Gate 27: As One Stage Ends...

In the concluding part of his Stage 1 Review, Ben reveals whether or not he found the one thing he has been looking for?

Aims, objectives, stages and legs… I realise I can perhaps make this adventure seem a little over the top some times, but fundamentally everything I find myself doing is motivated by just one thing – that is I travel in the pursuit of happiness.)

Canada: The Highlights

Ben Collins publishes the highlights from his six months travelling across Canada

Vancouver Island: The Cat's Arses

Ben looks back on his eight weeks spent on Vancouver Island and how leaving might be more difficult than he expected


The Powder Room: The Big Reveal

Ben Collins reveals the fruits of his labour after spending two weeks refitting his host's bathroom in Winchester, Ontario

I have to say that when I finished destroying Laura's downstairs bathroom I did feel like I had taken on way more than I should...

The Powder Room

After being asked to refit a host's bathroom, Ben Collins admits he may have bitten off more than he can chew

During the afternoon that I returned back to Winchester, my host Laura and I went to get a few groceries and on the return journey the following conversation was played out in the car...

The Black Fly

Ben explains why he chose to leave Cornerstone Farm just ten days in to what should have been a six week work exchange

With the Sun baking me at 35C, black flies pulling chunks of flesh from my neck and mosquitoes doing what they do best I was somewhat unhappy with my situation.

A Word from Tweed

Ben receives a message from a previous Work Exchange host

Hi Ben, I wanted to leave this comment on your blog but as a techno single-celled animal, I'll be darned if I could figure out how. So here it is.  I hope you are having a wonderful adventure wherever you are now.

Bear Sausage

Ben sets out his personal goals for the duration of his stay in Alexandria

Upon stepping off the train I was immediately greeted on the platform by Mitch who regular readers might remember me writing about in an earlier post As Fate Would Have It.

New Photo Album

Winchester, Ontario. Canada (2012)

Winchelsea Events

CTV Broadcast

Mother's Day Brunch

1st Haircut

At Home With The Fletcher's

From the home of his second Work Exchange, Ben presents his stay for the first time in film

Laura, Tim and their three kids, Ashley, Bennett and baby Cole welcomed me into their home with open arms and am saddened that my three week stay here in Winchester has come to an end.

But instead of telling you all about my stay at Winchelsea Events I have instead opted to show you and putting my creativity to the test I have developed (using only my iPhone) a short ten minute video montage.

I hope you enjoy...

New Photo Album

 Tweed, Ontario. Canada (2012)

Wilson's Organic Blueberries

Rock Dunder

Ferry to Wolfe Island

Beaver Pond

Cats, Turtles and Alpakas

Gratefulness

After two weeks on the blueberries, Ben looks back at his time in Tweed, Ontario

As the Sun set beneath the horizon this wonderful near-wilderness was transformed back to little more than a collection of silhouettes and as the beavers began making their way out on to the pond ready for a night of both felling and foraging, I too was being called for dinner...

Evangelical Environmentalists

Ben discusses the lengths that his current hosts in Tweed go to in order to be environmentally friendly

When Denice announced within minutes of my arrival that she and her husband John considered themselves both to be evangelical environmentalists I began to wonder if my planned two-week stay here was a little ambitious... And it quickly became apparent that this was no exaggeration. These two were hardcore...

As Fate Would Have It

With little in the way of plans beyond his next work exchange, Ben's concerns are answered by an apparent act of fate

I can't quite believe it but my time in Tweed is nearly over and this time tomorrow I'll be boarding the coach for Ottawa, where after a few nights CouchSurfing I'll be heading just south of the city to begin my next work placement at The Winchelsea where if everything works out I hope to stay until the middle of May.

With these plans in place I feel very comfortable this is very reassuring but with nothing to speak of to follow, I have this last week become increasingly conscious that I need to sort some thing out...

Snapping Turtles

Ben unexpectedly stumbles upon the largest freshwater turtle in Canada


Whilst gliding effortlessly across the water the absence of any wind made my morning canoe all the more enjoyable and as per usual I had my eyes fixated in to the water in the hope of seeing either the beaver, the otter, or, as pictured below, sat on top of a log, one of many freshwater Painted Turtles that seem to call this beaver pond home.

The Adventist`s

Ben is invited to join host John and fellow work-awayers Sophie and Alena to a Health and Wellbeing classes run by 7th Day Adventist's 

If you had told me two weeks ago that I'd spend my evening tonight sat in a healthy lifestyle cooking class run by a bunch of 7th Day Aventist's I'd have probably died laughing.

And yet here I was, sat in front of Phyllis (pictured in the blue sweater) who running the show made what turned out to be a really good evening. Everyone present was just like every other Canadian I have met so far - just incredibly friendly and ever so welcoming.

Rock Dunder

Ben experiences stunning vistas at Rock Dunder and rides the ferry to Wolfe Island

For our day off this week Denice had arranged for us all to go on a hike up to Rock Dunder, a land Trust just north of Kingston which sits on the edge of Lake Ontario. And with photos saying much more than I ever could, I'm saying nothing more than that I had a fantastic day...

The Transplant

Ben reveals what is involved working on a blueberry farm

For nearly three months I have known my first work-exchange was to be based on a pick-your-own blueberry patch, but knowing that the blueberries will be far from ready for picking, have had no idea about what it is I'll actually be doing...

Welcome to Tweed

Ben introduces his first work exchange project in Tweed, Ontario

Gliding across the water with the Sun shining from behind me everything for the briefest moment of time seemed to stand still. The grasses along the banks had stopped moving and with the exception of my paddle making contact with the water the silence was complete. Then from nowhere whilst peering into the water, turtles, no bigger than the palm of my hand begun swimming up towards the base of the canoe where sat with a smile on my face I couldn't help but think that life is pretty sweet...

The Work Exchange

Ben discusses how he plans to spend years away from home... without breaking the bank

One of the very first questions people seem to have when considering the prospect of round the world travel is just "how much does it all cost?" Whether it be in books, magazines or countless Internet forums, a great number of people, including myself, have asked this unanswerable question as this alone really determines when you can leave and more importantly for how long you can be away...