Terri and Peter's RV Adventures

I wish I’d read Anne of Green Gables when I was ten. Instead, I read it at age 69, after my literary friends heard I was going to Prince Edward Island and insisted I read it. The book captures the place of Cavendish and Prince Edward Island intertwining them with the characters and overall story. The place and the people shaped, influenced and interacted with one another.

I was captivated by the book, if not sometimes irritated by this effervescent, forever imaginative, nonstop talker and dreamer of a girl, Anne. If I’d read this when I was ten, at the very least, I wouldn’t have felt so alone. I had an insatiable imagination, like Anne, but not the same optimistic emotional set point. Still, I could relate to her fantasy world and love of words.

When I discovered that I’d serendipitously booked a campsite in Cavendish, five miles from Green Gables, I had to see it. Turns out that Parks Canada manages the historic site, preserving the house that inspired the book (it was the author’s cousins’ house). It’s become a major PEI destination. The exhibits mirror the book, intertwining the life of the author, the culture and nature of PEI and Cavendish in the turn of the 20th century and the story of Anne of Green Gables. I toured the exhibits, the house that’s been fully and accurately furnished with period pieces, and the barn and buggy. It was truly a treat to go there.

At the exit, you’re invited to write down your impressions and what brought you to there. I wrote down my thoughts. I found great inspiration as a writer and publisher reading about the author persistently submitting drafts of this book to six different publishers before it was finally accepted. It took great courage, stamina and belief in one’s work and oneself, especially as a woman in the early 1900s. I took pictures of some of the arc of her life.

Then, we drove the width of PEI to Summerside, the second largest city/town in PEI. We had to get our truck’s oil changed and tires rotated. With thunder rumbling, the four of us hung out for an hour in their waiting room. During that time, I got restaurant and grocery store recommendations from a local and thoughts on other places to visit on the island, so it was certainly worthwhile. And now, we have a properly maintained truck to get us safely back home. We are about at the half way mark of our trip so it makes sense we need to take care of this now.

Taking advantage of being in a large town, we shopped at Sobie’s, a cross between a Safeway and a Whole Foods. It had many of the gluten free options I needed and good, mostly organic produce. So that was a treat. Then we headed to the waterside boardwalk and walked the bayside boardwalk. It’s not as nice as Charlottetown and is much more of an industrial town, with large, impressive agricultural and seafood processing plants. Potatoes and lobster are king here.

Heading back to camp, we continue to be dazzled by this pristine countryside: winding country roads showcasing the bucolic rolling green hills, red dirt patchworks, and country houses and churches punctuating the backdrop with charm. It’s hard to remember we aren’t in England.

Above: Waiting while the oil change and tire rotation were being done.

Peter grilled salmon, PEI potatoes and asparagus, and we felt especially lucky because there’d been a power failure at the campground effectively shutting down all the water pumps. No bathrooms, running water or showers. Fortunately, we’d topped off our water reservoir this morning to 100% and have a shower, bathroom and many of the comforts of home, certainly from a camping point of view.

The day ended with a brilliant, awe-inspiring sunset: the sun a bright red (maybe from the smoke from fires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan?), sinking into the North Atlantic Ocean. The gentle sounds of a rhythmic lapping of waves against the shore created a perfect lullaby.