Hello everyone! As I mentioned in my last post, I recently got back from my trip visiting Ontario. Today, I’m going to dive in to all of the juicy details from my trip!!!

It was definitely strange to be travelling again, as I haven’t been on a plane in over a year and a half. In fact, the last time I was on a plane, I had a full-blown panic attack – which I wrote about in one of my recent mental health blog posts. I was super nervous to be flying again, not only due to being in a pandemic but especially given what happened last time, so I brought some ativan in case I needed to use it. Though it was a bit nerve wracking, I actually didn’t need to use it and made it through my entire flight, including connections, okay!! It might not seem like a big deal, but it was a major win for me. I’m really proud of being able to do that on my own, especially while travelling during a pandemic, and I think that my medication (also discussed in a previous blog post) had a big positive impact on my experience – something I am incredibly grateful for.

My first stop on the journey was visiting Ottawa, Ontario. I finally got to meet up with one of my best friends, who I had not seen in person for three years!! We were both literally jumping for joy. After all of the craziness of the past year and a half in particular, it was SO nice to both be fully vaccinated and able to see each other in person. Crazy how these times can sometimes bring us together in the strangest ways. Once my dear friends picked me up from the airport, they brought me back to their place which was so sweet and well set up for someone who just arrived from a long journey! A diffuser, soothing lights, soft bed and bath bomb to accompany my shower all awaited my arrival. I am pretty darn blessed to have such incredible friends!! After catching up for a bit and taking a shower, I crashed pretty quickly and slept so soundly.

The next morning, I woke up to a delicious breakfast. It was so nice to take our time waking up and getting ready before heading out to explore. We visited both of my friends’ places of work, and it was so great to see where they were working, especially since it’s been so many years since I’ve been out this way. Then, we explored around Parliament and wound up at Tavern on the Hill, a great restaurant with a view overlooking the parliament buildings. We had lunch and some drinks while enjoying the view. This was one of my favourite spots in the city, and I highly recommend checking it out if you are in Ottawa!

Afterwards, we explored a bit more of downtown Ottawa, including the ByWard Market area and more. Once exploring to our hearts content, we headed back home to get ready for dinner. We decided to visit the Lansdowne area near The Glebe, and had a delicious dinner and many drinks. We walked home and hit just a little bit of rain along the way. All in all, it was a pretty perfect day, and getting to spend so much time with my friends just made it even better. So glad I had the opportunity to take in a bit of the city with them!

On our second day, we decided to explore a bit further afield and head into nearby Quebec to visit Chelsea. We had lunch at The Chelsea Pub, checked out a few stores, and of course: had to grab some ice cream 🙂 Afterwards, we headed even further out to Gatineau Park, to Lac La Peche where we could go swimming in the lake! Though I had visited Quebec before (Quebec City and Montreal), I had never been to this area, so it was really neat to check it out all together. It was a nice warm day and having the chance to take a dip in the water was so awesome. We had some hammocks that we hung out on and spent some time together relaxing, eating, and chatting. Shortly after, we were packing it in for the day and heading back towards Ontario. We got some food for dinner and just relaxed for the rest of the evening. It was a super relaxing day and I’m so lucky that I got to visit not one, but TWO great provinces in Canada during my trip! Even better that I had some excellent company with me!!

Our last day in Ottawa arrived quicker than I had hoped. We started off the day with an absolutely delicious breakfast at home. Then, my friends and I went for a bike ride along the canal, which was super fun and a great way to see a bit of the city. It’s also so nice and green, which is one of my favourite things about Ottawa as well – it feels like you’re still in nature, even in the midst of the city.

Afterwards, we enjoyed some lunch and stopped by an Ottawa classic, Kettlemans Bagel. It was sooo delicious, I definitely got extra for the road. I highly recommend checking this place out if you’re in Ottawa! Soon, I was packing my things and getting ready to say goodbye, as I headed towards the train station which would take me to Toronto. It was so bittersweet to be leaving my friends, as I don’t know when I’ll see them next, but I’m also so grateful for the time we spent together. My three days exploring around Ottawa were spectacular and I hope I get the chance to visit again in the near future!

Stay tuned for our next post in a couple of weeks, where I’ll dive in to the rest of the details from my trip, in Toronto! Much love <3