Despite the 3:00 a.m. wake-up call and getting to the airport more or less before it opens, we managed to check our own bags, grab what passed for breakfast (It seems Toronto airport at 5:00 a.m. is much more interested in you shopping for designer everything than eating – Tim Horton’s was mobbed but beyond that, it was only the snack/cold food vendors that were open), and boarded our plane about 6:45. Left Toronto at 7:30 and landed in Calgary at 9:10 – 4-ish hour flight but we gain two hours. We will remember the Calgary airport for two unique items:
Arrived by Uber at the Calgary Marriott Downtown and most unexpectedly and happily, our rooms were ready! Our tour guide, Daniel, came to greet us and give us some helpful tips about the next few days! Got settled a bit but then we were off for a Lazy River Float….turns out our adoption of “The Flex” as our trip motto was necessary again (and this is only Day 2 of this vacation!)
So here’s the story – on advice from a co-worker who has family in Calgary, I booked a Lazy River Raft trip for Sunday afternoon – a four person raft and a BowYak (a sort-of kayaky raft) along with 4 “gourmet” turkey sub lunches to be eaten at a stop along the river. The Bow River runs a winding path thru Calgary and although there’s a good current, it’s considered Class I for rafting. Sounds like a great way to spend a few hours right? Literally floating down a river, stopping at a park or island for a nice lunch and then finishing up the “float” – total of 2 1/2 maybe 3 hours on the river. The day couldn’t have been more perfect weather-wise. We Uber over to the actual end point of the float to pick up our lunches and get a shuttle to where the boats start up river. Well, this is the beginning of The Flex. We check-in and everything is fine (we’ve signed our life away on waivers, of course) until I ask about our lunches. Long story shorter than it was when we were living it, Shannon apologized, gave me a discount and promised the lunches would be waiting where the boats go in the water….. well, nobody seemed to know what we were talking about at that end either so we waited…and waited….and waited. Eventually, talked to Shannon some more – apparently the Uber lunch-delivery guy got lost but…about 1 hour late, our lunches arrived and off to the river we went. Luke in the BowYak and Rach, Jake and I in the raft. It was sooo much fun.
We made it back having eaten our lunches on the water, floating/paddling/spinning with the current and most importantly, avoiding multiple cement bridge abutments! It was totally worth flexing for!
Tonight we ate at Sky360 in the Calgary Tower – the room rotates once an hour – remember the one we had in Rochester? It was fun then and it was fun tonight. We also made it through 1.25 hours of dinner without anyone having access to their phone!!! Glorious!
Tomorrow we’re up for breakfast starting at 6:30 and leaving Calgary by 8:00 – compared to today – piece of cake. I know I’ll be sleeping well tonight! Tomorrow you should see entries from the other travelers.