North of 54: International Traveler

June 1, 2016

Day one of my holiday to visit my sister in Colorado... and I'm still sitting at my kitchen table. My husband and I headed for the airport early, made some stops in town and stopped for a $6 meal deal complete with a hot fudge sundae cause we knew we had plenty of time. The International Destination area at the airport was strangely absent of people when we arrived. I was trying to figure out how to use one of the machines to get my boarding pass when a fellow came along to help, asked what airline, then said, "You're late for that flight."

"Late? How can I be late? It doesn't leave for an hour!" I said.

Well, I was indeed late, 4 minutes late for their 1 hour prior to flight minimum check in time, and there was no way they would let me go on that flight. They offered an alternative through Cincinnati arriving in Denver after midnight, but I'd have to catch a bus to Boulder when I got there and my sis doesn't like to drive after dark. The idea of being stranded at the bus stop when I got there didn't sound like a very good alternative. So I got a boarding pass for the same flight, but for June 2nd, and we drove the 2 1/2 hours home.

I thought I was pretty much resigned to all this, called my sister and let her know what happened and that I'd be coming a day later. But my clearly remembered overnight dreams may indicate I was a bit frazzled by the situation. I dreamed of rescuing my neighbour's turtle (tortoise? about the size of a dinner plate) from under the snow while he greedily munched on last night's leftover vegetables. Then I spotted a very large lizard like creature struggling to exit from our barn loft. He had eaten so much he was having a hard time getting his big belly out of the window. Freaking, I ran for help and found a hunting party standing around in my kitchen comparing guns. I frantically attempted to get in a word edgewise to remind my husband that we had to leave for the airport, SOON, but I was ignored. I spent some time trying to figure out how to hold the turtle, cradled upside down like a baby didn't seem appropriate, turtles would surely be uncomfortable that way. I settled on an over the shoulder baby burping style position, headed off to take him home - then I woke up. We did see "Neighbourhood Watch" on Netflix a couple nights ago. That may have influenced my brain bit

June 2, 2016

So, day two. We left earlier, not stopping. I'd planned to spend my 2 hours of regulation arriving before flight time reading a book I'm halfway into. Oops, I left my Kindle plugged in at home...

Arrived at the airport a little after noon and had lunch. My husband hung around long enough to see that I got through customs. Cripes! Shoes off; liquids, gels, etc. in a separate Baggie - I knew this. Electronics, i.e. Laptops, also separated. Everything is done by machines with, thankfully, a human aiding the uninitiated. Your passport is pretty much all you need, stick it in a machine and it knows all about you and your flight (I'd booked on-line). Time - 1:37, two hours to wait before departure, one and a half before loading. But at least I'm here!

Going from the Edmonton Airport to the Denver Airport could be compared to being a bumble bee, happily buzzing with a few other bees around a rose bush, flying into a pop can, and on exiting the can finding himself in a colony with a million other drones. Busy does not describe it! You take moving sidewalk after moving sidewalk, an escalator, and a train to get to the main terminal. Thinking I knew where I was going and knowing if I hurried I'd catch the 6:20 bus to Boulder, I quickly phoned my sister at the free phones available (my cell doesn't work outside of

Canada) and zoomed out to catch it. No bus, missed it. Went back inside, fortunately made an inquiry and found out they moved the place to catch the bus! So I called her back and told her I'd be on the 7:20 bus. Then I had a leisurely coffee and decided I'd wait for the bus out at the new bus station. With a certain amount of confusion and some wandering around I managed to

locate the new ground transportation area and discovered the bus was already there! Almost missed it again!

Touring along toward the mountains at 8:00 p.m. I noticed the sun was on the verge of dropping behind the mountains. At home it would be bright daylight. Those latitudinal parallels and proximity to the mountains make quite a difference. My sister was late picking me up, the bus was in early, but here I am at last eating a meal saved for me, settled down in my sister's home and ready for a nice long sleep.

June 3-9, 2016

It's always a trip down memory lane to go to Boulder, the town where I went to high school and college, met my man, married and soon thereafter departed for Canada to start a brand new chapter of my life. It's grown, lots, but the places I knew are still there though some of them have been repurposed. My old high school is now a classy senior housing facility - the spacious grounds now filled with cottages. The movie theatres I worked at from the age of 16 through 22 or so are now all real theatres, for plays. Downtown Boulder is an upscale pedestrian mall and Boulder Creek has walking/biking trails and parks where it runs through town. The University has grown dramatically. But the mountains haven't changed, most older neighbourhoods are much the same, and it is still one of the most beautiful places a person could live if you want to be a city dweller.

I had a great visit with my sister, looked at old photos, ate some fine meals, walked around the lake in a park near her and talked old and new times, shopped a bit... And when it was time to go I made very sure I arrived at the airport 3 hours in advance of my flight!

Here's some holiday pics...