We made it.
One full month on the road with Timmy our little minivan turned home from Calgary to Charlottetown, across nearly 6,000 kilometers. When I look at the map, it still feels surreal: we actually drove from the western plains to the furthest eastern tip of the second-largest country on Earth.
Though technically, the westernmost city is Vancouver and we did drive there last April to chase cherry blossoms — so if we connect the dots… I guess we’ve done it: a cross-country journey from coast to coast. ✔️ Bucket list, officially checked.
Funny thing is, when I was younger and imagined “driving across a country,” I always thought it’d be Vietnam. Or maybe somewhere small, like the Vatican (haha, much easier). Never did I picture Canada vast, wild, quiet, surprising as the place where I’d make that dream real.
And while I often talk about the journey inward, this trip has reminded me: the outer journey matters, too.
The knowledge we gather from the road is its own kind of wisdom. Every city, every small town, every lake and tree — they all hold stories.
- Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, made us feel small in the best way.
- Nova Scotia, home to the most lighthouses in Canada, reminded us how light is often found in lonely places.
- Canada has six time zones that alone should hint at how much land, culture, and rhythm it holds.
- Montreal surprised me a dense, urban island filled with flavors, energy, and vibes that reminded me of Saigon.
- Terry Fox – a young man who ran across the country with one leg, became more than just a name on a monument. He became a quiet voice reminding us that legacy isn’t about age or perfection, it’s about purpose.
- And then there’s PEI – Canada’s smallest province, a fairytale-like island with rolling green hills, colorful cottages, red-sand beaches, and dramatic cliffs. It feels like stepping into the European countryside soft, calm, and full of charm.
- Oh, and Ontario? Wide. So wide. It took us 24 hours to drive across it. One province. A full day.
And then, just before we reached PEI, we had a small conversation:
Where to next? What’s the next adventure?
My heart whispered, “not yet.”
Reality gently but firmly, knocked on the door. Concerns, responsibilities, questions all came back, like old friends who overstay their welcome. Even as I tried to be present, something inside felt… unsettled. I couldn’t name it. But I could feel it.
That’s when another familiar friend visited – this time, one I’ve been learning to trust:
Let go.
Let go of the urge to figure it all out right now.
Let go of the need to always have the next step lined up.
Let go of the fantasy, and return to reality not with resignation, but with acceptance.
Accept where I am.
What I have and what I don’t.
Accept the uncertainty. Accept that I made this decision for now.
And most importantly: allow myself to be here, fully.
Because the future will unfold it always does not when I chase it, but when I show up for the now.
So for today, I’m sitting in this moment.
Grateful. Grounded. Still a little tired.
But trusting that the road both outside and inside will lead where it needs to.
Maybe the bravest thing we can do after crossing a country…
is to stop chasing the horizon for a while, and just watch the sun set — right where we are. 🌅