We spent much of breakfast saying goodbye to our fellow
passengers. It is here that we part ways with our travelling companions as we
head for homes spanning the globe. They have been a wonderful group and we all
agreed that it’s really too bad that you can’t start a vacation as familiar as
you are by the end. We all thought that would have made for an even more
wonderful trip.
The trip to the airport and the flight were uneventful, just
as you hope travel will be. We arrived in Helsinki to the same gracious
hospitality we have come to associate with Finland. It’s a huge terminal 1.5 km
long so thank goodness the attendants were waiting with wheelchairs for Mom and
Dad or we might never have made it! During our last visit to Helsinki we had a
wonderful young attendant and he disappeared before we had managed to give him
a tip. This had bothered Mom and Dad since it happened. While we were waiting for
our connection to Toronto I noticed the same young man walking through the
terminal. I was instructed to get Dad’s wheelchair moving and we were off in
hot pursuit! When we finally got him, explained the situation and Dad offered
him the tip, to say he was amused would be an understatement! He asked several
times if Dad was sure and left chuckling with a heavier pocket.
We managed to score front row seats, which on a 757 isn’t
saying much, but it sure was better than the seats we had on the way over. As we
flew over Iceland the sky was very clear and we had a great very of the country
before heading back out over the Norwegian Sea to watch the magnificent icebergs
below us. As I was periodically checking for icebergs I noticed we were
approaching a large landmass and asked the steward what it was. I was shocked
to discover that he had no idea and that no one had ever asked him before because
by this time it was quite magnificent! To his credit he apologized and
disappeared into the cockpit to return shortly with the captain’s maps to tell
me that we were flying over the tip of Greenland. Unfortunately our cameras
were in the overhead bins and difficult to retrieve so, on the principle that
the best camera is the one you have with you, I took pictures with the tablet!
My question had been noted by several people and before long I had a number of people
asking if they could step into our seats to see and handing me cameras and
phones to take pictures. It truly was a spectacular view. The trip was
interesting as we left Finland at 18:10 in the late afternoon sun and followed it
home. We arrived in Toronto at 19:50, almost nine hours later! That meant that
when there were breaks in the clouds and we had views, they were, quite
literally, shown in their best light!
Arriving in Toronto in the dreary rain was a bit of a setback
after all the beautiful weather we had, but the display that assured me it was
only 17°C
was a welcome sight! Unfortunately we were held on the runway for an hour
waiting for an available gate but arrived safe and sound after our great
adventure.
Somewhat disappointing was the reception at Pearson. It didn’t
really make much difference to me as we were home and could easily navigate
what we needed but having been through four different airports at various times
in the last few weeks and been so graciously assisted with luggage and
wheelchairs and directions, etc. it was somewhat disheartening to realize that
our country was the least hospitable, by far, to travellers needing assistance.
We did manage to get Mom and Dad wheelchairs but they were then herded like
cattle to a waiting area with other folks in wheelchairs and we were told just
to meet then outside. As no explanation had been given and things did not
appear well organized we stayed with them and then had a firsthand look as the
mess continued. One poor woman who was travelling alone had been left in an
elevator and was running between floors. She appeared disturbed and confused
and so we offered to help her and then continued with three wheel chairs and a
very large baggage cart between the two of us. We passed various airport personnel
but no one offered to help. I know from repeated experience that this did not
happen in other countries. In fact in Finland when we had no luggage to worry
about and assured the attendants that we could manage they still stayed with us
to navigate the airport and answer all our questions – and that happened on all
three visits to the airport. In Prague, as we had to wait for our flight, we
were left at the gate with both wheelchairs but the attendants magically
reappeared just before boarding and help us on to the plane. As we negotiated
through baggage and customs with me pushing two wheelchairs (and let me tell
you that’s not easy!) and David managing all of the luggage, not a single
person offered to help. In the line for the customs cards I was afraid to push
one and let it roll as I pushed the other as there were so many people I was
afraid I might bump someone. Not only were we not helped, people saw the
opportunity to jump ahead of us in line. Before entering into the public part
of the airport there is a significant incline. At this point I was giving a
mighty shove uphill on one and then the other, making sure to catch each before
it started to roll back. I actually had one guy (30ish, looked like he was on
business) actually comment how good I was and walk on without offering to help.
It took every ounce of self-control to keep my mouth shut – of course I also
couldn’t afford to waste the energy! Airport personnel sat by without
comment. Finally when we entered through
the doors a man coming through with us asked if he might help as the incline
reversed downward and I was nervous about losing one of them! I of course thanked
him profusely and gratefully accepted until we met Andrew and all was well. Welcome
home! It would have been disappointing and certainly grueling under any circumstances,
but given the all the kindness and help we received in every country but our
own, it was horrible!
I refuse to allow my welcome home to overshadow the incredible
experiences we had on this wonderful trip though. Travelling, as always,
demonstrates the incredible diversity of this planet and at the same time
points to our growing awareness as global citizens when we recognize the
familiarity of people and places thought foreign. I am now off to sleep and
then to laundry ... and to begin planning the next trip!
Greenland. You can even see the curvature of the earth from up here! Interesting to note that even from up here Iceland is green and Greenland is white!
Great view of the mountain glaciers.
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