My Grandma is 93 years old. She lives in a fabulous retirement home called Harbor Hills in Goderich, Ontario Canada. Even though she has a great time there, and is really well taken care of, her highlight of the year is the vacation time she takes in Arizona every winter. She doesn't like to travel alone at her age, so I fly up every year to get her and fly her home when she returns.
Typically we fly in/out of Detroit, MI and have a driver take us on the three hour drive between Detroit and Goderich. This year, thank you 2020, the boarders are closed and not allowing people to drive across. I even applied to the Canadian government to go get Grandma, and I was DENIED. In both English and French! That hurts!
Well, where there's a will there's a way. It was important to Grandma to come down, and I was going to make it happen. Luckily after much research, it was discovered that you can in fact be in Toronto as a foreigner, IF you are on an international layover. Well, guess what I was, a foreigner needing a layover. The plan was iffy at best, and I wasn't even sure when I landed what would happen. I had my negative COVID test in hand, reservation at the Marriott attached to the terminal, and a lot of hope and prayers.
Here's how the conversation went....
Border Agent "What brings you to Canada?"
Me "I'm on an layover for an international flight."
BA "Where are you coming from?"
Me "Arizona."
BA "Where are you headed?"
Me "Arizona."
BA " ....????"
Me "I'm staying in the hotel at the terminal, I will order room service and not leave my room, and I'm her to accompany my 93 year old Grandma on her trip to visit family for the holidays in Arizona."
BA "Enjoy your stay."
And with that, I called my Aunt who was driving Grandma to let her know that we were good to go! Celebrations! Traveling with Grandma is my favorite thing ever. She always asks where are all these people going? So in turn, I ask the people. We've met business travelers, people visiting family, tourists, and it's been great! The flight attendants adore her, and this trip she kept asking for more of the biscuits that they serve, I cut her off after her 6th serving for the day, but the wonderful flight attendant gave Grandma a parting gift!!! She wrote her a note to enjoy her holiday, gave her WINGS, and even a bag full of the biscuits. Grandma was on cloud nine and told everyone about her wings!
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