We awoke to a beautiful Cape Breton Island morning. Our goal today was to follow the Cabot Trail with its rugged terrain and spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.
With the stool right next to the tub, it was an easy mistake in the dark.
As we prepared to leave we noted that one of our travelers wasn't on the bus. No one had seen her at breakfast so our Tour Director Danielle and I went to her room. To our dismay we found she was in the room, answered our calls from the door, but couldn't get to the door to unlock it. She'd fallen in the tub and couldn't get out. The resort manager let us in and we got her up - shaken, bruised, and a little unsteady on her feet but otherwise seemingly OK. She told us she had gotten up during the night to go to the bathroom. The room was totally dark (no nightlight) and she mistook the tub for the toilet, so when she sat down she fell backward into the tub. Then she couldn't get her legs under herself to get up. She'd been there since about 3 PM.
We called the paramedics and I accompanied her to the hospital where she was seen by an admitting nurse within minutes of arriving. After a short wait a physician examined her and declared her "good to go, no need to cancel her trip". We went to the billing department to settle the bill - $100 cash! That included the ambulance, intake in the emergency room and the doctors evaluation. We were back at the resort by 11 AM.
When you have an emergency Canadian healthcare is quick, excellent and inexpensive!
Meanwhile the rest of our travelers headed out to drive the Cabot Trail. They visited the famed St. Peter’s Church in Cheticamp, enjoyed a picnic lunch in Cape Breton Highlands National Park and paused at fishing communities along the coast.
Lots of trees - but when there's an opening the views are beautiful.
I missed this on the last post - it's our very own Jack dressed in an ancient kilt. Lynne by his side!