Contrasts break the monotony. Imagine travelling only in islands. After the third one probably we could end up in the same routine: in the morning eat fruits, install the hammock, eat fish at the lunch, go to the beach, drink cocktail in the evening listening the travel stories of other tourists on other same islands….
That’s why to go from Brussels directly to Montreal would be to eat poutine instead of Flagey frites ( if you know what I mean). Cuba was the perfect alternation.
So from New York, the city of finance, the city of western civilization, where can we go, still, being in the same area….. a farm in the easternmost part of Canada. It’s so remote, that there is no public transportation on some segments.
We arrive at the bus station in Boston at 9:00. I found out that with this bus we lose the connection in Bangor for Calais, to cross the border in St Stephen, where I arranged for the first time to stay over night by coach-surfing. I ask the guy next to me how is hitch hiking. He says that is near impossible, because Bangor is known as the capital of homeless people in US. And this guy looks that he knows what is he saying, because he looks strangely like a homeless. I think in my mind, ‘Oh great’, Emilie choose the cheaper bus, but on the other hand, we have to improvise. I ask the lady in front of me, whose mouth smells alcohol. She says something… an another guy takes part to the conversation and says, that the people in the area are very nice, and it will be probable easy to get a ride. He is Daniel, an artist who live in New York, but bought a farm near Bangor, in the middle of nowhere. He doesn’t like driving, so because his farm is pretty isolated, he built a hybrid tricycle, which has an electric engine and can be powered by gas as well.
One of his famous sculptures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ-zeRCUicw
His painting technique: he creates a chemical scenario, in which diff are blended where he blends different chemical ingredients, he starts the reaction and lets the painting to evolve itself. He let us his address, phone number, in case of… In order to learn to draw, he told me that everything is in the connection eye-brain. To enhance this, I need to practice every day, focus on a simple object and draw the contour without looking at it, move the hand very slowly.
He took us with a cab to a good place to hitch-hike. We walked for 2 minutes, without, making any sign, a car stopped, and pick us up for 7 miles, to a road which goes directly to Calais. That’s Ron, ship captain. 
He went with me in a gas station, he asked for a cupboard to write properly the desired destination.
He gives us his phone number, in case of… His advice, when you hitchhike, you have to be in the area where the cars go very slowly, so they can stop easily.
After 5 minutes, Steven came. He is a anaplastic cancer survivor. 3 years ago, he was diagnosed in the 4th phase, the doctor said ‘no chance’. Only 7% can make 5 years. But he dropped the medication, he didn’t smoke or drink before, but after that he started: he got back to the normal life. He is an entrepreneur, and own his mechanical company.
Before, he was doing barbecues during the week, but in the last 20 years, little by little he got to work 50 hours per week. After 2008, he started to work 70 hours. Coffee, stress, amount of work caused the cancer. Now he works 50 hours. He comes from a poor family and wanted to succeed, to give a better life to his 3 children. He has a lot of field, and won a lot from stock market, by buying almost bankrupt american companies, and sell them after.
One piece of advice: don’t think about the world, focus on your life.
We had to walk another 3 miles to the border … Too much. So while walking, I made the sign: Mike took us, until the border.
He stopped right in front of the custom office. Then we continued our talk about ecology issues, about his business projects. He talked for more than one hour. And when I saw that it is already night, we started to walk to cross the bridge between the two countries. He came with the car in parallel, to give me his phone number, the American custom office was after his car. The custom officials stopped us, because for them looked very suspicious, that he hide us with his car, that they saw us talking for hours. As he is known to have a lot of land in the area, maybe we could have worked for him. So at 10 pm, me and Emilie we are invited to put our luggage in the custom office, we cannot touch any more our stuff. They asked us about needles. Yes, Emilie move her hand to show him. ‘Don’t move’, and the officer shows the gesture of a cocaine … No sir, we have needles for repairing cloths.
– Do you have any drug, marijuana ?
-No, nothing … Ah … Actually we have half of a Cuban cigar.
— Do you know that’s illegal ? … From where do you know this guy ?
– from 5 minutes in the car + the time that you have seen us talking
– does he waits for you after the border?
– no
– do you intend to work for him ?
– no … We want to work for a month in a farm in Nova Scotia (of course I haven’t said that, and for google and other services, it’s not work, it’s not even volunteer, it’s just to pretend that we are farmers, to put some cool photos on facebook)…
Finally, we pass the American border, at the Canadian one they are very kind. Actually too kind. I forgot to take a photo with the address, I knew where it is, but Emilie wanted to be sure. So I asked the custom officer, where is the street.
– I am from here, but I don’t know. Let me ask my boss
– no, don’t do it ! Now I remember, thank you…
We arrive, in the door there was a letter for us, where is our bedroom, where is the bathroom, that he (Billy) is leaving at 8am, but he hopes that we shall meet … Amazing.
Well, that’s all folks for today.
