There’s a new-ish e-visa system for Canada. You apply online well in advance and then stand around worrying at check-in whilst they tell you there’s a problem and that your visa hasn’t been registered. Except it has, so after waiting a bit longer they give you a boarding card after all!
Then you take your bike, packed up to the airline’s specs,
(Jacob asleep under my carefully packed bike on the way to Gatwick at 5am)
to over-sized baggage, where they tell you they can’t accept it. The reason being something to do with the way you’ve packed it exactly as required. Then a VERY helpful Air Transat chap we recognised from many previous trips comes to our rescue, and magically another nice chap appears and points out that they can in fact take it, and Susie, Jacob and I gladly follow him to a high security area where the Hewitt is swabbed and prodded a bit. Then we leave it, fingers and everything else firmly crossed.
(I was asked specifically NOT to take this photo, and here it is)
Then long and fond goodbyes at the gate (3 months!), a quick frisk (at customs, obvs) and then the offer of a ride on an exercise bike with a difference in Duty Free.
As you pedal you power a machine slicing cucumbers, which then appear, as if by magic, in a glass of neat breakfast gin.
Hitches? What hitches?
INCIDENTSᐧOFᐧTRAVEL 
They do like to stress you out don’t they??
Funnily enough I think my turbo trainer does exactly the same thing…
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Yes, it’s a powerful motivator. Maybe I should just do another spell?
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Today is Ascension Day; here’s to you finding your heaven on this trip! Lots of love from us both for a safe journey – and looking forward to the first post from the road.
D & Nx
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Thanks to both of you. Currently waiting for takeoff! Love bxx
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One of the worst things when all your carefully made plans risk going pear shaped for not your fault. So glad it was resolved and trust arrival at the other end is complete. Here’s wishing you a fair wind and a joyfully productive journey, dear Ben and we’ll be with you all the way.
Lots of love. Dad
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Thanks so much dad. Just landed at Calgary! You must have had spectacular views when you did your flying here. Waiting to get going again for last leg to Vancouver. Love Bx
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Hope that’s the end of the stress and the rest of the trip goes well. Mind you, it’ll be overcoming the challenges that make the trip. Will look forward to reading all about it.
Love Seb.
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Thanks Seb! Last stress of the day was a long wait to see if my bike had made it to Vancouver. All fine, and now at my friends Gill & Stewart’s beautiful place for a couple of nights.
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