Arrived in Canada

I'm here ! I'm in Canada.  I'm at my friend Pat's home.  It has been a long day folks.  

I was awake at 2:30 AM.  I wanted to get up at 3 AM to be ready for my ride (Monica, my co-worker) who was arriving at 4 AM.  We had a two plus hour drive to the Philly International airport for my 7:29 AM flight to Buffalo, New York. 

Monica and I had a pretty straight shot to Philadelphia that early in the morning. However, once we got to the airport, it was a busy hub.  Since I haven't traveled since 2000, I was expecting the worse.  I have to say everything went pretty smoothly.  I didn't even have to take my shoe or belt off.  Big whoop!  However, I did have to do a lot of traveling around to check my bag and go through several lines.  But overall, I think things went pretty smoothly.

My prop plane was tiny.  Talk about being cramped.  

I'm just thankful the trip to Buffalo only took one hour and ten minutes.  When I went down to the baggage claim area this is what was waiting for me:

That Pat, what a jokester. He had read my blog post about being greeted this way when I won a trip to Disney World and was met at the airport by a chauffeur with my name on a big sign like this.  Made me feel important I tell you  

At first I didn't realize the sign was for me.  Me?  I'm important?  Well, I was flattered. Thank you Pat.

Since we were in Buffalo, we HAD to stop in Wegmans.  However, it was too early to eat so we just walked through the store to say we "were at Wegmans in Buffalo."  Oh how I wish we had a Wegmans in Gayberry (aka Rehoboth Beach, DE).

We did walk around a bit in Buffalo and did decide to have a light lunch. We had the best ever veggie wrap and smoothie at a small restaurant with a bongo playing man outside.  I took a video of him which I will post in a future blog, it's too late tonight to upload that video to YouTube.

Then we were on our way for the two hour drive to Toronto.  We had no problem crossing the border.  The border guard asked me why I was going into Canada (after I showed him my passport, I no longer have a virgin passport). I was tempted to same something funny and clever but thought better of it and just said "visiting my friend."  

In a little under two hours we saw the skyline of Toronto in the distance.  And we saw the traffic coming out of Toronto.  It looked like a lava flow. And I thought Route One was bad one a summer weekend.  

We eventually got into Toronto and arrived at Pat's lovely little home in Tiny Town.

Pat took me on a tour of his house and then it was time for dinner.  He took me to the Green Earth restaurant.  We're stuffed. Tomorrow we eat half of what we had today.

We both pooped.  Time to take a shower and go to bed.  Goodnight, the adventure continues.

Cleaning up Trip to Canada Loose Ends

Me seeing Pat off when he was visiting this summer - this was the beginning of his 24 hour trip (by bus) back to Canada (he wasn't smiling when he got back)

Today I completed the last steps of preparation for my trip to Canada on August 15th, which is NEXT FRIDAY!

I just about decide what clothes to wear and what cameras I'm taking up with me.  I ordered new underwear from J. C. Penney which has already arrived.  I'm waiting for my genuine leather passport folder that I ordered from Amazon.com last week along with a luggage tag.

Today, at the suggestion of a very helpful commenter to my previous "Canada Trip" blog, I called my three credit card companies and informed them that I will be in Canada from August 15th to the 31st.  They all thanked me and I thank the helpful commenter who reminded me to inform my credit card companies of my trip out of the country.

Then I called Verizon.  I spent more time on the phone with Verizon that I did with all three credit card companies combined.  Actually, with the credit card companies I did a live chat.  Verizon, you have to call someone after, first finding a phone number to call (which wasn't easy) then going through the menu options.  It ONLY took me three times navigating the menu options until I got a live person on the phone.  My main concern with not to incur roaming charges on my iPhone while in Canada.  I make very few voice call but I do text.  My main concern is incurring a horrendous roaming charge by my e-mails automatically updating on my iPhone while I'm traipsing around in Canada with Pat.  The first customer service representative I talked to at Verizon only succeeded in confusing me more and I ended up with signing up for a $25.00 (first 100 MB) "Global Data Plan."  This would eliminate the .89 cent per call for voice and a .50 cent charge to send photos and a .25 cent charge to receive photos.  Confused?  Yes, I was too.  

"I made THAT many calls?"

I called Pat and told him that what I did.  He reminded me that I didn't need to do that, just turn off the roaming feature on my iPhone and use my MacBook Pro (which I'm taking with me) to check my e-mail.  He was right so I called Verizon again.  Back to navigating Menu Hell; finally got a live person and I cancelled the $25 charge.  How much to you want to bet it will still be on my Verizon bill next month?  Oh well, maybe they will surprise me and actually be efficient and competent.  At least the second Verizon representative acted like she didn't mind me asking her questions, unlike the first one who seemed annoyed every time I asked her a question. "What!?" was her standard response.  

So I think I'm ready folks.  Pat's concerned because he is afraid I will be uncomfortable in his minimalist house (or "hoose" as he says).  I think I'll be just find.  I never camped out before.  I'll just make believe I'm camping out.  

Pat's "hoose" 

Should be quite an adventure folks.  More to come.