Thursday, 8th. January, '98.
Canada.

Flying over the 60o parallel, with Greenland out my window. Before long - the Great White North. Lakes ? Rivers ? Ice ? Snow ? I'm unable to tell. Sandwiched between cloud - white above and below, and only the infrequent glimpse of a pale blue/grey stripe indicating the sun is shining, somewhere.

Watching the in-flight news of the recent weather conditions, it's difficult for me to imagine the temperatures, or so many people being without water or power. For a change It's not happening 'somewhere else' but where I am, and have been, and plan to go. And even floods in Cairns and Rio de Janeiro ?

Arriving at Pearson, and sadly no snow. Herded through immigration where I have my first 'welcome' to Canada with someone from customs I'm sure I've ignored on chat.

An announcement to say Montreal is now open to arriving/departing international flights, and the backlog is affecting domestic flights. Please join the queue.

What time is it ? We all stand patiently, shuffling ahead a few paces at a time - mothers with young babies in prams, elderly couples, those with backpacks. We are handed slips of paper with the airline phone number for re-booking our flight. Flights are closed, delayed, re-routed and it is announced that a State Emergency has been declared in Quebec. Millions without power or heating. I wonder if 'Prudence' is one. Our names are entered on lists, please join the queue, a bus will take you to your accommodation.

Delta Meadovale Resort and Conference Center,
Mississauga.

Where exactly are we ? I'm past caring, have been travelling eighteen hours now, and queueing at reception, the restaurant or whatever, reminds me it is rather silly eating dinner when my body clock says it's two in the morning. I did enjoy dinner in "Arabella's" the main restaurant here - pan seared Atlantic salmon with tomatoes, tarragon, chives, black pepper and a baked potato. The potato had a firm, dark skin, the inside was white, moist, closely packed and rather sweet. Potatoes from Prince Edward Island ? Where they have the video-cam across the bridge ? That pretty place, from the virtual postcards. Yes ! I felt I knew where it was, especially having chatted with people who actually lived there.

My room airconditioning says it's 26oC, and the lowest it will go is 18. Maybe leave the patio door open a fraction ? I'm probably suffering from heat exhaustion, not jet-lag.

Friday, 9th. January, '98.

My most miserable day to date. Feel like going home simply to be able to sit down, pick up the phone, and call someone without worrying about the cost of the call.

Needed to contact Air Canada to find out what was happening - hotel travel agent advised huge back-log of passengers meant delays were to be as expected as the constant busy signal, and NOT to disconnect once I actually had a connection.

Without my virtual address book I feel lost - wasting time looking through the phone book for unlisted numbers, trying to remember my contacts, and who else I said I'd call.

John helped me out first thing by sending an e-mail for me, and I bravely rang Anne while dimly aware banks were already closed back home. Walked to two banks nearby, neither using (nor aware of) any manual entry procedure to assist me with a magnetic strip no longer magnetic.

Lunch with Manny at nearby "Walt's" while snow actually fell ! Watching the tiny, tiny specks vanish on my hand as we arrived, it was exciting to see fatter lazy flakes swirling around like moths even for a short time as we placed our order.

Different phrases and descriptions on the menu, side salads served as a separate course, different breads, sweet, different mustard. Chatting of absent friends and other times.

Returning to my room and the phone, this time actually speaking to a person at Air Canada who listened patiently as I explained I was already in Toronto, and not so keen to be shuffled off to Montreal simply to return here tomorrow as indicated on my ticket.

Not only had I been unable to let Paddynet chatters 'Prudence', 'BigMama/Cleo1', or 'Tober' know my whereabouts - I was not in a position to spend as much on phone calls as accommodation without feeling decidedly nervous. It would be Monday before I could actually contact my own bank - and Mississauga seemed miles from everywhere except the airport.

John then rang back to say he was swamped with work and regretably far too busy to spare time or a connection for me. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Saturday, 10th.January, '98.
Toronto / Mississauga

Awoke to find it had snowed - even if only a smattering - dusting the cars in the carpark and showing through the grass. I decided to give breakfast a miss, catch the airport shuttle bus and head downtown earlier to meet Michael and was disappointed that the further away from the hotel we travelled, the less snow there was.

My, the hotel IS a long way out ! Travelling on the right, wide roads, whispy snow movining like ripples, tall residential towers, smart buildings with corporate logos, wharehouses and light industrial areas under a flat grey sky gave me a sense of deja vu, reminding me of travelling into Seoul, Korea beside the Han river.

