing Arboretum, Japanese Tea Garden, California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers, DeYoung Museum etc. The was a huge park!

The entrance of Japanese Tea Garden.

The California Academy of Sciences. A busy crowd!

We visited the DeYoung Museum. Palm trees that I missed so much!

Lovely trails in the park.

The Conservatory of Flowers.

Yummy tropical fruits!

It was lunch time by the time we left the park. We had a Mexican lunch at this neat take-out place, Taqueria, on Lombard St.

Enchilada that Ernest ordered; rice, salad, and black beans on the side.

Crispy Quesadilla that I had, with guacamole, salad, and sour cream.

Traveling is one of the many things I enjoy in life. Certainly, it’s among those that I enjoy the most. This is a continuation of the rest of my traveling story to West Coast of U.S.A. in spring 2009, after my posts about Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.

The very first stop, San Francisco! It was a sunny afternoon when I arrived. Due to the flight delay, my brother Ernest waited for my arrival at the airport. There are two important things to have “wandering” in a foreign city: maps & transit pass. We collected maps and brochures (which I considered them as life savers) from the tourist information booth and purchased 3-day transit passes ($20 each), as known as Muni Passports (short for SF Municipal Railway) at the airport.

The 3-day transit pass was great for commuting by bus, cable car, street car etc. within the city. The subway line from the airport to downtown, however, is operated by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Therefore, the transit pass was invalid and we had to get ourselves one-way subway tickets to downtown.

As we stepped out of the subway station, we spotted the famous San Francisco Cable Car. It costs $5/ride, regardless of the distance. Our transit passes came in handy ;)

This was a backpacking trip for us. After we checked into the Adelaide Hostel, we begun our exciting adventures exploring the city! We took a stroll in Chinatown.

Cable Car traveling across the Chinatown.

Looking for souvenir ideas? How about this unique penny? Insert 2 quarters and 1 penny into these crank machines (available at tourist attractions). Choose the desired image, work through the cranking motion, and there….a reshaped penny for you! Pretty cool!!

Unique architecture. I hope the stairs are only used for emergency exit?

The main entrance of San Francisco Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in North America. To my surprise, it draws more visitors to the neighbourhood than the well-known Golden Gate Bridge!!

After a quick lunch break in the late afternoon, we explored the downtown area for the rest of the afternoon.

Not a big surprise to find streets that are extremely steep around the city! A great workout for pesdestrian walking up the street and bikers biking up the hill, and certainly a big challenge for drivers parking their cars on a steep hill!

The Transamerica Pyramid. It’s known as the tallest and most recognizable architecture in San Francisco skyline.

We  made our way to the waterfront in the evening. It was a lovely weather for staying outdoor. At dusk, we were at Lombard Street, which known as the “crookedest” street. The dark lighting wasn’t the best for pictures. Then, I thought “I’m gonna have to come back here some time, perhaps tomorrow.”

A piece of advice to San Francisco visitors: don’t expect to capture night pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. We took the bus to the neighbourhood that overlooked the bridge. And guess what? It was pitch black and not even worth trying to take pictures. Finally, we were hungry enough to have supper around 10 p.m. We had a hard time finding a restaurant at that hour. Something to keep in mind: Don’t expect retails and restaurants open till late hours. We were in North America after all, not Asia ;) We visited the India Curry House on Columbus Ave., near Lombard Street. The pub section at the Indian resturant kept them busy till wee hour. A bonus for us, at least we found a place to dine-in.

It was close to midnight by the time we got back to the hostel. It was a busy yet fulfilling day in San Francisco!

What do you think about whitewater rafting? Exhilarating? Exciting? Adrenaline-pumping? Or all of the above?

My first whitewater rafting trip was five years ago. It was a family adventure trip to the Padas River (a.k.a. Sungai Padas) in Beaufort, Sabah. Two months ago, I had the opportunity to go for my second whitewater rafting adventure with Miles at the Penobscot River in Maine, U.S.A.

The Penobscot River is known as the most technical whitewater rafting river in the Eastern United States. Residing under the Mt. Katahdin and flowing along the banks of Baxter State Park, it offers rafters a breathtaking view of the scenic surroundings. It’s overall a Class 4 river (on a scale of 1-6) with rapids range from Class 3-5 (on a 1-6 scale).

It was a two day/one night trip with a group of 20. The package was offered by the North Country River. It was about a three-hour drive from Fredericton to the camping ground at Big Moose Inn, on a Friday evening.

