It's a Wonderful World

Myrna Chartrand : Myrna was born and raised in Oak Point, Manitoba.
Posted By Myrna Chartrand : Myrna was born and raised in Oak Point, Manitoba. On 2022-11-10 08:39:21

I don't even know where to start on how thankful I am. So many good things happen all year round, but September and October seemed especially full!!
I'm so thankful that good health allows me to do the job I love. I'm thankful for the amazing family and friends who support and encourage me every step of the way. I'm thankful to be presented with new and exciting opportunities at every turn.

I was recently interviewed for an article published in a US magazine. One of the questions was along the lines of, "What goals do you think you still have to achieve in your career?" I almost didn't know what to say. Shocking, I know!! When I thought about it, the best answer I could think of was, "Maybe I've peaked!" I don't know where else my career could really take me, but I'm always open to more opportunities. I never dreamed that I would be living my best life when I signed up to be a truck driver.

I was only able to take in one truck show this year, but I managed to make it to the Big Iron Classic in Kasson, MN. It was great meeting up with old friends and making new ones. It's always so nice to be able to put a face to a truck that you've seen so many times in passing yet never get a chance to stop and talk. I don't ever spend much time in one place enough to relax and really enjoy the conversation. I always feel like I'm so rushed and trying to pack so much into short periods of time. I met a driver, Nick, from Jade Transport, who I had spoken to on CB multiple times but never actually spoke face to face. He was parked a couple of trucks down from me, so I went to introduce myself. I ended up introducing him to the wonderful people I've met over the years attending this show. This is what I find great about trucking. It's the camaraderie we find amongst other truck drivers. This was Nick's first truck show, and I think he quite enjoyed himself and looks forward to many more in the upcoming truck show season. I remember going to my first truck show, wondering if I would make any friends. I wasn't sure if people were "cliquey" and stayed in their own groups or if they welcomed newcomers. My good friend Bear introduced me to so many people who are now my long-time friends, so if I can return that favour and introduce new people into the group, I definitely will!

I was really trying to plan my month of September strategically because I knew I had a big vacation coming up. As I get older, I think about where my life is headed and what I hope to achieve and accomplish. I've always wanted to travel more but what often ends up happening is I don't save up for it, or I don't actually go through the steps of trying to organize or plan it.

With covid, travel was basically non-existent, but some really good friends of mine had a trip in the works to South Africa for when restrictions were going to get lifted. My friend Corey, who had actually trained me to drive a big truck many years ago, was the one who told me about this trip. He had been once already, and it sounded just amazing! When he told me about this next trip, I was one of those annoying types who just invite themselves. But, to my luck, he didn't mind letting me tag along. I was beyond thrilled to get this chance. Corey and Kathy were fantastic enough to do all the planning; I just needed to show up. Some people often wonder if their travel companions will get along or if there will be issues, but considering I basically lived in a big truck with Corey for a month or two while he trained me, I figured we would be just fine.

One leg of the flight was a 15-hour one from Atlanta to Johannesburg. Seeing as I sit for upwards of 11 hours a day in the truck, I thought this shouldn't be too tough. Although in the truck, I can pull over and go for a walk whenever I want. Honestly, though, I did much better on the flight than I thought I would.

Once arriving in Johannesburg, I was hit with that feeling of, "Oh my goodness! I'm really here!" Right from start to finish, the vacation was absolutely amazing! We stayed at Dinkwe Lodge and Safaris. The accommodations were beyond anywhere I've ever stayed. Absolutely stunning! The people that owned the lodge were fantastic!! They made sure our stay was an enjoyable one. The food was amazing! We even got to try some wild game, sable and eland. Both were so tasty!! I've never seen sunsets like I got to see there. It was just so wild to be driving along the bushes and see a couple of giraffes standing there looking back at us. I got to tag along on a South African hunt, got to try my hand at fly fishing and took in some whiskey and local gin tastings. I learned so much about life and culture in South Africa. Some aspects really make you appreciate what you have at home that you may take for granted.

