Canadian Buffoon European Vacation - 30/03 - Endings and Silver Linings

[pkondz]

Coincidence?

 

[buzz1121]

I'm just catching up on this thread after our March excursion to Myrtle Beach. After reading a ton of comments on the cookies, I thought I would point out to the 'Mericuns that us Canucks don't get to share this bounty. There are two cookie drives here each year; one with the "classic" chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies (like oreos), and one for the chocolate covered mint cookies. These are the only two options those of us unfortunate enough to live north of the 49th are allowed to partake of.

I did see some girl scouts selling their wares outside the Bi-Lo in MB last week, but we were SOOOO full from all the excess eating already that the thought of cookies made me feel a bit green.

You were in Myrtle Beach? You were fairly close to the Buzz stomping grounds, just about three hours away. Where did you stay? Any great places that you chose to dine? We usually go to MB for a few days in the summer and I'm always looking for good places to eat out while we are there.

Oh, and forget the Girl Scout cookies, have Buzz send you a case of Blenheim's Ginger Ale (get the pink top ones). Brought home a dozen that we grabbed at the Piggly Wiggly; OMG this stuff is incredible!!

I would seriously trade large quantities of Wunderbars as our stock is running low already...

Well, that could be arranged. I literally have Blenheim ginger ale in close access at a store about 8 minutes from my house. It is good, with a fairly strong ginger taste. For those of you who haven't tried it, it is very different from customary ginger ale.

 

[bankr63]

You were in Myrtle Beach? You were fairly close to the Buzz stomping grounds, just about three hours away. Where did you stay? Any great places that you chose to dine? We usually go to MB for a few days in the summer and I'm always looking for good places to eat out while we are there.

Well, I knew you were in the state somewhere. We stayed at Sheraton Broadway Plantation; we own at Sheraton Vistana Resort in Orlando, just 5 minutes from the house of the mouse. SBP is a block North of Broadway at the Beach on RM Grissom Pkwy.

Doubt we tried anything new to you food wise. Best meal was probably Mr Fish on Bus. 17. I don't much like seafood, but really enjoyed sesame crusted blackened snook with wasabi mashed. I've been telling my coworkers that I ate Snooki in MB.

Biggest meal was Rioz, a churrasco style restaurant. I love these but only once a year - you shouldn't eat during the day before and don't need to eat for two days after (and that may be what we ate before I saw the cookie girls). We've done a couple of these and this was the best so far, beating out Brasa in Niagara Falls.

Biggest surprise was Five Guys Burgers. We do have them in Canada but had never tried. We were at the outlet mall and were getting hungry around 2:00. Didn't want anything big, had a nice dinner planned that night. Thought we would grab a quick burger. Just ordered a regular burger. Did not know that a regular burger is TWO monster patties making it so big you couldn't get your mouth around it. And it was so good we had to finish them. We skipped dinner that night...

I will say that I have now popped my virgininity around hush puppies, and grits (enjoyed both), also enjoyed Cheerwine. Never did try boiled peanuts; have to go back for that one.

We'll probably go back someday, but more likely to stay closer to Charleston. Drove down there for a day trip and really enjoyed it; but it really could use a week.

Well, that could be arranged. I literally have Blenheim ginger ale in close access at a store about 8 minutes from my house. It is good, with a fairly strong ginger taste. For those of you who haven't tried it, it is very different from customary ginger ale.

Actually I think I'm good for now. DSIS is heading to a meeting in Rochester next week, and there is an outlet for Blenheims there. I've placed my order. For a change from Sunny D's try the hot Blenheims with vodka and a bit of lime. mmmmm.... I appreciate the offer (well I kind of railroaded you into it), I may take you up in the future!

 

[pkondz]

Is this thing still around?
Guess I'll have to get started on that last chapter.

 

[lisaviolet]

Is this thing still around?
Guess I'll have to get started on that last chapter.

NO!

 

[mmeb144]

Is this thing still around?
Guess I'll have to get started on that last chapter.

