This province has a lot of roads, all leading somewhere important, all seemingly under construction and all dotted with stories making Saskatchewan what it is. I spend a lot of time on those roads and sometimes I have to find a place to stay. I don't mind a couch or floor at a relative's or a quiet spot within a couple of minutes' walk of a washroom in a campground, but sometimes I do stay at a hotel, motel or inn.
On some of my tours my accommodations are booked by someone else, but recently I had to research an area I had never been and take my chances with internet advertising. I've stayed in all types of rooms both new and out-dated from huge high-rise corner suites to tiny little drive-up rooms. Some are cleaner and others have more comfortable beds.
In my planning I often run across ads for Bed and Breakfasts and have seen the odd sign along the highway pointing the way to a family run hideaway. In Niagara Falls and Jasper it seemed to me almost every home had a sign in the yard offering accommodations, but I had never seriously considered staying at a B and B.
I had heard some pleasant stories and decided to try something new this summer. I booked my daughter and I a night off the beaten path and hoped for the best. I was a little nervous feeling as if I was about to trespass and walk into someone else's private space. My daughter had heard my cousin speaking about spending a night in what they thought would beB and B, but with a bath shared with several other guests and no food they called it a "bed and door" and my daughter was a little worried.
We drove down a quiet drive following the directions I received by e-mail and pulled up to a beautiful house surrounded by walking paths cut into the grass and weaving through acres and acres of woods. We were warmly welcomed by our hosts and after choosing a room and bringing in our bags we visited for a short time before exploring the paths and spending a few minutes enjoying the early evening on the shore of a small lake. It was more comfortable than I expected, it was quiet and beautifully decorated with pieces of art, each with a story, in contrast to the generic prints hanging on the walls of the many other rooms we've slept in.
Breakfast was abundant and tasty and the company was delightful.The experience has made me eager to take more trips down the lightly travelled paths. I'm always excited to find something new in this province and now I have even more I want to explore.