When asked if I would go back, the answer was, "In a heartbeat!" I got the travel bug now and can't cure it. Like John Denver sang, "All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go….I'm leaving on a jet plane."

In addition to planning the next trip to South Africa, I was invited to join a group tour to Italy and Greece in July. Although I don't have the money saved up for it yet, I have that fear of missing out, so guess who will be trying to pack on the miles over the next eight months to try to finance the trip??


Previous Blogs

Bella Coola by Glen Mallard

Hole in One by Dave Madill

On The Wrong Road by John Maywood

Wildlife by Colin Black

On the Road Again by Myrna Chartrand...

Cooking Class by Scott Casey

Know Your Limits by Ed Murdoch...

2020 Vision by Greg Evasiuk...

Jokes

With 35 years of combined publishing experience, you will see this unique and much improved trucking magazine called Pro Trucker Driver's Choice Magazine

Getting Started

Lawful Torture

Little Star

It's Now Or Never

Winter Blues

Sheep

The First Time

Let's Block the Road!

In the Face of History

Human Trafficing

Nature’s Child

Distracted Driving

WE EXIST TO ASSIST

The Virus

"What do you look forward to?"

“Fuel Tanks”

You want me to go where?

From Zero to Hero to Zero

ELD’s and Speed Limiters – Are They Really Safe?

The Dream (July 2005)

The Lonesome Camaraderie of the Transportation Industry

Strange Times

Lockdown Toilets

Life goes on

The Czech Invasion.

A Steep Learning Curve

Fools Casting Calls

We Are All In This Together

How to get Time Off

A New Year

Added Benefits of Trucking

An ill Wind

Loving the Road

Insecure Loads

Memories

All Things Shiny and New

B-Trains

The Good Ol’ Days

Cold Trip

Brexit

A Moment’s Distraction

Have or Have not

Music and Me

Travels With Ringo

Distracted Driver

Changes

ELDs, Roads and Covid

Female of The Species

The Switch

Flood of 60

Crimes Against Humanity

Training Hours

In the Truck’s Clutches

Attitude & Altitude

Wide Open Spaces (and closed in places)

Trucking is a Trade

A night to remember

Loading Heavy Equipment

CLIMATE CHANGE & TRUCKING

Truck Routes

Then and Now

Attitude & Altitude

A Girl Just Wants to Have Fun…

The Weekend!

Unity

How I Write

In The Beginning Part 3

Tires and Unions

Stay Safe

My Rant…

Isolation

I learned a New Trick

It ain’t the years - it’s the miles.

It’s Time, Gentlemen, Time

Coincidences

The Brain

Blind Man's Buff

Editor's Note

The Flitting

Eastbound

What I Did This Summer

Pictures

Adventure

Show Ready

Trolls

Big Rig Weekends

Love and Trucking

Books and Covers

Like a Boss

It's a Wonderful World

Common Sense By Glen “The duck” Millard

Dad meets a “Bear.”

All Experience isn’t Good Experience…

The Weather Outside is Frightful…

Common Sense

Bad Breaks and Good Luck

Driving Through My Memories for January/February 2023

Service???

Time to Reset!

Halcyon Days of Trucking

All Experience…

The Piggy Bus Encounter

Sports and Life Lessons

Winter Storms

Humboldt Tragedy_MELT program

Driving Through My Memories

On The Road Again

Wait Over Weight

I Write

Elliot Lake

The Good (?) Old Trucks

Canadian and Proud of it

Six Cans for Buffalo Joe

Monkeys and Peanuts

Safety First

30? 60? 90? Late Pay

Nothing New

Technology

Has anything changed?

Holidays - Then Back To The Grind.

Old Trucker Troubles

Loose Moose

Some of the Trucks I've Seen

The Last Ride

Cold Load Home

Make it a Holiday

Winter Wonderland Trucking

Thinning the Herd

Just Be There…

And to All, a Good Night!

Dumb and Dumber

Helping Out in a Clutch

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

Driver Retention Matters_ New Volvo VNL

Consistency

Tires and Trouble

Idle time

Dinner on the Road

Load Security

Tourist Trucking

The Last Ride