Why yes, good sir, your chapter will be appreciated and enjoyed by all.

What?! It's the last one?

 

[pkondz]

NO!

YES!

Why yes, good sir, your chapter will be appreciated and enjoyed by all.

I hope so... Guess I'll find out soon enough.
It will (barring unforeseen circumcisions) be up tomorrow.
Almost finished, just have a few more lines, then edit and twerk.


circumstances


tweek


(Now don't you want it to be over????)

What?! It's the last one?

You know what they say, "All good things must come to an end."
But this TR does anyway.

Either that, or I see myself sitting in front of the monitor writing,
"So.... yeah.... okay.... <nods head a few times>... Howzit going?"

 

[pkondz]

Endings and Silver Linings

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you once again for all your patience.
We're all set to go now and we'll get you cooled off as quickly as possible."


And then there was the sound of a bang and all the lights went out.


Pretty sure that's where I left off.

Considering I copied and pasted it from the last three lines of the last chapter...
Yup. Pretty sure...


After a brief pause... it might've been ten seconds... felt a lot longer,
our captain comes back on the PA and announces:
"The lights going out is normal as we switch from the auxiliary power unit to the starter unit.
Just sit tight and we'll be started up in a moment."

A moment goes by.
Then another.
Then half a minute.

The pilot comes back on.
"Ladies and gentlemen. It's a comedy of errors today (he really said that).
But the Venice airport starter isn't working.
(Groans... and possibly a shriek or two... are overheard... may have been coming from the flight deck)
They have another one and they'll have it here in seven minutes."

Those of you keeping up will know that meant the starter arrived about fifteen minutes later.

So for the next fifteen minutes, a planeful of hot, sweaty passengers sat helplessly in the dark.
I thought I heard a wolf howl, far off in the distance.
Turns out it was one of the first class passengers losing his mind.


The plane is eventually started (hooray!), pushed back, taxied and airborne...
One and a half hours late.

Elle turns to me and asks, "Dad? Are we going to make our connecting flight in Toronto?"
I smile and shake my head, no.
"What's going to happen to us?"
I tell her not to worry. Either Air Canada will put us on a later flight or put us up in a hotel.
"Would we be able to see Aunty ____?"
"If we overnight, we'll definitely give her a call." I say.

She cheers right up.
I'm pretty sure she's hoping we lose even more time so she can visit her aunt.


We have two hours to make our connection in Toronto.
We were airborne one and a half hours late.
I'll be the last person off the plane.
We have to clear customs, retrieve our bags, go back through security, find our gate...

In half an hour.

Anyone want to place a bet on if we'll make our connection?
I'll give great odds.

No?


The flight over the pond was fairly uneventful, but three things did stand out.

I posted the following way back in Chapter Three.
It was in reference to our first flight of the trip from Winnipeg to Toronto.

The flight to Toronto is uneventful... except for one little thing.
I hadn't seen Ironman3 yet, and was pleased to see it offered as one of the inflight entertainment options.
I watched 3/4 of it and was going to watch the rest on the next flight...
but it wasn't offered on the overseas leg.

The flight we were on from Venice to Toronto is a new discount carrier branch of Air Canada.
Instead of having TVs in the seat in front of you,
there were TVs hanging from the ceiling placed every six or seven rows.

Guess what started playing?
Yup. Ironman3!

But then it was interrupted as the pilot congratulated us all for making it this far.
Then interrupted again to tell us that it was apparently cooling down in the cabin.
(Because there's no way we'd know that ourselves)
Then interrupted to tell us our flying time to Toronto.
Then interrupted to tell us our cruising altitude...
which you really need to know, in case you want to go outside for some fresh air.
Then interrupted again to tell us that they would be serving drinks soon.
etc.
etc.
etc.

I really was beginning to think that I was destined to not see this movie.
Eventually, though, I did finally get to see that last quarter.


I don't remember it though.


For those of you who might be curious, the flying time from Venice to Toronto is nine and a half hours.
Still... faster than swimming.

