Homeward Bound

Eventually, it was time.

I made my way back to the hotel, collected my luggage and spent a few quiet minutes sitting in the little garden one last time.

Ten days. Brighton. London.
Countless cafés.
Thousands of photos.

And enough bags of coffee beans to keep me happily caffeinated for quite some time.

Then it was time to head for the airport.

One final Underground ride.

After spending more than a week navigating London's public transport system, I finally knew exactly which ticket to buy and where to go.

Heathrow couldn't have been smoother.
Priority check-in. Fast security.
Lounge access.

The perfect, stress-free start to the journey home.

The flight to Toronto was uneventful, immigration was surprisingly quick, and before long I was waiting for my connection to Vancouver.

Looking out the terminal windows, however, Toronto was blanketed in a thick grey haze.

Wildfire smoke.

Our onward flight was delayed, presumably because of the reduced visibility, but eventually we boarded and made our way west.

At 1:15 a.m., the wheels finally touched down in Vancouver.

Home.

As always, it felt good to be back.Read more