Down and out

[Gimpy]

So I've realized that I never really gave an update on our drive to NL... Well, my phone broke a few days before we left, and we're all hunkered down on a 14 day quarantine (that's almost done).
Also, the trip was an absolute disaster. So, that's a thing too. Nothing in my life is simple, so sit back and enjoy the story, because it's a whopper. FYI - The travel started right before a long weekend... So trying to contact anyone for anything was hard enough.

Early May - I received a call asking if I was still interested in a position in Gander... No problem, I'll take it! Whole family had to screen (medical, dental, social worker), in May, during COVID-19. Most interviews were short and simple, and conducted over the phone. I was working from home anyways, and Amanda was renovating a new (to us) camper that we bought to entertain us during the summer.

House sold, fast (thanks to our neighbors close friends who bought it quickly!!). We virtually purchased in Gander (got a home inspection, parents did a walkthrough, and we were on a video call).

Pre-Pack 27 August - One person showed up, apparently the other had called in sick. My phone broke that morning, and has not yet been replaced. So keep in mine while I'm going through all the BS below, I had no phone, and my wife had limited data on hers.

Pack - Same woman came the second day... But because she again had no help, so she brought her cousin who had never packed a box before in her life (I overheard her asking how to tape them up). Lovely.

Load - A crew showed up to load everything... It was a long day, but everything there worked out great. Even loaded up my golf cart!

Clean - Cleaners came on time, wonderful job. Shoutout to Barrie Molly Maid! Exceptional. Same day, my car was picked up on a flatbed truck and shipped. It arrived about 10 days into quarantine, no issues.

Now, the travel portion. What a nightmare. Every campground was booked during the second week of July (around the 10th-12th)...

Travel Day 1 - Remember that camper? We also bought a 2007 Ford Expedition so that we could tow it. First time driving it with a trailer attached was THIS WEEK. 6 hour drive over to Maplewood Acres RV Park. Beautiful park, helpful staff. Settling into the site was hard, getting the kids to bed (first night in camper) was hard, and early to bed, because the next day was LONG.

Tvl 2 - Multiple campgrounds in NB refused us entry when trying to book. I had one guy hang up on me... No surprises there, the east coast is doing their bubble thing. No one in or out. I finally booked the Sussex KOA, in mid July. Stopped at the NB border, only to find out that the blanket travel exemptions signed off by CFMO NL for relocation military members meant nothing in NB, and I was told we were only allowed to stop if absolutely necessary. No one cared that I was military, on a posting, and ordered by the federal government to sleep periodically, every 500kms-ish.
We called ahead to the KOA at lunch time to make sure our booking was going through, and that we would be super late (wrong turn, ended up on a road under heavy construction for 2 hours in QC). We were told our gate key and map of the park would be in the suggestion box. After over 15 hours of driving (it was supposed to be 10, but add gas, food, bathroom breaks... construction.......) And this was only the second day towing a trailer EVER), we arrive at the Sussex KOA at just after midnight. Exhausted, three kids and two dogs in the back... Suggestion box is empty. Guy in a side-by-side ATV, in a KOA shirt drives by... We flag him down, and he goes to the owners trailer to see what the problem is. We are told our reservation doesn't exist (I had it printed, in my hand, and my credit card was already charged).
This went to the point that police were called (by me - I would lose all my food [including my quarantine coolers with weeks worth of food] and told her that by not letting me plug my trailer in, she was forcing me into the community to replenish all of my food). She told the police I was trespassing and would need to be removed. I wished her a miserable night, and that she loses her new-to-her park. Shameful, that you decided to wait until 2am in the morning to inform me that you were cancelling our reservation without notice.
The local RCMP escorted us to the Amsterdam Inn & Suites who gave us a room immediately, let me park my camper on the grass in the back, gave me a late checkout in case we slept in, and sent us off with a big plateful of breakfast on the road. Thank you to both of you.

Tvl 3 - With a couple hours of sleep, it's time to head off to NS. A short 3.5 hour drive to Antigonish. Stopped at the NS border... My exemption and posting instructions mean nothing, and we're told that we aren't allowed to stop in NS. Well, I won't name the park here (just in case he wasn't allowed to let me in), but there was a beautiful little park that let us in. We paid, plugged in, and had a few hours to breathe. I think out of the entire family, I left the site twice, to throw out garbage bags. Early to bed, as we had to be at the ferry at 9:45am, a few hours away.

Tvl 4 - Antigonish to North Sydney, get aboard the 7 hour ferry. We took the 223 through central Cape Breton. The road was in much worse shape than I was lead to believe, so it was a very bumpy day on a road barely wide enough for two cars (remember, this is now the fourth time I've driven that trailer). It was white knuckle, and Amanda wouldn't look up from her lap it was that miserable... But we didn't have time to turn around, or slow down.
We were literally THE LAST VEHICLE to get aboard the ferry. We get to our room, and the TV doesn't work. We were given a few sandwiches and bottles of water though... But that cabin had A SHOWER!!! Hot showers all around! Then naps. Other than that, the ferry was uneventful. The crew went door to door letting people know they could leave... Unsure if my door was missed, or we missed it over the kids screaming... But we didn't know to get off until the announcement came over the PA saying everyone could leave, and I was holding up a bunch of 18 wheelers... Once off, we find out my blanket relocation travel exemptions provided by the CAF weren't anything, and we had to apply individually for entry. So that was another 45 minutes in the parking lot by ourselves sorting it out.
was able to drop off a feed of fried chicken off for us, so we had some fresh food.15 minute drive over to the JT Cheeseman Provincial Park. Can't remember what day I called them to let them know I'd be late as I was coming off the boat, but it was in the past 3 days as we were on the road. "No problem!". When I arrived, it was a problem. 7:30 pm, been on the move around twelve hours, and was refused from yet another park. At least, they let me pull in to turn my trailer around. However, yet another park who did nothing to let me know my reservation was cancelled. I spent the night in the parking lot of the Wreckhouse (EXTREME winds). Good thing

