03 September – Blog Postscript

No problem getting to Gatwick – Google directions took us right to the rental car agency without a hitch. At the airport check-in the girl weighs our carry-on. They didn’t do that when we left Canada. Just as well. Both my PC bag and backpack were and are still overweight. I knew they were when we left Canada. Johanne’s bag is overweight too. I take the computer out and send the PC bag as checked luggage. Johanne must check her bag as well. Strange but they let me keep my overweight backpack as carry on. Next we go through security. Johanne transfers the contents of her plastic baggie full of lotions to the bags supplied by the airport. The contents fit easily. She picks up a few more Gatwick plastic bags and tosses them into her bin. The security guard inspects her bin contents and removes the excess plastic bags. “I wanted to use them on future flights when we travel with the family,” she says. “You only need 1 to board your flight. If I let you and others take extras, we’d go broke now, wouldn’t we?” Johanne is at a loss for words and I suggest we continue through security. The security agent on the other side of the people scanner is gesturing in my direction and indicating the shoes should come off. I begin to remove my shoes but she shakes her head. “Not you,” and points to Johanne behind me. “Lady, please remove your sandals and put them in the bin.” The system at Gatwick seems to be out to spoil Johanne’s journey home. Especially since I’m now trying to stuff my PC into her shoulder bag. As I’m doing so, she laments, “Why is your hairbrush, the mousepad, your razor, and other “stuff” in my shoulder bag?? No wonder nothing fits!” My solution is to find a place to sit, give her all my remaining English pounds, and let her shop. It must be working because she’s been gone for over an hour. We board and take off on time. We get a lunch and see two terrible movies, The Three Stooges and Hoot. We finally arrive at Dorval and experience the new process for clearing customs – passport & declaration kiosk scanners. It sure beats the usual long and winding line-ups. We pick up our overweight luggage from the carousel and head to Avis for our car. I have a choice of a Dodge 300 or a little Fiat. Which one do you think I took? Johanne keeps me on the right-hand side of the road and we make it home in record time – its 4:00 pm with no traffic! Coming back on a holiday is a brilliant idea. Home sweet home!