Where did that Finish Line go?

Well the decision was made for me whether to stay or go. I got out early enough to go home early but the cost to change the airfare was over double the cost of staying the night.

So I guess the plan now is:

-Kick back, relax and enjoy the motel room tonight
-Have a nice dinner
-Go home bright and early tomorrow

It could be far worse. It could be snowing and cold like January.

I can see the finish line

I’m winding down my week in the Hamilton/Toronto area today. This week has flown by. I never seemed to know what day it was all week though. Generally we don’t fly to work on a Sunday so I’ve been a day off ever since I got here. Monday seemed like Tuesday; Tuesday like Wednesday and so forth.

The agenda today goes through noon. I didn’t realize that when I booked my travel to go home tomorrow morning. There are flights out this evening that I might be able to catch that would get me home tonight. That’s providing we finish on time with the agenda. I decided not to make that decision until this afternoon so I would not feel rushed. Hamilton is not that far from Toronto but the traffic can be a huge factor.

I have mixed feelings about heading home tonight. I want to be there, but I never get the chance to enjoy the nice motel rooms when I’m on the road. They are simply a place to sleep, shower and get ready for work. The thought of kicking back at the Hilton, having a nice dinner and taking it easy tonight sounds like a very good option.

The other issue with making a change like this and making last minute travel arrangements is the special security they put you through. Generally it will make you a selectee for additional screening. I battle with whether or not it’s worth it to have them do a special check on my bags, give me the ever so gentle frisk, etc..

I know my nature and I’m sure I’ll rush around and try to catch that earlier flight home.

At home today Stefan is having carpet put down in the new bedroom he built. So we will be able to move the bedroom from the old room to the new room and start the remodel on that room. I will be so excited to see a room in the basement that is clean and useable.

Tomorrow the appraiser comes. I had a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) and they sent me a letter stating the house values had dropped so they were reducing the credit line. Least to say they do not have all the improvements included in the valuation they performed with the Magic 8 ball they used. So to keep my line of credit where I want it they said get the house appraised and if it comes in high enough they will pay for the appraisal and re-instate my line of credit. I don’t have to have the line of credit, but I just like to know it’s there if I need it.

So even though I’m never home there’s always a whirlwind of activity there.

It’s been a good week and I’m glad to be to Hump Day. It seems more like the end of the week. Too bad it’s not I could use a 4 day weekend.

Here in Hamilton, ON

Well I made it to Toronto last night with no problems. I flew in on USAirways instead of Delta. They come in to a different terminal and it’s huge. All the immigration folks were wearing masks over their faces. So I guess they are taking the swine flu very serious here, that was strange to see. Funny Hertz had my car and I never had to stop.

I found my place here in Hamilton and already scoped out the food… The Keg Steakhouse is just up the street, the Swiss Chalet is the other direction and Tim Hortons coffee is next door. So I have found all my necessities for the trip. Now I just have to find the client site.

What’s in the iPod? – Here you come again…

OK, OK… I’m not really listening to this right now but it is somewhere on my iPod. I think the Canadian Immigrations should be singing this to me when I show up next week. I found out late last night that I am heading back to Ontario, Canada. A different place but I’ll be using the Toronto airport again. This trip I’ll be in a city at the end of the lake… Hamilton, Ontario.

Pray that I have good weather… No Snow, No Snow, Please No Snow.

You would know that I did a good job and spent all my Canadian money last trip. So I’ll have to stop and get cash again. I guess next time I should just keep it instead of trying to spend it all.

My Last Full Day in Toronto

I ended up working much later than I planned today so I didn’t make it to downtown before the sun was going down. But I forced myself to go even though I knew it would be getting dark when I got there.

I went to the top of the CN Tower. The first level of the tower is 114 stories where there are three levels. The bottom level has a glass floor in a section where you can see all the way to the ground. I really wasn’t sure if I could walk on it, but I was actually able to do it. Considering I can’t climb a ladder or walk on a roof without freaking out I thought I did quite well.

