Bridget Goes to Victoria, BC
Stephen and I got home from my cousin's wedding at around midnight on Saturday. I had previously arranged to meet Molly, the manager at LUSH Toronto Airport, at 7:30AM the next day for our 9:30AM flight to Victoria. At 3AM, I was finally finished packing and preparing for my trip (laptop packed, costume packed for Christmas LUSH Ball, all liquids in my Ziploc bag since I was travelling with just carry-on, all my work reports and papers snug in my backpack and so on and so forth). Just before crawling into bed, Stephen asked me what time he should set the alarm for. I said, "6AM". I figured I'd sleep on the plane.
3AM - Stephen asks if I've set my alarm just as I get all comfy in bed. I groan and say I haven't, and he says, "No problem, I'll set mine." We go to sleep.
7:42AM - Roll over in bed to birds singing, sun beaming merrily through the window and am suddenly thinking, with growing horror, that it is far, far too bright to be 6 in the morning.
7:43AM - Jump out bed and shake Stephen awake with "IT'S ALMOST 8AM! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE AIRPORT RIGHT NOW!! THE PLANE LEAVES IN AN HOUR AND A HALF!!"
7:44AM - Fuck! Fuck! Where are my socks? I have to brush my teeth! Jesus, I have to pee.
7:45AM - Nicole comes out of the bathroom and vaguely asks if we aren't supposed to be at the airport. Too busy rushing around trying to get dressed and find my shoes to answer.
8AM - Teeth brushed, contacts put in, deodorant swiped on haphazardly. Have called Molly to explain the situation. Molly is soothing and reassures us that she will see me at the gate.
8:15AM - Nearly in tears. Cannot believe this has happened. Have never been less than two hours early for a flight before!
8:20AM - On the road, madly applying mascara in car as Stephen swerves around other cars. Am concentrating on thinking positive thoughts and not blaming Stephen.
8:34AM - Screech up to the departures area, jump out of the car, kiss Stephen goodbye and run up to Westjet counter.
8:36AM - Mothertrucker! Am at US Departures counter!
8:37AM - Find Canadian Departures. Ask Westjet employee if I have to stand in massive line up since friend Molly has already booked our seats. Westjet employee is reassuring and directs self to kiosk.
8:40AM - KIOSK IS NOT PRINTING MY DAMN BOARDING PASS!
8:42AM - Move to second kiosk. Again, not printing boarding pass!
8:45AM - Third time's the charm. Grab boarding pass, run to security line. Wait there, sweating and trying not to look like a terrorist.
9:00AM - Make fool of self in front of security since have no idea how these things work. In any case, am not detained for stupidity and fasten shoes, throw coat back on and begin racing to gate with boarding pass and passport in mouth, massive backpack on shoulders and small pink carry-on bumping along behind me.
9:05AM - Seriously? Does the plane really need to be boarding at the farthest gate from security?
9:07AM - Yes. Yes it does.
9:10AM - Arrive at gate, huffing and puffing madly, dripping with sweat and probably smelling like yesterday. Have exactly ten seconds to catch breath before Westjet announces general boarding for all rows. I made it! However, Molly is nowhere to be seen.
9:20AM - Find seat, stow carry-on and begin searching through backpack for kleenex. Molly arrives! Confides that she secretly thought I wouldn't make it. Apologize for smelling like yesterday.
9:35AM - Plane takes off! Have minor takeoff anxiety, then settle into nice groove with LouLou magazine and iPod.
So, yeah. I made it! Having not had time to eat breakfast or have any coffee (sob!), you can bet that my ass was waiting for the drink cart like it was my job. I really wanted one of the snack boxes that you can buy, but they only took credit cards and I remembered that my Visa was sitting happily on my computer desk when I left this morning. They didn't take cash, no matter how sad and hungry I tried to look. I made do with free coffee and Bits and Bites.
We landed in Victoria a few hours ago and took a cab to our hotel, which is probably the swankiest place I've ever stayed at. I also appear to be the only dark-skinned person up in here, other than the cleaning staff, and I'm slightly worried that I'll poke my head out of my room and find myself with a broom in my hand.
Once I got my stuff all squared away, I went on a two-hour walk to find real food and possibly a milkshake. I came back with both, after stopping to look at the guy on the corner dressed like Darth Vader and playing the violin, and grab some essentials that I sort of forgot to bring when we left in all the kafuffle today (sunglasses, toothpaste, batteries for my headphones, etc). I plan to head out again in a few minutes for some King of the Mods at the Victoria LUSH shop, since I've never seen it.
