Yukon Trip - Conclusion

All good things must come to an end.  We got to see and do so many things:

• spend time with my boy 
• trip to Liard Hot Springs to soak in the relaxing water
• saw a Yukon Wolf, a couple of foxes, Mountain Goat, Reindeer (Caribou), buffalo and deer all in the wild
• walked through the Yukon Wildlife Area....beautiful scenery and lots more great animal stops
• trip to Carcross and Skagway
• got to see sled dogs, lots of them!
• went for nice walks, played lots of games, enjoyed a great dinner that Stephen made
• had our late Thanksgiving/early Christmas dinner together
• watched the cat and dog interact

but now...Tuesday morning has arrived.  We got up before 5:00 a.m.  Stephen dropped us off at the

small airport at 5:30 a.m.  Our flight was due to leave at 6:15 a.m.  We walked in the door and up to the desk only to be reprimanded for being late.  The flight was leaving at 5:50 a.m.  I had gotten emails a month earlier about the change but knowing that we would not have internet at Stephen's I ran off the first itinerary when I booked the flight.  It was so frustrating.  The airport was small.  The plane was right there and they refused to let us on.  Well, for those who know me you know what happened next.  They tried to send us back home to figure out our plans but with tears in my eyes I refused to go.  We needed to figure it out now.  She finally gave me a 1-800 number and directed me to a pay phone....the plane is still there!!! 
Over in a dark corner (3 out of 4 lights were burned out) I explained my situation to a very unresponsive individual.  Finally Ron went and asked the woman that had turned us away to come and talk to the person on the phone to help us find a way home.  When she got off the phone she was much more compassionate to our situation because of how confusing "our help desk" man was.  Finally with three people  putting their heads together they were able to find us a way home the next day on the 5:50 a.m. flight....not to mention it cost us an additional $1300.00.


Ron and I decided not to waste the day with the what ifs.   We missed the flight and we had an extra day in Whitehorse.  It was hard to let it go but off we went to check out the city a little more, buy a few things and plan another supper.

Next morning we were out of the house by 4:20 a.m.  We checked our bags and then had to sit and wait to go through security clearance.  As we waited to board the plane frustration picked up once again.  At 5:35 a.m. when we could have gotten through security clearance the day before everyone was sitting waiting to board the plane.  At 5:50 a.m. when the plane was scheduled to leave they began to board.  The plane taxied out at 6:13 a.m.  Wait, that is the time that I thought the plane was to leave the day before. 

Moral of the story....be prepared to wait for the airlines schedule BUT don't keep them waiting or so I thought. 

Waiting in Vancouver

Our flight from Whitehorse took us to Vancouver where we had to wait a few hours to board a plane to Saskatoon. 

Our plane is grounded

The plane was due to leave at 1:10 p.m.  We boarded about that time only to have the pilot announce that there was a mechanical issue and that he was calling a mechanic to come and look at it.  Once the mechanic arrived we were asked to leave the plane and take everything with us.  A new time for leaving was scheduled a few minutes later for 2:50 p.m. 

View from Vancouver Airport - green grass here.

At 3:00 p.m. we began to board and then waited an additional 15 minutes for a missing passenger....WHAT!  They waited for a passenger!  How cool is that?  Let it go, Penny.... I said that I was over it....
We arrived safely back to Saskatoon where we found true customer service.  We checked into the Best Western and they upgraded our room to a suite....love it!  After a relaxing night we drove to PA (1 1/2 hours) and replenished our groceries and drove the additional 3.5 hours home with snow all around us.

It always nice to go away but it is relaxing to get home....wherever home is.

P.S. I did write a letter to the airlines....will I get a response????