Getting out of Ottawa took all day! - Wednesday February 13, 2019 and Thursday February 14, 2019 travel days
We had the snow storm of the winter Tuesday evening into Wednesday, the day I was leaving.
I had my flights cancelled the previous evening and now I was flying out on West Jet which I don't particularly care for and I was going through Toronto which I am reluctant to do as Toronto has a hard time with any amount of snow..
I called for a cab well in advance and waited 1.5 hours for my 11 am departure from home. I called again after 1.5 hours and the wait was still the same! I was getting desperate! I asked the next door neighbour for help and I got to the airport. Thank you!. The guys had been out in the morning clearing the snow off the lane and snow plow stuff so the roadway was clear.
I checked in with NO Baggage. My first time!! I had my big nylon bag with my clothes in it and my new soled sandals. My tiny rolling bag had my small binocs and my lap top and Ipad. I did not take my camera. I just did not have the room nor the strength to take more. I had left some stuff behind at Cassi's and I will leave most of this stuff behind also as I am back at the end of March again to help.
West Jet was late as they were waiting for cabin staff to show up. The cabin attendants showed up id eventually and the plane was already there from the night before. So we loaded up and sat in the plane for almost two hours. The controllers in Toronto had closed the airport and then were slowly coming back on stream with appointments for planes allotted. We were not included early enough, so they told us to disembark. About 6 pm we loaded up again and we were de-iced and we took off. We were about 15 minutes into our journey, the plane had been shaking or vibrating oddly and it was decided that we would return to Ottawa. The fire trucks were there to meet us. We disembarked and we discussed options with fellow travelers and I also talked with the ground staff fellow who's sister in law I had met that day and he was guiding our place out and back in again. I decided to go with a new flight and plane, but still a West Jet flight just to make some use of the day and get somewhere. This West Jet flight was to have left at around 4 pm and did not, due to the situation in Toronto. Too many planes wanted to get to Toronto. Anyways we took off and made it to Toronto after 9 hours of delay.
Then there was a chance to make it on to the Delta flight to Atlanta, which was also delayed by 9 hours. I ran for this flight and it had not yet arrived on the inflight to Toronto. It would leave again once the passengers left the plane. I went to the Delta counter and then on to Customs. Oh sorry, the gate keeper of security said. US customs was closed for the night at 10 pm. It was 10:15 pm. I said there were still people that wanted to get on this flight to Atlanta. Nope sorry. Then a cop came to stand guard at the door and I talked with him for a bit. He was a nice guy. He told me that the only reason that the door was being guarded and he was there for crowd control as there was a NBA game on and after the game the team was coming through for their charter and for that reason there were two US Customs fellows still there to ONLY process the team and close-up. I asked him if I could talk with the US Customs fellows to see if they could process me and the Asian couple from Australia who were caught up in this same vortex as me. We could make the flight but needed to get through US Customs first. I tried the US Customs' door and door bell but no answer. The Asian couple disappeared. There was a small group of people at the door and I asked this group of short men if they were also caught up in this problem. Nope they all shook their heads...they were just there to see the basketball team walk across from the enter door to the security and US Customs. That was why the police man was there and the Security personnel. All of a sudden, I learned that the US Customs fellows agreed to process us three (me and the asian couple who could not be found). I think the cop asked them as he said that the US Customs fellow would process us after the team. They would do it this time and not again. Whew! Lucky for me!
So I lined up after the team and somehow I was in security behind some really tall fellows and maybe the road manager as he was looking out for the baggage. I asked one fellow what size of shoe he had as they all had to take off their shoes for security, even though they had a private charter plane to go to. The basketball fellow asked me what size of shoe I wore! Then he answered his own question 5 1/2? and I laughed and said yes. He wore a twelve but he said that was a small foot compared to some of the guys.
