New Zealand - First Flights

BWI… Still…. Scheduled to leave at 9:30…. Now boarding at 9:50…. glad there's layover time in Toronto… all will be fine. 

Wing seat! In the rain. 

Take off is about 50 minutes after scheduled departure time.  Still, what I've learned from previous flights is that they prioritize getting us to connecting flights.  That helps me not be so stressed about flying anymore. Together with luggage being checked all the way to NZ already sets me at ease.  

When I traveled to London in 2000 the luggage was only checked to La Guardia - I did not realize I would need to pick it up and ended up floundering around England for 3 days before Virgin Atlantic got my checked bags to me in Cornwall.  THEY were wonderful - gave me 75L for clothes & essentials… Kept track of me… shipped my bags directly to my B&B in Helston 3-4 days later after missing me in London & Amesbury. Long time without my bags (which is why I'm in the exact same outfit for ⅓ of my travel pix) - but I don't fault Virgin…. Was United/US AIR that dun me in. 😅

Not paying for. Wifi on a 1.5 hr flight…. Sorry Air, Canada. 

Oh man… These airplane seats are so much more comfortable than my Prius.  I've really got to do something about that. 

Just heard someone refer to chocolate as a milk product…. Ummm… Contains milk…. But technically it's a nut/seed product.  Ah well. 

Wooh… I'm sure not all Canadian men look like lumberjacks…. But… enough *do*.... Without the flannel…. 

Toronto to Vancouver… Leave 1:15 & arrival at 3:15… 2 hr flight.. Ok… NoNo… WaiWait…. TimeTime change… AAAAUUUUGGGHHHHHAAAAUUUUGGGHHHHH….. 5 Hr flight…. Will I get a lumberjack seat mate? 5 hrs… Ugh…. 

Aaannnnddddd….. Was just reminded that I left my binoculars at home.  So that's two things so far… binoculars & my belt. I wonder if it will all be “things that begin with the letter B”? 

OMG…. MyMy seat mate is a Geologist from Newfoundland who is going out to research at an Alaskan gold camp!  University of Alberta grad named Cameron. Awesome flight ahead!

  

Oh - thank heaven - 2 ½ hours into this trip - nothing to eat since a granola bar at BWI & really needed a bathroom break.  One of my seat mates got up, so took the chance to do both - grabbed my food stash from my bag (meals included with the fare are a thing of the past) - and now getting something equating to a meal.  Should have done that back in Toronto. Also needed before next flight - more games on my phone. Book will not help me survive 13 hrs. 

Arrived in Vancouver, BC and desperate for food. Picked up a rice noodle bowl with Chicken from one of the food pagoda places. Thought I had a 5 hour layover here... turns out it was not so at 5:00 I panicked and thought my 19:05 flight was due to take off in 5 minutes. Riiiigghhhhtttt....... 19:05 is 7:05 pm, not 5:05. This is called - too much time on travel schedule today. The flight has now been bumped out to 20:05 and I keep looking at different clocks. Laptop says 9:34 (Virginia time), but local time is 6:34pm. I should take a minute to scrub up in the bathroom and get this glaze of oil off my skin.

Still..... really love seeing people.... meeting people.... and so much you can learn by just saying "Hello" ... opening yourself up to the conversation. Maybe I should just go hang out in RIC for a day.... can't get this at the mall. Well, maybe at Barnes & Nobles.