Letters to Home October 15, 2014 What a long day it has been! Shelby was kind enough to get up at 4:20 this morning to drive me to the airport. We boarded on time which was nice. I was in the very back seat of the little plane which I have discovered is very much like riding in the backseat of a car. Let’s just say it is a good thing I didn’t eat before we took off. The flight itself was pretty good. This was a bit of a relief given that when the pilot stepped out to do his chitchat regarding the emergency exits it was very obvious he couldn’t have been more than 12 years old. Well, maybe he was slightly older but he most certainly did not look it. Never saw or heard from another pilot and was afraid he may late as was the case last year, but we took off right on time. We flew all the way to Calgary with me rocking back and forth in the tail area thinking that the child-like Wilbur Wright up front was solely responsible for getting the 17 of us to our destination alive. Come to think of it, perhaps that knowledge also contributed to my upset tummy. Once we landed in Calgary, the crew hustled out to remove our luggage. Don’t think for a minute I wasn’t anxiously peering out the window into the dark to see if my suitcase had joined me for the trip. Unfortunately, the first man couldn’t get the cargo door open. He was yanking on the door so hard that the whole plane was swaying. The other 16 passengers were all laughing as we were jolted from side to side. Little did they know I was in that back seat looking for the barf bag because I was certain this was what was going to put my tummy over the edge. Of course, when Man #1 couldn’t get it, Man #2, #3, and #4 as well as a lady also gave it a shot. Then our little baby-flyer went out to try. More swaying. I could only think of two things: it figures that my luggage is likely on the plane and can’t get off, and where the hell is that damn barf bag! Suddenly with what sounded like the horns of angels trumpeting and a glowing light appearing behind him to spotlight his arrival, a second pilot miraculously appeared from the cockpit. I felt so relieved knowing that he had to be at least 16 and therefore the only little fella we had seen up until that point was not actually flying his first solo flight with passengers. We were promptly escorted from the aircraft to a waiting shuttle and mere moments after the angels sang again. The cargo door popped open and everyone was able to grab their carry-on luggage. I now felt confident that when we landed in Toronto the most beautiful piece of Samsonite would be there looking for me. It would be just as excited to see me as I was to see it and I am happy to say that is just what happened. For the flight to Toronto, we happened to have our seats by one of the exits which resulted in leg space that was comparable to the width of my living room. Stretching out my legs, I still had at least a foot of air between my runners and the seat in front of me. (No short jokes, please!). Gary, my co-worker and travel companion is about 6’4 or so and therefore this was a particularly welcome surprise for him. This flight was also quite uneventful until we were about one hour from Toronto at which time we experienced some turbulence. It was nice to see I wasn’t the only frightened person. Throughout my past adventures in flying I have become quite convinced that if I quickly grab the arm of the seat, the plane will not suddenly begin to plummet in a fiery ball spiralling from the sky. It is a flawed theory but one I have always believed in nonetheless. Imagine my surprise when I went to grab the chair arm only to find myself grabbing Gary’s hand instead. It would seem he also has the same theory but unfortunately moves much faster than I do. The rest of the day consisted of a much needed nap, a quick drink with some fun new acquaintances and then dinner in the Japanese restaurant here at the hotel. Now it is off to bed in the hope that when 7:00 arrives tomorrow morning, it won’t feel so much like the 5:00 my body believes it to be. Sleep well, everyone.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 02:26:16 +0000
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