Flying used to be exciting. Sometimes it still is, but more in the destination than in the flying itself. The first three or four times I flew to Europe, there was adrenaline pumping just getting on the plane. It is not like that any more. Now it is getting organized, figuring out what I need on the plane, or what I have to take because of weight restrictions, and just doing it. Lots of waiting, in the check-in line, in the security line, at the gate, going to have ID checked, and finally, at the plane itself, waiting to get to my seat.

Still the idea of the new place is exciting, and coming to Inukjuak was no exception. Leaving Vancouver is always interesting. The mountains and ocean are beautiful, as long as you can see them before cloud cover. On this trip the cloud cover was quite low. So, it was sea, low levels of mountains, and then clouds. I had a good book, “Plain Truth” by Jodi Picoult, and was very glad. I had some snack food. Had planned to have sandwiches, but had managed to burn the cauliflower, while I was multitasking before leaving. Obviously my multitasking ability is disintegrating, or maybe it was just trying to get one too many things organized. I did have cherries.

Over the prairies the clouds dissipated somewhat, so patchy fields could be seen some of the time. Then we hit clouds again, so could see patchy lakes through northern Ontario, and haze over the Ottawa Valley. The allergy index there much have been really high on the first of July, as we could see the shimmer and colour of poor air quality. Then finally we arrived in Montreal.

The airport was much smaller than I remembered, but have only used it previously on international flights, and this was domestic. It took over half an hour for the luggage to begin to arrive, and about two thirds of it was off in another ten minutes. And then the rest of us waited. Finally it all came. However, the end zipper on my hockey bag had broken, so the whole end was open. Don’t think anything fell out, as it was wool and food, but probably will not know for sure until I realize that one specific thing is missing. Had thought that if it opened there might be wool unwinding all over the conveyor belt...now that would have been a sight.

Outside the terminal I asked somebody where the hotel shuttles came. They told me and I went to look for mine. There were two...one for the Hilton and one for another hotel. Finally I asked someone if he knew when the one to Quality Inn came by. He asked which Quality Inn? I got out my paperwork and he said that was his hotel. Turned out the sign for the Quality Inn was small and on the door of the shuttle to the Hilton. They are next door to one another. So, got my own personal shuttle to the hotel. The driver was great. He helped with the luggage, and after a tip he found me bags for the items in the pocket of the hockey bag.

I checked in, and pushed the airport style luggage carrier to my room. On the way there was a man carrying two “Coronas”. I asked where he got them, and he replied, “In the Bar of course”. Of Course. In Quebec you can carry your drinks to your room, and enjoy them there. I went to the bar, and enjoyed my corona there!!
It was now 23:30 Quebec time. I had a 05:45 wake up call as I was catching the shuttle back to the airport at 06:30. The driver had suggested that I could go at 06:00, which was appropriate for an 08:00 flight, but that if I did mind going quickly, the later shuttle would be fine. Problem was that in BC it was only 20:30. I read, watched TV and turned off the light about an hour later. And of course, nothing happened. So by 04:15 I gave up, got up and messed around in the room until the wake up call. Had morning coffee, decaf, in the room, and headed downstairs, having repacked my baggage, for 06:20.

The evening before had packed all the excess into plastic bags inside a big plastic bag. Realized in the early morning that Inuit air was not concerned about how much bags weighed. I did not have to worry about overweight the same way, and the overweight piece had been the hockey bag. I put bags of wool into my suitcase and managed to get it all in. My hockey bag looked a mess, but it was closed, and nothing would come out the middle part. (And it will be replaced before my next northern exploit).

