Manitoba and lifelong friends

Continuing along Highway 1 from Saskatchewan we crossed the provincial border into Manitoba. This was a real milestone for Elizabeth as she had visited her close friend, Fiona, here when she was 18 years old and fallen in love with Canada and dreamed of returning. We headed North of Highway 1 towards our campsite at Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park. We passed close to Oak River where Elizabeth had visited all those years ago and the memories came flooding back. The landscape was just as beautiful as it was back then, farmland, lakes and many animals to see. We spent two nights at Clear Lake and thoroughly enjoyed the national park; the lake was beautiful with some great hiking and a wonderful small village with an amazing bakery and the best cinnamon buns! We left Clear Lake and headed to Brandon, we had a one night stop over at a harvest host which was a garden centre with great coffee!

Then it was onto the highlight of Manitoba, to see Fiona and her family and it was emotional. We spent the most wonderful weekend with Fiona, Kevin, Alex and Emily and their two dogs. It was a weekend spent catching up on our lives, eating great food, drinking great wine and enjoying easy company. After all those years it was as if no time had passed and Elizabeth and Fiona were the horse mad teenagers they once were! Saying goodbye was again emotional but we know it won’t be long before we can all meet up again!