So I got through US Customs and thanked the fellows and ran for the plane gate. I get to the plane gate and the bar and stores are open and there over a hundred people and children waiting for this plane. After I got to the exit number, the plane arrived and we loaded up and off we went to Atlanta at around 12:30 am. It was a full plane and hot and noisy. Really weird. It was the middle of the night and we were still going places. We flew into Atlanta at 3:30 am. That airport still had lots of people about and many cleaners working at that time of the night. I went for a good walk through a couple of terminals to the terminal I would be leaving from. I phoned Delta twice before the 6 am American Airlines flight which would have got me in early for Lu in Fort Worth but the flight was sold out. No room. I talked with other people waiting for the flight and I had to settle for the 7:30 am flight by Delta. It was not crowded and I managed to watch Bohemian Rhapsody on the personal TV. I had wanted to see the movie.
I arrived around 9 am in Fort Worth and I waited a bit for the shuttle and was home by 9:50 am. Cassi was in school and so was Lu. I got in and had a great greeting from Darla dog. I then took her for a walk as I needed to take a good walk also. I was tired too but needed to move. There were flowers in the ground in the neighbourhood and birdsong in the air and it was warm. It was soooo nice just to walk with a sweater on and I was hot, but too tired to change for the walk. I had a tea, Cassi came home and we chatted and I was to pick up Lu after 4:30. YES! So I went to my room set the alarm and fell asleep until the alarm woke me up. I felt so much better then.
I drove to Lu's school and he was excited to see me. We chatted all the way home. Lu seems to know how to start the car now. He was telling me what to do in his Mom's car. Matt arrived from Fort Hood and we had a Thursday pizza supper with gluten free pizza. Very tasty. It was movie night also and b
I gave Lu his bath. He had a bath bomb for his bath and was happy to play with it also along with his jungle animals. WE read some books and he spent some time with Mom and Dad when I walked to the CVS pharmacy 5 minutes away for a couple of things I did not pack from home and knew I would need. Then a final good night to all and we are went to bed. I am tired and really glad that I am here and it is so nice here compared to home. OK I don't want to rub it in but yes it is super here!
Good night all.
I had my flights cancelled the previous evening and now I was flying out on West Jet which I don't particularly care for and I was going through Toronto which I am reluctant to do as Toronto has a hard time with any amount of snow..
I called for a cab well in advance and waited 1.5 hours for my 11 am departure from home. I called again after 1.5 hours and the wait was still the same! I was getting desperate! I asked the next door neighbour for help and I got to the airport. Thank you!. The guys had been out in the morning clearing the snow off the lane and snow plow stuff so the roadway was clear.
I checked in with NO Baggage. My first time!! I had my big nylon bag with my clothes in it and my new soled sandals. My tiny rolling bag had my small binocs and my lap top and Ipad. I did not take my camera. I just did not have the room nor the strength to take more. I had left some stuff behind at Cassi's and I will leave most of this stuff behind also as I am back at the end of March again to help.
West Jet was late as they were waiting for cabin staff to show up. The cabin attendants showed up id eventually and the plane was already there from the night before. So we loaded up and sat in the plane for almost two hours. The controllers in Toronto had closed the airport and then were slowly coming back on stream with appointments for planes allotted. We were not included early enough, so they told us to disembark. About 6 pm we loaded up again and we were de-iced and we took off. We were about 15 minutes into our journey, the plane had been shaking or vibrating oddly and it was decided that we would return to Ottawa. The fire trucks were there to meet us. We disembarked and we discussed options with fellow travelers and I also talked with the ground staff fellow who's sister in law I had met that day and he was guiding our place out and back in again. I decided to go with a new flight and plane, but still a West Jet flight just to make some use of the day and get somewhere. This West Jet flight was to have left at around 4 pm and did not, due to the situation in Toronto. Too many planes wanted to get to Toronto. Anyways we took off and made it to Toronto after 9 hours of delay.
