Long distance travel either works, or it doesn't. It only takes one slip up to throw the whole journey into disarray. Delays, queues, missed connections or just bad weather. They can all turn an adventure into a mysery. This morning, the air traffic control computer at Prestwick, Scotland, broke down and grounded all transatlatic flights from the UK. But that was today, and by the time that chip got fried I was catching up on my sleep back here in Gabriola.
My journey from home to home (Aylesbury, UK to Gabriola, BC) actually went remarkably well - despite learning 24 hours before departure that Pacific Coachlines had suspended the direct coach between Vancouver Airport and Nanaimo from this week because of poor usage. Plan B was now required.
The plan was to travel by train to Gatwick Airport; fly with Thomas Cook to Vancouver and get to Gabriola before the gate closed at 11pm.
Stage 1 : train from Aylesbury. Must check that Leaf Fall hasn't started, as trains all leave 3 minutes earlier for 3 months of the year, just inviting you to miss them. No, leaf fall starts Sunday 4th October, so the 07.15 train will indeed leave at 07.15. Next week it will be 07.12! The wheels under my luggage hold out all the way to the station this time. Good omen.
Stage 2 : Across rush hour London. "There is a good service on all London Underground lines" says the PA system. And there was. Train at the platform when I get there; another just pulling in at my interchange point half way to Victoria. If only the underground wasn't underground, I wouldn't have had to carry the luggage up so many stairs.
Stage 3 : My journey planner had told me to catch Gatwick Express at 09.00 from Victoria. I was there in time to buy a coffee and catch the 08.45 with ease. Great service, pity about the smell from the toilets on the train.
Stage 4 : possibly the most tedious. The last time I flew out of Gatwick with Thomas Cook, the queue for check-in went halfway round the departure hall. "They only paid for 4 desks" said Servisair's ever-patient floorwalker. This time, the same 4 desks - plus two check-in clerks working the queue to pre-scan the passports. As I get to the front of the line, 4 more desks are opening and my luggage disappears down the belt in less than 10 minutes. Security takes just 5 minutes - and, for their own comfort, they decide I don't need to take my boots off today. Plenty of time for elevenses, as well as a browse through duty free.
Stage 5 : Flight had arrived an hour early this morning, so boarding starts promptly and we're off in good time. Captain warns of strong headwinds, so expect to arrive Vancouver 20 minutes late. Oh well, let's hope the food is good. Actually is was good - both meals were hot, tasty and recognisable - always a bonus with airline catering. I choose not to pay £2.50 for a headset, and instead try and recover my beauty sleep. Yes, I know it will take more than 10 hours to recover my beauty, but at least I can catch up on some sleep. Touch down at YVR is just 16 minutes behind schedule. Almost before we can undo seatbelts, the luggage is being unloaded. Could this be a good sign?
Stage 6 : The immigration hall is strangely empty. There are new self-service desks for Canadian Citizens, which have the same effect as they do in the supermarkets. Anyone over 55 walks straight past them and joins the queue! It's looking good. Flight TCX84 is the first international arrival for 40 minutes and we've slipped in just ahead of a flight from China and another from the US. Immigration complete in little over 5 minutes. Match that, Seattle! Baggage is already on Carousel 23 and on the second circuit I have my bag. Touch down 14:56; leave terminal at 15:25. Is that a record?
Stage 7 : A check online last night confirmed all seaplanes from YVR were fully booked Friday afternoon, but the word from England is that there are still some spare seats on flights from Vancouver Harbour. A chance to sample the new Canada Line! If I work this right, my $3.50 ticket will be valid for long enough to get to the Harbour, check the flights and (if all else fails) catch the bus from downtown to Horseshoe Bay. Canada Line train in 4 minutes; ticket machines working well (unlike earlier in the day when they had failed apparently). I forget to validate my ticket as I board. Oh well, never mind, I can do it next time! As the Canada Line train whisks me through the suburbs, I ponder why they thought it necessary to build an escape walkway alongside the whole line. Do they expect that many train failures?
Stage 8 - A brisk walk from Waterfront station through Canada Place to the harbour. God, this case is noisy when you're wheeling it over decorative block paving! It's 1 hour 15 minutes after touchdown at YVR and I'm checking it with West Coast Air in downtown Vancouver! I'm in luck. There's one more seat on the 16:30 flight to Nanaimo, and despite the look of distain from the pilot as he eyes my 20kg bag, within a few minutes we're boarding the 6-seater DeHavilland Beaver. Yes, my bag is in the hold, not in the harbour. That's ok then. Wisely, our pilot let's the 16:30 to Victoria take off first (2 engines, lots of spray and much faster...) and we're away. Should have brought my earplugs. Unlike Tofino Air, WestCoast don't issue ear defenders on board their Beavers.
Stage 9 - MV Quinsam is just leaving Nanaimo as we touch down, so I have an hour to replenish my caffeine levels and check out the next stage of the journey. I opt for a taxi home from the ferry, so as not to disturb the cousins from their evening meals. A quick phone call and that's arranged. Gabriola's one Taxi will be there. Quinsam docks a little behind schedule, resplendent with Portaloo cabins at either end of the car deck. Acknowledgement to the fact that their plumbing and disposal arrangements are not what they should be. Oh well, the Bowen Queen arrives in 2 weeks so I expect we shall survive until then.
Stage 10 - Taxi is waiting and by 18:30 I'm in the house. That's 19 hours 30 minutes door to door, and the sun's still shining! A quick run back to the shops and I can have milk in my coffee. Now what's happened to my car keys?
No comments:
Post a Comment