Pretty long time to sit and just... well...
Even though I tried to avoid this in Venice by using the bathroom...

I tell Ruby.
She tells me that she has to, too.

Slowly, carefully, I leverage myself up into a standing position.
It doesn't hurt too much. But I sure don't want to make any sudden moves.
Slowly, while gripping seatbacks to support myself, I make my way back to the nearest lavatory.
Of course they're all occupied.
If I'd been hale and hearty, they would've been empty.

It's a rule.
The probability of a restroom being free is inversely proportional to your likelihood to pee yourself.

Eventually, one becomes available.
When I'm done, I reverse my course and, gripping seatbacks, make my way back to my seat.
Ruby is in front of me the whole time.
Obviously keeping a sharp eye on me. What a great gal.
We get to our row and she scoots in to her window seat and I sink gratefully back into my aisle seat.

Hmmm.... she doesn't look too happy.
Maybe something happened while she was in the lav?

"Something wrong?" I innocently ask.
"I still have to go!" She hisses. "I couldn't go, because when you came out, I couldn't get around you!"

Whoops!
"Okay, I can get up again; just give me a couple seconds to catch my breath."
"Just forget it!"

Ruby isn't as used to going without sleep as I am.
She might get a tad.... grumpy.
She might also have a bladder that is poking her and saying,
"Excuse me? Weren't you going to do something about this?"

I know better than to try and "fix it".
I settle quietly into my seat and pray for light chop and not severe turbulence.


She never did leave her seat.


Landing in Toronto was.... interesting.
As we were making getting closer, the flight attendants were busy making announcements.
"Passengers on ACA123 (Air Canada flight 123) to New York, you're status is protected on flight ACA321 departing gate H3."
"Passengers on ACA456 (Air Canada flight 123) to Chicago, you're status is protected on flight ACA654 departing gate D7."
"Passengers on ACA789 (Air Canada flight 123) to Denver, you're status is protected on flight ACA987 departing gate B6."

And so on...

I listened, but there was nothing about passengers on ACA269 for Winnipeg.

I really wasn't upset. Or even annoyed.
Our plane was late. We'll figure it out when we get there. What's done is done.
Stuff happens.

Others might not have felt the same.

Most large airports have something called "high speed taxiways".
Taxiways are generally at or close to ninety degrees from the runway.
If an arriving plane exits on one of those taxiways, the plane has to come to an almost complete stop, before exiting.
A high speed taxiway is at a shallower angle and allows an aircraft to exit at higher speed.
It looks like this:

We touch down in Toronto and the plane has just exited onto this taxiway,
at a fairly high rate of speed, when I see, in my peripheral vision, someone hurrying by me.
I was a little surprised, since usually the flight attendants stay in their seats until the flight has slowed right down,
or stopped.

My mind started wondering, "What's the emergency that's prompting a flight attendant to rush to the front?"

I look up and realize it's a woman passenger, with her wheeled carrion.
At about the time I figure this out, an actual flight attendant goes charging by, calling out,
"Ma'am! Ma'am! You have to remain in your seat! Ma'am! You have to stay in your seat!"
I poked my head into the aisle to observe how this would unfold.
The passenger bolted up the aisle to the exit lane then darted towards the door out of my sight.
Was this nutjob going to try and open the door while the plane was still travelling at about 70MPH?
The next thing I saw was the woman being unceremoniously dumped into an empty seat.
She kept repeating, "I have to catch my connection! I have to catch my connection!"

Guess she had some place to go in a hurry.

The flight attendant spent the rest of the trip parked by her side lecturing her on the finer points of stupidity.

I wonder if they did anything?
Charge her for endangering herself, or others?
Put her on a watch list?
Maybe nothing.

Dunno.


Once the plane arrives at the gate, people start getting up and retrieving their carrions.

I usually sit and relax while people are doing this,
since there's really nowhere to go until the people up front get off.

This time, though, because I'm going to need a wheelchair, I've got no choice.
You have no idea how long it took to empty that airplane.

