Yes, I’ve heard about the pandemic.

No, I don’t just decide to leave Canada every time a new variant shows up.

No, I don’t travel just to spite the federal government when it decides to reinstating its advisory against all non-essential international travel—it’s just kind of difficult to cancel a trip three days before flying.

No, I had no idea new restrictions were coming, once again.

Yes, I left anyway because frankly, I’d rather be where it’s summer, where I can spend time outside without freezing to death.

Made it.

Stories to come about the fine art of packing when you don’t even know if you’re going to be able to leave, taking my seventh PCR test, watching a plane being de-iced and more… after getting some sleep.

Montreat Trudeau Airport, December 18, 2021
Montreat Trudeau Airport, December 18, 2021

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25 Comments

  1. Isa December 20, 2021 at 2:13 am

    I was, like every year, waiting impatiently for this post!

    Reply
    1. Zhu December 20, 2021 at 11:23 pm

      🙂 Thank you for not screaming “IT’S A PANDEMIC, DON’T GO ANYWHERE!” (I get that a lot…)

      Reply
      1. Isa December 21, 2021 at 2:20 am

        Well, you have an adventurous mind! And I didn’t believe one second you’d stay a full canadian winter

        Reply
    2. kiky December 24, 2021 at 2:24 am

      hahahah me too! looking forward her end of year trip :))

      Reply
      1. Isa December 24, 2021 at 2:58 am

        Hehe! 🙂 I never travel this time of year so I travel through her!

        Reply
        1. Zhu December 25, 2021 at 1:25 am

          Didn’t you go to Guadeloupe or Martinique a few years ago? I have this vague memory of you going to a sunny destination…

          Reply
          1. Isa December 25, 2021 at 2:44 am

            Indeed!! Good memory, Martinique in 2017. It was a wonderful feeling, when arriving at Fort de France airport, all this heat and moisture. It was the first time and we’ve never done it again 🙁 We’ve taken some crap not being here for Christmas :/

          2. Zhu December 27, 2021 at 10:07 pm

            Funny, I remember your trip (and pictures) really well and I thought it was right before the plague. Have we known each other that long? Crazy.

          3. Isa December 28, 2021 at 7:39 am

            Oh… Juliette… Longer! You interviewed me for your blog in 2013. And I feel like it had been a while since I followed you, even then!

          4. Zhu December 30, 2021 at 12:36 am

            Oh, I know! It’s just that… I don’t know, 2017 feels like yesterday and… I don’t know, time is weird. One day you look back and you realize you’ve known people for a long, long time 🙂

  2. Martin Penwald December 20, 2021 at 4:00 am

    Ah, yes, i was wondering what you would decide.
    The difference with last year is that now we live with the virus as a new normal, there are procedures AND vaccines we didn’t have before.
    Have a nice trip.

    Reply
    1. Zhu December 21, 2021 at 12:20 am

      I was pretty confident about the trip, especially considering Brazil did reach a very high vaccination rate. Leaving was more difficult and stressful then planned though because Canada entered full freakout mode again.

      I’m not really scared in Brazil, but I feel like a déjà vu of last year…

      Are you still in France?

      Reply
      1. Martin Penwald December 21, 2021 at 6:14 am

        Yes, I am.
        I even went to a Volvo dealership near Lille (the piece I need is the same on both sides of the Atlantic), but they’re out of stock too. The guy there told they’re even missing windshields due to supply chain shortages.
        It’s pretty problematic.

        Reply
        1. Zhu December 22, 2021 at 11:00 pm

          I keep on hearing about supply chain issues, your story is the perfect example. C’est indiscret, mais du coup, ça se passe comment financièrement? Tu as droit à quelque chose ou you’re on your own?

          What’s the plan? Staying in France for now?

          Reply
          1. Martin Penwald December 23, 2021 at 1:56 am

            Financièrement, aucun problème, je n’ai pas de crédit ou quoique ce soit à rembourser, et j’ai un peu de sous de côté, donc je ne me suis même pas posé la question de savoir si il y avait des aides disponibles.
            Je reste en France au moins jusque début janvier, je verrai ensuite. D’autant que j’ai peu de frais ici vu que je loge dans la famille.

          2. Zhu December 24, 2021 at 1:11 am

            Comme nous, en fait. Dépenses au minimum, le but étant de mettre de côté comme on n’aura droit à rien (retraite, etc.). Je connais le topo 😉

  3. Lexie December 20, 2021 at 10:40 am

    Enjoy ! Where are you going this time ?

    Reply
      1. Lexie December 20, 2021 at 2:51 pm

        Hahaha thanks !!

        Reply
        1. Zhu December 21, 2021 at 12:21 am

          Voilà voilà…. 😉

          Reply
      2. Zhu December 21, 2021 at 12:21 am

        Merci, détective!

        Reply
  4. Christiane December 21, 2021 at 12:23 pm

    Have fun for me 🙂

    Reply
    1. Zhu December 22, 2021 at 11:01 pm

      Thnk you! I do hope you can find some fun and happy moments too even though… I know it sucks a bit now.

      Come to think of it, I don’t know if you’re team “I hate winter” or team “actually, I don’t mind it!”?

      Reply
      1. Christiane December 24, 2021 at 11:22 am

        Team “i hate winter” lol

        Reply
        1. Zhu December 25, 2021 at 1:34 am

          That’s what I thought 😆

          Reply

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