Calgary | ​DAY 1: (Pt. 1) Foreword + Arrival at YYC

​This five-day trip to Calgary was definitely not planned early enough for my liking. Travelling within the first quarter of the year is rare, for beyond a hefty number of annual renewals and the all-too-taxing tax season, Q1 trips deplete vacation days that could be reserved for later use in the year.

​Shortly after the arrival of January, and my widespread declaration of making "me time" a more conscious decision, I was informed of a last-minute wedding ceremony taking place just one month later. Details were few, but contemplation around schedule arrangements began. Ultimately, the decision lay between a short, domestic trip to Alberta or a larger future ceremony in Guangzhou. Alas, China was not a destination on my bucket list - not now, not ever.

The sleepy polar bear would tag along on the availability of a plus one invite. I selected one of the few reasonable westbound flights, then commenced logistics planning.

​Bidding farewell to Larry, Mini Sulley, and Mr. Buttons, I set out with my incredulous bag count around the 11:18 AM mark, arriving just before 11:40 AM. There were, thankfully, no issues with the luggage belt this time around.
The timing worked out well, enabling a swift commute under off-peak traffic conditions and a virtually vacant array of check-in kiosks. Even the lineup for the check-in cashiers didn't span more than five parties. Staggering was the difference from the early AM rush (presumably business meetings) and red-eye budget flights.

Also unthinkably quick was the security screening process: A trial lane was opened for select flyers, in which passengers did not need to remove electronics from their bag for a screening. What a blessing it was! There were significantly fewer people in this lane, meaning that there was no rush to assemble all of one's belongings to keep the queue moving.
Of course, in spite of this, I ended up dropping a handful of chargers on grimy floor when attempting to rearrange belongings between backpack and carry-on.

​Unlike my usual airport course, I actually completed all baggage drop-off and screening procedures early enough to procure Starbucks. Once again, the lineup was notably shorter than the AM flights. A water refill was requested, then a Turkey, Provolone, and Pesto Sandwich. The toasted sandwich was cheesy and gratifying, succeeding to appease lunchtime hunger before boarding.

The sleepy polar bear found me gazing out at the sunny, subzero scene outside with serenity.
"You are actually easy to find." I was informed. "You are the most purple person here." Admittedly, the hair and jacket speak louder than I often anticipate.

​Boarding commenced around the 1:30 PM mark, at which point I filed into the Zone 2 lineup as part of Premium Economy benefits. Despite finding myself at the end of the line, Zones 1 and 2 alighted the aircraft quickly.

Immediately obvious were some of the benefits of Premium Economy:

• A complimentary water bottle
• Significantly more leg room
• Complimentary food and beverage, inclusive of alcoholic beverages and attentive order placement service
• Cabin space separated from Economy flyers (though this does not stop a certain few from infiltrating for overhead space)
• Wider seats and greater delineation from adjacent passengers
• Foot rest

​Even at a glance, the additional perks were well worth the premium. Being seated in the Economy sections is equivalent to experiencing the peasant life - a life I often tolerate for my Vancouver trips, albeit unwillingly.

​A member of staff circulated printed menus at the time of boarding. On one side resided a list of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; on the other were food choices for the complimentary meal. I was informed that the meals would be served roughly one hour after takeoff.

​Due to high winds and frigid, negative double-digit temperatures, the flight was delayed over an hour. Slumber was shallow and interrupted by a member of staff requesting thorough wedging of my backpack underneath the seat.

I awoke around 4:09 PM, when mini pretzels and drinks were served. My request of an apple juice-club soda hybrid was presented in a shiny glass, a grand departure from the plastic cups observed in the rows behind.

Meal trays made their way around at the 4:20 PM - 4:40 PM mark. I was astounded to find cloth napkins, proper utensils, a promising salad with julienned green apple and pomegranate seeds, and a sturdy slice of carrot cake. Butter and a nifty little jar of olive oil-balsamic vinegar found themselves on the tray. Declined was a warm bread roll, on the account that I was neither hungry nor particularly fond of plain bread.

Many passengers opted for wine and coffee - the former supposedly selected by a sommelier. In the face of several interim follow-ups for any additional drink requests, I merely requested a water bottle refill.

