KLM - YVR to Amsterdam

We are here in the airport. Laura is with me. The Bonny’s taxi driver was so professional using his computer to identify a traffic jam and get around it.  He arrived right on the time we booked last night and brought us to the airport exactly as estimated.

 The KLM agent was just so kind and helpful. She scanned our Canadian passports and accepted our airplane tickets. Then she requested our Canadian vaccination forms we’d printed off.  Finally she reviewed our UK Passenger Locator form we had on our phones.  We’d uploaded them last night 48 hours before our planned arrival.  We didn’t need any test results.  We had our boarding passes and I just paid some $80 more for special seat assignment or overweight luggage. I don’t know. I didn’t have on my hearing aids. They’re thousands of dollars and fly off when I take off my mask. Laura was disconcerted finding the UK locator form on her iPhone.  We really were discombobulated.  I felt slightly old. Maintaining a stiff upper worldly traveller pose all the while feeling my age.  It can all be so flustering but this KLM agent was so kind and calming and we survived.

YVR actually had a printer at customer services so we could get a hard copy. My printer failed last night. Now we had hard copies of everything.

We prepared for the gauntlet. I’ve actually brought a shoe horn. 

Again no rush, no hurrying remarks.  We just were guided to unpack our electronics and take off our belts. They didn’t even ask me to take off my shoes.  I panicked when I couldn’t find my passport wallet with credit cards and money but they’d simply separated that bin to test my lap top for chemicals.  I think they can tell a person trained in chemistry.  My file probably has the old alerts when ammunition from hunting season turned up in the folds of my knapsacks or I tested positive from whatever carrying binoculars from my sailboat reading of diesel and chemical.  

We almost lost Laura’s half boots.  They took a fancy to them. Very attractive but even coming back from Ottawa they were closely examined.  Laura didn’t have to travel shoeless. We were passed.

It’s such a great feeling to get through that gauntlet.  We’re sitting here at D70 waiting for loading and so thankful. We’ve risked a little off mask moment to have a Subway salami sandwich. We have our Hudson chocolates and Laura has her book.  It’s beginning to creep up on me that I’ll be boarding the plane within thee hour.  I’ve had one work call I had to direct to the clinic. My mind is fully needed not losing my passport or vaccination forms or locator papers. I can’t be distracted.  I have my Visa and cards in little RIF sleeves and we’ve now got Sirling pounds from the Currency exchange plus some Euros.  My mind continues to run through lists and files hoping I haven’t forgot anything.  I’m actually looking forward to getting on the plane and having 10 hours of flight.  My tensor stockings are maintaining my blood flow. My back isn’t aching as I feared. Laura is in a good mood.  I’m happy.  So many moving parts and yet here we are, waiting to board.  Unbelievable!  Thank you God.  

Meanwhile the war continues in Ukraine and Russia is vilified.