Tomorrow!!! It's finally here!!

Less than 24 hours to go.  

1pm.  

Last night I had a semi-finalized pack.  I think it's all good.  I have to reorg my purse (take out my Shopper's Drug Mart card for instance and add my Travel Insurance Card).  

From front to back: 
Pigeon, personal bag, carry on bag, checked bag, clothes for flight. 

Got that done and then went to the opera.  Pacific Opera was going to put on Carmen in 2020, cancelled due to Covid. Then in 2021, cancelled due to Omicron.  And scheduled again in 2022 but the first show is after I leave!  I gave my season ticket away but I managed to go to the last dress rehearsal.  It was excellent!  Go if you can.  

Money.  I don't think I've mentioned currency yet.  I tried to order some Argentinian pesos.  Their economy is crashing so fast, no one will carry their currency.  I have around $200 US on hand and I figured I would hit up a bank machine early on.  

But then I got the most confusing message from our first AirBNB (booked through Booking.com but here after referred to as AirBNB for unclear clarity).  Anyway, here is his message: 

My interest in chating personaly with you is not related with your check in time, the department will be ready when you arrive. Also somebody will receive you. The issue is that I want to explain you some details related to the payment of the service. In Argentina we have several values for the dolar. The two values that we must consider are: 1. The official rate and 2. The blue market rate.

Today the official rate is Pesos 156,25 and the blue market value is 273 pesos.

You have to pay me in pesos at the official rate, 348 dolar x 156,25. If you don´t have pesos you can pay me with cash dolar, taking in consideration the relation between the oficial and the blue market value. In this case you can pay me 348 x 156,25 / 273 equivalent to 199 dolars.

Official vs Blue Market rate.  WTF!  none of these amounts are the same as what I see on Booking.com.  Some back and forth, we can pay in Canadian cash.  But in the mean time, Amy the Accountant (always pack an accountant I am discovering), did some research on Blue market.  I will try to explain it but know that Amy is now in charge of money and I am not.  Official Market rate is what you get if you exchange at the bank or official exchange business.  And I assume bank machine withdrawals.  Blue Market is where you exchange money with 'unofficial' exchanges (on the street?).  Official is half of Blue exchange rates.  Amy found a Blue Market exchange app!  

Anyway, apparently we will be exchanging cash in back alleyways.  This is all fine but it means we have to take more cash.  I will use my triple pocket/purse system and cross my fingers.  Amy crunched some numbers and we are better off to pay $199 in US so I messaged him back. Hopefully this won't be too confusing for the person, not the owner, who is going to take our money and let us in.  (update:  he seems fine with it, I think they are just happy to have US dollars).

This morning, Amy and I headed to the airport to see if we could change our 10am departure to Vancouver.  I figured we could do our 24 hour check-in there and sweet talk ourselves onto the 9am. 

GET THIS!  We got to go in the Priority Check-in! Cause we are Business Class.  I am such a rube.  

we just waltzed right to the front of the line

The Air Canada person was nice but we can't change until tomorrow.  She said check-in online and then get there early and see if they will switch.  Not very satisfying but it will have to do.  Then we planned to go to White Spot for breakfast and they were closed so that trip was a total bust.  

More later.  

Later:  2:45pm.  You are probably all saying 'Joanne, you are a seasoned traveler. Give us some tips on necessary things to do on the day before a gigantic trip.  Well, if you are me, apparently you decide to steam clean the carpets.  Follow me for more panic procrastination travel tips.  

Even later:  4:45.  I received a package from my brother Brian in the mail today. Talk about taking advantage of the very narrow window of opportunity!  He sent me some cool Antarctic stuff.  I am sorely tempted to take Mrs. Chippy's last expedition.  

I searched high and low for that Shackleton movie!  

I went to the bank for some US cash.  I stopped by my neighbourhood pharmacy to see if there was any way, pretty please, if I could jump to the head of the queue for a flu shot (released today!),  Yes!!!  I am now vaccinated for pretty much everything I can think of.  If I get sick it is penguin related! Penguin Pox!  

Quick trip into the dollar store for a whistle.  It's on my G Adventure packing list.  Do I actually need a whistle?   I hope not, because my dollar store whistle is crap.  Pigeon has trained me to whistle much louder without implement.

I called G Adventures to ask about the 'bag leaving' situation.  They have an office in Buenos Aires where I hoped we could store our bags while we are on the cruise but it shows as temporarily closed on Google maps.  My nice CSR said she doesn't know.  Lots of field/foreign offices closed during Covid and now people just work from home.  She will email me if she finds anything out.  Other than that, everything looks good to go. No info on the Thruple.        

9:55pm.  Went out to dinner with friends who got home from their trip yesterday.  Nice to hear about how smooth everything went for them with their international flights.  I hold out hope. Going to bed.  Up super early to do a few last minute things (move my car, take out the garbage, empty the dishwasher, freak out a bit, etc.)

That's it for Canada me.  Hopefully, if all goes well, my next post will be from Argentina! See you on the other side.