The journey: part one

 

10 days ago we boarded the plane to leave our homeland again. This is a journey that we are well familar with. The heartwrenching goodbyes, the tedious job of packing and repacking so that every free pound has been packed into a trunk or box.

Then the trip to the airport, where dear ones come to say farewell while our bags are checked and our tickets are issued. Yet this time, it was different. Maybe it was the fact that our niece was travelling with us. Maybe it was because we were only flying to Toronto and overnighting in a hotel. Maybe it was because it was an afternoon flight and we had time for lunch before. Somehow the final minutes weren't quite as painful. The tears had already been spent and now it was time to travel. And there were eight of us. Certainly it would be less stressful this time. Our kids are older and each one is able to walk and talk. An extra pair of adult hands.

We travelled well to Toronto and even enjoyed our 3 hour flight despite the fact that even snacks must be purchased. Surprised but thankful that I was actually prepared with snacks. For if my children are well fed and rested, they travel well. But then there was the matter of getting ourselves from the Toronto airport to the hotel. It sounded so simple on paper. A shuttle would pick us up and take us to our hotel. Done.

Wrong. We had to pick up all 18 pieces of luggage. We had to call the shuttle bus. We had to find the loading area and this airport was not small. Since I had no Canadian cell plan, I used the wireless network to text my mom who then called the shuttle. They would arrive in 45 minutes. Perfect! We had our bags so we would certainly be waiting at our appointed place. Wrong again.

It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to load our luggage onto our carts, find an elevator, push our 8 carts of luggage, find bathrooms and keep the little ones with us. The shuttle was waiting. My husband with his still strong back was able to load all that luggage onto the shuttle and 15 minutes later unload it at the hotel. We were ready for bed but there was still the matter of food. A phone call and 30 minutes later: pizza and chicken wings for a 9pm supper. What a great last Canadian meal! We were finally in our beds at 10pm and I wondered. Why did it look so simple on paper?

But we are real people with real little children. We need time to buy carts, time to load carts, time to talk, time to give out treats, time to visit the bathroom, time to learn to push 2 large carts of luggage at the same time. Time to laugh. Time to meet people and receive the blessing of extra hands or a kind word.

But it wasn't over. The journey was just beginning.