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| Good bye Cambridge Bay |
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| See the door to the cargo section? |
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| Kugluktuk from the air |
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| The plane is bigger than the terminal |
Smooth travels in the north as we left Cambridge Bay on time with the airport seen here on the left and headed over for a 'service stop' to Kugluktuk (formerly Coppermine) about an hour flying time. It's more hilly over that way and a cute little airport. A bunch playing poker on the floor up front near the cargo section, the chance to buy a cute zipper pull which was a pair of beaded kamiks made by an elder who was selling them on the flight down to Yellowknife where there are actually trees. Just time to go through security (yes they actually do security in Yellowknife but I'm told because folks are flying out to places where that's expected) throughout the north the security consists of "have a good flight" as you walk out the door to the runway, no scanner, no searches, no request for ID (likely as everyone knows who you are) just smiles. My buddy in Iqaluit told me when I questioned this on my trip there that to have a weapon on the plane was considered a positive, if the flight went down it would come in handy for security and obtaining food. Hmm. In to Edmonton where it was snowing as well and over on the shuttle to the hotel.
A good but short visit from the western daughter and her main squeeze - a very nice lad who gamely tried everything on the menu at Yiannis - you can check out the gallery to see the place and no there was no belly dancing on Monday, just great food with huge servings meaning the kids had supper for Tuesday.
Always good to see the girl and how well she's doing in her western life. Not that many mothers get to talk about their 2nd year apprentice electrician daughter.
A late bedtime and a short night as I kept waking up every hour to look at the clock and was finally up before the alarm at 5 am. Down to retrieve my tote box of frozen food (we deal with the hunters coming from up north the front desk clerk told me when I checked in and asked about keeping stuff cool) from the walk in freezer. Over in the shuttle to the airport and then the games began.
I had been unable to print my boarding pass at the hotel and when I approached the check in, the agent tells me that's because I have a reservation but no e-ticket attached to it. Her solution is that I contact the travel agent (not too friggin likely lady as Top of the World Travel in Yellowknife isn't open at 5:45 am) or buy a ticket. I make eye contact and say slowly and firmly "I - am - going - home - today so if that's what it takes, I'll buy a ticket". She walks me down the line of desks to an agent who I recognize as he solved my problems with the ticket on the way out and he eventually finds part of the ticket (says the portion from Toronto to Halifax wasn't attached) and checks me in, tags my luggage and directs me to oversize bags for my tote pan. Wish I'd gotten his name as he deserves to be recognized for his skills. With only my knapsack I'm off to the lounge where they are already boarding the flight. Onboard I settle in and wait.....and wait. First, the wings have to be deiced, then the hydraulics have to be reset, then it's been long enough to refreeze so the plane has to be deiced again and finally 35 minutes later we take off. I settle in for a broken nap - thank goodness for iPods. I awake to the flight attendant saying she has news for passengers making a Halifax connection. When she approaches my seat she says brightly "you don't have too long a wait in Pearson as the next flight will leave at 2:30 pm as you've missed your 12:30 connection". Thanks a lot! But before we're off the plane we're told again to stop at the desk as we're going to be making a connection and to pick up new boarding passes and hustle to gate 26. I do just that and have time to grab a mint tea at David's Teas as well as some loose tea and do it yourself tea bags. I eat my Canadian North yesterday chocolate chip cookie with my tea for lunch and breathe a sigh of relief as we are airborne. Apparently there was a mechanical problem with another plane and they moved passengers over to this one, meaning with that delay we got to go too. I have a very enjoyable chat with a guy heading in to Happy Valley/Goose Bay to audit The Northern Store and share my decades old Labrador info as we both trade tales of the north we've seen this far. Pretty rugged landing in the winds and drizzle but I'll take it. The son-in-law is waiting for me in the arrivals area, helps me retrieve my luggage (can't believe it made it with me as it was transferred at Pearson, then taken off and put back on the flight) and we're off. I have to borrow a dollar from him to make it across the bridge and on my way. A quick stop at Tim Hortons and a rainy, windy drive home.
Had trouble getting to sleep, over tired, different time zone and all keyed up. Slept in as the alarm clock was set for pm and then the sorting out begins. I was pleasantly surprised to find the fridge cleaned out - what a romantic the husband is eh? A visit from (one of) the dogwalkers, a chat with the son, a load of laundry, review of mail, putting away the duffel bags, getting out the Hallowe'en decorations, walking the dog and it was time to make supper. A visit from a neighbour as her mother had passed away yesterday so we got the obituary together and emailed to the funeral home, now I'll need to start work on the eulogy. Great lady who we've known since moving to the community so easy to honour her life.
Thunder and lightening storm as part of this major storm and it seems that in her advanced age the dog has become scared of thunder. Never used to be, you could put her out in a storm and she'd just go in her doghouse but this evening she hid behind the la-z-boy and had to be coaxed out. Bad nerves. Time to get these bones to bed as I have a full calendar tomorrow.
