The Land of the Yellowknifes

Welcome to Yellowknife....what this sign didn't reveal!

Greetings from 62 degrees 27 minutes North Latitude and 144 degrees 23 minutes West Longitude...the lands of the Yellowknifes. It's monday morning and instead of getting ready to head into the KITIKMEOT HEALTH CENTRE in Cambridge Bay to start a new job, I'm enjoying -5C weather here in downtown Yellowknife...almost springlike conditions and sort of an "R and R" period before its really needed.

The most beautiful luggage belt in all my travels
...just before the crowds arrived

How we got here is no surprise....a common theme, in my arctic blogging, has always been the weather. That continues to affect our travel plans. The combination of time of year, the "partnership" last year of northern air carriers AND the weather has contributed to what many Americans experienced over the recent holiday season...BACKLOG.

Yesterday's weather, coupled with beautiful sunrise, would not have led me to believe the series of events that unfolded as the day progressed. The check in, pre-flight prep and boarding were uneventful. The de-ing proceeded normally...and then the fun began. By 11:30 we were back inside the terminal building and our luggage was being returned to us on the belt.

The cargo was off before the passengers

Before noon, I had secured my old room back at the Super 8, jumped a cab back to the hotel and in the lobby was on the phone to Canadian North to rebook...cause I KNEW..all those on the flight would also be rebooking.

FOOD, SHELTER, TRANSPORTATION...the three components to maintain life. I was still full from breakfast, I had room 303 back and now I was trying to get my transportation re-organized. "On wednesday" Cynthia said, "Jan 6th". I'm thinking just 6 months from D-Day..."that will be my departure?" I asked. Then a faint glimmer of hope...the same technique they use for torture, I'm told.

"I'll wait list you for tomorrow, perhaps there will be a cancellation...Call back in 5 hours." The clock couldn't move more slowly. I waited and watched as Buffalo squeezed those Jets from the NFL playoffs. I called a couple of friends, wrote some material and checked the weather forecasts. Then it was time....time...to learn my fate.

Tiffany, who answered in Bathurst, New Brunswick, was a joy to work with...her news initially was no joy. For 55 minutes I felt like the Who's down in Whoville...no tree, no gift, nothing til the 7th....the seventh???? "That's thursday...I'm supposed to be there monday" I replied...sorry sir there is nothing we can do was her polite yet firm response.

Both calmly and patiently, her and I worked through to a solution...not the best, but a work around just the same. Eventually we were shifted to another airline, First Air. I have flown with them before.

The plane "Parking Lot" at the east end of YZF, Yellowknife's Airport

This morning at 8:30 (New Brunswick time), I talked to the third musketeer in this ticket exchange, Daniel. Since I had not received confirmation to my email, I was concerned that something might have gone wrong. After checking out the details, it turns out initially my email was entered incorrectly...hence no confirmation.

There is good news in Whoville this morning. I AM CONFIRMED....just one or two slight problems...As of 6 a.m. locally here, I'm scheduled to fly out tomorrow, not with CANADIAN NORTH but they've scheduled me with FIRST AIR on their ATR turbo prop....with a side excursion to the hamlet of KUGLUKTUK...never been there either.

Another sunrise to be experienced today!

My one and a half hour jet ride to Cam Bay has now turned into and hour and forty five minute run to Kuglutuk...a half hour on the ground and another hour and ten minutes into Cambridge Bay...and all that awaits. That is, providing the weather subsides up there 950 kilometers northeast of here and we don't have to do this all over again.

After all, it is "the north". .