On Monday morning, June 30, friends Lauren Laninga and Celina Peters unexpectedly set out on a cross-country road trip.
“We had been joking about it (this trip) for the past year,” says Laninga.
Both friends had similar summer schedules and thought the timing was as good as ever.
To the east!
When choosing which direction they should take, Laninga says they wanted to stay local to Canada, but as she grew up in The Pas, wanted to take a different route than north.
Laninga says, “We both had this romanticized idea about the East Coast. And so, we decided...that feels right. Let’s go east.”
The adventure begins
Their journey started in Manitoba, and continued as the friends drove through Ontario, stopping to swim in Lake Superior, then on to Montreal, for a detour of poutine, and Moncton, N.B., where they saw Canada Day fireworks.
“One of the coolest things (is that) all these landmarks we’ve seen happened on Canada Day,” says Laninga.
After taking turns driving and sleeping in the car, Laninga and Peters arrived in Prince Edward Island after roughly 30 hours.
“The backseat was a great makeshift bed,” says Laninga.
The two friends say they are grateful and overwhelmed by this unexpected journey.
Living each day to the fullest
“I think the most fun thing about this trip is that we actually have no return date,” says Laninga.
The pair are documenting their journey across Canada, making sure to capture every unplanned moment.
“(There’s) no better way to celebrate Canada than experiencing what Canada has to offer,” says Laninga.
The friends have plans for deep sea fishing and shark watching this weekend, from that point on, their plans are unknown.
“We’re living each day to its fullest. It's such a privilege.” Laninga says.
Written with files from Carly Koop
Photos provided by Lauren Laninga and Celina Peters