We started our adventure the next morning. Brr…it was only 6 degree Celsius! To my surprise, the air was colder than the water. We were lucky to have wet suit provided for us. Even with the wet suit, we had to try our best to stay under the sun as soon as we got out of the water. It was a chilly day! I won’t mind a warmer day for whitewater rafting. Nonetheless, with nine of us in the raft (including our guide), we had a blast!

Armoured with a PDF (personal floating device), helmet, and paddle, we were all set to face the challenge!

The Falls. Water was flowing ferociously.

Here we were, on the raft.

We survived the first challenge. Hooray! We rafted along the river (Class 3 & 4) for about two hours before break time.

Oops… a raft that came behind us wasn’t so lucky… All the rafters were plunged into the river!

The Ripogenus Gorge. We were here after our lunch break, for another two hours of rafting.

A nice and steady rafting at the gorge.

This must have been a Class 5! We made it without losing anyone :)

It was simply thrilling! The worst case scenario during whitewater rafting, as you might have already expected, is raft capsize. Staying calm is the key. Knowing that you’re equipped with helmet and PFD, try to stay close to the raft to the best of your ability. The guide will then re-position the raft, hop back into the raft, and extend help to his crew.

Will I do it again? Yes, I will. For those who haven’t yet experienced it, it’s certainly worth a try!

The average tides at Hopewell Rocks is the highest in the world. How high does the tide get at Hopewell Rocks? It’s an amazing 14 metres (about 46 ft.)!! Whether to watch the high tide or low tide, it’s really up to personal preference. However, it’s best to stay for the complete tidal cycle to get a full appreciation of the tides.

How does the tides happen? This phenomenon is owe to the combination of gravitational pull of the moon and the unique shape of the Bay of Fundy, that leads to formation of tides ranging from 32 to 46 ft. The rate of the water rising is simply astonishing. It can rise between 6 and 8 vertical feet an hour!! Be sure to stay away from the coast during high tides.

During low tide, visitors have the opportunity to explore the natural rock flowerpots. Besides, caverns and tunnels can be observed. These unique sights are sculpted from geological formations millions of years older than the Canadian Rockies. There are about 100 billion tonnes of water flow in and out of the bay twice a day.

At 1:23 p.m.: The shoreline became apparent.

At 1:23 p.m.: It was safe to walk on the shore.

At 2:04 p.m.: Water has subsided significantly.

Water has subsided further, in the next few minutes.

At 2:11 p.m.: The Flower Pot Rocks still partially covered with water.

At 2:13 p.m.: We went a few steps closer to the rocks.

At 2:17 p.m.

At 2:27 p.m.

At 2:58 p.m.

At 3:29 p.m.

The low tide that day was at 3:57 p.m. Miles and I arrived at the Hopewell Rocks before noon to watch the high tide, and waited for a few hours to observe the low tide. I was deeply thrilled by the wonders of nature. The Mother Nature has special ways to present the stunning phenomenon of tidal cycle. It has certainly touched many hearts, including mine.

Hopewell Rocks, one of the most popular attractions in the province of New Brunswick. It boasts to be the home of the highest tides on the globe, a major selling point that attracts more than 100,000 visitors every year. This site opens seasonally from mid-May to mid-October. With a small charge for entrance fee, visitors are granted a tw0-day pass for an opportunity to witness both the high and low tides. Having said that, the high and low tide observation can possibly be done in one day.

Visitors have a “six-hour window” to take a stroll along the ocean floor during low tide. The time span between a high and low tide is 6 hours and 13 minutes. When is it safe to walk on the ocean floor? 3 hours before the low tide, and 3 hours after would be an ideal time to do so. For example, if the low tide is at 4 p.m., visitors can explore the ocean floor between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Since my visit to the Hopewell Rocks during low tide a few years ago, I’ve always wanted to watch the difference between the high and low tide. A few weekends ago, Miles and I’ve decided to organize a day trip there.

It was a 2.5-hour drive from Fredericton. The site was officially closed for the season. We entered through the side entrance. Surprisingly, we weren’t alone. There were a few other people arrived before us. Good thing two of us weren’t the only crazy people stood by the ocean on a chilly, breezy day.

The lovely sunshine was very much appreciated, to keep my body from freezing.

The site is closed during off-season.

At 11:48 a.m.: High tide.

At 12:46 p.m.: The water level has gone down substantially within an hour.