All of the items were quite delicious, surprisingly so. The Carrot Cake, in particular, was tasty without being greasy. Its cream cheese frosting was decadent, devoid of tacky stabilizers, and, most importantly, not fearfully sweet.

With approximately one hour left in the flight, complimentary snacks circulated the Premium Economy aisles. Passengers were presented with choice(s) of: Miss Vickies, KitKat, and Lindt Excellence chocolate bars. What a difference from Economy!​

​Rarely seated in this section, I often peaked over at my neighbour, who appeared to fly more frequently in such settings. I learned of the tilt-ability of the screen before me as well as the presence of an outlet for more reliable charging (the USB port at bottom of screen was loose and did not function).
For the vast majority of the trip, I entertained myself with Bejeweled 2. Sleeping minimally, I also enjoyed a bit of Code Breaker, (a favourite from my childhood), Letter Mix, and two rounds of mahjong with the remotely seated sleepy polar bear, for some games permitted multi-player modes.

​At long last, we would descend into Calgary just as the skies began to dim.

I was quick to disembark the aircraft, being seated close to the entrance after all. Jumping up at the first opportunity, I whizzed out of the stuffy environment and darted through the corridors in search of the baggage claim sign.

Swiftness in my footsteps continued until I reached a crosswalk painted with pride colours. Signage overhead showed a green pedestrian, indicating it was safe to go. Green LED light pillars echoed the message. I paused briefly to observe the  ̶p̶a̶v̶e̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ floor markings, simultaneously pondering the purpose of this infrastructure. Snapping out of my curiosity, I tugged at my carry-on and continued onwards, rejoining the crowd of passengers from the same flight.​

As with the luggage carts back home, most airports had discontinued the use of fare-based pushcarts. YYC-labelled carts with red accents were parked at the foot of the escalators to the baggage claim area. It wasn't a very large area, causing me to reminiscence of the coziness of Halifax's Stanfield Airport and the low ceilings of Vancouver's carpeted arrival zone. But Calgary's variation was devoid of tall ceilings, quaint décor, and soft carpet, and further lacked a distinctive colour scheme.​

​I met up with the lady that spurred this entire trip, along with her husband-to-be. While they waited patiently for the groom's family to arrive, I was handed the room cards for our hotel. The bride had been generous enough to arrange for all inbound wedding guests to stay at the same hotel, for this would facilitate logistics significantly for the two families.

​​Soon, the sleepy polar bear found me at the luggage belt and luggage was retrieved. Down the corridor and across the road we went, until we finally spotted the car rental counters. The scene was, remarkably, quite desolate: Lineups were basically nonexistent.

One of the first observations upon departing the airport was the orientation of the traffic signals: two horizontal at the top of the pillar and a separate, vertical left turn signal fixed onto a pole on the median.

Second was the stillness of the city. The highway was practically empty - unthinkable in the GTA on a Friday evening at 6 PM. Poles were sparse, shedding limited illumination on the curved asphalt paths underneath. Green highway signs were maintained, just as back home.

After a missed turn caused by my distracted direction-giving, we pulled into the slushy, uphill entrance of our accommodations for the trip. Thank goodness for snow tires.

I stood with our luggage on one of the self-serve luggage carts while the sleepy polar bear parked. Beyond the two automatic sliding doors was a breathtaking chandelier. To its right was the concierge counter, which we were informed to operate twenty-four hours. Adjacent to this counter was a pantry retailing anything from snacks (Rice Krispies!), toiletries, and beer ("Kokanee!" I had exclaimed at the familiar sight).

​Our room was, admittedly, the best surprise of the day.

It was spacious, well illuminated, and even equipped with a fully functional kitchen! The room design had maximized space by the entrance to include a household refrigerator - and freezer! - as well as a sink, stove, and dishwasher. Pots, ceramic tableware, utensils, and a cutting boards were found in the cupboards and drawers respectively. This discovery brought me much joy, for it ensured that leftovers could be reheated and eaten with ease and avoided the need to beg businesses for disposable utensils.

I was also very fond of the presence of an additional table - one I would shortly monopolize for my laptop work, the ample floor space, and bonus benches at the end of each bed. Both of us agreed it was a vast departure from our room in Niagara.

Read Part 2 HERE !