Journal: 26.09: Calgary-Toronto

Friday 26 September

Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Actually Friday began on Thursday, inevitable continued into Saturday and without a breather drank in Sunday. If I can get through this ordeal believe me I can get through Kilimanjaro. Heck I can climb Everest!

Thursday night I sat in the plane to go to London for 2hrs and more. As the night stretched out it became apparent my journey was to be doomed. The flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems. Off we trooped out of the flight and we headed through the deserted Calgary airport for a briefing on what to do next.

I mean there's nothing really wrong with Air Canada. Unfortunately there's nothing really right either. We Canadians only fly it out of necessity, but really it's more like a plane befitting a bankrupt nation. Worse is the service. I'm sure the cranky, some tear-filled passengers enjoyed being shouted at by the Air Canada officials. I would say they lost several future clients that night. Including me.

After waking up in Calgary (!!) at the Holiday Inn, I grabbed a quick muffin and off I went to the airport. This time I was going to catch a flight to Toronto. As I told Tushar in London on the phone, I'd rather be in Toronto than trust Air Canada's competence to get the Calgary flight out that evening. At least from Toronto I'd have many London flights to choose from. I've now had 2hrs sleep. Add to the 3hrs I got after Diarmid and the boys took me out drinking on Wednesday night, I face Air Canada on 5 hrs of sleep. Yay.

But now I'm on a flight to Toronto. Fat chance my high school reunion will happen on Friday night in London or even see Sue. But the important thing is to meet everyone in London.

Quick flight to Toronto and then a 5hr wait later I am seated in the Toronto Airport London flight lounge. A couple comes to me and says "You were on the Calgary-London last night? Did you hear what they did to our luggage?" - Oh oh.

Basically Air Canada in its infinite wisdom had sent the luggage to Toronto (on the Toronto flight I was not allowed to take right after the plane cancellation). The luggage having arrived in Toronto stayed waiting for me to pick up -- not sending on to London as they repeatedly assured me in Calgary. Because I wasn't there, they sent my luggage BACK to Calgary.

Wow.

Fuming, I ran down -- only 1.5 hours to my London flight now. The baggage office informed me that this was indeed what had happened, BUT they were going to send it priority on that night's Calgary-London flight. Unbelievable. I immediately phone Air Canada's toll free number -- 1. to verify this, 2. to get confirmation MY bags were sent and 3. to give them a piece of my mind.

I really pity the poor fellow on the other end. Sigh.

As a result I only got about 1 hr of sleep on the London flight. 6hrs of sleep in 3 days - oops. Will this Friday ever end?

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Wow what a trip. Saturday afternoon October 11, 2003. This trip is almost over, I'm trapped in an Emirates flight at Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi. A complete success. This has been my best-ever vacation, and now I want to try and complete this journal as best I can. After over 575 photos I can only add my thoughts and fears from the past 14 days to give life and colour.

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