Saguenay Fjord — Quebec, Canada

I am grateful for the universal street signs that guide me without the need for language. A question mark sign indicates a visitor center. Perfect! I get some maps and information about the Saguenay Fjord, one of the longest and southernmost fjords in the world. I learn that when two people want to communicate without sharing a common language but with a healthy sense of humor, they find ways to understand each other. I leave with a few maps and several highlighted places to explore.

My first stop is at a kayak shop. My intention to take a guided kayak tour is a great idea, however, the strong wind forces kayak and sailing tours throughout the region to be canceled. Therefore, I let my legs show me the way.

I stop at a few viewpoints in Saguenay Fjord National Park. I attempt the hike to the Statue of Our Lady of Saguenay, but the weather is challenging and making it difficult to reach the summit.

After a day of embracing what I can get while trying to dodge the rain and wind, I am totally wiped. My body and soul are tired. All I want to do is take a nice, long shower and do nothing. I am trying not to burn myself out.

I recognize and am fully aware that there is a new level of fatigue I haven’t experienced in the last three years. This time around, it feels like a test I want to pass. The weather challenges are much more extreme, and on top of that, the few health issues I am dealing with are adding more than I wish to carry. Mosquitoes, however tiny they may be, seem to be waiting for me around every corner. My body is aching for relief.

I feel extremely lucky so far. I don’t have to deal with the consequences of the fires. I feel very fortunate that I passed through Ontario just before the fires started. My heart is broken for all the loss the fires unleash on our planet. I am heartbroken for the people who suffer from these disasters and for the land that will be damaged for many years to come.

I know I hold the choice to simply head “home” earlier and rest. I also believe that the only way I can learn to soften my soul is by practicing how to softly embrace the challenges the universe is trying to teach me.

So, for the next two nights, I book an Airbnb and take a day off. A full day of nothing feels so refreshing!

I wasn’t planning to go around the whole fjord, but I decide to change my plan and see what the road has to offer me. Traveling spontaneously without a set plan can be a lot at times, but the gift of the unknown is thrilling to me. It’s like I have the opportunity to open a wrapped gift with a red bow every day and a new adventure.

The drive from the city of Saguenay to the town of Tadoussac is breathtaking. It feels as though the road creates its own fjord. On one side are mountains covered in lush forests, and on the other, there are occasional peaks of the water between even more trees.

I stop at a few viewpoints. My favorite is the Belvédère du Quai Trail in Sainte-Rose-du-Nord. The skies above me are gray with a hint of blue undertone, creating a muted, soft feeling across the landscape opening before me. The relationship among the stillness of the water, the sheer mountains, and the sky creates a smooth transition between the harsh edges of each element. I find a rock to sit on and take in the story in front of me until the raindrops chase me away.

Next, I put the Pointe-de-l’Islet Trail in Tadoussac into Google Maps. The Saguenay Fjord is known as a home of the beluga whale. The Pointe-de-l’Islet Trail will give me one of my best chances to see one. I arrive with the wish of being lucky enough to spot one, but I also know my chances may be slim. I find a parking spot, put on my coat, and head out to walk between the raindrops.

Another young woman and I start the walk at the same time, and yes, somehow a conversation begins. Catheryne is from the Gaspé region. I am so impressed by her own journey of empowerment. We both agree that the power lies within each person to embark on a journey of self-empowerment and healing.

These short but meaningful encounters I have the privilege of experiencing along my journey are simple acts of love. They help me keep going and inspire me to reach higher.

The rain is getting heavier at this point. I am wet and cold. Sitting in a warm café and getting dinner feels like a welcome solution. I use the time between ordering and waiting for my meal to figure out where I will land for the night.

I already have a spot fifteen minutes away saved on iOverlander, but at the last moment, I decide to try to find a corner in the heart of town. I enter the parking lot of Hôtel Tadoussac to see what my chances are of finding a spot without taking one from a paying guest. Good. The parking lot is quite full, but there are still a few spots left for others.

I settle into my car and hope the sound of the raindrops hammering on my roof will become a soothing rhythm as I try to fall asleep.

Good morning, rain.

Yes, our planet desperately needs rain, so I welcome whatever we receive. For now, I sit in the lobby of Hôtel Tadoussac, catching up on my writing. Shortly, I will go back and hike the Pointe-de-l’Islet Trail again. Maybe this time I will spot a beluga whale?

I have only a few hours to spare, as I need to begin my two-and-a-half-hour drive to catch a ferry across the St. Lawrence River and start my exploration of the Gaspé Peninsula—Gaspésie.