On Our Way to Vancouver, October 13, 2019

We were up at 4am to get ready for our 7:52am flight to Chicago. From there we are on to Vancouver, Canada. We are traveling with our good friends, Barbara and Jimmy the drummer. They were meeting us at our home and traveling to the airport with us. Just a little after 5:36 the car was packed and we piled in for the 25 minute ride to Philadelphia International.

A nice skycap helped us with our bags and to check in. The automated kiosk was, with his help, a “piece of cake.” First we entered our flight number followed by our names. Then we had to scan our passports, pay for bags and retrieve our boarding passes. And with that our luggage was on its way and so were we.

Barb and Jim were next. Our friendly skycap was helping them, just as he helped us. As we stood off to the side we could just make out their progress. All was going well; well until we saw the green light on the kiosk turn from wonderful green to depressing red. I didn’t even know there was such a color, “depressing red,” but there it was, in all its malignant glory. Jim’s passport had expired and, since we were leaving the country, he couldn’t board the flight and that’s when panic set in.

All passports look alike and they grabbed the wrong one. What a punch in the gut. So, after an animated conversation they decided to hustle home, find the right passport and return for a later flight. We had to board our original flight as we had already checked in and sent our luggage through, It was decided we would meet in Vancouver later in the afternoon, as soon as they could straighten things out.

How could this get any worst? Well, in one way it couldn’t but in another way it was just another gut punch. Turns out they had Jimmy’s passport all the time. It just didn’t scan correctly in the beginning and when the skycap told them it was expired, they excepted his explanation and panic was the order of the day. It’s a story to tell your grandchildren.

Jimmy and Barbara are booked on the next flight to Chicago and should join us in Vancouver around 4:00pm. Fingers crossed.

We arrived at the Pan Pacific Hotel around 2:30.  The ride from the airport to Canada Place and downtown Vancouver is very pleasant and interesting.  The taxi takes you through the heart of the city, as there are no expressways.  We went through residential areas and past beautiful high rise buildings, apartment houses and office complexes.  And the Pan Pacific was the end of our journey.

The Pan Pacific is located at Canada Place and adjacent to and on top of the convention center. It is also astride of the cruise port. The port, symbolized by five giant “sails” is terrific.

We are booked in room 2006.  It’s a corner room with a lovely view.  Here are a few photos of our room and the view.

Jimmy and Barbara arrived around 5:00 or 5:30pm.  All worked out okay for them.  A couple of drinks later and all was right with the world.