I HAD been hoping that Portugal was going to relax their entry requirements with respect to the vaxx passport. Our Ontario passport meets all of the same requirements as the EU passport ... but we are still on the list that treats vaxxed visitors like unvaxxed visitors.

My flight from Toronto to Lisbon leaves YYZ at 22h55 on April 20th, so the earliest I can practically get the PCR test is tomorrow morning at 9 am in Timmins, an hour's drive away. The results will be called in to me on Tuesday morning which will be my go/no go point: Pass the test and I go; fail the test and I stay home. All of my life I have been lucky enough to pass the huge majority of tests I had to face - let's hope that continues.

If I get a 'no go' then I have to quickly cancel my flights and accommodations. If I get a 'go' then I have to quickly upload my vaxx info to Air Canada, then pick up the paper test results to bring with me on Wednesday to the Timmins airport (YTS).

I am getting excited. If all goes well, the flight will be enjoyable - a Business class seat from YYZ to LIS so I will arrive fairly rested. A short pause in LIS before heading to OPO on a short flight. The hotel I booked in Porto was one stayed in during the Douro tour of 2017 so it will be easy to find.

There is just the 'small' point of the forecast. Buckets of rain.