. . . you’re in for a bumpy ride
I went to Québec because I love Willa Cather’s novel, Shadows on the Rock, which is set there. (There are worse reasons). When I decided to go to this year’s Bouchercon, which was held in Toronto, the opportunity to go onto Québec for a few days was too good an opportunity to miss.
Naturally I took Shadows on the Rock with me. I kept it for the plane from Toronto to Québec last Sunday afternoon. It is a rereading that I won’t forget in a hurry. I arrived at the airport already exhausted by the lingering effects of jet-lag and four days of full-on conference which included two hours of meet-the-author ‘speed dating’ (don’t ask!). I managed to lose – separately – both my boarding pass and my purse and though I was swiftly reunited with both, this rattled me.
Next, the flight which was supposed to leave at around 4.30 was delayed for two hours. At last we boarded. The revised arrival time was 7.45 and, engrossed in Shadows on the Rock, and enjoying it just as much as on earlier readings, I didn’t at first notice that 7.45 had come and gone. When I did, I saw that it was dark by now and we seemed to be flying through grey cotton wool. Then the pilot announced that we couldn’t land because of a storm over Québec airport. We hit a patch of turbulence and though I am not a nervous flyer, I began to feel uneasy as well as rather queasy. Then another announcement: the plane was being diverted to Montreal. There wasn’t enough fuel for us to circle Québec airport indefinitely.
More turbulence and by this time I was beginning to wish that I had opted for the nine-hour train journey. Three quarters of an hour later, to my great relief we landed at Montreal. It seemed very likely that we’d be spending the night there and I thought wistfully of my hotel room in Québec. But in the end the storm subsided in time for the refueled plane to set off later that evening and around midnight I checked into my hotel very late and very tired, but safe and sound.
Was it worth it? Definitely! But it was certainly an eventful trip, and that was even without what happened on the coach trip to Niagara Falls. To be continued . . .
12 Comments
Margot Kinberg
October 21, 2017Oh, my! You did have quite the trip, Christine! I’m glad you got safely there, but still! I look forward to the next instalment.
Christine Poulson
October 21, 2017Thanks, Margot! I have never been on a flight that was diverted before and it is disconcerting about setting off for one place and arriving somewhere quite different.
Helen Hardie
October 21, 2017Horrors of modern travel …
Can’t wait to hear what happened next ….
So good to know you are safe and well
Christine Poulson
October 23, 2017Thanks, Helen. Yes, horrors of modern travel and I am still groggy with jet lag. It was worth it, though . . .
Sue Hepworth
October 22, 2017Chrissie! I want to ask about the author speed dating! Tell us!
Christine Poulson
October 23, 2017Don’t worry. You’ll hear all about it!
moira@clothesinbooks
October 23, 2017Oh blimey! this is going to be quite the Perils of Pauline I can tell. Look forward to the next instalment…
Christine Poulson
October 23, 2017Thanks, Moira! It certainly turned out to be an adventure . . .
Helen
October 23, 2017Oh, I remember a flight like that Chrissie, many yrs ago — very easy to lose confidence in a system where you have the feeling that standard operating proceesses have gone out the window and uncertainty reigns… glad you’re back on home territory. X
Christine Poulson
October 25, 2017I won’t forget it in a hurry! AND the flight back to Toronto was delayed, too. I started to worry about getting my connection. Still, all’s well that ends well . . .
Susan D
October 24, 2017It was great to meet with you, Christine, and thanks again for your donation to our silent auction.
Yikes, sorry to hear about your horrible flight to Quebec. AND that you were on the Niagara tour. I wonder which ill-fated bus you travelled on.
Christine Poulson
October 25, 2017Thanks, Susan, likewise! I was on the bus that got back at 7.30, so got off lightly really.