Team Update: October 23, 2024

Travel Day One: Williams Lake to Vancouver to Toronto, Ontario!

Today our team met at Williams Lake Airport to start the first leg of the journey. The flight was just under an hour but set the tone for the day ahead. Once we landed in Vancouver, we took the short shuttle from the South Terminal to the Main Terminal. This is when we first realized the consequences of our individual packing choices. Hunter is the only one who managed to pack in a carry-on bag: less baggage but a larger bag and more concentrated weight. Tavi and Ashley each have a checked and carry-on bag. This should translate into more space, but the bags are full and create more to transport. Maybe we will post about the lessons learned and provide some packing tips.

The Vancouver airport is busy. People are going this and that way and cross your path every few feet. We asked the information kiosk for directions to avoid wandering the wrong way. Our flight was with Porter Airlines. The check-in and security process was simple and didn’t take nearly as long as expected. The airport signage is easy to follow if you know which gate you are going to. Once we got to our designated area, we had enough time to grab a coffee and snack while waiting to board. One of the great things about Porter Airlines is that the seats are 2x2, so they don’t have a middle seat. This allows for a little more elbow room. They also have more legroom; this creates a staggered seating arrangement that doesn’t align with the windows for some rows. Our seats still had a view! We watched the scenery below go from mountains and clouds to fields and flatness. The second great thing about Porter Airlines is that if you sign up as a member on their website they offer free wifi for the entire flight. This helps keep in touch and for entertainment purposes. Wifi is handy, but the real highlights are that none of us got sick and all our bags arrived. Two successful flights were completed!

Toronto Airport is bigger and busier than Vancouver. Considering the size of the cities, this wasn’t a surprise. We arrived in the evening, so the airport was not at its busiest but the walk from the gate to the baggage claim was enough of an adventure without the larger crowds. Following the crowd is helpful when it comes to airports and particularly when getting off the plane as the majority are going to collect baggage or find transportation from the airport. It doesn't always work to wait with the crowd. We went to the wrong location for the shuttle because the signage said "Hotel Shuttles" and everyone else seemed to be waiting patiently. Once we called and confirmed the details with the hotel, we found the correct pick-up spot and it was a short wait. It took longer to check-in than to get there.

Our flight out of Williams Lake was at 9:30 AM, and when we arrived in Toronto it was after 9 PM local time. Toronto is three hours ahead but after a full day of travel, we were appropriately tired and ready for bed. It was close to midnight when we got the keys to our rooms. Before settling into our rooms, we met for a late dinner. The hotel restaurant did not disappoint. Stay tuned to see if one of us will post some pictures for the foodies to admire.

After dinner, we said good night and ended the first day of the trip.