A looong time.

Eventually though, everybody was off and it was just the four of us and an elderly couple.

I make my way out of the plane and there's no wheelchair.
Apparently somebody else needed a wheelchair and they only brought one.
After a few minutes, my chariot shows up.

An attendant accompanies us to show us where the elevator is.
When we exit the elevator, I see a long line of people waiting to go through customs.

Every cloud has a silver lining.
This was ours.

Because I was in a wheelchair, we were directed over to a special needs customs line.
I guess I shouldn't use the word 'line' in this context, since there wasn't one.
There was a young lady with leg braces and supports there... but that was it.

The customs agent finishes with the young lady and we wheel up.
We really didn't buy much overseas so we are done in a few seconds.
A lot of the people who got off the plane ahead of us are still waiting in line.


We make our way to the baggage carousel and I learn how physics works.

I know we'll need a cart. And look! Right beside the carousel is a line of them!
I confidently wheel myself up to the carts and push one forward.

Or tried to.

What happened was this.
I pushed the cart and the cart moved forwards... the same amount that I moved backwards.
So then I pulled the cart back towards me so that I could get back to where I was.
I roll forward... the cart rolls backwards.
Undaunted, I retry this manoeuvre... with the same result.

I do it again.

A mother, seeing my struggles tells her eight year old son to help me.
I quickly tell her that I'm okay, that I have my own family around here, that I'm not insane, that...

Thankfully, Ruby rescued me (and the cart) at that point.
She had gone to the bathroom... really, couldn't she just wait?
Sheesh.


Now I don't know if it's because of my condition or if it was kismet,
but our bags were among the first ones off the plane.

The girls grab them and pile them onto the cart.
We set off to find an Air Canada agent who'll tell us what our fate is.


We see a sign for connecting flights and head in that direction.
An agent takes one look at our boarding passes and tells us,
"Okay, you'll have to hurry! Go down this hall and put your bags on the conveyor belt,
then get to gate F as fast as you can!"

"Will our bags make our flight?"
"Yes, plane to plane is really fast, but you have to hurry!"

We quick-walk/push/roll down the hallway and dump the bags onto the conveyor belt.
They are quickly eaten and we continue on our way.
Another agent sees us and asks for our boarding passes.
"Hurry! You can still make it!"
We hurry.

We find gate F.
Gate F is really a wing of this particular terminal building.
There are seventeen different gates in section F.
But it looks like we might be stymied before we can even figure out which one is ours.

We have to go through security first.
And there's a long line ahead of us.

Silver linings, right?
We are spotted and taken through security immediately.
No waiting.

Now in front of us is a large board with departing flights displayed.
I look for Winnipeg and spot it right off.
"There it is! Winnipeg! Gate 62!"

I'm more than just a little groggy, but something about the flight doesn't seem quite right.
Doesn't matter, we were told to hurry and hurry we shall!

We quickly scoot up to gate 62 and.... there's no one there.
The sign says Winnipeg. 8:30pm.
Wait... isn't it only 7pm? Did I set my watch correctly?
I have to admit, I was a little woozy right about then.
Things weren't quite making sense.

A flight attendant wanders out from the gate tunnel and sees us.
We show her our boarding passes and she tells us that there's another flight to Winnipeg.
She checks and tells us it's down the hall at gate 68.
She also tells us that she's pretty sure it's already boarded and...

Hurry!!!

Imagine this scene:

Me, in a wheelchair.
Elle pushing.... no make that running, while pushing me.
She's shouting, "Beep beep! Beep beep!"
People are scattering in all directions trying to get out of our way.

I am not making this up. This really happened.
She ran.
She kept yelling, "Beep, beep!"
People scattering.

I felt like Moses parting the Red Sea.
It was beautiful.

Ruby and Kay were left to fend for themselves and keep up as best they could.
I figured if we could just get to the gate in time, I could stall them until Ruby and Kay caught up.

Elle and I get to gate 68 and... nobody's there.

