So here I am, finally in Canada! After what felt like the longest journey ever. Actually it wasn’t that bad really, despite the 4 hour connection in London, which would have been torturous without the old iPod to save me, but in the end both flights were on time and I actually landed in Canada early, so it was all good.

Then came customs! I was quite lucky that for once I actually got off the plane quite quickly and looking back at the crowd behind me, decided to suppress my urge to go to the bathroom in order to get a good spot near the front of the queue. Despite me having to go to the kiosk with the meanest looking customs officer, getting through customs seemed surprisingly smooth, or at least so I thought, until I was pointed to the small immigration office to the side, and if I thought the customs officer looked mean, I hadn’t seen anything yet. It’s at this point, as I join the immigration queue that I actually start to remember all the small print on my application paperwork, like needing proof of funds and being able to state the purpose of my visit, and it didn’t help my nerves that by this stage I was now desperate to pee.

When I finally got to the front of the immigration queue and my interrogation began, I quickly realized that not knowing my Canadian address off by heart posed quite a problem, but luckily I remembered that I had a text document on my laptop with all the details in it. So, while I uncomfortably shuffled from side to side trying not to wet myself, I pulled out the laptop and started what seemed like the longest boot up of a computer ever, giving the immigration official ample time to question me on the contents of my laptop, casually asking if I have any illegal pornography or hate propaganda on there! Glancing back at the now snaking queue behind me, I realized that with all my laptop shenanigans I had become the immigration queue equivalent of that guy at the supermarket checkout paying with pennies. Eventually though I found the document and was able to provide an address and telephone number, finally satisfying their criteria.

Next up, the dreaded baggage carousel but my bags miraculously came around within seconds of me approaching, and before I knew it I was through the final gate and there was Crystal there to meet me. It really all did feel like it was meant to be and boy was it all worth the wait.