A New Adventure

I have loved Venice since I first visited it back in the early 1990s. However, it has been about 8 years since I was last there. So, last year when I was talking to some friends of mine in Victoria who go to Venice Carnevale every two years, I came up with the idea it would be fun to go. As they are going this year, I hatched a plan to go too. I found some willing companions to go with me - my friends John and Pedro who live in London.  Pedro is from Brazil and they've been to the Rio Carnival. I think this one is going to be a bit different from that. No samba floats or scantily dressed revellers. After all, it isn't summer in the northern hemisphere!  The only experience I've had with the celebrations that take place around the world before the start of Lent was Fasching in Bavaria in 2006. That was nothing like Mardi Gras or Carnivale, believe me!  

So, I'm headed to London for a few days before the guys and I head to Venice next Friday. I have lots to do in London to finish off the last details of my costume. If I get that done, I may even get a chance to do some touristy stuff there.  However, first I will have to tell the story of how my costume came about.  It's a good thing my friend, Faye, the one who goes every second year with her husband, is an avid costumer with lots of creative juices. I had no idea how much goes into this until a few months ago. I only had to come up with one costume; Faye and Barry have around 10 each. Unbelievable!

So, as I sit at Victoria airport hoping the snow isn't going to mess up my travel plans, I am hoping I've brought everything I need to pull this costume thing off.  I'll be fine, I'm saying to myself; besides, there are shops in London if I forgot anything!

Sitting on the tarmac at YVR waiting for the de-icing equipment.  What a mess!

It is now over 24 hours later and the snow totally messed up my itinerary.  I probably should have taken it as a bad omen to begin with when I mistakenly thought I was flying out on the 11th only to find out last Monday that my actual departure date was the 8th!  I had to scramble around like a mad person to get ready.  Then, it snowed!  And snowed, and snowed!  The drive out to the airport took 1/2 hour longer.  My flight was delayed which meant I missed my London connection.  Next, Air Canada put me on a "red eye" to Toronto - never fun - and a morning flight to London.  I finally arrived nearly 12 hours later than planned after a rather harrowing turbulent flight across the Atlantic.  What will always be a mystery to me is how my luggage made my original flight while I didn't.  There it was sitting all alone in a corner of the baggage claims area looking like a forgotten child.  At least it (and I) made it safely!