Originally intended as a duo vacation with the sleepy polar bear, I can solemnly swear that the trip was not only far more enjoyable in the absence of the aforementioned entity, but also executed with greater finesse and freedom. Some people are truly best omitted from our lives; regrettably, it had taken too long for me to arrive at that realization.
Following the now-permanent season finale, I pitched the travel plan idea to the Thai ahgase, who responded that she had plans of her own. Ultimately, the trip adopted the form of a family getaway - fitting for the holidays, frankly.
The Uber was called too early in advance, for the driver was less than one minute away when the app refreshed. With knowledge of Wait Time charges, we scrambled to propel our carriers out the door and onto street level without incurring unwarranted charges. A mental note was made to ready ourselves in advance of any future Uber calls.
Our ride emerged with a stuffy and somewhat filthy interior. Similar to my dreaded shared ride from the AGO, the driver flew on the 401 without a worry in the world, causing much instability to be felt in the back.
The check-in counters were relatively empty, as was the baggage drop-off, enabling the staff to joke merrily in the absence of travellers.
After gathering our down coats and boots, which we had been asked to remove for screening, we maneuvered over to the doors of Plaza Premium Lounge.
Boarding passes would be verified near the front counter prior to entry. Guests were either permitted access based on possession of passes or on-site purchase of timed access periods.
We had initially taken to two bar stools, only to shift towards a narrow two-seater once the previous occupants vacated the space.
Other visitors were observed transporting mountains of sustenance back to their table, as if s̶t̶a̶r̶v̶e̶d̶ preparing for long connecting flights. The idea of complimentary food in a breadth of overpriced airport eateries was relieving, however the quality was simply not of a level I could stomach. The Maple Leaf lounge fare was arguably scrumptious in contrast.
For this flight, I was welcomed with a grimy seat covered in repulsive white stains and dried gum. Neither water bottles nor snacks were bestowed upon us, though warm hand towels were distributed within the first half hour of takeoff.
It was only later that we learned of one belt being utilized for five flights' worth of luggage. A bystander from another domestic flight warned us of her tedious sixty-minute wait, all a consequence of "workers calling in sick". I had expressed confusion at this information, for a correlation could not be drawn between ailing baggage staff and failure to maximize existing infrastructure.
The observation led me to immediately question YUL's organization, for neither Calgary International Airport nor Halifax Stanfield Airport had revealed themselves this undeveloped.
A member of staff assisted us, along with other visitors in both English and French, to determine the option that would best suit our needs. There were a total of 4 kiosks, between which he glided between offering his services.
He was incredibly helpful and guided us through the two card types: rechargeable and non-rechargeable. While he did not explain the Zone-based fare system, my prior knowledge with Compass in Metro Vancouver was sufficient in confirming our need for Zone A (Downtown Montréal) only.
However, I was keen to obtain the rechargeable OPUS card for my own collection. As such, I relayed my intentions of obtaining the sturdier card as a souvenir, to which he replied that I could re-use the card should I visit again within the next four years.
Thus, payment was due and cards obtained from the kiosk. Unfortunately, none of these machines offered tap as a method of payment. In addition, the staff hadn't exactly explained the method by which the transit cards were to be used. I, intuitively, associated the presence of a chip with tapping. Though, it was yet to be determined whether the paper card would be fed through a reader (like New York's paper-thin MetroCard) or tapped in the same way.