Ok I am ready to go to the airport but my taxi I had prebooked that morning for 8 pm that night did not show up at 8 pm. There were many Yellow Cabs driving past but none stopped for me. Luckily an alternative taxi driver who had a dispatch saw me when he turned around and asked if I needed to go somewhere. I advised him of what had happened and he was happy to take me to the airport. I also saved $5 I had budgeted for. I rang Yellow Cabs to cancel my reservation as I was advised to by this taxi driver. I would not have bothered - In Sydney if any prebooked cab does a no show or late show on me I just don't bother. Canadians are just too polite sometimes. I hate ringing Yellow Cabs because I am always on hold for long periods of time although this taxi driver told me they were not exactly busy as he saw quite a few Yellow Cabs waiting around town just sitting by the curbs.
When I booked my first Yellow Cab I was on hold for a long time before getting through. When I booked my second Yellow Cab they weren't very helpful with making my booking and when one showed up I hung up on them. When I booked this Yellow Cab for 8pm I was again on hold for a long time but this taxi driver suspected the booking was taken but not actually booked into the system. To cancel the no show Yellow Cab I tried to ring Yellow Cabs twice - no answer the first attempt and the second attempt I finally got through and cancelled the cab by speaking to someone.
Very interesting conversation with the taxi driver - we talked about new immigration laws in Canada and that awful black TRUMP TOWER that just opened for business - by the way Trump doesn't actually own it only his name. Locals petitioned hard to have his name removed off the Tower but were unable to due to the original contract. The tower had to be located across the road from the tallest city building - the Shangrila Hotel! Talk about competition! and about how Uber is not very popular in Vancouver but are trying to break into the market unlike other Canadian cities where they are already very established as there is only one vehicle insurance company ICBC in Vancouver and BC.
Arrived at the airport by 8.30 pm. Tried to print boarding passes and 2 baggage tags at the automatic machines for a bag drop as I had already pre checked in online but it failed several times citing unable to locate booking reference.
Do a manual check in at the Air Canada counter and drop my bags off onto the coveyer belts one at normal luggage and the other at oversized.
Because the flight was delayed 15 minutes - now departing midnight, it meant I had at least 3 hours to kill at the airport.
First stop Tim Hortons. I usually visit the Tim Hortons at the Domestic departures end of the airport as it is open later and is a larger food concession however this year there was only 1 Tim Hortons on the pre security side of the airport open due to construction and that was the tiny Tim Hortons downstairs hidden in the corner of arrivals and it was closing at 9 pm therefore I just made it before closing time but the selection of snacks available was limited therefore I ordered a box of 10 mixed Tim Bits which there were only 4 flavours left (mini glaced or filled doughnuts) to take back to Sydney and a chicken salad sandwich to eat pre boarding as there were no croussants left. In fact there was not much left of anything and most airport food concessions pre security side were closed by the time I arrived at the airport. I had just deposited all my loose Canadian coins at Capillano Mall's Tim Hortons onto my Tim card - so convenient to have - kills 2 birds with one stone - cashless funds for a snack at the airport either upon arrival or upon departure and gets rid of leftover coinage that can't be exchanged into foreign currency. No Canadian $ for a snack or drink no worries.
Next stop clearing security - here we go again pull out the laptop. I also had a rather heavy dense Chinese New Year walnut rice cake I had purchased from T&T supermarket a few days ago as a gift for my father. The Chinese airport security officers present even said how good they were - the coconut one is the best from T & T they said. Want to get through security clearance fast - carry something that the airport security officers have a common interest in. I almost lost my wrapped up rice cake after security clearance it fell out of my wheelie bag but a security officer yelled out and I just picked it up and put it back in my bag (all good - it was a little squashed but still intact in all its sealed wrapping)
Onto gate # ? - well I had no idea as it was not on my boarding pass but airport security knew so pointed me in the right gate number direction. I think it was gate 52 to the left which for once not the what seems to be a few kms of walking to the end of the airport terminal!
Sill plenty of time to kill before boarding the plane therefore next stop was to the ladies room.
Then, well, there was nothing open except 1 shop post security and near the gate. I was concerned about whether water is allowed through security clearance at Vancouver International Airport therefore I drank any water left in my Contigo before going through security. What happens if I cannot buy water after security clearance?
First thing I did after going to the ladies was buy a large bottle of cold water from the only shop open and some cashews covered in a sweet coating and sesame seeds for on the plane - which turned out to be realky addictive!
