The long way home - part two

I'm exhausted this morning! I seemed exhausted all day until it was time to sleep! I just woke up - the blog is going to be late!!!

Travel days are long, and even though yesterday was a short travel day, we lost three hours due to the time change. It was easy - we got up, caught the hotel shuttle back to the airport. We hung out at the lounge for a bit, and then I suggested we go down to the gate to try something new. 

DH is always grumbling about having to stand in the Zone 2 boarding lane instead of Zone 1. Well, if you want, we can try out the NEW (OK  - not new), but relatively new thing called Digital Boarding. I had tried it last time I was in Vancouver, and it did NOT work, so I had asked the staff to ensure my digital boarding was set up. And now was the perfect time to try it since Vancouver is the only place where it exists at the moment. 

The lines were already getting long, and I discovered a separate line for Digital Boarding. No one in the line. TZone 1 was boarding, and I just walked up to the machine. It scanned my face and accepted me; the gate opened, and in I waltzed before they even finished loading Zone 1. DH had some issues with his, but he was right behind me. 

So this is pretty exciting, as with this technology,  you no longer need to show your boarding pass or ID, but just get accepted by the technology. YES --- technology, which is often a failing proposition for me. The last time I tried it, it didn't work, but this time, it worked like a charm! The last time, it was just a screen with face recognition. This was more permanent, with an opening gate. I guess others had issues as well. 

It takes a wee bit longer to be recognized than if you walked through and showed your documents, but I imagine that will be sped up, and more lanes will be added as time goes on. But like all the other things we have used in the past (priority status for security, airline status), there will come a time when this no longer saves much time. For now? I'll enjoy using the technology and hope it comes to Toronto sooner rather than later. They are already using that face recognition technology in the NEXUS line in Toronto. 

Oh shoot -- I thought I had taken a picture of my boarding pass. But if you want to see if you can use that technology, there is an indicator on your boarding pass. I only saw it after I was on the plane, but I knew it existed, so I was determined to try it. Remember -- it is only at Vancouver at the moment, you have to set up your digital profile, and probably only at certain gates in Vancouver.  

I watched another Harry Potter movie while on the plane. That leaves three more to go. What will I watch when those are done? I guess I'll just find other movies on the plane. I used to read, but I found the movies are fun to watch. 

After the movie, I turned on the map, and instead of showing us where we were going, it showed all kinds of aerial views of other places in the world. This was Mount Kilimanjaro. How cool to see that from the air!

Aerial view of Mount Kilimanjaro

And someone else had the tail camera on the plane activated. I think that is cool as well. If something went awry, would you really want to see what was happening to the plane? We had just landed at this moment. 

The tail camera of the plane

Since we did not check luggage, we were able to zip right off the plane and into a limo for the journey home. Let's say that two certain girls were pretty excited to see us!! 

The girls are so different. Lexi is so calm and just wants to be close. 

MOM - I'm so glad you are home

Murphy is moving a mile a minute, and there is no way she was stopping to look at the camera. 

MOM - you're home! You're home! I need a walk! 

While we had nothing to eat in the house, we managed to find a couple of snacks, so we didn't go hungry. It seems like we ate so much over the last couple of days that I wasn't really hungry, but I needed something in my stomach. 

I found SIX flowers in the pond. By the time I got home, they were closing up for the evening. I can't wait to see them today. 

Six lilies in the pond

The peony had bloomed and was decimated by the recent rain, so I didn't get to enjoy it this year. 

The peony is almost done.

But now the rose bush is in bloom. 

The rose bush

Those demanding girls made it quite clear what they really wanted from me - a walk!! And they would not stop giving me attention until they got what they wanted. Again, Murphy is moving a hundred miles a minute, while Lexi just prances in place. 

I had to unpack last night because I have to shake the sand out of the suitcase, wash some clothes, and repack today as I leave tomorrow. If you think that is bad, DH is already on another plane this morning. I don't know how people do these quick turnarounds. I like my house - I want to travel, but not back-to-back. My cousin will be traveling back and forth across the 3-hour time zone. I'm exhausted, and I don't know how she will survive for an extended period of time with that kind of travel! 

We were in contact with M and Dillon as they traveled home. They got home after we did, but they had a long drive and then a ferry to cross. I think they had a bit of an emotional day. So much pressure, prep, and excitement, and then it's done! But we got to see a few of the wedding pictures and OH MY -- they are beautiful. I'll share some of them another day. 

I had done some work on my current jigsaw puzzle after eating my snack, but then I left it and tried to sleep. And while I was tired or I thought I was, when I tried to get to sleep, I couldn't, so I read, watched some YouTube, and then got up to do more work on the puzzle. 

I accomplished quite a bit. Before I went to bed, the pink was more or less done, but I got the red, orange, and yellow done as well. It's a challenging puzzle because the colors are worked in THREE areas, so if it doesn't fit in one spot, it fits in another, but which one? 

Working on the jigsaw puzzle

There is more purple than anything, so that will slow me down, but at least it will all be in the same area. 

Oh my gosh -- so I woke with a start at the moment that the girls like to be let outside. I'm not sure what triggered that, but the sun was pouring in the window. It's going to be a late start to the day. Sigh.....

We have Monday sewing today, and I have some pictures to prepare for the presentation. Then I have a quilt to bind and another one to do some embroidery on. It will be a busy day, and I must try NOT to have a nap, or I will not get to sleep later tonight. 

Murphy is circling my chair like a crazed dog. All she wants is a walk. The poor thing is NOT going to be happy when she sees me leaving tomorrow. But DH is only gone for a couple of days, but he does NOT walk them, so she won't be happy!

In addition to watching the movie, I watched a couple of episodes of The Reluctant Traveler, hosted by Eugene Levy. They were interesting and explored non-tourist things. I thought the show was great. But he said something, or it was said in the trailer, and I thought it quite interesting. 

Here is a quote that was used on the show - it is attributed to St. Augustine. "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."

WOW! I find that very fascinating, and since I like to read, I must read more than one page. I won't be able to finish this book, but I'm OK with that. WAIT -- I totally get that there is a cost to travel, but guess what? That exploration can simply be in your own city or your own country, and neither has to cost a lot of money. It's the idea of exploring that is being referred to. 

I know people who have never been outside their province. I would have gone mad years ago! I first traveled outside my home province when I was under 10, and ever since, I have traveled. That first trip? By bus with my Mom to Portage La Prairie. It didn't cost us much, as we stayed with my Mom's pen pal, Hilma. 

But to get out and explore? It helps to keep that curiosity and kid-like sense of adventure alive. I would die if I couldn't wander around. NOTHING has to cost a lot if you shop around! And get creative! 

And on that note, I must get the girls out the door. The blog should be on time tomorrow, but only for one day, as I'm going back in time zones for a week. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!