Ottawa: The airport and the train station

Ottawa Airport (YOW) is somewhat similar in design to the Winnipeg Airport (YWG).  It is fairly easy to navigate, just one main concourse and a few restaurants and shops. It is decorated with a beautiful waterfall and light display in the baggage area. Outside, it has an Inuksuk to stand guard and welcome travellers. The Inuksuk is an easily recognized symbol of the Canadian Inuit people. Traditionally the Inuksuk stands tall to guild the way, a cairn of natural stones, stacked as a marker or navigation piece.

The Ottawa Via Rail train station was built in the 1960s and is an open and airy geometrical style, bathed in natural light by the numerous windows. Recognized as one of the top 500 most significant architectural designs in Canada, it is well photographed and fascinating to see in person.

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 3 Ottawa

At sunrise Ry was eating his breakfast at the airport window, watching people prepare for the day's flights. Little did he know, he would be watching this day's sun set through the window of a train. But that's later! Much more to this story first!

Once we boarded our flight, I discreetly mentioned to our flight attendant that Ry and I were on an "amazing adventure" and enlisted her help to deliver the next challenge and envelope. Preparing the cabin for take-off and performing seat belt checks, she stopped by our aisle and said, "Good Morning Riley. I have your first challenge ready for you" and she handed him a small puzzle. "Just press the call button when you have it solved." The look on his face was priceless! "She's in on it too, mom?"

Once the flight landed safely in Ottawa, the flight crew went above and beyond anything I would have dreamt of asking. They invited him into the cockpit to see the controls and have his picture taken. They handed him a care package of snacks and wished him all the best in his race. Again, he was simply beaming.

On our was down the escalator to the baggage area he spied a familiar face holding a "welcome to Ottawa" sign. My friend Stacy and her daughter were there to greet us and present Ry with his next envelope.  This envelope said, "you have 3 hours to find train #28. Don't worry, we're here to help." And with that, we went to lunch with our friends and then to the train station.

Train #28.... to Quebec City!  Three provinces in one day! One very eventful day! Breakfast in Manitoba, lunch in Ontario and dinner in Quebec.  This really was shaping up to be an Amazing Race adventure.

Flight to California

I chose to fly into John Wayne International Airport (SNA) rather than Los Angeles International (LAX) because it's smaller. Yep, my decision was that simple. As a small town gal, the big airport intimidates me.

Yes, indeed I have been through LAX before, (on my way to Maui) and I probably could do it, but why when there is a perfectly good, very convenient airport 30 minutes away in Orange County.

Actor, John Wayne, or The Duke as he was affectionately called was a long time Newport Beach area resident and is indeed buried there. He used to party with the Hollywood royalty and host them on his yacht and in his Newport home. John Wayne has a rich history with the area and they named this beautiful, modern airport in his honour.

On a practical note, it was very easy to navigate. Taxis and shuttles were mere steps outside the building. There were many area hotels offering free shuttles, so that was a bonus too. It is located about 20 minutes (or a $30 taxi ride) from Anaheim and the popular Disney attractions. It is about 10 minutes south to Newport Beach and the ocean areas.

Upon our departure, security lines took maybe 15 minutes from start to finish. There were a few airport shops, at least one full service restaurant near our departure gate and a Starbucks. All the typical conveniences were there. SNA hosts several airlines including Westjet, Delta, United and Alaska. I'm sure there were more, but I didn't pay particular attention.

The cost of flying into SNA was the same or slightly less than LAX. The convenience and ease made it a 5 star decision for me. I would do it again anytime.

A Must-Do in MSP Airport

I was recently travelling through MSP (Minneapolis- Saint Paul Airport) and with a two hour wait between connections, I had the privilege of dining at Surdyk's.

Surdyk's is a boutique-diner with limited eat-in seating, but they do have airport lobby seating and a great selection of grab and go take-out items. 

Their "thing" is great wine, paired with gourmet sandwiches and unique salads. The menu has a trendy feel. Their selection is completely out of the ordinary, especially considering its location. 

I had a mixed plate of salami and cheese. It was served with a glass tumbler (think big water glass) of fresh crisp toasts, and breadsticks. It was served also with assorted nuts, dried fruit, olives, pickles and mustard. I took their suggested pairing of a full bodied red wine, and really enjoyed it. 

My son, who was still feeling "dull" from a cold, chose a bowl of fresh fruit and chocolate milk.

I loved the ambience. We dined in the store. There were multiple screens featuring the Food Network, which was an obvious and perfect combination in this gourmet eatery setting. 

Since you are already through security, you can pick up a bottle of wine (vast selection, and half size bottles too) to take on to your destination. I chose a California red to take with me. 

What a great spot! With fantastic service to match. If you are passing through MSP, I would recommend you seek out Surdyk's. www.surdyks.com

** Reprinted from my Diner blog

Tips for Newbies

Thinking about taking your first plane trip? I have a few tips...

1. Get yourself a travel app like "On The Fly" "Hipmunk" or "Kayak". Something that will effortlessly search all possible routes, airlines and prices for you. My preference is "On The Fly". It never ceases to amaze me with the price differences it can spy.

2. Once you choose your airline, sign up for their frequent flier program BEFORE you book. Even if you think it's just one flight, I can tell you with certainty... it's not. You'll book again. Collect points, tune in to their offers.

3. Sign up everyone in your family individually. Travellers can't collect points for family members. Even your 6 year-old can gather Aeroplan. This was a big mistake on my part. Each of the kids missed out on their Skymiles to Maui. They'd be at a free flight level already if I had know this ahead of time. For whatever reason, I thought if I booked and paid for all four flights I would get points for all four. I was wrong. I missed out. 75% loss.

4. Know your airport security rules... liquids, scissors etc. Don't delay the lines and frustrate other travellers with your naivety. Cdn TSA Guidelines  Don't wear bulky layers of zippered clothes thru security. Seriously... I will give you THE LOOK. Or if you do, please let us go ahead of you.

5. Most airlines only accept credit cards for inflight purchases of drinks or snacks. Don't assume pop or coffee is free anymore. Bring your own kid friendly granola bars etc, if you think your kids might need a snack on the plane.

6. If you think you might be delayed, research ahead of time and know what your alternate flights are. You'll be soooo much further ahead if you can re-book yourself at a kiosk or on your smartphone.

Delta's App and real-time options are far superior to anything else I've ever seen. We were in the air and I received Delta alerts that our flight delay would mean we would miss our connection. They have FREE in-flight wifi access to their site so I was able to follow their alert link instantly. They gave me all my no-charge options and we had a plan before we even landed the first flight. I was incredibly impressed with the technology.

7. Have your ground transportation thought out. Are you renting a car, looking for a taxi or taking a shuttle bus?  I know that after 7 hours in transit and making flight connections my family does not have the patience for a shuttle bus. Free or not, it does not work with our personalities. Best $100 I spend on a trip is having a town car waiting. Pre-arranging it you can generally have this service for $20 more than a regular taxi round trip.  I might pursue the bargain rabidly, but I am not willing to risk a meltdown over $20, a shuttle bus and tropical heat.  Of course, if it's just a direct flight and 3 hours of travel in a day, they can suck it up and wait in line with me for a taxi.