Arrived

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Well greetings from the mysterious east.Air Canada (The peoples Airline) has served us well. Many thanks to Ian for driving us to the 7am flight and a HUGE!! tip of the hat to the air canada ticket agent in Ottawa who got us exit row seats!!!! My legs and knees thank you.
Uneventful flights for the most part,movies we had not seen and airline food. Flight plan was Ottawa Toronto,Toronto Vancouver and Vancouver Beijing. Arrival in Vancouver coincided with a security breach of unknown description.It meant we sat on the runway for a half hour without explanation.The good news was as we weer grounded so were the departing flights so no fear of missing the all important transfer. The exit row was a blessing on this leg with an 11 hour flight to look forward to.Unusual route,at least to me,taking us north past Smithers BC across Nome Alaska tand then the Bering Sea and across part of Russia before arriving in Chinese airspace and Beijing. Cloudy grey skies here. Airport very clean and orderly,no Asian chaos we have experienced in Delhi or Islamabad. Interesting sight with al of the service ground crew lined up military style waiting to get on the plane to service.
My friend Bob was waiting inside the aorport .He works for the Canadian embassy so had access to the inner terminal and was a great sight inside the circle of taxi drivers soliciting and hundreds or waiting relatives.Bob lives in a lovely apartement with his wife Nadia and young son Carlo who was in god spirits having had a half day off school due to a water failure. We are tired and about to eat supper ,or is it breakfast.6:50 here which is 7 am your time.T will be an easrly night. Good night from China

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