I took the extra elevator up to the Sky Pod which is 1465 feet or 147 stories up. This is much higher than the Sears Tower where they take you to the 103 floor. And it’s higher than the World Trade Towers were in NYC. I’ve been to the top of both of those and neither were quite this high. Too bad I didn’t get there before the sun went down. They say you can see the curvature of the earth from up there. All I saw was a city that went on and on in the distance.

I took several pictures of the downtown area from the top of the tower. The one below is the best of what I got. Maybe someday I'll learn how to take good pictures after dark.

Once I got out of the tower I headed back to where I am staying up in the Richmond Hill area and had a nice dinner. I’ll write more about the trip over the weekend or next week. I have had several ideas of things to write about from up here and just have not had time to write them.

This Weeks Daily Drive…

I am still in the Toronto area and I have not made it downtown to the CN Tower yet. I doubt I’ll make it tonight since I’m tired. Last night I worked until 9:30 PM and started again this morning at 7:30 AM. I hope to get downtown tomorrow and see this building. I hear they have a glass floor at the top and you can see to the ground. Not sure I could handle walking on that floor with my fear of heights. But I am able to fly, stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon and take a Hot Air Balloon ride. So maybe I can.

I don’t have anything really interesting to tell everyone. So I decided I’d take a picture of a Cathedral that I pass everyday on my way to work. It’s called “Cathedral Town” and it’s located on the 404 North between Richmond Hill and New Market Ontario.



This building is quite imressive to see on the side of the road. And to think this is NEW construction that has not opened yet.

Welcome to Toronto!

Well my last trip to Toronto is what started my writing of the blog. It was my experience with the Mini-Cooper, Hertz and Cold, Cold weather. It was one of the posts I enjoyed writing the most. And once I was able to look back and laugh I was really glad I wrote it down.

This trip has had some similarities and many differences.

The differences…
1) I got a SUV (GMC Envoy) instead of a roller-skate (Mini-Cooper)
2) I could see the ground (NO SNOW)

The similarities…
1) The Immigration process is still nerve wracking. I entered and some familiar questions are asked…

a) What’s the purpose of your trip? Business
b) What company do you work for?
c) Who are you working with?
d) Do you have work papers?
e) Are you here as a consultant? NO
f) What are you here doing? Supporting a go-live

For those not familiar with going back and forth between the US and Canada for work. It’s frowned upon to use the word Consultant. He tried to trick me this week into saying that’s what I was here for and I knew better. I was so grateful I made it through without any hassle. Again, it’s one of my worst fears traveling on business – Immigrations. It never bothers me for pleasure.

2) I sail through customs since I have nothing to declare.

3) Hertz still has no cars ready when I get here. I have to wait for them to bring me a car. What a pain – they never have enough cars at Hertz in Toronto. If you travel to this area consider this a warning, if you don’t want to wait choose another rental car agency.

4) Traffic - Very Heavy Traffic...

My drive takes me out of the Toronto Pearson Airport on 409 East to 401 East to 404 North. If you have ever been to this area you know how big these interstates are. If you are not from the area these roads are HUGE and CONGESTED.

They have what they call collectors and express lanes. Every three exits there is an entrance and exit from the express lanes. There are signs that tell you if the collector or express lanes are moving good or slow. The answer today in Five O'Clock traffic was... Slow, Very Slow.

I am always amazed at how much traffic there is here. Where the 401 and 400 cross there were 8 lanes going both directions. It reminds me of Atlanta where I-75 & I-85 join to go downtown.

I thought with all this traffic I’d look-up some statistics about Toronto and post them.

Toronto Stats:

Greater Toronto Area – 5,555,912 (2006)

Toronto is part of what they call the “Golden Horseshoe” which wraps around the end of Lake Ontario. This area has an inner and outer ring, but the population in this surrounding area is 8.1 million people roughly 25% of the population of Canada.

