EPISODE 615 TRAVEL … NO JOY IN MUDVILLE
alan skeoch
July 23, 2022
Five of uS….therefore five ‘carry on’ bags…no bIg luggage. I forgot my jammies and
bathing suit. But I now agree with our sons….”All you need is a carry on.”
Here Marjorie and Julie are on guard while the rest of our party sought washrooms.
Marjorie and I get rubbed and touched with the magic wand.
Even my brayses clips were suspect. And Marjorie has two
metal knees that made the wand sing. There were hundreds of travellers
anxious to get the wand. All in a long line.
Today the Toronto Star ran an article on the front page saying
that Pearson Airport is now one of the worst in the world.
I hate to say that. I don’t like to bad mouth ‘my airport’/
But there is some truth there.
When we flew to Edmonton last saturday the lineup to get
through security snaked its way through the whole departures
building… huge line. People on edge. Angry. Fortunately
I had my cane as my knee can get painful. An Air Canada
agent spotted my cane and shuffled us forward much to
the displeasure of hundreds of people without canes.
Still clearance was slow. Marjorie and I had only our carry on
luggage. We had been forewarned that big bags may get lost
and could mean more lineups.
Here Andrew tries to do the near impossible…close a carry on after a search was demanded.
we were all searched. Really searched. And I include
my crotch. and other parts of the body. “Are you having a good time?
I asked, much to the amusement of my wand carrying security guard.
He took my cane and looked for hollow places where explosives could
be hidden. He was thorough. I was glad…amused even.
Julie was not so fortunate because she had cosmetics. Her bag
was opened’” hard to close. The woman in front her, however,
had a zillion cosmetic containers each of which had to
be cleared. Getting through security was tough.
Then there was the mask issue. We had to wear masks in the
terminal and on the flight except when drinking and eating.
That was tough. My mask, an el cheapo black thing, refused
to give me enough air. Or that seemed to be the case. For
6 to 7 hours I wished for a mouthful of fresh air. Almost
a panic situation.’’
It would be worse if Covid 19 valiant or Monkeypox got through
the mask. Far worse. I would have to spend 5 days in isolation…
somewhere. But where? And how much would that cost?
Costs? I had forgotten that travel costs money. the car cost $600
for four days, food cost between $150 to $200 every time the five
of us ate. By the end I was ordering toast and jam. I had forgotten how
restaurants can make something as ordinary as breakfast sound
as sumptuous as a five star experience. One breakfast was memorable…..
pile of toast, pile of waffles, two fried eggs, two sausages, two slabs of ham, special coffee….
maybe a yogurt…cost was around $30 dollars then an 18% to 30% tip
which was part of the invoice. My fault entirely, I did not need
all that food. Travel is for the fortunate.
This was the worst breakfast that I ordered. My fault entirely. I did not need to gorge. I am not
sure why there were two pots…one with ketchup and the other with corn syrup.
Beer was necessary even at $9.50 a pint plus tip.
You may have not seen the pint of beer … distracted by Molly’s joyful face.
Please forgive my remarks….we really had a good time…really good once
we got to Edmonton. If I Told you about the good times, would you have read this?
alan