Wait, there's an attendant at the desk.
We roll up and she takes our boarding passes and tells us that they were just about ready to close the doors.
By this time, Ruby and Kay catch up and we all board the plane.

I do my chair grip routine to get to my seat.
We settle in and while we're doing that, two more people get on.
Within seconds of us taking our seats, they close up the plane and start to depart.


A lot of things happened that really makes me wonder.
I tell people that yes, I got hurt on our trip, but it came at the best possible time and actually helped in some ways.

If I'd hurt my back on the day we were to leave, we couldn't have left.
Any earlier and it would've made for a really lousy trip.
Being in a wheelchair got us through customs and security in record time.
I'm pretty sure that without that chair, we never would've made our connection.

Silver lining.

Oh, sure. I'd rather have not hurt my back, even if it meant missing our connection...


We arrive back in Winnipeg and my folks are there waiting for us.
I'm pretty sure they didn't want to see me in a wheelchair, but were relieved to see us nevertheless.

Ahhhhh..... Home.
I already want to go back.



So that's it.
We went from not going on a trip to going to Disney to going to Europe.
We saw lots, did lots, ate lots, had fun lots.
Hopefully we were successful in our efforts to give the kids "a taste of Europe."
Only time will tell.
Elle wants to go back.
Kay, for the moment, is content to stay home. We'll see if that changes or not.



A few loose ends that I want to cover before ending this TR.


The cost for the doctor's visit in Venice was not that bad.
Between his visit, the shot and the prescription meds, the total ran about 300 Euros (about $400 USD).
We did put in a claim with my work insurance and it was all covered,
so in the end (which is where I got my shot... heh...) it didn't cost us anything.


I went to the doctor shortly after getting home and I was diagnosed with a prolapsed disk... maybe.
They took X-rays, just to be sure, but they didn't show anything.
Which is a good thing, I suppose.
I was in physiotherapy twice a week for a few months and that helped a lot.
At the time of this writing, I'm still a bit stiff in my lower back and I've changed some habits.
I worry pretty much all the time that I'm going to hurt myself again.
I'm really, really careful when I pick things up.
But who knows. I got hurt picking up an iPod.


I want to thank all of you who've been following along on our adventures.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Nebo always says that it's not just him, but the people who comment that make the TR.
And, as much as it pains me to say this, he's right.
Without you people encouraging me and pointing out my all too frequent lapses,
this TR would've never gotten off the ground.

So thank you all for reading along, commenting along, or just saying "Hi" and letting me know you're out there.


Special shout outs to lisaviolet, Thumper_Man, buzz1121, Backstage_Gal, smidgy, jedijill, mmeb144, Thumper_Man's Wife, orangecats2, bankr63, MAGICFOR2, queenbetsey, nowellsl, ColoradoDisneyFreaks, nebo, My2Girls66, ougrad86, dawnbu40, Queenofallthings, shan23877, winkers, dgthree, KRIS10420, minnie mum, Lady Elle, PrincessCaitlin, Riles_and_Gabe, AbbyMarie, NFLDERS, DizzneyDi, cindermomma, cjlvsccm, Spriesty, bellebud, Lintasare, Self_resqing_princz, Pluplo and The Duck, Kitzka, Mac Brew, Gumbo4x4, 3CW, LSmith, figment52, hops&dreams, Ciciwoowoo and wiigirl...
for letting me know that I'm not alone out there.

It was greatly appreciated and kept me going.


One last word.
Once I was back on my feet and feeling a little more human.

I threw that damned suitcase in the trash.

 

[orangecats2]

Hahaha!!! Poor suitcase. You didn't try to give it another home by donating it to goodwill?

Are the cookies gone? My box still isn't open.

What's up with the summer trip? Will you do a TR of it?

When are we going to Disney?

 

[Backstage_Gal]

I saw you posted your last chapter. I said "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
I couldn't face it. So I did what I do best: procrastinate!

But after eating dinner, curling my hair, etc., I had to face it.