One of the many observation spots at the Hopewell Rocks.

Keep an eye on the time!

While waiting for the low tide, I walked around and took pictures of the surroundings.

Treemoss/Beard Lichen. It’s also better known as Old Man’s Beard.

A closer look at the Old Man’s Beard.

At 12:54 p.m.: Water level at the Flower Pot Rocks was decreasing.

The “secret pathway” that led us to the ocean floor.

Facilities such as cafe and washroom are easily accessible.

Wanting to experience sea kayaking? During the season, you may do so by renting a kayak during high tide. It’s a good way to kill some time between the tides.

More pictures…. Can you tell what they are?

These sand sculptures were amazing! They looked so real… Imagine the time and effort that the sculptors have put into their masterpieces. The creativity went wild! Some of the artwork was beyond imagination. Simply stunning!

More pictures from previous years can be found here.

The annual sand sculptures competition at New River Beach was held on August 15th this year. The registration started at 9 a.m. and judging begun at 3 p.m. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. The busy crowd was unbelievable! Cars were parked by the highway, due to the congested route to the provincial park.

Just as we thought we were out of troubles…

I was backing up the car in a pitch black environment. Nothing came into sight from the rear and side mirrors. I had to make my judgement based on the white sign that read “Dobson Trail 58 km” at the corner of the dirt road. Just as I thought I had the car backup far enough and turned the wheels, all of a sudden, “BAM!!”

The car was sitting at a 45-degree angle, with both rear wheels in the ditch. With my trembling hand, I pulled the hand break instantaneously. I was terrified. Trying my very best to stay calm, I approached Garth who just got out of his brother’s car. He was in shock.

No blame. No question asked. The guilt in me was kicking hard. I was afraid that Garth was going to blow up at me, since his car could have been wrecked from the accident. Instead, Garth tried to find a solution…

It was 9:30 p.m. on a Sunday night. The next day was a public holiday. We were on a dirt road with no reception on cellphones. It was dark. We were exhausted and helpless. What were the chances of us finding some help? A tow truck might take a while to come to our rescue,  if we ever managed to get hold of one. Hence, we decided to work things out without ruining the group’s initial plan (making it home for Monday morning).

I hopped into the car and started the engine. It was working fine. While Garth was pushing the car by the driver’s door, I slammed on the accelerator in first gear and hoped to get the car out of the ditch. We didn’t succeed… The car moved forward a little, but the force wasn’t strong enough. Worse still, the driver’s door was jammed on the gravel. With his sharp-wittedness, Garth jacked up the front wheel and managed to keep the door closed with enormous effort (kicking, pushing etc.). One problem solved…

Next, we filled up the gap between the bottom of ditch and the rear left wheel that was hanging in the mid-air, with rocks that we found along the dirt road. One good thing was that the rear right wheel landed on the gravel in the ditch. Here was the challenge…. With the front wheels on road and rear wheels in the ditch, Garth did an amazing “stunt” by backing up the car onto the road. He made it!!

I was keeping my fingers crossed the whole way when he did it. I was actually afraid that the situation might be worse… Sure enough, he proved me wrong. I was glad that he did.

The exterior of the car looked fine, as far as we could tell. Off we went; we drove along the dirt road for about 30 minutes. We asked for direction to get to Prosser Brook Rd. A young couple was kind enough to guide us all the way there.

To our surprise… Our friends weren’t there! After thanking the young couple, we drove to the top of the hill, hoping to get cellphone reception. It was about 11 p.m. They left us a voice message. Apparently, they were invited to wait for us in an older couple’s home, instead of idling along the dark road.

We met up with the rest of our group 10 minutes later… It had been a long day for everyone… I was grateful that they waited patiently for close to six hours, and never gave up their hope on Garth and I….

* Adapted from Google Map

The route travelled during hitchhiking, from Prosser Brook Rd. to Fundy National Park.

* Adapted from Parks Canada

The driving route (in pink) from Chignecto campground to Laverty Falls trail; and hiking route (in black) of Laverty Falls and Dobson Link.

The treacherous trail has slowed us down a lot. It was a slow progress treading along the trail; with mud, slush, puddles, and swamps. It was my wettest and muddiest outdoor adventure, as far as I can recall.