What wonderful buildings - and plenty of construction going on, presenting a very strong image of a dynamic city proud of it's position, history and accomplishments. The tower, the 'gold' bank, the stadium, the lakefront, City Hall old and new, wide clean streets, impressive shapes, angles and curves.

Meeting Michael and Natalie at the Eaton centre, the largest cinnamon scroll I've ever seen, delicious coffee, and shops, shops, shops.

There was a Spice Girls look-alike contest being held, and at one point the setting could have been any mall - with Body Shop, Marks & Spencer, HMV, McDonald's, Benetton, Tie Rack, Esprit, Hallmark, Bata - except for Michael Snow's flock of Canadian geese caught in perpetual flight high under the curved glass roof.

Leaving around two, we walked along in sunlight to the Bloor Street subway and I caught a taxi to Insomnia, a cyber-cafe where I ended up using the large TV screen with a cordless touch-pad keyboard for hours. A wonderful meal described as a ham sandwich had slabs of ham, spicy tomato salsa, tangy mustard and melted cheese on an oval bun, good coffee, and people to chat with. A Russian from a nearby shelter celebrating his nineteenth birthday with his friend from Romania. Pleasant staff, good music, tempting aromas from the kitchen. Never occured to me to check the time of the last airport shuttle bus either, so I ended up travelling by taxi back to the hotel. It was a very nice day, although far more expensive than I had counted on.

Sunday, 11th. January, '98.

It snowed again ! And this time, looking more like pictures as it swirled around, even though it didn't last long.

A wonderful breakfast in 'Peppercorn's' with fresh fruit, then scrambled egg, sausage, bacon, and more red-skinned Prince Edward Island potatoes and fresh orange juice. Back to my room to gaze out the window, mesmerised by the flakes and wondering where they went if they didn't melt leaving a wet spot ?

Watching the black squirrel leaping across the mushy ground between the trees beyond the carpark, and what I'm sure is a lone, lost white seagull.

Put today down as wasted. Will be back to update when/where possible - due to leave 3pm. tomorrow for Los Angeles, providing I can make some arrangements with my bank.

Monday, 12th. January, '98.
Missing in Mississauga.

Another day lost. Altered my travel planner to show accommodation and flight alterations for Los Angeles with the very kind assistance of Catherine, from International News, across the road above the bank. Not only did she offer to help without hesitation when I virtually door-knocked her office, she was also happy to allow me to update my page from disc. Easier said than done - unable to access Geocities from her computer, or through her server AOL.

The calls I tried to make kept returning error messages, and I needed someone to explain the different area codes required here, and by that time the day was mostly gone.

Discovered Sympatico is not really 'the internet provider for everyone' as I couldn't understand their recorded message either time. Rogerswave were also unable to help me with temporary access. Although the resort uses Rogers cable TV, this area - Mississauga - being mainly commercial does not have the modem cable laid as yet.

While eating pizza and missing pizza from home, I watched ads for funeral, health and car insurance, "Fisherman's Friend", anti-freeze and de-icing products as Toronto played New York Rangers at ice hockey on the big screen at 'Streetsville' - the bar with darts, billiards, wing chairs and photographs on the walls.

I'm not feeling exactly homesick, simply disappointed not to know anyone and to have discovered I am so close by to Guelph, Whitby, Oshawa and London - places Paddynet chatters live - and no way to contact them.

Sipping a Baileys, hearing all about Newfoundland from a fella at the bar - do we really have that much in common ? Not once he starts quoting me facts and figures, instead of his personal stand on enviromental issues. He critisises me for leaving my 'heritage' behind when I say I am my own person. Only knowing one grandparent, and only hearing of my parents times, yes, it is lost on me. 'Second generation Australian' is a statement, not an apology. My racial/ethnic background, then ? Human, I answer.

Tuesday, 12th. January, '98.

Wednesday, 13th. January, '98.

Montreal is still on the news, and in the headlines, and yes, the Bank of Montreal confirms they received my funds two days ago. Now where would I like that sent ? Well, to the branch I have been pestering since Friday, please, Megan knows all about it.

More phone calls, re-scheduling of flights, pre-paid accommodation in LA wasted, and extra days in Mississuaga. No, I'm not enjoying this.

It does snow, yet briefly, vanishing too quickly. Suprisingly even the sky looks clear and the sun is shining - wonderful to watch a golden sunrise as snow flakes swirl past the windows and it's minus-something degrees outside and I want to go outside with the camera and film it.

Such frustrating delays - circumstances beyond my control, so I read the paper, write postcards, buy a book and enter stuff on my laptop. Chat with the staff instead of my friends on the net.

Next stop - Los Angeles.

How far is it ? - 2183 miles (3513 km)