Travel day. Most of my packing was already done yesterday, so in the morning it was just a matter of throwing in the last things I needed after showering. Quick PBJ sandwich for breakfast, a bit of tidying up, luggage to the car, rubbish out, and one last check of the flat before locking the door.

There happened to be a geocache just a block away – a quick park-and-grab – before heading off towards the rental car facility at the airport. I was there quite early, hoping to check in ahead of time and maybe use my lounge pass.

Returning the car was easy: just drop it, quick inspection, done. A small discussion at the office followed about the prepaid fuel refill I hadn’t ordered but ended up paying for. In the end, I used nearly all the fuel anyway, so the loss was minimal.

From there, the shuttle bus took me to the terminal. Unfortunately, WestJet only opens check-in three hours before departure, and I had arrived five hours early. With a 13:50 departure, that meant waiting around on the floor, as there weren’t any proper seats. So I did what you do in such situations: people-watching, playing games, passing time. A kind worker from another airline eventually pointed out that the WestJet sign was wrong and their counter was actually around the corner – good to know before lining up at the wrong place.

Check-in itself went smoothly, but security had a very long line. Once at TSA, it was no problem at all. Then came the disappointment: the lounge was located on the wrong side of the airport. Instead, I settled for a mediocre hot dog at a pub near my gate before waiting to board.

The flight was on time. Boarding last in zone 4 made no difference, since it was a bus gate anyway. My plane was a WestJet Boeing 737-800, seat 11A at the window. Enough legroom for a short 70-minute hop. Service was basic but decent – a drink and a cookie, which is more than some European airlines provide.

Landing was smooth, but immigration was not. Where the US side had been straightforward, Canada felt like an interrogation: Why are you here for four days? Do you work? How do you know your friends? The tone was definitely unwelcoming. Luggage took a while too, but finally I got through. Karen and her cousin Linda were waiting for me and drove me to my Airbnb.

First, though, I needed a SIM card – my eSIMs refused to work, which was money wasted. We stopped at a mall where I picked up 40GB for four days. More than I need, but oddly cheaper than the lower data packs. Dinner was at the food court – poutine, because you can’t come to Canada and not have it at least once.

Finally, we reached the Airbnb. The house is renovated and clearly divided into several units for short-term rental. Entrance is at the back with a lockbox key. The staircase smelled terrible, though I couldn’t even describe of what. Inside, however, the flat was freshly redone: clean, modern, and with everything you need. A few small annoyances – dusty bedside lamp, dead bulb, and no plug near the bed – but overall fine.

I set out my things, did a bit of prep for the first caching tour tomorrow, read a little, and then called it a night.