Text 28003, 125 rader
Skriven 2009-08-29 00:39:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: YK trip 90
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UA 280 BOS DEN 0802 1038 320 6A

I had the best seat in the house, the bulkhead, with huge
legroom, assuming 6B remains empty for width, which it did.
For only 349 more dollars, I could have sat in an inferior
seat but had breakfast.

The fairly genial guy in 6C unfortunately was wearing a
polyester fleece that had been worn numerous times but
apparently never been laundered. I thought of asking for a
glass of milk so I could cropdust a counterirritant.

We arrived nearly half an hour early after a totally smooth
flight. Alas(s) and alack, the quite pretty young jetbridge
driver was amazingly inexpert and took 10 minutes to get the
jetbridge situated. Still, we deplaned a bit early, so I could
investigate the club and the duty-free.

Jim had asked me if I could find Du Maurier regulars. Nobody
here has any idea what Du Maurier regulars are. I could have
got him Camels or Marlboros at competitive prices, had he
asked. But I really shouldn't aid and abet those with the
tobacco craving, so I don't feel too bad about not finding
his favorite flavor of coffin (coughin') nails.

The club was pretty full, but I found a desk so I could do my
e-mail. Had three glasses of extremely old and oxidized
cranberry juice. Hey, it was free.

UX7638 DEN YEG 1143 1429 E70 3A

For some reason, I was the first to board this flight. The
FAs were all ready to tuck me in to seat 1C, but I took my
proper place right behind the bulkhead: really, the best seat
in the house for privacy and legroom both, but people don't
know this. First class would have cost $149 more, and all I'd
have gotten extra would be a box lunch, contents unknown, but
it looked to hold about a quart, so unless it was stuffed with
foie gras, I don't see the point.

The legroom is incredible. Wilt Chamberlain would have fit here.

The flight, well, eh, I slept through it. We came in 4 early.

Customs was about as hostile as the hayseed behind the counter
could make it. This means I got past him in 2 min rather than 1.
He wanted to know what I was going to be doing in Canada, why
such a remote place as YK, Jim and Roslind's info, which I
provided to the best of my ability. What did I look like, someone
wanting to overthrow the Canadian government by force? immigrate
and bring shame to the entire nation? I know not.

The first 26 bags that came off had no priority tag. After that,
almost all of them did. Mine was about 35th.

There was nobody at bag recheck, so everyone had to go out and
do it again from scratch.

AC8153 YEG YYC 1700 1751 DH3 7F

The checkin machine wouldn't check me in, so I went to the
counter, where the problem was remedied in seconds; then to the
Maple Leaf Lounge by gate 54. These are fairly nice but grossly
overcrowded rooms whose main advantage is free booze. So I
sampled the offerings. The best hard stuff on offer were
Courvoisier VS and a peculiarly soapy iteration of Glenlivet,
so I passed. But there were beers and wines aplenty.

Big Rock Trad Ale - a promising rocky head and nice golden brown
color lifted my heart, but it turned out to be one of the blandest
brews I've ever tasted, and that includes Bud Light.

Kilkenny Irish cream ale "seduisante et distinguee" - a Diageo
product with a bit more character, though a bad one, very cloying
and cereally; like drinking a pint of cream of rye. It was
extremely creamy, though, so perhaps the seduisante part was right.

Sumac Ridge Okanagan Merlot-Cabernet 06 - a little unconcentrated,
a little wimpy, but on the whole not bad - not too sweet, a bit of
Merlot flavor, some spice and plums.

Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Shiraz - also not bad, with a bit of that
"cheap wine" flavor that I dislike but have become accustomed to;
I am shocked to say that the BC wine was preferable.

Snacks. Fruit; make your own green salad; odd cookies. And

Viva vegetable chips - these are advertised as being made of natural
ingredients, potato, tomato, and spinach, and looking at the back,
that's pretty much it, with canola, spices, and salt.

 - original flavour - my pack had only white and green ones; the
white tasted pringle-like but with this strange styro texture, almost
like that of Chinese shrimp crackers; the green were pleasantly
canned-spinachy. Both a little too salty. I believe there are also
supposed to be red ones.

 - sundried tomato & basil - the same chips but with lots of
tomato and basil powder, vinegar powder, onion powder, garlic
powder, and sugar. At first I preferred these (thank you, sugar,
even I have been seduced), but they palled quickly. They did
improve the Wolf Blass, however, leaving a coq au vin taste in
the mouth that I rather liked.

Off to the gate, where I boarded and enjoyed an unmemorable
flight; I must say that this Dash-8 was the cleanest I've ever
encountered.

We landed a bit early, and I went off exploring. Found myself
in the food court (outside security), where I discovered the
Grandpa Burger Combo at A&W to be very satisfying. The burger
itself is three patties totalling perhaps half a pound, dressed
with raw onion, mustard, a little ketchup, and a couple pickle
slices. The meat was extremely beefy and tasty, better than
anything Five Guys or In-n-Out ever conceived of - probably
due to local Albertan sourcing. Onion rings were, shall I say
it, perfect, in the big fat way - crisp and crunchy batter,
just salty enough, tender ring insides, just a hint of grease.
Plus I've always had a soft spot for A&W root beer. C$9-odd.

Back through security, which took about 2 minutes.

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