I left Vancouver at 9.30am on 23/12/08 and headed for YVR airport. Got there with plenty of time to spare. As I walked to the check-in counter, I saw the queue that started in the domestic terminal and snaked all the way to the international terminal! Virtually all flights within Canada were delayed or cancelled. I'd seen on the news that these people were stranded at airport. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them.
My first flight was delayed as the plane was coming from Chicago, where they were having violent snow storms. The lady at the check-in counter told me that I would still make my connecting flight in Los Angeles even though the plane was delayed. As I waited for my flight, I kept receiving flight notifications that my flight was even more delayed (now 6hrs 46mins delayed). There was no way I would make my connecting flight if my plane was 6 hours delayed.
With some quick thinking, I approached one of the service staff and managed to get myself on an earlier flight to Los Angeles so that I would make my connecting flight with ample time.
On the plane from Vancouver to Los Angeles, I sat next to the trendiest Chinese Grandpa ever. He was wearing a Helly Hansen hoodie, had spiky hair and funky glasses. He was going to Disneyland to see Mickey Mouse for Christmas to get away from the Vancouver winter. Pretty cool huh?
I arrived in Los Angeles with 6 hours to kill until my connecting flight home. I managed to kill the first 3 hours pretty easily. But then, I overheard an Australian say that her flight was cancelled. So I thought that I better check the departure screen for an update. True enough my flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne was CANCELLED. I thought that I had done so well to get out of snowy Vancouver without too much hassle. No!!!!! Would I make it home for Christmas?
So after queueing for a while, I was told that I had been booked onto the same flight on the following day, which would mean that I arrive home on Boxing Day! I wasn't going to have any of that. Myself and other fellow passengers exhausted all alternatives. There was no way that I would spend Christmas Eve in Los Angeles (even if the hotel and food was paid for) and Christmas day on the international date line. I HAD to get myself home in time for Christmas. So after some lengthy discussions with the airline staff, I managed to get on a flight to Sydney on the condition that I had to get myself from Sydney to Melbourne. This route meant that I would arrive home in time for Christmas! Sweet! So I booked a Qantas flight from Sydney to Melbourne and I was on my way...
The long haul flight from LA to Sydney went surprisingly fast considering there were no personal tv screens in economy class. When I got to Sydney airport I was greeted with this sign: 'G'day. Welcome Home.' Sydney is not home, but it was close enough.
The last leg of the journey went smoothly. I had Christmas lunch on the plane, which consisted of a ham and salad sandwich. Met my folks and sis at Melbourne airport which was all good. My plane touched down in Melbourne at 1.30pm which mean that I had been on the road for over 30 hours! But I was home in time for Christmas dinner with the family and that was all that mattered! It was even better that it was Sunny and (kind of) warm in Melbourne. When I left Vancouver it was -10 degrees celcius. I had traded in a white Christmas to be home sweet home. Yay!
