Reconnect with Nature
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Jordana Hart and I'm the woman behind I Hart Nutrition. I’m a holistic nutritionist, wellness expert, major food lover, and firm believer in balance and moderation. I love to travel and am always open to new adventures. This summer I went on a three-day RV adventure exploring a few Ontario Parks.
This was definitely a first for me, considering I’m not exactly the “camping type” and have never stepped foot in an RV. Needless to say, it was a phenomenal experience and I loved every moment of it.
When I think back on the trip, the part I value most was the time I got to disconnect from the hustle and bustle in the city. I really had the chance to feel present; without all the noise of my regular day-to-day life. While I value self-care, living in Toronto does not always lend itself to connecting with nature. As a blogger, it’s no secret that I'm pretty attached to my phone, so it felt really nice to hop in an RV and really live in the moment.
Full disclosure: I did spend some time capturing photos—but how could I not!
Details of my Trip
I went with two other friends, and together we explored three different provincial parks—Mono Cliffs, Earl Rowe, and Inverhuron. When I think of travelling, I typically think about getting out of Ontario, but this experience really opened my eyes and changed my perspective on that. The parks were breathtaking, and made me feel so very appreciative that I have access to such beautiful places without having to get on a plane.
In a nutshell, our RV adventure gave us a little taste of what Ontario Parks have to offer. We spent the first day hiking Mono Cliffs, followed by a night at Earl Rowe where we explored and relaxed and spent our third night at Inverhuron.
I have to say, I felt very spoiled being in the RV. It offered us a pretty luxurious camping experience that gave me the best of both worlds. I got the comfort and security of the RV with the rustic Ontario landscapes in my backyard. As a nutritionist and lover of food (both eating it and preparing it), it also gave me access to a full kitchen where I could make healthy and delicious meals (even fancy avocado toast!).
Of the three sites, my favourite was definitely Inverhuron. It’s located in Southern Ontario’s Bruce County, and has a rich history tied to it—generations of Indigenous communities have lived there for thousands of years, which I found so fascinating to learn about and explore. If you read my blog post for Ontario Parks, you know that the first word that came to mind when describing this place was “breathtaking.” Our campsite was surrounded by trees and greenery, and we were just steps away from the lake—talk about Zen!
Disconnect to REconnect
Though the trip was pretty magical in the moment, it wasn’t until after when I really got to reflect on my experience and appreciate how incredible it was. The trip itself was pretty seamless—getting around in the RV, settling into the campsites, preparing food, finding great hiking spots—it was all surprisingly easy.
The real highlight was just being able to disconnect. In particular, the last night in Inverhuron when we had a delicious dinner cooked on the fire we made. Post-dinner, we got into our pajamas, made tea, and set up our folding chairs near the water. The three of us faced the water admiring the gorgeous scenery. Before the sunset, we spoke about our favourite parts of the trip and how it felt so nice to feel so free.
Though I was on my phone to capture some moments, I really did feel that I was able to relax in a way that I haven't been able to in quite some time.
I do travel often, and while I am so fortunate to be able to do so, and I love visiting new places and revisiting some as well, it more often than not feels like I always have an agenda (Not that there's anything wrong with having an agenda while travelling). Just being home in the city, I always seem to have an agenda as well—I’m pretty go-go-go when it comes to balancing a work/life balance.
The amazing thing about camping is that your only job is to be present and enjoy—the only agenda is that there is no agenda.