Toronto is the 5th most populous municipality in North America.

The diversity of the people is shown with 49% of the population being born outside Canada.

I hope I get time this week to get out and get some pictures. I really want to go downtown and see the CN tower.

Why can't I start this car

What a travel day yesterday… I woke up at 4:00 AM to drive to Wilmington NC to catch my flight because the ticket was $500 cheaper from there than from Myrtle Beach. And don’t you think for a minute that meant I got a super deal on the ticket price.

The trip started out well, the flight out of Wilmington was on-time but that really never matters when you’re flying through Atlanta. You can just count on a delay when Atlanta is involved. There was an earlier flight but I thought to myself “hey it will only get me to Toronto an hour early just sit down and have breakfast instead”. Well my flight was delayed 2 ½ hours leaving Atlanta then you add the extra taxi time and next thing you know we were nearly 3 hours late.

That’s OK too… I have a prime seat at the gate and I’m #1 on the First Class Upgrade list, I’m Platinum, I have a high dollar ticket and I’ve been on the list for 2.5 hours and nobody has bumped me yet.

Wow, what was that pill I took? I thought it was an aspirin? Must not have been because I actually thought I’d swing that upgrade to First Class. What a hallucination! Not snowballs chance… Minutes before the flight departs some “Super Diamond Encrusted Platinum Jerk” steals my upgrade. Well no sense in whining, it won’t get me the seat anyway… Look on the bright side I have the entire exit row to myself.

We landed in Toronto and slid nicely over to the gate, rode the bus over to Immigrations and Customs. I told them I was here for work, whipped right through without a problem. Now darn it of all weeks to let me in they pick the one with the temps due to be below zero (F). Oh well I guess it’s the Canadian hospitality. I should just be grateful because Immigrations is one of my worst fears in life for some reason.

I trot on out to Hertz to pick-up the car and there are no cars. Just a very long line of folks wanting, wishing and waiting for cars. I think to myself “this is when it really pays to be Presidents Circle”; “I’ll be in and out of here before all these folks”. Can we say Naïve! No cars mean nobody has any priority over anyone else. I guess we were all Hertz Presidents Circle.

Being broken I humbly agreed to the first car available. The agent asked if I’d be OK with a BMW, then gently in a soft voice very much under his breath he added “Mini-Cooper”. I thought for a minute and then realized this as the little car about the size of a roller skate. Wow, I didn’t know BMW made these cars. What a change from the full sized car I reserved.

Oh well I agreed just so I could get the heck out of there and get to my room. I was told it would be about 15 minutes and my car would be pulled around. So off I go to the ATM to pull out some Canadian Currency to have change in my pocket for the toll road.

An hour later when my car finally arrived, all the Hertz Presidents Circle folks standing there drooling at each car as they come by hoping it’s there car. Like a bunch of gamblers around a Craps table in Las Vegas hoping their number has finally come up. Well “By God” it was my turn… I go over in front of this fine audience of professionals and get in the car. Perfect posture, smiling about to drive off in “MY” car.

Now wouldn’t that be all too simple… The clicker turns out to not have a key on it. I look around and see a “Start Engine” button on the dash. OK I think it’s like some of the others I’ve heard about that has a proximity clicker and if it’s in range you just press the button. Again can we say Naïve!

Let me see the start button does not work. Well I’ve had a car (Triumph Spitfire) before that would not start if the driver’s door is open… I’ll try closing the door. Darn that didn’t work. OK maybe it’s some other safety device preventing it from starting… Let see, maybe the seat belt. Not a chance there’s no way it’s not going to be that easy. Maybe the emergency brake, nope not that either.

