I have arrived at the Vancouver airport.  On route to the beautiful Paris, France in the springtime. It has been a year since I left Europe (from a short fun Oceania cruise and week at lemon farm on Amalfi coast, few days walking in Greece and Rome) and since September 2023 since I have arrived back in Canada (from a month in Africa on safari – South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda).  Since February 2024 since I arrived back in Victoria from a flight to Nova Scotia in the winter for visit to family.

It is a few hours pre flight, they tell travellers to arrive no less than 3 hours before flight time, to get through security and pick up boarding passes etc.  This time I am checking no bags.  Walking on the flight with all my travel gear with me, on my back.  I have a beautiful Coach leather handbag over my shoulder, big enough to hold this lap top and strap around my shoulder.  I have an Osprey back pack – no bigger than students carry to go to school each day.  Wow, it has been a while and I guess I have learned a few things about packing light!  A lot of practice and intention have brought me this far ….

Remember when I was one of those people who were pulled out of the line with baggage that was ‘overweight’ and I had to run things back to the car that would not make the flight with me.  Also back then I had a rollie suitcase just for my shoes and footwear!  I have been seriously trying to downsize the amount I carry on vacation.  Intention, practice, repeat.  Here I am.

Wearing a few extra layers, jacket, rain coat, sweater, t shirt – layer, layer and layer.  My jewelry on my wrists, around my neck and in my ears … I did not set off the metal detector going through security, even that experience has improved over time.

Women cleaning staff wandering around the seating area not far from the Starbucks close to my departure gate, D something or other.  About 1 out of every ten people wearing masks, left over from when the pandemic times required us all to stay home or wear masks, gloves and take safety precautions. 

I am in the international departures area, my next stop will be Amsterdam and then Charles de Gaulle in Paris.  Lucky me, I often can fall sound asleep on airplanes … not always but often.  Maybe today will be the day.  Yesterday I slept on Harbour Air sea plane from Victoria harbour to Vancouver harbour – ha ha – in little squishy seats.  Today an exit row awaits me, leg room and maybe some comfort as I lean back and relax. Phone on airplane mode until the 23 April 2024 and my own thoughts to keep me company.

Stay tuned for more travel stories ……. “follow” along (I think there is a button where you can enter your email address and receive my blog posts directly into your email inbox – if you want).

Bye for now,

Pamela