Regardless, we had a great time throughout the hike; wading through the woods, dodging tree trunks, hurdling tree roots, working through weeds and broken branches. Having said that, we didn’t feel very comfy hiking with our muddy and soaking wet hiking shoes. Oh well, we had to bear with them for the time being. Changing into a pair of clean, dry socks wouldn’t help much, as our shoes are too wet to begin with, and the same thing would happen–wet socks again.

It was a cool morning, after a rainy day on Friday. This was the perfect weather for mosquitoes and flies to go “hunting” around. Apparently, I’ve such tender skin and juicy blood that the mosquitoes couldn’t let go for me, not even a split second! Even the insect repellent that I’ve sprayed all over my body didn’t help much. As a matter of fact, mosquitoes love me too much! Unfortunately, I hated them!!

I had no choice but to put on my rain jacket and splash pants to minimize my exposure of skin areas for mosquitoes. Just as I thought I already had myself well-bundled up, they started attacking  my face! Oh no… leave me alone, you evil bugs!

Mosquitoes find their victims by tracing exhaled carbon dioxide. Hiking along the trail with my backpack that weighed at least 15 lbs, huffing and puffing was necessary during the cardiovascular activity; replacing exhaled air with fresh air.

She was penetrating my skin. Ouch!!

A slug was hanging in the mid-air from a tree branch with its slime.

…And trying to attack my backpack!!

At a crossroad, trying to find our way back to the trail.

The 17 km marker. We were getting close to the campsite.

Garth, Justin, and Ben didn’t have a good night sleep last night. The rain seeped through the top of their tent and caused a flood. They had barely any sleep, perhaps 3 hours of nap during the night. We decided to call it a day as we got closer to the potential campsite, around 5:30 p.m.

Just before that, there was a “big mess” that we first had to get over with…

A muddy stream!

We found this decent site for…

A campfire!

Robbie fixed his torn shirt with duct tape and ropes (by the sides). It was quite impressive! 

My wet, muddy, stinky pair of socks and hiking shoes by the end of the day :( 

“Watch out, water is entering your tent!” I heard the voice of Robbie as the clock struck 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Guess what? The water from the brook overflew and flooded the surrounding areas. My tent was set right beside it!

As soon as I have all my gears packed up, I literally fled from the tent to keep my backpack and myself dry. It won’t be pleasant to get everything wet at the beginning of a hike. Fortunately, there wasn’t too much water in the tent. We managed to save it from drifting away. Pheww….

After our breakfast, we started hiking around 8:30 a.m.

Following the blue markers along the trail.

There were puddles everywhere. Wet!

Arturo is trying to keep himself balance on the log, while crossing the swamp. Justin was ahead of him.

I was behind Ben, hiking through the muddy patch.

Muddy and yucky!

Robbie and Susan were fetching us some drinking water by a running stream, with filter pumps.

There was water everywhere, owe to the large amount of rain we’ve received since the beginning of spring.

My backpack for the hiking trip.

Green ice tea? Nope. It was drinking water that filtered from the stream. It did look like ice tea though :)

Sun was shining, birds were chirping, and bugs were bugging… :(

One of the better-looking bridges.

Taking a break under the tree.

My hiking experience has been fun and rewarding thus far. My passion for outdoor activities was developed since my first mountain climbing adventure at the Mt. Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia. It was challenging, exciting, and nerve-wrecking at times.

There are numerous spectacular sites and trails across the Maritimes. I enjoy exploring the trails on hiking/camping trips. For the past few summers, I’ve been on hiking trips to Cape Chignecto and Fundy Footpath. My attempt to climb Mt. Katahdin in Maine, U.S. was tempered by the inclement weather (hailing in August) two summers ago.

Last weekend was the New Brunswick Day long weekend. I was eager to go on a little expedition with seven other friends, on a 3-day hiking trip at Dobson Trail. It’s a trail that stretches 58 km in length, and runs from Riverview to Fundy National Park, in southeast New Brunswick.

We arrived there around 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Six of us from the group hiked in about 3 km to the campsite. Garth and I drove the cars and parked them at the end of the trail. David, who wasn’t on the hiking trip gave us a drive back to the starting point.

It wasn’t until 11 p.m. that we started our hike. It was pitch black and rain was pouring down heavily. After 45 minutes of adventure in the dark with a compact size LED flashlight, we managed to find our group at the camp site.

As soon as I changed into dry clothing, I was ready to hit the sack. I heard the steady stream flowing beside the tent and rain drops beating furiously on the tent. I couldn’t care less. I was sleep deprived. I finally dozed off around 12:15 a.m…..