Day 72: Porto to Montreal

May 12, 2023

The staff at the Gallery Hostel have proven universally sweet and efficient. This morning at 5 a.m. they went to the garage, grabbed our bike boxes, and stuffed them into the taxi before we even knew the taxi had arrived. Then they handed us boxed breakfasts and wished us a nice trip.

Our first encounter with some kind of thoughtlessness came at the airport, where the entry was a revolving door, that worked at a fixed speed. If you happened to be an old lady with a cane (like Dodie), or someone dragging bike boxes (like me), then tough.

At the Transat counter we found they had invented a new rule. The counter staff now had to inspect the bike box contents prior to its going to Oversize Luggage, to be inspected. The idea was presumably for the counter staff to spot any contraband non-bike items in the bike box, so maybe they could sell an additional checked bag charge. Transat is just not satisfied with the 60 euro they are getting for transporting the bike box, whatever is in there. But Transat had not thought of the additional staff time cost needed to try to drum up an extra checked bag charge. And they had not thought of how to open the boxes to look inside. Dodie advised them to go get a box cutter or scissors, but they refused, and sent her off to somewhere, just to get the boxes opened. Then she had to bring them back to the check in. Meanwhile I stayed with our other stuff, blocking up their check in line. Good thinking, Transat!

Dodie is sent around the airport to get the services of a box cutter knife.

Finally at oversize luggage, the boxes remarkably fit into their xray machine.

Dodie seems emotional as her babied box disappears.

In Montreal, they also have not thought of bike boxes in designing their passages. This leads to customs, and the exit.

We came to the idea that the boxes could be oriented on edge, and I played the 75 year old man card, asking the customs agent for help doing the flip. But she played her own card, claiming to be a too weak girl to help. She is in the photo - doesn't look that weak!

We have figured out now that on end this way is in fact best. Here the boxes head into storage, to wait while we have our wild time in downtown Montreal.

We got whisked by Sabrina into town, and I seemed to waste no time getting into my favourite things. With the grandkids still at school, I grabbed Josh's bike and helmet and headed off into the city, in search of bagels!

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