POST # 468
The time had come, for me to say so long to my friends Jody and Mei, and their wonderful boneheads, Channing and Hana. Prior to catching the Skytrain to the airport, I had the pleasure of going on one additional morning walk with my four-legged friends, and then it was time to go.
As the Skytrain approached YVR, I had the opportunity to view the quarantine hotel ("prison") that I was locked up in for two weeks back in July. Believe me, it looks a whole lot better from this perspective, than from looking out of my hotel room window on the sixth floor.
I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to relax, have a hot chocolate and bagel at Tim Hortons, and do some wandering around the airport. It was during one of these strolls that I saw this RCMP officer. The image is somewhat blurry, as I took the photo from some distance. I'm not sure what his reaction would have been had he seen me taking this photo, but then again, he, like so many others these days was too preoccupied with his smart phone, to concern himself with what was going on around him. I'm not sure what he planned to do with that firearm, but maybe this is the latest tactic to remind people to keep their masks on. If he was trying to set an example, he wasn't doing a very good job, in my opinion. Having had previous run-ins with the RCMP at YVR, I wasn't about to go up to him and make any suggestions about mask wearing etiquette.
I took the opportunity after I checked in, to spend as much time outdoors as possible prior to going through security. As one can see quite clearly, YVR is pretty dead. This approach road to departures is normally crowded, but not on the day I left Vancouver.
Finally it was time to take off, and head to my first destination on the journey, that being the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta. I enjoyed some wonderful views along the way.
And then I came to this one below, which is a collection of fracking wells located in northern BC. So much for the green energy revolution.
We landed in Fort McMurray on a sunny afternoon, and it was a short stop-over prior to taking off for Toronto. The airline I travelled on was Flair Air, and it's the first time I've flown with them. Their service was good, and I have no complaints.
During our layover, I couldn't help myself, and had to take another few shots at the airport. Seems like people are the same all over these days. The two shots of passengers reminded me of the photo I took last week on the Skytrain. It seems like the days of chatting with people are now just a distant memory.
We arrived in Toronto right around midnight local time, and after asking three different airport staff, and getting three different answers as to where I might find my ride, I was eventually successful. Caroline (home owner) greeted me, and we were on our way to their home. It was a very long day indeed, and I think I turned in close to 2am.
The next morning she drove me to a supermarket. I had one hour to shop for groceries to last me through my stay. That was an interesting experience, to say the least. This is without a doubt the most groceries that I have ever purchased in one shop. Thankfully, Caroline's dad will be around if I need to do a top-up shop later on.
So I now feel pretty settled here at my rural location. It's very quiet, and that is a big plus for me. The three resident furballs are all purring machines, so we are getting along just fine. From top to bottom, they are Guglielmo aka Goo, 15y/o, Twain, 14y/o, and Charlie, 2y/o. It's shaping up to be a very relaxed house sit indeed.
grateful for every breath,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
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