Risking Canadian Immigration... again.
The plane docked over somewhere near the international side of Toronto Airport, which of course meant a long hike. As I wasn’t transferring, I headed for Immigration and the Exit.
The queues whilst weren’t of “Welcome to Chicago with 3 people working” levels, but they were still well populated, -and lots of customs agents too. I was seen to within a few minutes, questioned why I was visiting and if I exceeded my duty free or anything declare. Stating I didn’t, the agent stamped by passport and immigration form, and I was sent on my way.
A quick check with luggage control with the bags confirmed as “tagged” onto LHR and I trepidly made my way through to customs, and was let through without an issue.
Well - that was painless compared to last time eh Canada?
At this point, I took the opportunity to update the phone, check my emails and phone home and then ventured off downtown, and was conned out of $36.25 for a ticket on the Airport Express to downtown. Now whilst it has Wifi and such (which is useful for Foursquaring whilst roaming), for $36.25 return (About £20) for a bus ride... it’s a tad expensive kids. And yes, I could had gone for the local option - but time was of the essence this day.
But there’s a good reason to go downtown, and it’s time for another onetime exception. And it’s a darn good thing I don’t have vertigo the amount of height I’m going up and down with....
One Time Exception - The CN Tower.
Cost $22+Tax
CN Tower Pictures 1
CN Tower Outside Deck
CN Tower Glass floor
For those who don't know what it looks like...
The Lonely Planet Guide to Toronto states “It’s (The CN Tower) primary function as a TV and communications tower, but reliving tourists as much cash as possible seems to be the second order of business”
From the warmth indoors....
And they’ve hit the nail on the head here with the myriad of options for tickets, as well as all the extras you can buy. I of course being Mr Cheap paid the basic ticket and wandered around. The main skydeck is a mix of a restaurant and observation of most of the area, but the fun bits are down a level - full 360 degree outside walking area where you can get blown over quickly (as I did!) and … the glass floor
Here’s a hint: don’t look down if you have vertigo. Or say out loud Holy *beeeeep* when you look down the first time!
Overall - C$60 for a day out is expensive (Ticket to downtown on the express, then $25 for the trip), but if you’ve never been, it’s a good few hours out - and away from the airport. It’s possible to do it using local transit - except I didn’t plan that far ahead (or well I did - but my that little oik who nabbed my iPhone will... grrr)
Back To Pearson....
After wandering around Downtown Toronto for a few hours, I decided to head back to the airport. Again, I picked up the Airport Express, and after sitting in Toronto traffic for a bit, made it back to the airport with two hours to go.
As I had checked in at Chicago, I had no idea what the loads were like. So, I decided to check them on a check-in machine. And I was seeing a sparsely populated plane. At T- 2:40 to departure, this looked... bad for Air Canada, good for me....
After gazing at a couple of bits of art, I made my way through security, where my glasses set of the detector, and I was invited to use to local Nude-o-scope. To which I declined. I therefore was processed by hand without too much objection.
A few wipes, and a pat down, and I was free to proceed.
As the International end of Toronto T1 is a fair walk, there are three options to mere mortals - 1) Walk, 2) Take the normal travellator or 3) take the express travellator.
Well as the express ones were broken on the inbound, I felt it was my duty as a trip reporter to try the express ones. And boy do they zoom. It is a case of grab a handgrab and hold on tight, as it does zoom along pretty darn fast which acceleates from a pedestrian 2kph to a very rapid 7kph to cover the main distance. Whilst you could walk on it - personally, I’d hang on tight and watch the world wizz by.
This of course dumps you near the International level - and right next door to a Maple Leaf Lounge. How convenient!
Lounge stop: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (International)
I made my way in and greeting the desk staff. After I was accepted in, I asked the agents to double check the loads (after discussing the state of LHR T3 with the agent after they asked was it still as bad as it was). The agent confirmed the shocking numbers of the flight. 330 people could be on the flight, 120 registered, 80 checked in.
Ouch.
Whilst the agent said she wouldn’t move me for now or block a seat, but to check back before departure in case 200 people had suddenly booked tickets.
With that, it was off to the lounge to consume vodka, Coke Zero and soup - and catch up with the world whilst getting ready for the short slog home (and arranging a pickup at LHR)
The lounge itself is much bigger than the Trans-border lounge, and was equally filled up with lots of people jetting off to different destinations. It’s position is odd as some of the glass ends of the lounge face out onto the arrivals route into the airport, whilst looking down to the apron where an Emirates A380 was sitting pretty.
Whilst lounge WiFi for Maple Leaf card holders was free, for mere *G’s, it was time to pay up. Or of course - do what I did, and fall back on the Airport WiFi, which did the job as needed.
However, the clock ticked on, and soon 8pm showed, so it was off to pack up my trash, and I went to the reception desk and confirmed that now a grand total of 120 people had checked in, and that the row I was in was going to be free. A polite thank you, and I headed down to the gate after negotiating duty free.
Boarding commenced at 20:15, and boarding priority was enforced. I joined the business queue, and was accepted on board for the final leg back to London