Ponzi, what an amazing, entertaining chapter yet again! I am so sad it's over.

Where will you go next? Do you have any weekend trips? Where will I get my Ponzi fix now??????????

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Okay, I was on the edge of my seat wondering how your day would go. I'm glad you were able to make it, and I think you definitely had a silver lining there. Sometimes things just work out for the best. Thanks so much for writing a great TR! I really enjoyed seeing Europe through your eyes! It's so great that you took the time to make those memories with your girls!

 

[AbbyMarie]

Hey, I just got mentioned in your trip report...I feel so proud Thank you for the very entertaining trip report, the gorgeous pictures, and for giving me a laugh on more than one occasion (and trust me, I can use any laughs I can get right now). I really appreciate you sharing your European adventures with all of us.
We just started planning a WDW trip for early December - first time back since 2008. My boys are 19 and 16 and they both said they wanted to go to WDW one more time...at first I thought "wahoo", a WDW trip...then I said "wait a minute, what do you mean ONE LAST TRIP"? Oh well, I'll take what I can get. Anyhoo, you have inspired me to write my own trip report. It will not be as charming and witty as yours, but I'm gonna give it the old college try!
Hope you have another trip planned soon so we can all read about it.

 

[nowellsl]

I'm kind of sad this report is over No Nebo report, no Pkondz report, total bummer! I guess we'll have to harrass TMan and Mrs. TMan now.

I never thought I would enjoy a trip report so much when it didn't involve Disney, but I was wrong..... your pictures where amazing and of course your storytelling skills are entertaining as always Thank you for taking the time to write it!

Glad to hear your back is on the mend! I've had my go out twice like that and both times I was leaning over to pick something up and just twisted it the wrong way. Not fun!!

See you over on the Thumper's report (now we just need to get them to update)!

 

[pkondz]

Hahaha!!! Poor suitcase. You didn't try to give it another home by donating it to goodwill?

You ever watch those horrow movies or TV shows where an item is possessed and bad things start happening?
Notice how at the end of the show, when good triumphs over evil, the protagonist who saves the day doesn't do it
by donating the possessed item to goodwill?

Truthfully, the case was on its last legs anyways.
I doubt goodwill would've accepted it.

And my satisfaction at tossing that puppy knew no bounds.

Are the cookies gone? My box still isn't open.

Nope! Doling 'em out like they're gold.
Which they kinda are.
Still got about half the stash.... although I haven't checked this weekend.
It's possible that the evil ones got into them.

What's up with the summer trip? Will you do a TR of it?

Details are slowly starting to come together.
Probably leave July 1, in Chicago two nights, Niagara Falls (with possible stop in Cleveland at Xmas house) for four nights,
probably Cedar Point with overnight in Toledo, then either Wisconsin Dells for a night and Minneapolis next
or two nights in Minneapolis for shopping.

Hadn't really thought about doing a TR for that.
Don't think anyone'd be interested.

When are we going to Disney?

Still hoping for summer 2015.

I saw you posted your last chapter. I said "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
I couldn't face it. So I did what I do best: procrastinate!

You too? I put the 'Pro' in procrastination.
Ask Ruby how our deck is coming along... :

But after eating dinner, curling my hair, etc., I had to face it.

You curl your hair after dinner?

Ponzi, what an amazing, entertaining chapter yet again! I am so sad it's over.

Glad you liked it!
I honestly was worried that without any pictures, people wouldn't like it.

Where will you go next? Do you have any weekend trips? Where will I get my Ponzi fix now??????????

I'm taking Elle and one of her dance team members on a road trip to Niagara Falls and back.
But I can't imagine anyone wanting to read about it!

Okay, I was on the edge of my seat wondering how your day would go.

I'll be honest, I felt a little cheap with that last cliff hanger.
You watch a TV show and it ends with a cliff hanger and you can't wait to see what happens next.
The following week, it's wrapped up in the first minute of the show and you're left thinking, "That's it?!?!?"

But how else was I going to keep people from wandering off?

