Return to Canada
Finally, describing the last day of my trip and putting the last page of this adventure on the internet as my trip diary!
I got up at 7 since we had been asked to vacate our rooms by 8 and not to return. I quickly showered, got dressed, packed the last of my things and checked the room for anything forgotten. I wouldn't be leaving the ship until the very last group since my flight from Heathrow wasn't until 6 p.m. I killed time by first having a long, leisurely breakfast in the Garden Cafe then doing puzzles from one of my logic puzzle books. After completing every puzzle, I found a paper recycle box and went for a final walk around the ship. The unmarked hazard I'd fallen because of was finally fixed with a new strip of paint. I found out that I could have "gone golfing"... there was an area to hit balls in on deck 13 that I hadn't know existed. Too bad. Hitting a small ball hard could have eased some of the tension I'd felt during the cruise!
I finally went down to deck 7. People were in a long line waiting to disembark. The line wound itself around the atrium back to the mid-ship elevators. The lounge was packed. AND... of course I met up with Nikki and Jada! Jada promised to send a couple of pictures from Shetland of the adorable puffins they'd had the privilege of seeing. Shame on me for not answering her email until I will today, July 16, almost a month later... I'm just SOOOO good at communication!
For fun, I started helping confused passengers figure out which disembarkation line they were supposed to be in, helping out the funny Mexican cruise member who'd been the Pictionary host the day before. I also met up with the sisters who had been on the Stavanger excursion and ALMOST the Bergen tour with me - they were the two who wisely went in out of the rain at the dock in Bergen! Carol (Florida) was going to first be going to Atlanta where Linda lived and they too were on one of the last transfers to Heathrow because, as me, their flight was later in the day. I hope I have their names the right way around!
Francesco, the cruise director, sauntered by and chatted with us. Got a picture of this Italian, Valentino Rossi fan. He was always so nice to everyone and he'd chatted with me on several occasions. Finally, it was "Orange"'s time to disembark! I hurried to the area where I'd pick up my suitcase to get those darned batteries out of my soon to be checked baggage. Much better done in the cruise terminal which was now pretty empty than in Heathrow!!
The ride to Heathrow was just over an hour. I was left off at terminal 2 with many others from my bus. I printed my baggage tags then went to the counter to get paper copies of my boarding passes. I wasn't depending on my phone's battery to get me on the plane in Toronto after 12 hours of killing time in Heathrow/flying across the Atlantic. I spent about 4.5 hours in Heathrow, past the security check. There were plenty of interesting shops. I just regret the fact that I didn't buy the credit card sized battery booster for my phone (I incorrectly assumed I'd be able to find same in Canada when I returned) or the crazy swimming squids from Hamsleys. One would have been a awesome gift for my little cousin, Ben, but I didn't think it would be good to have to pack it in my backpack if I had to take it back out in Toronto at security there. Too bad I didn't know in advance that if you travel on from Toronto to Winnipeg from being abroad, you no longer have to go back through downstairs then another security check... saves SO much time and extra running around!! No more accidents like the time I had to open my bag up and then didn't shut it properly, leaving everything I owned all over the airport floor near security!
The ride to Winnipeg seemed quick. Thank goodness! My bag was one of the last ones out but my sister, Melanie, was patiently waiting outside to pick me up. I took over driving (she'd brought my car so I could drop her off at her house then continue home). It was around 2 a.m. when I walked into my house and almost got bowled over by Lucy. I sat on the stairs by the door and got many licks from both Lucy and Ginger. Usually the cats, Percy and Jake are pretty ticked off by extended absences and ignore me but they, too wanted to be picked up and petted. Sleep was difficult that night. I couldn't get any of my pets except Lulu off the bed! It was SOOOO hot!