Well I guess I’m going to have to duck my head a bit and go ask for help. Now any of you that know me realize it’s not a favorite thing of mine to have to ask for help. I walk over to the person at the exit gate who checks your contracts as you leave and ask if they can show someone who has driven nearly 30 years how to start a car. The reply was I don’t know how to do it. I’m just a security guard you need to find a Hertz person. A lot of help that was, I can’t find a Hertz person with God’s help. They know how angry these folks are and they are all hiding like cockroaches when you flip on the lights. I guess it’s time to do the un-thinkable and open the glove box and read the manual that comes with the car. Just so you know… “Techie folks don’t read manuals; we just figure it out on our own”.

Well after looking in the guide I see there is a slot you slide the clicker in, then depress the brake and press the start button while caressing the steering wheel whispering sweet nothings. OK it wasn’t quite that simple… But I was right the Drivers door had to be closed, the brake depressed and the start button pressed. By this point I have given up on finding the electric window button, I just don’t have the energy anymore. I’ll just pop the door open when I get to the gate and hand the contract up to the agent. Refer back to the “Drivers Door must remain shut”. The car stops. Well I close the door, press the brake hit the start button and off I go into the snowy Toronto traffic.

I found the window controls in the center of the console below the radio. This would be the radio that when I roll the dial simply changes radio stations. I thought I could control the volume by rolling the dials. Oh well I had not studied that far into the manual yet and shooting down the 409, 401 and 404 at 90 KPH in snow and in the dark reading Google maps in one hand does not allow the extra eye to finish reading the Mini-Cooper manual. So I just realize I’ll deal with that radio later. At least the volume was not so loud I couldn’t think. Lucky for me the blinkers and wipers are both located on the handles on the steering column. Can’t judge speed since it’s in Kilometers and the speedometer is dead center in the car for everyone to see (except the driver). The rear windshield wiper is on and I have no clue how to shut it off, oh well I’ll deal with that in the morning.

I get to the hotel feeling like a fool not knowing how to set the volume on the radio, not knowing how to start a car. Where is the defroster (center position), where are the electric locks (if you want to know you’ll just have to keep reading)… Just last week I was “Hip”, I had an iTouch, TiVo I was right up there with the latest technology. Now I feel so broken I may need a hip.

Well what a difference a good night sleep and reading the manual can make. The radio volume is the dial directly below the CD player above the string of buttons that control from left to right (driver’s window, fog lamps, electric door lock, boot release “British for Trunk” and passenger window). The radio can be tuned using the dial just above the CD player in the center of the Speedometer.

Looking higher up on the ceiling just above the mirror is another string of switches that control reading lamps on each side of the car and one for the dome light (3 switches there). Another to set the light colors… Oh my God how old am I to think “Who needs mood lighting in a car the size of a roller-skate?” Then another switch to open the sunroof (if only there were sun to appreciate).

Oh well suck it up… I think I can do this… I whirl out on the freshly fallen and still falling snow that is coming down at whiteout speed and start my 30 minute trek up the freeway. I pass people in the ditches (these are the folks that know how to drive in the snow and ice, unlike me – whose motto is “I don’t OWN an Ice-Scraper and have no plans to buy one”).

I get near my destination and decide to get a cup of coffee at the Tim Horton’s. Down goes the window, place my order drive up get my coffee and off I go rolling up my window. Wow, I’ve mastered this car. Well not quite yet. The window goes up, and then goes back down half way. Wonder why that happens? I’ll try it again and again and again. I finally figure it must be some snow or ice on the window seal wipe it with my hand and see if that help. Well I’ll be darn, I got one right.

The good thing the people here are a dream to work with… What a nice group of folks, I guess they could see on my face that I was a man on the edge and decided to be kind to me and not push me over that edge. Maybe it was fear? Oh well who cares they treated me nice.

Well I wonder what challenge will face me in the morning… I miss my 14 year old car that I know how to drive. I want to go south and get back in the balmy 50F weather.

Now I’m done wasting your time. Say a short prayer for me that I can find the roller skate in the parking lot in the morning. I hope they don’t cover it with snow when they plow the parking lot tonight.