16 August – Dorval Airport

Our first entertaining event occurs at the airport before we leave. Since we are both only taking carry-on luggage, Johanne packed all our gels and lotions into two clear bags (medium freezer bags) that are the same size as the Transport Canada bags provided at the security gates i.e. mini-sized toothpaste, contact solution, face creams, hand sanitizers, hairspray, etc. The girl at the Air Transat ticket counter checked us in and asked if we were carrying liquids. Delighted by the girl’s thoroughness Johanne says, “We are” and is ready to display our neat, little, conforming packages. But the girl thanks us, gives us our boarding passes and dismisses us. After a delicious supper at the airport, at the security line the agent asks if we are carrying any liquids. Once again, Johanne is prepared. She answers, “We are,” and is about to extract the two small plastic bags from her carry-on bag. The fellow looks at her and asks, “Large or small?” Puzzled by the question, Johanne asks, “I have them in clear plastic bags, would you like me to transfer them to your bags?” “Large or small?” he repeats confused by her strange response. His words fall on deaf ears. “Do you have any bags I can use?” she says looking around and expecting to have to transfer all the liquids to their bags. He says, “Yes,” and points to a pile of clear plastic bags hidden under some security gadgets at the other end of the conveyor belt. “Large or small liquids?” he repeats. To put an end to this verbal tennis match and avoid what can only be trouble for us, I intervene and say, “Small.” With a relieved look on his face, the agent puts our luggage on the conveyor belt and runs it through the scanner. As we walk through the airport, Johanne is definitely annoyed. “Well I shouldn’t have spent so much time trying to get all our liquids and gels into those damn baggies – in fact I could have brought all the stuff I had to take out because they couldn’t all fit – like hand cream and shampoo and nail polish and … All this and we’re not even gone! I can’t imagine what other delightful moments await us.

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