That’s all for now folks

We will be home or close to it by the time you get this. Five weeks to the day since we set off to “circumnavigate the globe” - I will never get tired using that phrase.  Trust me, it will be shoehorned, squeezed and dragged kicking and screaming into the most unsuspecting of conversations.  Do not be around when someone innocently asks, “I haven’t seen you about.  Have you been away?” It will be carnage for a while.  

The day started early with Sean, Andrea and Isobel, aka Mr and Mrs and Miss Vancouver Verno assembling for goodbye hugs and fond wishes.  Always hard to leave.  Mr Vancouver Verno drove us quietly to the airport and more sad goodbyes.  That was that until the next time which we all hope will not be too long.  None of us are getting any younger and all the senior Mr Vernos will soon be or seriously nudging 60.

So we had noticed that our boarding pass for Toronto had STBY on them.  We were assured at baggage drop-off that this would be rectified at the gate.  Onwards we proceeded and arriving early at the gate I let the lady at the desk know that we had no assigned seats.   She seemed unconcerned and stated that there would be an announcement in 10 minutes.  No announcement.  Then the flight was called.  When we appeared again in front of her to draw attention to our status and that we had a connecting flight to catch she took our passports and after punching a few keys realised she had messed up and her face showed it. There then followed some hushed conversations, radio calls about jump seats and frankly not a good advertisement for Air Canada.  Whatever was done we were the last on the plane in seats far apart.  Not a good start but at least we were under way.

The views as we crossed the Rockies were incredible with cloud cover light in many places one could appreciate the wildly differing landscapes of Canada.  The view out the window on landing was equally informative.  I happened to be sitting over the luggage hold door and could see some individual cases being unloaded.  Lo and behold there was my case. These must be cases for connecting flights.  I keep watching for Mrs Vernos case but of it there was no sign.  I could by this stage turn off flight mode and there on the Air Canada app was an alert that Mrs Vernos case was delayed.  How the feck like.  A quick check with Air Canada customer service reassured us that it would be fine but as I write this on a plane taxi-ing to the end of Toronto Pearson’s runway on the way to Dublin we can only hope that both cases land at the same time as us. 

There’s not much more to tell.  A footlong Meatball Marinara from Subway went down at treat in Toronto Airport.  Mrs Verno ate much more healthily.  We are now awaiting our airplane meal and glass of wine.  Like an M&S dine in for two on a Friday night.

While this may well be the final chapter of the 40ish blogs you good people have endured there are events and observations that have missed the cut or just been missed for the sake of brevity. One I cannot hold on to happened on the way out of San Francisco.  You will recall that we had pleasant trip with Ray the Burmese taxi man. We had to sort out Mrs Verno’s visa into Canada and that was stressful enough. Well, security in San Francisco will now be part of my go to experiences of airports.  So as you all know your bags and stuff all get put on the belt for x-ray as the humans line up for a proper scanning.  San Francisco had the most advanced in the world and who was to argue with that.  My turn came and feet were placed on the yellow marks on the floor and hands held out as described by the helpful silhouette on the inside of the chamber.  I was beckoned out and asked to wait for a screen at the side to declare me safe or not.  Oh the tension.  And then.  Red screen. Crap.  The staff, a young fellow said that we have an anomaly and pointed at the screen.  And I kid you not.  I had to look twice.  Across the crotch area of a figure in the scan position was the word “anomaly”.  Your brain starts to race on these occasion.  WTF.  A series of questions followed.  Have you a belt on? Have you anything in your pockets? Have you a piercing?  And so on.  All answered no.  He then said he would have to do a pat down search and in more detail than expected described what I was about to experience.  I could not take it all in but I am nearly sure that the last thing he asked was would I like a private room.  Anomaly or not, I thought our business should be conducted in public for everyone’s sake.  Well the search was remarkably thorough and surprisingly educational. I did not realise how high I could hike my jeans up by hooking my thumbs in the side belt loops.  Those kecks were clean on that morning is all I’m saying.  And to add insult to injured nethers he offered me a seat in order to take my shoes and x-ray them.  Clearly he suspected that the anomaly had slipped into a shoe to escape his attentive pat down.  Will not quite feeling violated, I did feel somewhat sullied. I’ll have to get some ointment to make sure my anomaly does not cause any more suspicions to be aroused.  Mrs Verno was well through security and found the whole thing hilarious which it was and will be retold in the most extravagant way again and again.

 Folks then other than updating you on our luggage that may well be that.  I am hoping that there will be a reflective piece in a few weeks time with Mrs Verno being interviewed on her highlights, observations and thoughts on five weeks of “Where’s Verno?”

Until then, thank you for your attention on this matter.

Verno

Update - all cases arrived in Dublin.