Now that's service.

5AM. Even the cat is still asleep, a rarity. Normally by this point the howler is awake and downstairs awaiting the start of his feeding routine (he suffers from dementia and tends to forget there is food in the bowl, requiring an ongoing reminder until he is full).

Cat aside, so begins the first day of a trek that will not cease until 6PM the following day.

Vancouver->Toronto->Sao Paulo->Vitoria.

With the reservation crisis of the previous day resolved attention turns to last minute packing details before embarking on the pre-legs (commute via train and Skytrain to YVR).

Kit is packed and passport pulled out along with the handful of Reals left over from last year. Steve has already messaged via Whatsapp indicating he will be gathering up the core group arriving from the UK 6 hours after I land. In addition Steve suggests cabbing it to the airport hotel in Vitoria to get a head start on sleep as the next day is going to be long.

Parting ways with spousal unit at Waterfront Station, I make my way onto the Canada Line Skytrain. I have no problem keeping pace with the morning rush. A testament to the lightness of this years travel kit vs. years past.

At YVR the glider bag is wrapped and dropped off at the Air Canada Priority Members check-in. The Customer Service Rep notes I have a long two days ahead of me and asks if I am aware of the location of the Lounge.

Oh yes. Quite.

After a quick trip through security I manage to score a corner of tranquility in the Lounge and catch up on work emails.

1030 hrs, Gate C46.

Our ride pulls in just as I arrive at the gate.

The short haul workhorse - an A321.

All in all the flight was uneventful and the crew under the guidance of Flight Director Rosie was right on top of things when a curve ball was thrown their way.

Upon arrival in Toronto I am the first to deplane and am met by a young lady bearing a name tag of Giselle and holding an iPad showing my name on the screen. This cannot be good.

I confirm for her it is likely I she is looking for and her immediate reply is one to alleviate any concerns, "Do not worry sir you connection to Sao Paulo is fine."

Visible sigh of relief.

The lady then continues, "I am here to escort you to your driver, if you would like?"

"Driver?"

"Yes, to the international terminal. This is a service we like to share from time to time with our premium customers, but if you prefer to walk that is ok as well."

"I'm game for the car, please, lead away."

Mah ride.

After a short jaunt across the tarmac in a rather decked out recent model Bimmer, we arrive at the International terminal. Giselle escorts me up to the Maple Leaf lounge and bids me a enjoyable trip.

I could get used to this.

Now with four hours to kill I find a spot to plop down in the lounge and go about grazing the 'feeding trough' in the food area. The mac'n'cheese coupled with a chicken dish catch my attention. And while the open bar looks plenty inviting, it is not on the menu for yours truly this eve. There is still a long way to go.

Chillin' in da lounge.

A colorful way to cap a night off.

Time crawls by. A few laps of the lounge to kill the boredom. Constant monitoring of work emails to ensure everything will go smoothly in my absence.

At last. Less than an hour to departure.

At gate 71 is parked our bus - a 787 Dreamliner or what I like to call the 'Fire' in Boeing's 'Fire and Ice' duet. The lithium cells on the 787 had a small problem catching fire in the early days while its larger 'Ice' sibling, the 777, had a tiny issue with fuel lines freezing.

Fire and Ice.

Oh the irony if I were to become part of an incident featured on 'Mayday' (having watched the show religiously back in the day). But as one can probably gather, if I am here typing - the aircraft likely survived.

In any case, once onboard I begin to toy around with all the electronic features populating the pod - including the seat itself.

A proper sized tv screen.

Another control screen on what appears to be a detachable game controller.

And yet another screen for in seat functionality.

How firm would you like your bed? 

And the overhead lights or perhaps the opacity of your windows?

So many electronic control options. So many things that will need frequent replacement ;)


Climb out from Toronto is smooth and meal service is started promptly.

Bye Toronto. Thank you for sharing the best part of you, your airport.

Fish and an enclosed space. Bad idea Air Canada - just a bad idea.

Post meal the lights are dimmed and everyone beds down to make the best of the long haul.

A few hours later...

7k down. 1 and a bit to go.

Land in Sao Paulo, clear immigration and customs, grab glider bag and off to the domestic connections desk for LATAM.

