I have taken hundreds of flights home from wherever in my travels.  Our return flight today from Calgary was typical for my experience.

We dropped off a rental car and wandering into the terminal.  I would be happy when we get our boarding passes and the luggage tags and move on.

But then, of course, we have to go through security.  They make me take off my belt as if I am going to rush to the cockpit and strangle the pilots… but whatever, just be happy to get to the gate, which in Calgary, involved a 2 km hike because we are flying to an obscure destination … Comox.  I will be happy when we get to the gate.

Good news, just a light loading for the plane (36 passengers) so when they call the flight, only a moderate lineup.  Of course, there is a lady ahead of us with an expired drive’rs license and no other IDs, so we had a longer delay.  I will just be happy when I can board and get to sit.  Turns out our seats are just next to the bathroom at the tail.  No idea why, because the plane was only 1/4 full.  (Perhaps because we flew on a seat sale?)

Do not know why they had us board early, because we just sit there.  I took the opportunity to move up to an empty row, leaving the bride in her own window seat.

Then we sit there.  I will be happy when the plane actually starts to back up because that means we are on our way.  Eventually it happened.

I am in a window seat looking out and waiting for the takeoff, but instead the plane taxis forever, I mean I am asking the guys around if I made a mistake and took the bus to Comox.  It goes on forever … (forgetting that this is Calgary International Airport …)

I think to myself,  I will be happy when the plane actually takes off… which eventually happens.  Now you think that once in the air you could experience the joy of air travel, particularly as I now had a window seat … but no.  Very quickly we passed through clouds and for the entire trip never saw the earth.  Very boring.

So now I have the wish for this boring flight to be over.  I will be happy when we commence descent.  Hours later, well maybe only an hour and half, we could hear the engines come back and the wheels go down.  Still nothing to see out of the window.  I am thinking, good, I will be happy when we land.

Then a bit of excitement.  Just as I assumed we would be landing in the fog, the engines rev up and the landing gear is retracted.  Finally something exciting after a boring flight!  Doing a go around!  Granted I am remembering all the Mayday TV programs Pat and I have watched where this was the moment when the plane crashed into a mountain, but I was happy this did not happen.

Long circle and then we landed.  Get off the plane.  Cannot wait.  I will be happy when we have collected luggage … and Reese … and drive home.

We are home…. I am happy.