Jasper at Noon

So today started slow. I woke up at 10:00am, and looking through the window I noticed that this is going to be a cloudy day. Not much excitement expected today so I decided to, once and for all, finalize my New Jersey / Philadelphia / Charlotte travel.

I have to say that it has been a complete PITA. I had to find a reasonable flight from either Toronto or Buffalo to New York, somehow get to Newark, then somehow get to Philadelphia the next day, and then some way to get to Charlotte which is 900km away, and then back to the same airport I left to begin with (Toronto or Buffalo), so I can drive my car back home.

Pain. Huge pain.

I ended up booking a flight from Toronto directly to Newark (more expensive but saves cab fares and reduces the aggravation factor), then renting a car in Newark for two days (Philadelphia is a short drive away), then a flight from Newark to Charlotte and, finally, a flight from Charlotte to Toronto. That turned out to be quite an expensive endeavour. Bah.

I am now seeking accommodations along the way. If anybody agrees that I crash in his / her house for any night during that weekend, much appreciated! Breakfast’s on me.

I’m right now sitting on the patio (well, not really a patio; it’s on ground floor) of a place called Soft Rock Cafe in downtown Jasper. Soft Rock Cafe is very well known here among tourists and locals alike. It’s very nice & cozy, serve excellent cappuccino and overpriced breakfasts. Free wireless Internet as well.

They used to have some fantastic Thai food served from 5:00pm to closing time, however they had to shut that thing down last year due to life in Jasper becoming really, really expensive to live, including business operating costs. Too bad. The curry I had here last year was of the best I ever tasted.

Breakfast arrived. I’m going to eat and then go directly to the hot springs to soak my weary bones in some warm water… And then, Edmonton. First time ever in Edmonton. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

Later,

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Isaac