That is one seriously compressed wing.

Bob's - makes MacDonalds look like fine dining.

Umm ... ok.

Bag dropped off and new boarding pass issued - off to Terminal 2 it is. Venture through security and track down Gate 229.

Oh look, another Airbus 320 variant.

No premium cabin on this flight but the airline was kind enough to hook me up with exit row seating and no neighbour. Unlike last years flight with Azul, the cabin crew on this LATAM flight spoke fluent English. An added plus in the event things go sideways and we end up diverted.

But no diversion is to be had.

Arrive at Vitoria on time despite having to take a longer track in avoiding afternoon storms over Rio. Collect the bag and grab a 10 Real cab ride to the hotel.

Finally. Here.

Word on WhatsApp - we meet in the morning at 9AM.

Day 1 in Castelo ...

Day 0 of the trip that almost wasn't.

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Chillin' in the AC Lounge at YVR, awaiting my 11 AM flight to Toronto (with subsequent connections to Sao Paulo and Vitoria, Brazil).

Rewind 24 hours to a rather confusing morning.

The day before the first leg of my trip southward is due to depart, I attempt to check-in and print boarding passes. Enter the booking reference code and departure city as is the norm. Error, no record found.

*arched eyebrow*

Try again.

Same result.

Curious.

Scour email to find my frequent flier number and log into the Air Canada web portal. Open my current booking.

The originating city shows not Vancouver but ... Toronto???

Back to email, dig up the booking confirmation email from last fall. Originating city definitely shows Vancouver. 24 hours to get this fixed and the clock is ticking.

Punch the digits for the Air Canada reservation line. After the prompt for language the line informs me that I can expect to be on hold for 30 to 40 minutes. Obviously I am not the only one having a problem.

Patience not being my strong suit, back to the web and the AC Latitude portal. I acquired Elite status with AC just this year and I recall the info package mentioning a priority reservation line for Elite members. Dial up and viola, instant customer service rep.

I explain the situation and get a reply, "Let me put you on hold for a second."

A minute later the rep returns and informs me that I can be put on the 11AM in Business. Would have preferred the original 1030 AM as it is a 767 with the pods (vs. the 11AM Airbus 321 with 2 by 2 Business) - but I am not in much of a position to negotiate. In either case, the 5 hour layover in Toronto can absorb the later departure.

11AM it is.

No idea what went wrong with Air Canada's computer system but thankfully I was able to spot the problem early enough to mitigate (vs. being relegated to standby).

Hopefully this is the first and last of the issues waiting in the wings.

Valle de Bravo with the Gin Explorer: Part 2.

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Continued from Part 1

45 minutes to departure and I sit outside Gate D50 in YVR. A short musing regarding how much impact the once derided Airport Improvement tax has had on the terminal. We normally don't pay much heed in our rush to and fro gates, but sitting here today it is not hard to agree that it was money well spent (when compared to the likes of MEX).

With my section called, I make my way on board to 1D.

No 'single serving friend' seatmate for this flight.

As fellow pax file onboard, OJ and water are offered along with the menu for tonight.

The cheese pasta dish it will be.

At one point I glance up to see a family of 2 adults and 4 children ask the flight attendant for help in merging their split seating. 'Row 26' catches my attention as does a rather irate infant being toted along. Wonder how much the folk stranded around the screamer would be willing to pay to move? In my case, one cannot put a price on sanity (an extension of 'the quality of an experience is remembered long after price is forgotten').

Take off and climb out are uneventful. The forward class flight attendant begins with drink service followed by meals. My late arrival, early start, and long day ahead makes for no alcohol tonight - water and my main course only.

The cheese pasta dish.

5 hours fly by in a blur of repeated food and drink offerings.

030 hrs local time we touch down and I race off for immigration and customs. For naught it is, as it takes an hour to clear the near empty queue. Bag quickly collected (the benefit of the 'Priority' tag F/J class pax get) and off in search of the Camino Real hotel attached to the airport.

Opposite end of the terminal, upper floor, and across a skybridge sits my new home for the next 4 hours until my ride to Valle, Ignacio, lands from Argentina.

Till then ... sleep.

Continued in Part 3.