By the way, I found the cutest sandwich shop ever, which made the best veggie panini I've ever had and the most amazing ginger-coconut soup and now I can't remember where the eff it is. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WANDER. I also came across the Victoria Bug Zoo, and would have gone in if I'd had a friend with me (because when am I ever going to get to go to a bug zoo again?), but I was too chicken to walk in alone.
Anyway, here I am.
3AM - Stephen asks if I've set my alarm just as I get all comfy in bed. I groan and say I haven't, and he says, "No problem, I'll set mine." We go to sleep.
7:42AM - Roll over in bed to birds singing, sun beaming merrily through the window and am suddenly thinking, with growing horror, that it is far, far too bright to be 6 in the morning.
7:43AM - Jump out bed and shake Stephen awake with "IT'S ALMOST 8AM! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE AIRPORT RIGHT NOW!! THE PLANE LEAVES IN AN HOUR AND A HALF!!"
7:44AM - Fuck! Fuck! Where are my socks? I have to brush my teeth! Jesus, I have to pee.
7:45AM - Nicole comes out of the bathroom and vaguely asks if we aren't supposed to be at the airport. Too busy rushing around trying to get dressed and find my shoes to answer.
8AM - Teeth brushed, contacts put in, deodorant swiped on haphazardly. Have called Molly to explain the situation. Molly is soothing and reassures us that she will see me at the gate.
8:15AM - Nearly in tears. Cannot believe this has happened. Have never been less than two hours early for a flight before!
8:20AM - On the road, madly applying mascara in car as Stephen swerves around other cars. Am concentrating on thinking positive thoughts and not blaming Stephen.
8:34AM - Screech up to the departures area, jump out of the car, kiss Stephen goodbye and run up to Westjet counter.
8:36AM - Mothertrucker! Am at US Departures counter!
8:37AM - Find Canadian Departures. Ask Westjet employee if I have to stand in massive line up since friend Molly has already booked our seats. Westjet employee is reassuring and directs self to kiosk.
8:40AM - KIOSK IS NOT PRINTING MY DAMN BOARDING PASS!
8:42AM - Move to second kiosk. Again, not printing boarding pass!
8:45AM - Third time's the charm. Grab boarding pass, run to security line. Wait there, sweating and trying not to look like a terrorist.
9:00AM - Make fool of self in front of security since have no idea how these things work. In any case, am not detained for stupidity and fasten shoes, throw coat back on and begin racing to gate with boarding pass and passport in mouth, massive backpack on shoulders and small pink carry-on bumping along behind me.
9:05AM - Seriously? Does the plane really need to be boarding at the farthest gate from security?
9:07AM - Yes. Yes it does.
9:10AM - Arrive at gate, huffing and puffing madly, dripping with sweat and probably smelling like yesterday. Have exactly ten seconds to catch breath before Westjet announces general boarding for all rows. I made it! However, Molly is nowhere to be seen.
9:20AM - Find seat, stow carry-on and begin searching through backpack for kleenex. Molly arrives! Confides that she secretly thought I wouldn't make it. Apologize for smelling like yesterday.
9:35AM - Plane takes off! Have minor takeoff anxiety, then settle into nice groove with LouLou magazine and iPod.
So, yeah. I made it! Having not had time to eat breakfast or have any coffee (sob!), you can bet that my ass was waiting for the drink cart like it was my job. I really wanted one of the snack boxes that you can buy, but they only took credit cards and I remembered that my Visa was sitting happily on my computer desk when I left this morning. They didn't take cash, no matter how sad and hungry I tried to look. I made do with free coffee and Bits and Bites.
We landed in Victoria a few hours ago and took a cab to our hotel, which is probably the swankiest place I've ever stayed at. I also appear to be the only dark-skinned person up in here, other than the cleaning staff, and I'm slightly worried that I'll poke my head out of my room and find myself with a broom in my hand.
Once I got my stuff all squared away, I went on a two-hour walk to find real food and possibly a milkshake. I came back with both, after stopping to look at the guy on the corner dressed like Darth Vader and playing the violin, and grab some essentials that I sort of forgot to bring when we left in all the kafuffle today (sunglasses, toothpaste, batteries for my headphones, etc). I plan to head out again in a few minutes for some King of the Mods at the Victoria LUSH shop, since I've never seen it.
By the way, I found the cutest sandwich shop ever, which made the best veggie panini I've ever had and the most amazing ginger-coconut soup and now I can't remember where the eff it is. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WANDER. I also came across the Victoria Bug Zoo, and would have gone in if I'd had a friend with me (because when am I ever going to get to go to a bug zoo again?), but I was too chicken to walk in alone.
Anyway, here I am.