Hello From The Ottawa River - And Reflections On City Life

So Friday I decided to head out on a kayakingto official statistics, many Canadians don't even
weekend with my friend Leslie. This was the firstmanage to take advantage of their full 2 weeks of
time in about 8 years that I went camping again, andvacation since they can't get away from work. I was
I had a ball sleeping under the stars. A fabuloustalking to a client recently who works for a major
weekend in nature makes you think about life a littleinternational retailer. I asked her why she doesn't
bit, so here are a few snapshots of what's beenwork from home since she receives all her
going through my head in the last few days. Indocuments electronically from head office anyways.
particular, I have been thinking about our lifestyles inShe said the head office people just don't trust
the city and some of the stark contrasts with thepeople working from home, so she continues to
experiences of this weekend. City snapshot numberspend 2.5 hours a day in traffic (on a good day, way
1: Thursday night I linked up with a friend of minemore during a snowstorm...) Country snapshot
who works for a big international bank in finance. Henumber 1: After getting out of rush hour traffic my
was telling me how his employer was sending aroundfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed the drive into
a survey to find out what tasks people wereEastern Ontario, particularly once we headed north of
spending time on at work, all for the purpose ofBelleville into the rolling hills, past tiny country towns
efficiency and downsizing the workforce. In hisand provincial parks. Saturday morning we were
employee newsletter he read that his company waswoken up by the mooing sounds of cows who were
proud that the annual turnover rate amongannouncing day break. The sounds of crickets and
employees is now below 30% (!), and this was a bigcicadas filled the air in the campground. Country
story in the newsletter. We were wondering why asnapshot number 2: The facilities at the Equinox river
turnover of almost 1/3 of the entire staff in a yearrafting camp are extremely basic. We realize that we
would be considered a good thing, considering thecan get by on 2 toilets in tiny plywood cubicles and 4
recruitment, training and outplacement costs as wellco-ed shower stalls that are located in a wooden
as the disruptions caused by a constantly fluctuatingshed. We sleep in a tent on a mat, I forgot my pillow
workforce. But on a few days of the year hisand I borrow Leslie's mini-pillow. There is no Internet,
company gives away free icecream cones to theirno cell phones, no appointments, no fancy clothes, no
employees.... City snapshot number 2: Leslie and I leftmake-up. Country snapshop number 3: Evening in the
to go on our kayaking excursion at 3 pm Friday. Wecampground. About 60 city folks are letting out their
left in mid-town, just north of the 401, Toronto'sinner child, they are partying, shouting, playing music,
major cross-town highway. It took us about an hourhaving fun. That's what it looks like when city people
and a half, to get to Toronto's eastern suburbs, fromlet loose. The next night is a lot quieter, after a full
about Pickering onwards we were stuck inday of paddling the rafters and kayakers are tired
bumper-to-bumper traffic until I had enough andand Saturday night was a much tamer affair. Country
headed northwards to a local road where at least wesnapshot number 4: I am doing my interview with
were moving in between being stopped at red lights.Krista, the spunky young intern at Equinox' river
City snapshot number 3: At the outdoor adventurecamp. I ask her if it would be possible to borrow one
camp I actually talked to another weekend travellerof the bicycles that were leaning against the shed.
who told me that he worked for many years for a"Sure", she says, "just help yourself, my bike is the
major international paper manufacturer until he gotsilver-coloured one. Just grab it whenever you feel
unceremoniously laid off a few years ago. He hadlike it". You don't see this easy-going generosity in
been living and working in Toronto's east end. Afterthe city. Country snapshot number 5: During the
his lay-off he finally found a job in Toronto's westinterview, Krista tells me that a number of her rafting
end and he ended up commuting probably about 2kayaking guide colleagues are living in tents, in a tree
hours in rush hour traffic on a daily basis between hishouse or in a cobbled-together shack during the
house in the east end to his new workplace insummer. During the winter they go off to teach
Toronto's west end. He figures there is no point inEnglish as a Second Language, study theatre, teach
moving since he doesnt' know when he's going toskiing or plant trees and do horticulture in the spring.
get laid off again and where his next job might be.Krista mentions a key phrase several times: "It's
City snapshot number 4: This same person told meamazing how little you need to live." And this morcel
that one of the travellers in his group was trying toof wisdom is coming from a 25-year old woman! The
use her cell phone in the middle of the wilderness onguides are young adults that co-exist without a lot of
Calumet Island in the Ottawa River. She even tried tostructure, very few rules, and they are just having
get up on a picnic table and lifted the cell phone up infun doing sports they love and interacting with the
the air to try to get better reception. He found itclients. And somehow they manage to feed the
rather ridiculous that someone would need to make aclients and safely get them down the river.
cell phone call during an 2-day weekend outing intoEverybody, the guides and the clients, feels like a kid
nature. I guess we need to be wired all the timeagain..... Makes you think, doesn't it?
these days. City snapshot number 5: Life is speedingSusanne Pacher is the publisher of a web portal for
up all around us. To meet a friend for coffee youunconventional travel & cross-cultural connections.
now need at least 3 weeks notice and set up anCheck out our FREE ebooks about travel.
appointment. People work on the weekend, according