Finally

This blog is for Robyn especially because she would be most proud of me for my trip home:

All was well, even despite the fog that had settled in over what seemed to be the entire country. But I flew out of Manchester, as scheduled, early on the morning of December 23.

Manchester to Chicago - security lines, checks, lines, checks, waiting..sitting...standing. Boarding.
Chicago to Seattle - security lines, checks, lines, checks, waiting..sitting...standing. Lying down. Boarding.

Seattle to Kelowna - the big one. The last one. FINALLY after four months I am making the last leg of my journey. It's been near twenty-four hours and I haven't slept. I get my boarding pass and wander around the empty airport to pass the time ...

Even curled my hair in the women's washroom, which did wonders for my sleepless appearance and to keep me awake. Nothing like a quick lick of a scalding curling iron across the forehead to bring you to attention.

Board the plane - the excitment is building. I think I at LAST really let it all settle in. I was going home. It was okay to get excited - it was right around the corner and all I had to do was complete one measly 45-minute flight up the West Coast and of course ..

wouldn't you know it.

Cancelled. Due to fog on the landing strip (despite all the suspiciouns of passengers on board and eager family and friends awaiting the incoming flight in Kelowna).

I was stunned. And then I was mad. I go an entire four months without a hitch and NOW a flight has to be cancelled!?! ...fog!?

I left the fog in England! No, apparently I brought the fog with me.

Well it wasn't going to stop me. No way, I was bound and determined to get home, even if it meant making the trek myself - and so I did.

At the Custumer Service desk 30 minutes later I convinced two other passengers that renting a car and driving to Kelowna that night would be more economical, efficient and fun than doing what Horizan Air had ordained for us:

Collect your baggage (you'll find it in Baggage Claim immediately)

What!? It's already been taken off the plane!?

Yes. And you can enjoy this flight home tomorrow evening. Sorry for an inconvenience.

Sorry!? I have to find a place to stay tonight, kill an entire day in Seattle, return to the airport with my two enourmous bags of luggage and then hope that the same flight won't be cancelled? And arrive home early Christmas morning!?

As you can see, it just didn't sound appealing. So, battling tears (because by now, it's a solid twenty-four hours without sleep) we jump a few more hoops and by midnight we are on the road.

A. myself, nearly delirious without sleep. Canadian. going home. Aged 21
B. Mala - fine. American. going to Kelowna to visit her boyfriend. Aged 23
C. Josiah - randomn friendly guy that chatted me up before boarding the plane. US Marine. going to Kelowna to visit parents for Christmas. Aged 21.

We were an odd trio, but we had the same agenda and that's all that mattered. None of us knew how to drive from Seattle to Kelowna, but darned if that would stop us. Once on the road we attacked maps and utilized cell phones home to anyone near MapQuest.

Mala drove out of Seattle to the border, where we are rigourously checked over.

What's so suspicious about three total strangers travelling together in a rented car in the middle of the night!?

After the border, Josiah manned the wheel until we hit the Coq. Once there, I definitely took over having the most experience driving in snow. Our Impala was good on gas, but definitely had All Seasons on at best and so going was slow (averaging 45km an hour).

Eventually, we hit Merritt where I was met by my frazzled boyfriend. I parted ways with Mala and Josiah and within two hours (6am) I was at last in Kamloops, B.C. and in my much missed bed.

Wow, a story for the books "..remember when I jumped in a rental car with two strangers and drove home?"

I still hear from Josiah. He texts me on a regular basis in Southern California where he is based. He leaves for his second tour of duty in Iraq in September. I heard about his first time there during our drive - the most interesting tidbit being an answer for why he seemed to be driving down the middle of the road all the time:

"well, yahsee...in Iraq when I'm drivin the tank I like to taker' down tha middle of tha road cuz' there's bombs and stuff closer to tha sides...so this way, I ain't gonna run overem'."

mmhm. Okay. Hey - how about I take over for a while?