Toronto – home

and… picking up the tale, there I was in the area just outside baggage claim and customs. There are still several groups around as well as a large number of people who are crashed on various chairs and couches. Did I mention that it was rather chilly? Now, I am used to California weather and the mild breezes we had on the ship for the last 10 days. Not prepared for outside temperatures of -6*C. Trust me on that. And every time someone entered or exited we could feel a breeze.

I pulled out stitching, then gave up and tried to nap. When that didn’t work I listened to an audiobook and back to stitching. At 0400 I gave up completely and headed up to the area in front of Gate Fs security. Funny thing – they actually open between 0400-0430. Not a problem, slid right through there and passed the best organized carryon check point I have seen yet. Rather than a long confusing counter where everyone is pushing and shoving – each area has a number of separated stations with bins coming from underneath as you fill them and push them back onto the belt.

US customs opens between 0430-0500. And then I had more fun. I got all the way through, then failed the luggage check. My bag had not been cleared by customs. As my flight last night was late, US customs had closed (see yesterday’s rant about getting booted out to the rest of the airport). Shunted off to the Air Canada Baggage service desk I got to wait for another length of time. An hour? It was hard to estimate. The lovely woman who arrived first checked and confirmed that my bag had not been cleared.

When the rest of the staff arrived, the section supervisor was pulled into the discussion. Turns out I was the ONLY US bound passenger on the flight. Which means they were looking for one bag. Not a batch or anything large, just a 19″ hardshell dark blue roller bag.  It took three people searching more than 30 minutes and several looks at his computer screen, but they located my bag and, as it was right side up, easy to identify (hard shell, outside soft front pocket). Once found, I was able to clear Immigration with little fuss.

I went through to the gate area in search of live and alertness giving coffee. Unlike the ship and other airports, the wifi at Pearson is amazing. Easy to log in and super fast. I managed to download several software programs I had agreed to Beta test, moved a number of files around and cleared out more SPAM than I want to acknowledge out of email boxes….

Our flight was delayed. It was probably 75% full and I was so glad to arrive at SFO. Having cleared customs and Immigration in Toronto, our baggage wound up at delivery area 3 which is outside regular International Terminal Area baggage claim. While waiting for my suitcase which, of course, was the last off, I charged my phone, directed a number of people to meeting areas and tried to stay awake.

I am how many hours now without sleep? Inquiring minds really don’t want to know.

From there it was a matter of boarding BART, finding a section clear of sleepers and shopping carts and letting Dani know my approximate arrival time. We had only a slight delay at the MacArthur stop when BART police came on and escorted a number of rather aggressive beggars off the train.

I haven’t unpacked, sleep sounded oh, so much better. I woke up long enough to have Thai food for dinner and sleeeppp.

I would show you what I stitched on the plane, but the server isn’t cooperating at the moment.