Today went by quickly. I took some vegetables to the Pakistani neighbours at their gas station and then I put the car away in the barn. I covered it with blankets to keep any pigeon poop away from the paintwork. It's amazing how acidic their poop is; it strips paint from everything.
Jenny always asks me what I want for the big meal on the day I'm leaving. As usual, I suggested sausages as I love 'em and they are quick and easy. I helped with the clearing up and then got down to serious final packing and making sure I had everything - something I'm not so good at. So far I haven't noticed I've forgotten anything but it's bound to happen before too long.
She came over to our house bemoaning the fact that she'd been looking for her glasses for two days. I knew they weren't in our house so I said I'd go over to her place and find them before she got back. I did too. She thinks I'm a miracle worker. The truth is that my eyesight is good enough to see a pair of specs sitting on a cupboard whereas Jenny needs a spare pair of glasses to find her glasses. She said she'd asked her mother to help whereas I resorted to St. Anthony.
Waris drove me to the airport; he's the second son in the Afghan family. He now lives at the farm because he's raising a few sheep and goats. He has a regular job in the city, landscaping in the summer and removing snow in the winter, but he loves animals. He also needs the money to pay off the mortgage for the house he bought for his mother and his brothers.
This is the first time in many years that I've sailed through the airport without any obnoxious questions about travelling on a one way ticket, having no visa etc. This time I was armed with my itinerary for a trip I'm making to Seoul on the 5th but they didn't ask for it. Apparently they are terrified that I'll overstay my visa and the airline will be fined.
I felt highly honoured on the 1 1/2 hour flight to Vancouver because we were offered a bag of miniature pretzels; normally we get nothing other than a tea, coffee etc. I've bought a book so I settled down to reading. It's called "The Spy and the Traitor" and it's about a high ranking KGB chap who spied for Britain. He now lives in suburbia under an assumed name; it's been a good read so far.
I'm busy people watching as Vancouver airport is a fascinating place to be in because of all the people moving up and down. It's also very artistic with lots of aboriginal carvings, statuary etc. 3 1/2 hours to go to midnight and then another 2.
I found one of those dark alcoves, with dim light, so I decided to have a lie down. It would have been great except for the fact that it’s opposite the gate for a flight to Beijing. Why is it that Chinese people seem to think that everyone else is deaf? It’s supposed to be a quiet area but, with no door on the alcove, I am deafened by Chinese conversation. Further down, at the gate for New Delhi, things are a bit quieter because most of the people sitting there are turbaned Punjabis and they are all enjoying their packed meals they brought from home. Indians really don’t like anyone else’s food. EVA has just rolled out their free tea and coffee so I’m going to get myself a cuppa. Only 1 more hour to go for boarding time.