Next I sat at the gate lounge, ate my chicken sandwich had a drink of some of my water and tried to catch up with my blogging and furture learn courses (which I was trying to get a little ahead in as I do lose 2 days on the plane with no wifi therefore I can't study online.) I used the free airport wifi to my advantage while it was available until it was time to board the plane.
Zone 5 seat 23G always seated near the back of the plane and in the last group of passengers to board. At least I had a seat allocation. Some people were still on standby.
As usual just as the plane was full from Sydney to Vancouver, this flight was even fuller. Every seat in Economy was taken! All overhead lockers were crammed full to the brim.
I like to sit in an asile seat with my right leg in the asile due to my previous injuries on my right leg which needs a lot of stretching as it becomes very stiff. I was allocated an asile seat in the middle rows of seats of the plane which is a row of 4 seats and sat next to a family of 2 boys and their father. The boy sitting next to me told me how he was about to start year 12 and had already missed a day of school. Both boys seemed like they were very well raised by their parents.
On my way from Sydney to Vancouver I had an asile seat but my left leg was in the asile and was seated almost at the very rear of the plane - could not complain as there was only one other person seated next to me in a window seat - the person seated in the aisle seat in front of me yelled out "You have a good seat" - do I? as it was only a 2 seat row not a 3 seat row as it was in his seat row. I have to admit it wasn't too bad. It had a little more room then my return Vancouver to Sydney flight.
On the plane I tried to get as much sleep as possible. I didn't watch any movies only tv as all the movies were the same as on my way over and I must have watched at least 3 or 4 of them - it is a long haul direct flight after all.
I always preorder a special meal being lactose intolerant - feeling sick on a long haul flight is the worst feeling and you try to avoid it. Air Canada however does not always get it right particularly on my return flights were my special meals usually get left off between Honolulu The International Date Line and final destination of Sydney and I am forced to accept a normal meal - sometimes if I am very unlucky my special meal gets left out altogether on the entire flight from Vancouver to Sydney. Coming over from Sydney to Vancouver it is almost always correct. This year because I have 6 flights I rang and confirmed all special meals and seats before departure.
Interesting this year my special meals were almost correct dinner and breakfast were fine but I was offered a snack 3 times - 2 special and 1 normal. I accepted the first special meal snack and rejected the next 2 - funny thing was my 2nd special meal snack later ended up with the boy sitting next to me - he and his brother and father were asleep most of the time so they were offered their snack of a chicken sandwich later if they wanted it but were also given my spare non lactose snack which also contained chicken. Why they hung onto it until almost breakfast before eating it I don't know - food poisoning risk. Breakfast consisting of a rather large omlette and 2 small hashbrowns was actually really nice more appetizing then dinner - which was chicken but to me tasted a little strange and which I thought I was eating a piece of poached salmon on a bed of boiled rice. (After watching all those youtube videos of fake eggs fake rice and even fake apples I am worried as these were the 3 main foods I just ate on the flight back to Sydney - all tasting and looking a little strange)
I did prepare myself with extra byo drink and snacks for the flight back to Sydney.
Rule # 1 Always purchase extra bottles of water - for brushing your teeth and taking Borrocca
Rule # 2 Always carry small amount of vegemite (sachets) or premade vegemite sandwiches in a snaplock bag
Rule # 3 Always carry Borrocca tablets of some type to take with or without water - with breakfast
Rule # 4 Always carry extra snacks eg Tim Bits Bread Crackers Chocolate Nuts Chips Sweets all packaged
Rule # 5 Always carry some type of fruit - my favourites Bananas blueberries prewashed or cape gooseberries prewashed and peeled in snaplock bags)
I ate almost all my snacks and drank all my water except always leave some for the rest of your journey home as it is stinking hot during the Australian Summer.
Landed finally back in Sydney after a 15 hour direct flight.
As soon as I cleared customs claimed my main suitcase and my snowbording bag from oversized luggage I headed out the exit towards McDonalds to find the prebooked shuttle bus to take me home.
Happens to me every year missed the ASN shuttle by 5 minutes yet again this year - forced to hang around airport for next one which did not depart until way after noon.This means I waste at least over 1.5 hours at the airport each year sometimes a lot longer - must find another airport shuttle for my next trip.
Finally get home after 1 pm. Shower laundry and shopping. Snack for dinner and more catching up on my blogging and future learn courses - I'm stilll so behind!
Sleep.
Back to work the following day.
Jet lag - what jet lag? Borroca to the rescue!
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