The Life of a Digital Nomad: Road-tripping and Housesitting in Eastern Canada

September 2023 - The last month has been all about discovering new parts of Canada.

Driving and camping through Northern Quebec before getting to Labrador

Work has been extremely slow, and after a couple months looking for the next opportunity, I felt the need to put everything on hold. I still had a lot of free time to make the most of, before the next big contract/work commitment would come into my life.

I started the month of September in Quebec, with friends and family, where I have been all summer. Quebec culture sometimes differs widely from that of the rest of Canada... example, it is customary around that time of year to gather with people we love and have a "corn peeling party" or corn roast (épluchette de blé d'Inde).

It's quite simple: we all show up, peel corn, cook it and enjoy it along with all sorts of sides, and friends and family. It was a perfect way to end my summer in Quebec.

I hit the road the very next day, September 3, with a mission to get to Newfoundland via the road way less traveled of Labrador. An opportunity to explore a different North.

A Milestone to remember

It was over 2000km to drive from Quebec City to Blanc-Sablon, where I could catch a ferry across to Newfoundland. The endeavour could have felt daunting. But with my experience driving in Northern BC, the Yukon and across Canada and the USA, I felt well equipped for the adventure.

The road was paved most of the way, there were just enough gas stations to avoid the need to carry a jerry can, and it was still summer weather. I had all my camping gear, my satellite phone (the mini inReach), and enough food to not rely on the sparse grocery stores. Labrador has abundant fresh water, so with my containers and filter, staying hydrated was not a concern.

TENT camping - the only real camping

There are many opportunities to camp for free in Labrador, so gas was my only expense. It's interesting though how the definition of camping seems to have changed over time. The whole trip, I'm the only person I saw sleeping in a tent. My definition of car camping is to set up my tent next to my Jeep - a luxury compared to backcountry camping. Yet, others I encountered were self-proclaimed "campers" out there in their vans, campers and motorhomes.

This little fact made me quite proud of my sense of adventure and resilience. Finding a good and safe spot for a tent is a lot more challenging than with a self-contained vehicle. I cannot lock my doors. And I have to constantly be bear/ wolf/coyote aware. I am also much more affected by the weather. But overall, it went really well. No issue. Only the annoyance of dealing with a wet tent most mornings. Either due to rain, dew, or intense condensation.

Waiting for the ferry in Blanc Sablon, QC

I saw cool wildlife (wolves, a bear, a fox...) and often felt alone in the wild. The weather was mostly fine and I could bathe in the lakes until I reached the coast. I absolutely loved immersing myself in Labrador culture and history, and wish to go again, more deeply.

I crossed onto Newfoundland on September 10.

Quite a few people asked me why I felt so called to go to Newfoundland. I found the question strange, because why not? These same people probably never ask others why they go on a cruise, to an European city, or a beach in the Caribbean. I couldn't help but be mildly offended. But regardless, I happily made it there, on The Rock. It had been calling me. I didn't know the reason. But it didn't matter.

Gros Morne Mountain trail

I had 5 days to explore old Viking sites, Gros Morne National Park and make my way across to St. John's for a housesit (more free accommodation!). Adding another 1000kms or so to Jeepy's odometer.

Gros Morne is definitely one our top Canadian National Parks. I managed to squeeze in the Gros Morne Mountain hike and an overnight to Green Gardens.

I also allowed myself a little detour to Twillingate before having to be in St. John's to start my housesit. Very much worth it!

Staying in a colourful heritage home with 2 Maine Coons was definitely something to look forward to. And thanks to Trusted Housesitters, I spent 2 weeks exploring the Avalon peninsula from the comfort of a beautiful downtown house. It also allowed me to progress on some work and projects.

St. John's has so many charming houses and buildings

That time was filled with cocooning, bits of the East Coast Trail, touching the oldest fossils in the world, getting to the most easterly point in North America, and a couple of super late team meetings due to the extreme timezone (12:30 AM!).

My housesit friends supervising my work

This brought me to September 29, the day my housesit finished and I started my drive across the whole province again. I had missed the closer ferry route by just under a week, as they shut down operations for winter season after September 23.

This little surprise added another 900kms or so, but provided an opportunity to see a bit of Terra Nova National Park and the Southwest side of the province, which I previously had to skip.

I closed the month reminiscent of youthful backpacking travels, sleeping on the floor of the overnight ferry to Nova Scotia.