I went to the airport, and checked in. The small misadventures occurred again. The quote I had of $6.15 per kg for overweight was to the first destination of the plane. There were four, and Inukjuak was last, so it was $13.00 per kg. Oh well. I had already decided that it was all coming. I only had 53kg, which was 23kg overweight. I did not mind. Luckily, they do not weight your carry on baggage!!
Went to the gate, and thought I would check out the one concession stand in this small part of the airport. They were very slow so did not get the yoghurt parfait, and was later very glad. Our flight was called. We walked to the plane, following the instructions to stay within the white lines. (For those of you who have not flown in small planes, they do not come to the regular gates. You go outside, rain, shine, or snow, and walk to them, and up the stairs. Usually they are also parked at the ends of the terminals, so you have to walk further to get to the gates they are at.) There was no seat designation, and I had two seats to myself the whole way to Inukjuak. I must have been giving off the “leave me alone” vibes really well.

And then the adventure began. Leaving Montreal was great, and there was lots to see as there is leaving any big city. However, clouds were probably at about 2000 feet, so once above them, it was time to read again. There is a magazine in the north called “Above and Beyond”. I think First Air actually publishes it, but they had it in Inuit Air flights. It was a particularly good issue, with an article about an elder who lived in various places in the North and about finding dinosaur bones in the Arctic.

Almost as soon as we left we were served breakfast. They offered hot or cold. The hot was eggs, so I chose the cold. It was vanilla yogurt with oranges, orange juice, a croissant with three kinds of cheese, fruit and cretons. A very nice breakfast, and was so glad that yoghurt parfait had not been purchased.
As we went over northern Quebec the cloud cover disappeared, and we could see the forest below, and many lakes. It was beautiful.

Our first stop was to be Kuujjuarapik, and it was a three hour flight there. As we were getting closer it was noticeable that there were still trees. Once we landed and could see them, they were Churchill type trees, but with greater girth. They were mostly 3-6 feet high, but quite round, as there was less wind there than in Churchill. There was also masses of water, but the rock underneath the surface was mostly red, so it was like looking down on these red lakes with tiny trees all around. When you fly in BC the trees do not seem individual, because there are so many. Flying into this village the trees all looked completely separate.

We had to refuel in Kuujjuarapik, and were told it would take 30 minutes. I got out my camera to take pictures of the trees. Went out of the terminal and put the camera on, and to my eyes to focus...battery empty. So, you will not see pictures of the little Christmas trees.

After about an hour we were to get back on the plane. I was surprised because in this airport they had security. There was nobody manning it, but there were lots of signs about what you could and could not take. Our plane only had 30 seats, so perhaps they have some larger planes and have security for those. This is the first northern town where I have seen anything about security.

We then had a thirty minute flight to Sanikilluaq. Sani, as it is affectionately known in Rankin Inlet, is actually part of Nunavut, rather than Nunavik (northern Quebec). It is on the Belcher Islands. Flying into the area was really interesting. There were small icebergs all over the area, and probably the sea ice was just breaking up. There were also patches of snow everywhere. (It was July 2nd so thought that might have all disappeared.) We did not get off the plane, and could not see much of the village from the airport.

Our third stop was thirty minutes away in Umiujaq. There were lots of snow patches going into the airport but no ice. Again we did not leave the plane.
And finally we were on to Inukjuak. I realized that I was getting excited. Lots of anticipation about what this village would be like, where I would be staying for a month. There were patches of snow, but no snow ice. The terminal was tiny and very crowded. They had a conveyor for the luggage but it was about 6 feet long so everything was taken off as it arrived. There were lots of people in this tiny space, and outside smoking. Turned out that this flight turned around and went back, and everyone had to change flights, to go further north.

My luggage finally came, but there was nobody from the health centre to pick me up. I sighed and asked at the desk, when they were less busy, for the number to the health centre. They said someone had been there, but had left. I tried to call. Kept getting the “please hang up immediately and try again later” message. Of course, it was said first in Inuktituk, then in French and thirdly in English. As the flights left, and there were only two or three of us left in the terminal I went and talked to the clerk again. I had not been calling the area code. This time I got through first time.

The health centre had been expecting me on Saturday, and not on Friday. They came to get me, dropped my luggage off at my apartment (a one bedroom, for me only), and drove me to the health centre.

Once again flying has taken me to another adventure, and another place and time. I am truly looking forward to this month in Inukjuak, with the midwives, the beautiful scenery, the lovely women, and just being North again.