So.
I'm cheap.
I admit it.

I'm glad you were able to make it, and I think you definitely had a silver lining there.

I tell people all the time, "If it had to happen, it came at the best possible time."

Still would've been happier just having to wait in lines... on two good legs!

Thanks so much for writing a great TR! I really enjoyed seeing Europe through your eyes!

Glad you enjoyed it, Tammie!

It's so great that you took the time to make those memories with your girls!

Totally worth it.

Hey, I just got mentioned in your trip report...I feel so proud

And so you should! Not just anybody gets mentioned here!
It's a privilege that very few are accorded.


Wow. Can I be more full of myself?

Probably.

Thank you for the very entertaining trip report, the gorgeous pictures, and for giving me a laugh on more than one occasion

Glad you liked it! Especially that I gave you a laugh or two.

Probably at my expense.

What else is new?

(and trust me, I can use any laughs I can get right now).

Oh? Care to share?
Only if you want.

We just started planning a WDW trip for early December - first time back since 2008. My boys are 19 and 16 and they both said they wanted to go to WDW one more time...at first I thought "wahoo", a WDW trip...then I said "wait a minute, what do you mean ONE LAST TRIP"?

I'm sorry. That just struck me as funny.
I feel your pain. Truly I do. It was the whole reason for our European trip.

Anyhoo, you have inspired me to write my own trip report. It will not be as charming and witty as yours, but I'm gonna give it the old college try!

Hey look everybody! I'm a muse! (fill in own pun here)
Don't sell yourself short, I'm only half as witty as I think I am. (insert pun #2 here.)

Good for you for trying it, though!

Hope you have another trip planned soon so we can all read about it.

I do (see above) but who wants to read about an old fart driving across the country with two teen girls?

I'm kind of sad this report is over No Nebo report, no Pkondz report, total bummer! I guess we'll have to harrass TMan and Mrs. TMan now.

Good idea! They love being harrassed! It's what they live for.
That and carrots.

I never thought I would enjoy a trip report so much when it didn't involve Disney, but I was wrong..... your pictures where amazing and of course your storytelling skills are entertaining as always Thank you for taking the time to write it!

Gee! Thanks!
Nice of you to say. Glad you liked it!

Glad to hear your back is on the mend! I've had my go out twice like that and both times I was leaning over to pick something up and just twisted it the wrong way. Not fun!!

Ah! So you felt my pain.
Isn't it fun? Thank goodness it never happens at an inopportune time.

See you over on the Thumper's report (now we just need to get them to update)!

I'll be there!

 

[lisaviolet]

I saw you posted your last chapter. I said "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
I couldn't face it. So I did what I do best: procrastinate!

But after eating dinner, curling my hair, etc., I had to face it.

Ponzi, what an amazing, entertaining chapter yet again! I am so sad it's over.

Ditto.

I saw it and tried hard to go into wonderful denial.

 

[lisaviolet]

Endings and Silver Linings
Pretty sure that's where I left off.

Considering I copied and pasted it from the last three lines of the last chapter...
Yup. Pretty sure...

Considering.

So for the next fifteen minutes, a planeful of hot, sweaty passengers sat helplessly in the dark.
I thought I heard a wolf howl, far off in the distance.
Turns out it was one of the first class passengers losing his mind.

Can you imagine? Too funny.

Give the wolves some fresh baked cookies or a strong drink.

Of course they're all occupied.

Of course.

"Something wrong?" I innocently ask.

Your most courageous moment and question - husband to wife. I love how men never learn. It's both amusing and entertaining. Plays out like a show. :

"I still have to go!" She hisses.

Come on. She didn't hiss.

I know better than to try and "fix it".

Oh you ARE smart.

Landing in Toronto was.... interesting.
As we were making getting closer, the flight attendants were busy making announcements.
"Passengers on ACA123 (Air Canada flight 123) to New York, you're status is protected on flight ACA321 departing gate H3."
"Passengers on ACA456 (Air Canada flight 123) to Chicago, you're status is protected on flight ACA654 departing gate D7."
"Passengers on ACA789 (Air Canada flight 123) to Denver, you're status is protected on flight ACA987 departing gate B6."

