Over the Ocean and Far Away

Friday 15th September - Up, Up and Away ...

We got up at a regular time which is most unlike us (!) and had a „good, hearty breakfast“ at the hotel. So, stuffed to the gills, we headed off to the airport and got there SO early. I mean, the flight was 2.45 and we got there without needing to check-in before 12. In fact, considering we had done ourselves such a favour checking in early, we messed up big time! For some reason, once inside the airport we rushed through and did not look at any of the shops outside the security area – including the Harrod’s shop which I had been looking forward to – but rather went straight through the x-ray machines, passport control etc and then found ourselves in the departure area WITH NO DECENT SHOPS whatsoever! No clothes shops, no gadget shops nothing! Just the usual Duty Free, magazines and books and some really “lovely” gift shops. If only I had stopped to buy some rather tasteful beer jugs or mini-Brandenburg gates! So we walked up and down for a while aimlessly and decided that we would both feel really cheated if we didn’t buy something in the Duty Free shop – you have to get something don’t you? Feeling my age over the last few weeks, and certainly looking it when I looked in the 5x mirror at the hotel in the morning, I opted for some heavy duty age defying creams that I would never usually look at! But once I had the little bag on our trolley, I felt as if I was at last on my way at last ... Silly isn’t it? Stocking up on litres of water for the flight (I was still coughing like a 60-a-dayer) and then we needed to sit and wait.... and wait..... and wait.....

The flight itself was pretty uneventful – which is a good thing huh? I mean, who wants an “eventful” flight! R of course would not let me listen to my music until he was ready to switch off from me, he beat me at Scrabble (in my own mother tongue), and the movie choice was terrible. However, despite that, the flight seemed to go really quickly and before long, I had my first sighting of Nova Scotia from the plane window. Obviously, the detail was a bit hazy, but I could certainly see a lot of green trees and plenty of water which meant that they had not had a freak snow storm in the last 24 hours – I was relieved ....

Arriving at Halifax airport, everything was just SO Canadian – how can I describe what makes it so Canadian? Well of course, the flag gives it away a bit, but there is just something about the place ... Can’t really put my finger on it. Everyone is so friendly (even though the passport control guy tried very hard to put on a stern face) and there is just a feeling in the air. We collected our hire car and I am not kidding when I say that from landing to driving out of the airport was no more than 40 mins! And then we were on the highway, heading into Halifax .... past the “downtown” sign, along past some just FAB old buildings like out of a movie, and along the port area and to the Westin. The Westin is a 1930’s hotel, overlooking the port of Halifax (which just so happens to be the second largest natural harbour in the world, next to Sydney, Australia). Our room was on the 8th floor and I was so impressed with the view – the port, the ocean, Pier 21 (Halifax’s equivalent to Ellis Island in New York), the beginning of the Boardwalk – oh I don’t know – just all of it.

WE WERE ON HOLIDAY!!!!!!
We strolled out along the Boardwalk and it was a mild and balmy evening. Bands were playing, people were walking along and the lights were beginning to twinkle. We ate our first Atlantic fish of the holiday at Salty’s which was recommended to us by our Bell Boy. We made it romantic! It was a great start to the holiday!