Then there was a chance to make it on to the Delta flight to Atlanta, which was also delayed by 9 hours. I ran for this flight and it had not yet arrived on the inflight to Toronto. It would leave again once the passengers left the plane. I went to the Delta counter and then on to Customs. Oh sorry, the gate keeper of security said. US customs was closed for the night at 10 pm. It was 10:15 pm. I said there were still people that wanted to get on this flight to Atlanta. Nope sorry. Then a cop came to stand guard at the door and I talked with him for a bit. He was a nice guy. He told me that the only reason that the door was being guarded and he was there for crowd control as there was a NBA game on and after the game the team was coming through for their charter and for that reason there were two US Customs fellows still there to ONLY process the team and close-up. I asked him if I could talk with the US Customs fellows to see if they could process me and the Asian couple from Australia who were caught up in this same vortex as me. We could make the flight but needed to get through US Customs first. I tried the US Customs' door and door bell but no answer. The Asian couple disappeared. There was a small group of people at the door and I asked this group of short men if they were also caught up in this problem. Nope they all shook their heads...they were just there to see the basketball team walk across from the enter door to the security and US Customs. That was why the police man was there and the Security personnel. All of a sudden, I learned that the US Customs fellows agreed to process us three (me and the asian couple who could not be found). I think the cop asked them as he said that the US Customs fellow would process us after the team. They would do it this time and not again. Whew! Lucky for me!
So I lined up after the team and somehow I was in security behind some really tall fellows and maybe the road manager as he was looking out for the baggage. I asked one fellow what size of shoe he had as they all had to take off their shoes for security, even though they had a private charter plane to go to. The basketball fellow asked me what size of shoe I wore! Then he answered his own question 5 1/2? and I laughed and said yes. He wore a twelve but he said that was a small foot compared to some of the guys.
So I got through US Customs and thanked the fellows and ran for the plane gate. I get to the plane gate and the bar and stores are open and there over a hundred people and children waiting for this plane. After I got to the exit number, the plane arrived and we loaded up and off we went to Atlanta at around 12:30 am. It was a full plane and hot and noisy. Really weird. It was the middle of the night and we were still going places. We flew into Atlanta at 3:30 am. That airport still had lots of people about and many cleaners working at that time of the night. I went for a good walk through a couple of terminals to the terminal I would be leaving from. I phoned Delta twice before the 6 am American Airlines flight which would have got me in early for Lu in Fort Worth but the flight was sold out. No room. I talked with other people waiting for the flight and I had to settle for the 7:30 am flight by Delta. It was not crowded and I managed to watch Bohemian Rhapsody on the personal TV. I had wanted to see the movie.
I arrived around 9 am in Fort Worth and I waited a bit for the shuttle and was home by 9:50 am. Cassi was in school and so was Lu. I got in and had a great greeting from Darla dog. I then took her for a walk as I needed to take a good walk also. I was tired too but needed to move. There were flowers in the ground in the neighbourhood and birdsong in the air and it was warm. It was soooo nice just to walk with a sweater on and I was hot, but too tired to change for the walk. I had a tea, Cassi came home and we chatted and I was to pick up Lu after 4:30. YES! So I went to my room set the alarm and fell asleep until the alarm woke me up. I felt so much better then.
I drove to Lu's school and he was excited to see me. We chatted all the way home. Lu seems to know how to start the car now. He was telling me what to do in his Mom's car. Matt arrived from Fort Hood and we had a Thursday pizza supper with gluten free pizza. Very tasty. It was movie night also and b
I gave Lu his bath. He had a bath bomb for his bath and was happy to play with it also along with his jungle animals. WE read some books and he spent some time with Mom and Dad when I walked to the CVS pharmacy 5 minutes away for a couple of things I did not pack from home and knew I would need. Then a final good night to all and we are went to bed. I am tired and really glad that I am here and it is so nice here compared to home. OK I don't want to rub it in but yes it is super here!
Good night all.
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