I listened, but there was nothing about passengers on ACA269 for Winnipeg.

We gave you the Junos. What more do you want?

My mind started wondering, "What's the emergency that's prompting a flight attendant to rush to the front?"

I look up and realize it's a woman passenger, with her wheeled carrion.
Guess she had some place to go in a hurry.

Those types always do.

Every cloud has a silver lining.
This was ours.

Yeah for you! No yeah for the Toronto aunt visit though.

Thankfully, Ruby rescued me (and the cart) at that point.
She had gone to the bathroom... really, couldn't she just wait?
Sheesh.

Ummm, no.

Silver linings, right?
We are spotted and taken through security immediately.
No waiting.

Hooray!

We show her our boarding passes and she tells us that there's another flight to Winnipeg.
She checks and tells us it's down the hall at gate 68.

Who are all these people who want to go to Winnipeg?

Hurry!!!

Is this a curling reference?

Imagine this scene:

Me, in a wheelchair.
Elle pushing.... no make that running, while pushing me.
She's shouting, "Beep beep! Beep beep!"
People are scattering in all directions trying to get out of our way.

I am not making this up. This really happened.
She ran.
She kept yelling, "Beep, beep!"
People scattering.

Fine work Elle!

I felt like Moses parting the Red Sea.
It was beautiful.

OMG, priceless. It was beautiful.

Although I'm pretty sure Moses didn't do it in a wheelchair.

So that's it.

Okay, I'll refrain.

Boo!

I tried. I swear.

Hopefully we were successful in our efforts to give the kids "a taste of Europe."

Absolutely. What a gift to them. Sighing. Good on you both.

The cost for the doctor's visit in Venice was not that bad.
Between his visit, the shot and the prescription meds, the total ran about 300 Euros (about $400 USD).

That's it?!?!?! That's nothing. Yeah for you and for your insurance. Yes, I did just have some empathy for a travel insurance company.. Must go to the doctor to get that checked out.

I still remain in travel insurance he!!, almost two months out.

I went to the doctor shortly after getting home and I was diagnosed with a prolapsed disk... maybe.
They took X-rays, just to be sure, but they didn't show anything.
Which is a good thing, I suppose.
I was in physiotherapy twice a week for a few months and that helped a lot.
At the time of this writing, I'm still a bit stiff in my lower back and I've changed some habits.
I worry pretty much all the time that I'm going to hurt myself again.
I'm really, really careful when I pick things up.
But who knows. I got hurt picking up an iPod.

Here's to you continuing to be well. Yeah.

I want to thank all of you who've been following along on our adventures.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

No, thank you. We did! I want to thank you profusely for this TR. I can't even explain what a godsend it's been for me. It has distracted me, in a tough time, in such a lovely way. Beyond grateful. Thank you for all the time you put into this wonderful adventure.

Okay, this wouldn't be complete without me looking like a nutcase on my last post. But here's the free shot. My colours are all over the place because it's not even April Fools Day and someone went and switched dark orchid with purple. I know my colours! I swear they did. I tried to fix it and made it worse, so I give up. I would ask you to confirm if I'm right and ask if I'm going crazy. But I'm much too intelligent for such questions.

The best TR. Fine work! F.I.N.E. fine.

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

This was such a wonderful report! I had gotten way behind, so I spent most of the day today starting from the beginning (it was really slow at work today). I think I want to recreate your trip. Everywhere you went just sounded so amazing. Great job!!!

 

[KRIS10420]

I finally got caught up just in time for it to end I'm sad that it's over as I really enjoyed your report. Such beautiful pictures, rekindles my desire to tour Europe. Well done sir

 

[Backstage_Gal]

but who wants to read about an old fart driving across the country with two teen girls?

I do!

Can I get an "AYE" from the floor?

 

[KRIS10420]

Aye!!