Pittsburgh and Beyond 2023

We had a bit of unusual hubbub around our flight the day before. During the 4×4 round of finals, we received a text from Air Canada announcing that our flight was cancelled due to crew constraints. That was fine, but when we reviewed the updated itinerary, we saw that they rebooked T and I on separate flights! So while finals were going on, I spent time on the phone talking to a representative that thankfully put T and I together, on the shorter flight that was selected between the two of us.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world if we took separate layovers and flights, but then how else would I get pictures of T enjoying his airplane food?

Our layover and flight was thankfully uneventful. We watched Les Misérables which T had not seen. I found a new appreciation for the movie, especially its compelling performances and the depictions of grace and utter despair, which I didn’t understand as a young adult. Our tissues were packed away out of reach, and the audio was not very good, so we couldn’t cry very much.

When we arrived in Haneda, we were so excited that we got there 2 hours ahead what was originally planned. But then we encountered our second flight hullabaloo. We spent about 45 minutes on the tarmac waiting to be left off the plane. Apparently there was a lightning storm warning that prevent the ramps from being taken out. Overall we spent 2 hours at the airport, circling the tarmac and getting through customs and immigration. I could see that T’s eyes were sleepy and red from having a terrible night’s sleep, and it was frustrating to be stuck in the airport for that long.