Final day in Toronto

So my North American adventure is almost at an end and it's been a good final day here in Toronto. I was up early, had breakfast and then checked in for my flight online. It took a while and I had to telephone the booking company for the correct reference number then the airline as there were issues with the online system. I went for a brief walk around Kensington Market and then came back to the hostel to pack my bag and check out. I left everything in the hostel's luggage room, got some useful advice on what to see on my planned route for the day from a staff member then headed out. I took things at a very steady pace. My legs felt very heavy and I didn't have the energy to push myself too hard.

I walked east for about half an hour over to the Allan Gardens Conservatory and enjoyed looking around at their diverse collection of plants. It was breezy but sunny but as I walked on after my visit it clouded over and the wind made it feel a bit chilly at times. Maybe it's nature's way of preparing me for a return to the British weather.

From the Conservatory I walked north through the Gay Village then west through Bloor-Yorkville. It's an upmarket shopping area with lots of things way out of my price range and expensive property. I strolled past the impressive Royal Ontario Museum and into the University of Toronto's grounds. I paid a visit to the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and spent quite some time looking at their current exhibition titled 'Fierce imaginings: text and image in First World War literature'. It really was very interesting. I walked on through the University visiting the Soldiers' Tower and its Memorial Room which housed a number of war medals and other artifacts. I then went into Hart House and visited the small Justina M Barnicke Gallery which hosted a small exhibition of contemporary art.

Leaving the University I looped around to walk through Queen's Park, headed west then south to Kensington Market and back to the hostel. I've eaten something to keep me going through the evening and have just enough cash left to get to the airport by public transport and then to buy a snack there.

It feels like I'm continuing my travels rather than going home. I guess I've been on so many buses, trains and planes over the last three months that it's only natural. As I'm not returning to Oxford or work yet I guess my adventure is going to keep going for some time before I'm actually back to reality.


Allan Gardens Conservatory

Royal Ontario Museum

Soldiers' Tower, University of Toronto