Wednesday May 2, 2018
Five o'clock in the morning is no fun....nowadays!! Different when I was working!! But then, it really isn't bad at all. We could hear the early morning calls of the birds trilling in the forest outside the house and as we showered and made coffee and packed the last bits and pieces in our luggage, until the swell of rising bird sounds filled the air and our heads. Alanna drove us the three minute drive to the Squamish Adventure Centre where we caught the 6:45 a.m. Pacific Coach bus to "YVR", aka Vancouver Airport.
Our Air Transat flight boarded efficiently by "section", and we squeezed into our allotted space for the journey to Toronto. The plane was a little tawdry, obviously old, and in need of a rest. None the less, the flight was smooth and uneventful and we landed in Toronto ahead of time.
Filling three hours of lay-over was effortless; finding the departure gate, eating some lunch, and window shopping.
We arrived in the departure lounge in good time, and soon heard our names called over the loud speaker. The lounge was packed with people, and we, along with about 20 or so others, feared the worst; we were going to be bumped off the flight! But no! There had been an equipment change and our seats were being re-allocated. Phew!! We walked up the steps into an enormous cavity, very modern, very clean, and hooray....lots of sitting room!! I think we had been upgraded!! Then the light show began, and we were given a taste of red, green, blue, and purple lights dancing throughout the airy space! Very impressive. The cabin crew treated us as if we were in a first class hotel, and we were given dinner, with a complimentary glass of wine; then I watched "Pieds Nus dans l'Aube," listened to my iPod, and slept to the muffled sound of the roaring jet engines. We glided stealthily through the night. Dawn came quickly and like an eagle soaring on a thermal over a Caribbean beach stretching into a blue ocean we arrived in England.
We had a slightly longer lay over in Gatwick Airport before catching a much smaller British Airways' plane and a 40 minute flight into Jersey. And there just outside the baggage lounge we met Kathleen, my cousin, and her husband Alan. Huge hugs! It had been too long since we last saw them. Immediately, we identified a problem: "Kathleen's" name is "Elizabeth Kathleen Anne;" my name is "Elizabeth Anne;" she calls me "Anne," I call her "Kathleen." No problem!! But in our current lives Kathleen is called "Liz" and I am called "Liz." We immediately imagined how difficult this was going to be as I met Kathleen's son and daughter and their respective spouses and children!! Fast forward to tonight. Emily, Kathleen's daughter Lindsay's daughter, solved the problem. She came up to me and said in her best British accent, "I am Emily." "Hi Emily," and before I got any further she said, "your Lizzie," and there was the fix!! Oh for the uncomplicated minds of a four+ year old!!!
I am going to post this now, but when I get more time, I'll add some pictures and tell all about this wonderful stay with my cousin on this beautiful island of Jersey.
Five o'clock in the morning is no fun....nowadays!! Different when I was working!! But then, it really isn't bad at all. We could hear the early morning calls of the birds trilling in the forest outside the house and as we showered and made coffee and packed the last bits and pieces in our luggage, until the swell of rising bird sounds filled the air and our heads. Alanna drove us the three minute drive to the Squamish Adventure Centre where we caught the 6:45 a.m. Pacific Coach bus to "YVR", aka Vancouver Airport.
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| Vancouver Airport |
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| From the plane Over Rockies |
Filling three hours of lay-over was effortless; finding the departure gate, eating some lunch, and window shopping.
We arrived in the departure lounge in good time, and soon heard our names called over the loud speaker. The lounge was packed with people, and we, along with about 20 or so others, feared the worst; we were going to be bumped off the flight! But no! There had been an equipment change and our seats were being re-allocated. Phew!! We walked up the steps into an enormous cavity, very modern, very clean, and hooray....lots of sitting room!! I think we had been upgraded!! Then the light show began, and we were given a taste of red, green, blue, and purple lights dancing throughout the airy space! Very impressive. The cabin crew treated us as if we were in a first class hotel, and we were given dinner, with a complimentary glass of wine; then I watched "Pieds Nus dans l'Aube," listened to my iPod, and slept to the muffled sound of the roaring jet engines. We glided stealthily through the night. Dawn came quickly and like an eagle soaring on a thermal over a Caribbean beach stretching into a blue ocean we arrived in England.
We had a slightly longer lay over in Gatwick Airport before catching a much smaller British Airways' plane and a 40 minute flight into Jersey. And there just outside the baggage lounge we met Kathleen, my cousin, and her husband Alan. Huge hugs! It had been too long since we last saw them. Immediately, we identified a problem: "Kathleen's" name is "Elizabeth Kathleen Anne;" my name is "Elizabeth Anne;" she calls me "Anne," I call her "Kathleen." No problem!! But in our current lives Kathleen is called "Liz" and I am called "Liz." We immediately imagined how difficult this was going to be as I met Kathleen's son and daughter and their respective spouses and children!! Fast forward to tonight. Emily, Kathleen's daughter Lindsay's daughter, solved the problem. She came up to me and said in her best British accent, "I am Emily." "Hi Emily," and before I got any further she said, "your Lizzie," and there was the fix!! Oh for the uncomplicated minds of a four+ year old!!!
I am going to post this now, but when I get more time, I'll add some pictures and tell all about this wonderful stay with my cousin on this beautiful island of Jersey.
2 comments:
Ah, here comes your pedantic Big Cousin!
I'm sure you came by British Airways, not Easyjet? No matter, you got here! Like you, my name is actually Elizabeth Kathleen Anne, and like you, was called Kathleen at home. My Mother omitted to tell them at school that I was known as Kathleen. I was not to forthcoming as Emily (with her best JERSEY accent 😜) and didn't tell them I was known as Kathleen! So Elizabeth it has been everyone I met since!
Absolutely wonderful to have you here. It was a ball, but all too short. Have a great time on the reminder of your travels x x
Ooops!! You are right!!! BA!! Thanks Kathleen: I know this name thing is something we have both had to sort out throughout our lives!! Fun though!! Can come in handy sometimes, having two names!!! Thanks for the comments.
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