Today's ridiculous adventure involves an administrative mess up, a last minute race through Heathrow airport, and a cat. Of course a cat, all of my most ridiculous stories involve a cat.
Quirk and I are returning to Canada (hopefully). We had to rebook a previously planned Christmas flight which meant we had no choice in times. This resulted in a 7:30 flight from Manchester to Heathrow, followed by an 8 hour layover before leaving for Canada. For a human this is an absolutely awful flight plan. For a human travelling with a cat it's not so bad because it means we can be on the same planes.
Or adventure begins slowly. At 2:30 this morning I woke up, put Quirk into her massive carrier, and caught a pre-arranged taxi to the cargo centre for Manchester Airport. They took her paperwork and copied what they needed, which surprised me because I thought they would need originals. Then they made me wait around while they put Quirk through an X-Ray. What they think I could have hidden in a cat I don't know, but she passed and at last I left her there and got to go back to the hotel and crawl into bed for another hour's sleep.
At 5:30 I caught another taxi, this time with my massive luggage, to the airport proper. The poor driver didn't listen when I warned that my one suitcase was terribly heavy, and was unpleasantly surprised when trying to lift it into the boot of his car. He was probably over 60 so I felt terrible. Even more so when he refused to let me get it out myself at the airport. I took my bags in, paid the extra baggage and weight fees, and found somewhere to sit and wait for my first plane.
The trip to London was pretty uneventful. I alternated snoozing with reading my book about English history and stopped to send love to my kitty in the hold. Arriving in Heathrow I took a transfer bus from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3, went through security for a second time, and got my Air Canada boarding pass. I then picked up some junk food and settled in for my 8 hour wait.
Just before noon I was starting to think how I should go get lunch when I get a phone call from the company handling Quirk's flight. There's a problem. The only paperwork they can find is a photocopy of the fit to fly certificate, they don't have anything else. Not only did the guy in Manchester give me the originals back when he shouldn't have, he didn't even copy everything. They need the originals by 12:30 (cats need to be processed and boarded 4 hours prior to the flight) - can I catch a cab to their office and bring them the papers?
Getting this cat home is pretty important to me, so of course I say yes. And then I realize I have no idea how to get out of the departures area, never mind the terminal. I walk towards the way I came in and find the security area. One person points me to an exit there, but when I ask the next person they explain that because I've already gone through and been processed I have to go out the other way. At the other end.
I start walking towards the other end. And then I start running because I don't have much time - it's now at least 5 after and the clock is ticking. And then I remember I am carrying a ridiculously heavy purse and wearing impractical shoes so I stop running. And then I get anxious and start again. I continue this way, alternating running with fast walking, to the other end where I encounter my next hurdle. Immigration.
See because I'm trying to leave the airport I have to go through Border Control. Even though I've only come from MANCHESTER. Even though all I want to do is run these papers over and come right back. I still have to get my passport stamped.
At this point it is nearing quarter after. My time is half gone. I call the company in tears and out of breath, and they are able to do the miraculous! They convince Air Canada to extend the deadline by half an hour. This will still be tough but is possible.
Going through immigration itself was interesting trying to explain what was going on. But eventually the guy just stamps my passport and gives me a look. I take this to mean I can go and start running again, this time to get to the taxi queue.
Here is where the company comes through for me again! They are sending a driver to meet me! But I have to have money for them, so I try to describe myself and go get cash.
And then I go outside and wait. And wait. And wait. I talk to the girl and she tells me I am looking for a white van. Because those are a nice rare species here! The clock is ticking, and all I can do is mournfully eye every white van that goes past.
Until at last! My phone rings! He is parked near departures and using the time-honoured method of walking around looking for another person on the phone I find the driver and pass off the papers.
I start through security feeling triumphant until a ripple of unease passes over me. I missed a paper. I forgot that it was tucked in with other stuff. I walk back out of the security line and call the company. Luckily they were able to make a new one and all is good.
Until they notice that the CFIA stuff has a messed up microchip number on it that is. That will be fun to deal with!
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