Features

CBC Radio’s Mike Rossiter files from the Liberal campaign, somewhere on the Avalon Peninsula:

The Liberal campaign kicked off on Sunday afternoon on the south side of St. John's harbour. It's very fitting. So far, the journey on the Liberal campaign bus has felt like traveling on some boat over rocky, rolling waves.

As we left the Confederation Building parking lot on Monday morning, I set up my laptop and gear on one of the tables in the bus, ready to file stories right from the heart of the campaign - just a few seats up from Gerry Reid and his advisors.

As we pulled out, my mouse flew off the table and nearly hit the newspaper reporter sitting across from me. To adapt, you have to be part juggler and part surfer to balance a full coffee cup, a Blackberry, the morning newspaper and the laptop … all the while bouncing down a stretch of highway.

I have deleted full sentences and butchered entire audio interviews when the bus hits a bump. I need to get my sea legs. I've hit my head on the overhead bin at least three times and I'll probably get many more bruises.

That was day one of the official campaign. But I'm not alone getting black and blue. Another reporter fell down a flight of stairs at a ribbon-cutting on Sunday, and yesterday, he backed up into a television set that was mounted on a wall in a fish plant office.

Ouch. He'll be fine though. As a reporter, you have to have a thick skin. I just hope my laptop and gear are even tougher.