Tvl 5 - Port aux Basques to Grandfalls Windsor. By this time, I was sick and tired of dealing with parks who refused to let me enter the grounds (I'M TRYING TO ISOLATE MY FAMILY! Letting me stay in my camper is WAY MORE ISOLATED than being in a hotel). So I called ahead to Sanger Memorial RV Park. They said they wouldn't let me in the park, so I hung up, and drove on through to Gander. This was also the closing day of the house, so we planned on staying in the trailer in the backyard... But that didn't happen. Closing date failed (I'll get to that...), so we stayed in the Albatross Hotel, no problem.

Tvl 6 - Already in Gander... House finally closed after dealing with more issues, and we got the keys. This was the first time we got to see the inside of our house in person.

Unload - Truck came on time, truck was unloaded. No damage to my stuff, and job well done. Thanks Abby. This is the day my dad came by with our grocery order... And a bag of fresh king crab, and a lobster. Oh, and a case or two of Blue Star.Unpack - I think the 2 guys thought they were paid by the box, as they unloaded nearly 20,000 lbs of stuff in about an hour.

As I said, everything has to be an adventure... Most of these issues happened while we were on the road... I have no phone, and Amanda's is running out of data (this was also our GPS for driving directions)

House Insurance - We are required to have inspections, get pictures, and certificates for the 2 oil tanks / furnaces on the property in Gander... A couple of days before the house closed, while on the road, sleep deprived and dealing with everything else above. I also only have insurance for 30 days, because one of the tanks is old. So I have to have it removed (while on two weeks quarantine, where I cannot let a contractor on the property to do the work).

Closing on the house - The lender was missing paperwork (a void cheque) that we were required to somehow get. While on the road... It took so long to sort out, that the closing date had to be moved... Which means that I had to resign all of the paperwork AGAIN. With a lawyers office that refused to let me in (with my letter from Dr. Haggie saying I'm allowed to conduct business for my move). I came up with the idea that I meet them in the parking lot, and they throw it on the ground in front of me so I can take it back to the hotel for my wife and I to sign, and return in the same fashion... They agreed. This was around 11 am the day after the closing, and dealing with a bank that closes at 1 pm.

Down Payment - Unknown to us until we were on the road, the down payment (from selling the Ontario house) was deposited to my wife's bank account, vice being sent to the trust account for the new house... FYI - CIBC will not do any big transfers, bank drafts, or anything like that over the phone... We'd have to go into a bank (on a long weekend, while in quarantine, when no one will let me in anywhere. Luckily, Amanda figured out a plan.

Internet - I had Bell booked to come "install" internet on the morning of the closing. That way, the guy would come in, install, and be done before we even entered the house. Twice, my appointment was confirmed for 8am.. Twice confirmation calls... Twice, no one showed up... Was told that because the previous owner (who died last year) didn't cancel his account, so I needed proof of purchase... We had no data left at this point, and were sleeping on the trailer mattresses in the house. After about 10 phone calls, 6 e-mails, someone finally said they'd send a tech in to install (house was already wired for fibre, I just needed the model, but was told I was wrong by multiple call centre employees, install is 3 hours). Guy FINALLY came, and was done in 20 minutes.

tl;dr - my move was one of the worst I've ever heard of, and I spent years advising people about military moves for a living. Sorry to those who I didn't get to say goodbye... Everything happened really fast, and furious... But if you read the above, you'll see why I've been so quiet the last two weeks... We're moving in still and trying to breathe.

*whew*

[Angi]

Welcome home!  Time for yall to breath and calm down! Reading what you have written, i was just shakin my head and rolling eyes , tbh. IF i may say this, considering that you are military, all that, what you mentioned, is unsorted and a big pile of BS! Exspecially for those with family, that what you wrote , sounded like was just plain and simple torcher! NOT the first time i heard / read about this , tbh. And then also that with your bad luck with your phone ! And i am not gonna even start with the parks / camping spots. You guys made it tho ( thank god ) and came safe to your new Home . As written above! Yall breath now and calm down .Waiting for my friend on the server to show me his leet TFC skills

[TinMan]

 Damn Gimpy that sounds like a typical 2020 happening for this year...  If it can wrong, It will...
Glad to hear from you again !!
Welcome Back !!

[Venomous Fangs]

Ouch Gimpy, top marks for keeping your cool, many people wouldn't have. When I said a "whole new adventure", that wasn't quite what was meant! 

Well your now in the new home, so anything that happens now ill be a walk in the park! 

[Swede]

Whoa, what a trip. 
Take care. 

[Bond]

What a move. Hope the seafood and bluestar helped ease the pain of it all a little. (I don't remember seeing blue star in the bottle o's here).

[Gimpy]

Blue Star is a beer made right here on this island... I grew up on it. It's a mass brewery owned by Labatts