And now? Far away!

For over a year now, our horizon has ended at the border of Austria. Not that it would be a bad thing to vacation in Austria, quite the opposite. Last year we enjoyed the most beautiful places in the country. Our favorite Rauris Valley, the Zillertal Alps , the Rhine Valley and of course our home, the Salzburg Lake District . But we would like to pursue this dream of flying across the pond soon.

The view to the west

Given the challenging situation and global developments, we still need a lot of imagination, but our wanderlust is looking west. A small dream that we have had for years is to travel to Canada with a few side trips to the northern states of the USA . It should be over the summer, ideally for four weeks or more. A trip from east to west, zigzagging between the two large North American countries, with the whole family. A good friend once gave me the tip that dreams only come true if you write them down. So there you go!

Our route

We begin our extensive journey in the city where so much began, where the brightest minds meet the most exciting sports clubs in the USA: Boston . From there, we conquer Canada. Montreal , a dreamy city with cosmopolitan flair and embedded in the St. Lawrence River. The next stop is the tranquil capital of Canada, Ottawa . Even though many of those who have told us about it think it is superfluous, we are making a stop in Toronto before heading back to Detroit in the USA. There we want to see what is left of the automobile cosmopolitan city. Around the Great Lakes, however, we don't just want to explore cities, we also want to enjoy a summer vacation . But the cities and opportunities in the region are too tempting, especially if you are not averse to the sports on offer in the USA. Green Bay seems to be a perfect place to combine sporting heroics with a vacation. The city on Lake Michigan advertises its likeable American football team, the Green Bay Packers, and their incomparable stadium, Lambeau Field. The last point on the map before flying further west is Minneapolis . The beautiful city on the Mississippi, with its parks and lakes, is said to be wonderful for enjoying urban flair as a family.

Start of the tour: Boston / USA

The second part of the trip takes us to Vancouver and the fabulous world around it. Whether it's the mountains in the north, the Pacific with Vancouver Island in the west or the city itself - we absolutely have to go here. We want to embark on the adventure that awaits us here in a camper van . The coast, the mountains, the lakes, the rivers and the tranquil places, it all screams camping. The capital of British Columbia, Victoria, is also on the wish list, including a ferry ride. The last destination before the journey home is back to the USA. There we want to explore hip Seattle . With the "Space Needle", the contrast between nature, water and city as well as the history of grunge and important bands, Seattle is a worthy finale. And then, off home!

probably the highlight of the trip: Vancouver and surroundings

Feasibility

Even if it doesn't look like it at the moment, the chances of this trip being possible are increasing every day. In addition to the factors of vaccination and the development of the pandemic, the road to the trip is not far. Classic travel vaccinations, for example, are not required, and applying for a visa is also easy thanks to help from the Internet. In addition to the visa for Canada, the eTA Canada , which is not so well known in the media, it is above all the ESTA application that is known for its detailed data query. But even if you want to visit these two countries in one trip, the effort involved is limited. Thanks to global money transfers, there is no longer any need for hectic currency exchange and planning of expenses down to the cent. However, if you are hoping for a bargain or two in the USA, you should keep an eye on the exchange rate between the euro and the USD for a longer period of time. There is also something to consider when it comes to language: Eastern Canada speaks French ! So a "Do you speak English?" is the least you need to start a conversation. Surprisingly often, we read, English is not spoken.

With the appropriate development of this one stupid thing and the manageable but necessary preparations, nothing stands in the way of a dream trip to the USA and Canada.

And if not this year, then soon! :D