We’re on the way passing Regina on our right and at an altitude of 8 000 meters plus. Drinks are coming around, but you have to pay for the alcoholic ones, by credit card; cash is out. We are still climbing ad are now at 11k meters plus with a speed of 900km per hour, with minus 57dC.
I usually eat at five pm and it is now six thirty pm, so I feel like a bit of a bite. My Apad is doing ok, but the seat space is minimal and a laptop is all ready too large if you want to write a bit.
The security check out came with a hiccup. I had transferred the three cans of Maple syrup to my cabin luggage since its weight was low and my main luggage high. I had forgotten about the liquid rule which says that the limit is 100ml, whereas my containers are 125ml! What to do? After some discussion with the agent he suggested to go back and pour a little out and then come back!
This I did, but before leaving the security area I asked to be allowed to skip the lineup, which was o.k. In the washroom I emptied two containers a little, but the third one’s cap would not budge. I tried warming it up, but no luck. It stayed closed. I decided to chance it and returned to security, which let me in through the fast by pass gate.
The agents still had some extra checks to make and by now the whole bag’s content needed repacking, which I did all still at the security station in a quiet spot. Finally it was time to go and I got my clearance. Then, about ten paces on my way I was hailed by a lady agent: “Are these your keys”. Yes they were my apartment keys; I’d left them behind in the security tray! Lucky me! I found the security personnel very pleasant and accommodating in the way they treated the passengers.
The hot meal is coming complete with wine. Time to file. It is now eight pm MDT and supper is behind us. The lights are dimmed and we must now pretend that night time has arrived. The plane shakes a bit and causes me to miss some of the intended keys.
We are now overflying the Hudson Bay and are about six hours form our destination. Since the flight is about eight and a half hours, one third of the journey is behind us. The meal was ok, but the seats are too tight even for a charter like Air Transat. I’ve flown them ten years ago and the space was acceptable then, but this is too tight for comfort.
I’m will attempt a snooze, but it is quite noise. We’ll see.<8:15pm
Restarting at 11:13pm after some sleep. Now with three hours left to fly, breakfast will soon be the order of the day. I therefore decided to add a little more. I walked from my seat in row 6 to the back of the plane – row 56 I think – and discovered that the aisle is also more narrow than it used to be. The flight crew has my admiration for having to do their work in such difficult circumstances and be pleasant at the same time. Lots of stress no doubt.
We are just west of Iceland’s longitude at almost 12 000 meters with a speed of 885 kph. It has not warmed up outside and is minus 45dC. Not all that different from come Calgary winter temps!
I’m closing the show at 11:25pm Mountain Summer time and will pick up the thread again once we are on Terra Firma in The Netherlands. 2:38 hours left to fly. And now after mark up: 2:12 hours.