Sunday morning at 4:30 AM the cab arrives. I have not bothered to sleep and spent about 6 hours rearranging luggage. I take my 8 pieces of luggage to the Nanaimo airport - 9 if you count my purse and leave without a hitch.
I arrive in Vancouver and meet up with Richard. I got a disney princess colouring book and games for travel fun (much better than an old magazine). Thanks Richard! I make the plane an hour later and arrive in Edmonton only to have to get off and get on another jet. Oh well.
Edmonton to Winnipeg I get some sleep. Shirley is there to greet me at the airport -- a super surprise. There is a problem with the luggage -- a minor tear that warrants a card I have to fill out for a repair (yeah, right, in Baker Lake) and the fact that I can't leave any of it at the airport. Nice man at desk tells me there is a shuttle so no need to take a cab. Thanks dude.
Shirley and I arrive and help unload the luggage; get me checked in, and then off to Super Store to pick up my pre-ordered list of vegetarian items. Shirley wheels the bag home (yes, I took the luggage to the store) and I put it in the hotel's fridge and freezer and then off for a fabulous meal. We say our goodbyes and then off for some proper sleep.
In the morning it takes about an hour to take the food from the cold storage, remove all the boxes, pack the items into suitcases and backpacks, and set off in the shuttle. Only to unload it all and then discover the plane had mechanical difficulties and all flights are cancelled for the day. Those of us going to Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake are given $200 vouchers for future flights and room and meals for the night. This is when I meet Crystal. She's a new teacher in Baker and we stick together for the day and the next morning.
So now I have to reload into a new van and get to a new hotel. Once there it is off to the storage room to stow the frozen foods and excess luggage. Get a bit of sleep and some lunch and then some supper and lots of talking and before you know it I am awake again and trying to help the one shuttle driver load my stuff for the airport -- after repacking the frozen foods.
At the airport there are a lot of people due to those scheduled for that flight and those of us who will bump most of them off. Sorry. I get chastised for having so many bags and in the rush (the plane was leaving in half an hour) someone forgot to put the FROZEN sticker on two of my bags. Can you see it coming? Don't go there.
I have to lug the brutes (5 of the 8 weight almost 70lbs each) to the oversize and agonize while the screener takes forever. Time is ticking. I run to security; beg to budge the line; and then have the lousy luck of a screener who accosts my liquids -- the same set that has gone through the Nanaimo, Vancouver, and Edmonton security screeners. I cry a little (so sue me) and the supervisor allows a few more items to squish into the tiny bag but I have to leave behind more than I care to think about. Then the fight over the hummus. Don't even go there. I am still upset.
The plane gets into the air and then the announcement that the weather in Rankin Inlet is not good and we may have to turn around -- with landing choices being back in Winnipeg or to Churchill. Don't go there. There was not a happy person on the plane. But what can you do? As the woman behind me said, "I'd rather go back than have the pilot attempt a sketchy landing and maybe ending up dead." Fair enough.
The day improves when the weather does and we safely land in Rankin Inlet. My bags are the only ones that end up on the carousel. Some folks get all the luck. Guess the CONNECTION tags weren't enough; someone had put the wrong destination. Oops. I got some help moving the 8 pieces to the counter and re-checking in. Hanging around the airport Crystal and |I meet Jonathan and Janine and then Ken. We chat and get acquainted and when I go to the bathroom the others overhear staff say, "Isn't she supposed to be on the flight to Baker Lake? It left already." They jumped and reported that they, too, were to be on that flight. Oops. Turns out there were 5 standby people and no one read the manifest and since the numbers matched off went the plane. None of the 5 of us heard the boarding announcement. Oops. The First Air manager was so upset that she booked us flights on Calm Air that left later that night and gave us vouchers for $40 for a meal and drove us into town. We had a super supper (great food and lots of getting to know you conversation) and then walked around town. There is a cool sign, really big, announcing the home of Jordan Tootoo. I will have to get the photo from Jonathan.
We walked around town but it was bloody cold. The wind was high. However, back at the airport Janine and I decided to do a larger tour of the town. Our first stop was the ocean (OK, Hudson Bay) where we put in our hands and then I took off my boots and put one foot in the water. It was really very nice. We walk all around town and both enjoyed the exploration.
The flight to Baker was delayed, but did get us there. Too bad all my bags didn't. Of course one of the missing ones had frozen food in it. Don't go there - I can't. The VP, Chris (who happens to be Crystal's brother) was there to meet us and was a huge help. Once the 3 vehicles were loaded and dropped each of us at our new digs, the other VP, Jimmy, took me to the school to put what frozen food I did have into the school freezer. I spent the rest of the night unpacking.
Morning came early - not so hot was the lumpy mattress so I slept on the floor. (UPDATE: new bed arrived tonight so good sleep planned). We had our first staff meeting and other events transpired -- but don't go there. The last frozen food bag arrived -- not so frozen -- but still one missing. By now you know where not to go. However, the evening was enjoyable: Jonathan and I went to the town garage and got modems so we could have internet and then to the Northern to get groceries. A neighbour across the hall gave me his old TV and I have cable so life is good. We were just going to log into Facebook when 2 teachers showed up and offered us a trip to their cabin. Ken is with them and I ditch the TV for the ride. Jonathan stayed behind to Skype with his family. We live in an 8-plex and Ken and Jonathan live upstairs and I am on the first floor. Two guys from the mining company live across from me. We haven't met the other neighbours yet.
So, all-in-all, a pretty good start; just some weird hiccups. As for my last missing bag ...... don't go there.
