3 airports, 2 countries, what could go wrong? I knew my gates, studied up to know protocol and in the words of one of my favorite bloggers “tossed out the water, took off my shoes, put the laptop in its own bin and hurried the fuck up.”
I booked my stuff through Orbitz, so naturally the United Airlines check in machine had no idea, but that was quickly rectified. I got onto the plane in Buffalo. It was operated by Mesa Airlines and was old enough that I expect Wrongway Feldman was at the controls.
I struck up a conversation with a Buffalo Expat who was on the way to his retirement home in Maui. I can’t help but wonder if he got to his destination before I got to mine.
Being almost as smart as I think I am, I went on Orbitz and got gate information as there was about forty minutes from I landed in DC and the next Spirit of St. Louis would take me the rest of the way to Montreal. If you have ever been to Dulles Airport in DC, c and d are good letters to have near one another. What Orbitz doesn’t tell you is that flight updates they give you sometimes hit your phone when you cannot use it, as what happened today.
Bastards made my gate change, sending me from C to A, which requires a train, a stairmaster, and considerable respiratory skills to get done in short order. Flight was scheduled to leave at 12:12 and I arrived at 12:05, (this is where more frequent travelers laugh at me.) Because we were waiting on a few folks, the plane sat…and sat as they won’t leave without you. After 20 minutes, they did (so I can say screw you frequent traveler, shit do happen).
And we were off, on an even older plane that before, which a flight crew of one, she looked like a combination of Blythe Danner (a good thing) and Witchypoo from H.R. Pufenstuf.
Flight was fairly straightforward from there, but flying the planes out of my high school history book somehow drained the life from my cell phone so, if I was a little abrupt, I do apologize.
Made it to the hotel which despite some skilled photoshopping to make it look Chalet-like is on the Granby equivalent of Niagara Falls Blvd.
Got my first look at the Zoo de Granby this evening and it is a sight. I’m looking forward to seeing the full thing on Wednesday night, but they have some neat toys here, Ostrichs, I tell ya.
And the initial ice breaker supplied with me with personal favorite: Sleeman‘s Ale! Good Zoo, good Zoo.
And if it warms up, I’m so hitting the waterpark.
Good Canada
Mike's Pub 