As I mentioned last week my wife and I had a snowy trip to Scotland earlier this month, but the trip home was almost as harrowing.
However, as horrible as our experience was trying to return to Okotoks it paled in comparison to what others had to endure.
Our planes, trains and automobiles misadventure started when we thought we did the smart thing, book a train. Due to the snow storms in Scotland we elected to take a train from Arbroath to Aberdeen to catch the flight to London. Everything looked good when we woke up on a sunny Friday morning — the first without snowfall — to catch our train. However, when we arrived at the train station there was a sign on the door, “No Trains Today.” Apparently it was too cold for the trains, they were shut down. So were the buses and many taxis.
You have got to be kidding me?
Believing we may never leave this snowbound country we had to rustle up some kind of transportation to the airport.
In a panic we found a crazy pyjama-clad cab driver who could survive on Canadian winter roads and a cousin to shuttle us to the airport.
We made it just in time to catch our flight. As we sat on the plane griping about the ridiculous state of Scottish public transportation we learned a train load of people were stranded overnight for nine hours in a train with no heat. Some suffered severe hypothermia.
Our journey to the airport did not seem so bad afterall.
We had escaped snow covered Scotland and felt we were finally on our way home.
We were so wrong.
Due to technical problems and horrific mismanagement by British Airways we sat on the tarmac at London Heathrow for more than seven hours until they finally decided to cancel the flight.
I could not help but laugh because things just could not be worse.
Again I was wrong. It is then we learned our flight to Calgary originated in India and due to problems in New Delhi many people had been on that plane for 24 hours.
Things certainly could have been worse.
After more than an hour going back through customs, lining up for hotel vouchers and buses to the Sheraton it was 1 a.m. before we found our room and a euphoric shower.
My wife and I, along with several other Canadians, then gathered in the lobby scrambling to organize flights home. Thanks to Dean, who is actually from Okotoks, and Samir for getting everyone on to the lone flight to Calgary.
Tired, hungry and teetering on the edge of insanity the weary group of Canadians did what we always do. In honour of John Candy and Steve Martin we emptied our mini bars and had an impromptu party in the Sheraton lobby. Thanks for the drinks British Airways — it was the least you could do.
