As my first year anniversary with my current job is getting close, I decided I needed to celebrate with a trip. I originally planned to head to the Kawarthas for five days to relax by the lake, hang out in the woods and get some much needed quiet, but as a continuation of the hectic summer I have had so far, the plan didn’t work out.
The cottage needed to be renovated and I had a party to attend in the middle of my planned holidays which limited where I could go. So, at the last minute, I headed off to Niagara Falls alone.
A short train, bus and Uber away, I arrived near Clifton Hill with my camera and the freedom to do whatever I wanted (for a few days at least). I had a hotel room all to myself with no dirty dishes and no sharing, but, instead, it came equipped with AC, my own washroom and a pool just down the hall.
I did all the touristy things I could do in the short three days I was there. I visited Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, a wax museum, the falls (of course), went to the Peller Estates for a wine tour (and saw a glimpse of the Two Sisters Vineyard too), explored Bird Kingdom, had a picnic, took a peek in the casino and hung out with the butterflies at the conservatory.
A lot of people are afraid of traveling alone. I think there is this idea that people will know and judge you, but I had an absolute blast. I got to do the things that I wanted to do without worrying about anyone else. There was no need to compromise, as I only had to take into consideration myself.
Choosing ‘me’ is something I’ve been working on the past year. I’m working on taking night classes, following my passions that I pushed aside and choosing the things that I want. This trip was just the first in many that I will be taking.
Out of all of the things I did, my favourite was definitely the Bird Kingdom. The birds are so beautiful and it gave me chance to photograph them. Some of the birds posed for pictures, while others forced me to be a little more patient to get a good shot of them. These animals are so intelligent. I would love the chance to photograph them in their natural environment. It was cool seeing them up close and personal, but it would be absolutely breathtaking to see them fly and navigate the way they were meant to.
Near the Niagara Casino was a cool little garden. It was an oasis away from the hustle of Clifton Hill and within the park you could barely hear anything that surrounded the area. The trees were marked with sketches of initials declaring their love for one another. Some of them so old that the trees had healed and their names were disappearing.
Stephanie Fraser 