Get a car with a compass built-in, or buy one of those compasses you stick on the windscreen.
Canadian roads are often on a grid system, and we find it really helpful to know in which direction we are heading

Crikey - what a nightmare journey for you all - I, too, could see me blubbing at check in ! When you are feeling wobbly anyway and yet excited, a potential major problem like that would push most fragile 'hanging-on-in-there' stress levels to their limit.

So, anyway, it sounds like that's all duly forgotten - and sounds like you are all getting on fine - well done you ! Enjoy all the new stuff and best of luck to the kids for school. Welcome to your new life.