Sunday - Travel Day!

It all started in the dark, when Gord and Brenna drove me to the airport at 6am - ugh! The reason Brenna was there, was that they were continuing on to University of Guelph, where Brenna wrestled in the Provincials and came out at the end of the day with a Silver Medal - Yay Brenna!!

The olympic spirit blossomed early this day, with the enthusiastic Air Canada emloyee at the Exec Class (aka "No Lineup") Ticket counter, who was absolutely overjoyed to hear about my upcoming adventure - I was even worried I might be running late, as we chatted so long - John, I think it was, if you're reading this...you asked great questions!

Then, it was off to...the Executive Class Lounge (aka the Maple Leaf Lounge) - mmmmmm...now, I know why the rich stay rich, so they can afford such luxury - verrry nice!

Plane travel to Winnepeg was fine, I loved flying into what I would call "REAL Winter" - big piles of snow, driving, freezing winds, and exileration one can only get from a deap breath of Northern Ontario air - it crystalizes your nose hairs instantly, and I LOVE it. Special thanks to my colleague and friend, Lou, for meeting up with me, and providing a quick tour of the near regions of Winnipeg - it was great to see you again! Oh, and I managed a quick sojourn to the Maple Leaf Lounge there too!

It was a longer flight to Vancouver, but I was totally entertained, first by a movie, and then by the incredible landscape of the Rocky Mountains - they just seemed to go on forever! Then, there was Vancouver...WHAT?? Green grass? Flowing waters? People in shorts? Rain? A sudden increase in temperature in the airplane? Weird - I had just left Arctic conditions in Winnipeg, and felt I'd just arrived in the Sub-Tropics - I was seasonally confused!!W

I found my way to the shuttle/coach where I sat among a great bunch of people, one of whom was a "local", and provided a running commentary for the two hour drive up the Sea to Sky highway from Vancouver to Whislter - just beautiful!

Everything couldn't have gone more smoothly...the bus dropped me at the Accredition (Security), Uniform, and Homestay (accommodation) Centre, where all volunteers must start. You can't go ANYwhere in secure areas ever, if you don't have your Accreditation around your neck, so it was a must, first stop. Picture taken, ID checked, fitted for uniform, given a goodie bag, and when finally at the end of the process, was suddenly presented with my extremely welcoming host couple, and another volunteer they've taken in - Leo and Loraine, and Terry - it was so easy, and so organized - for thousands of us - I was very impressed.

It was now around 7pm, which was 10pm Toronto time, and I was just spent. They brought me home to their warm and cozy calet, about 25mins down the highway outside Whistler Village.

We all socialized with a glass of wine for a bit, by the crackling warmth of their wood stove, then it was lights out - Travel Day was done.