How was the move/flight, you ask? Well, we spent a few days in hotel after our home was packed up in Abu Dhabi. We needed that time to close bank accounts and make arrangements to complete the sale our vehicle, say some goodbyes, and regroup. Then off to Dubai for a couple of nights (we did get to the aquarium and 2/4 of us got to see the Burj Khalifa) and to fly out.
This was inside the famed tunnel. 
Bee loves the birds! 
When in Dubai, we got an email from our airline, KLM, saying proof of COVID-19 negative results were necessary to anyone whose destination was in Europe. Our destination wasn’t in Europe, but we were stopping there to switch planes. Does that count? We were unsure if we had to have the family tested. Then we learned that Dubai airport was now requiring (as of August 1) anyone who came through or left from DXB to have their negative COVID-19 results with them to fly! So … somewhat frantically, we found a clinic to do the tests and give results by email within 24 hours, as that’s all we had. Great news: no Covid!
Then the next worry about the travel was our cat. When she came to Abu Dhabi with us, she had to come as manifest cargo. It is about the cost of 4 human tickets for the same flight. But it is also the only way to get into the UAE for a cat, as per their import laws. There were several other issues bringing her into UAE but we were assured it was much easier to leave! She arrived in a ridiculously large for such a small cat, but she needed to be able to sit with her ears up and have 2 inches between clearance between her ears and kennel roof, and to be able to lay down in a natural C-curve position. Our intention was to have her in the same large crate, but to fly as baggage in the hold of the airplane. This is a separate baggage area that is temperature and pressure controlled: she wouldn’t have been tumbling down with the rest of the bags and end up on the conveyor belt, I swear! But, as it turns out, due to COVID-19 there were embargoes on her travelling in the hold. When an animal travels in the hold, the crate is given a baggage tag and handled by the airport staff to take it to the next plane. Or, if you’re going to be more than 3 hours between planes, the crate (and pet) is taken to an animal comfort stop … a pet hotel … for the pet to come out of the crate, stretch, have access to a litter box, be taken for a walk, fresh food/water, etc. Here is a link for a little tour of the pet hotel in Amsterdam airport (widely known as the largest and best): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXAYOjJGAHc But, as I mentioned, there was an embargo on pets in the hold, which also meant she could not visit the hotel this time. Thus, our kitty needed another special carrier to go under the seat. Sigh! It was MUCH smaller, but did have side zips where it could be expanded, when opportunities allowed, to give her more space. She needed to ride at my feet for the 8 hours from Dubai to Amsterdam, stay in the carrier for the 10 hours we had in Amsterdam airport, and then for the 10 hours flight to Calgary. I had a lot of trepidation on how this would work out. To my relief, she was a little trooper! Though, it was difficult for me, as she wanted to be nearest to me and I couldn’t have my feet straight in front of me for lack of space, but overall, a tiny price to pay. At the airport, we found a quiet place and opened the kennel up as much as possible and offered her some food and water. She did great!
FYI: DXB did not ask for our negative COVID-19 results.
I tried to give the results to the agent in Amsterdam. Also had no interest in our negative COVID-19 results.
On August 4th, we touched down in Calgary airport and another piece of journey simultaneously completed and began. When the plane landed, we were told to remain seated and leave the airport row by row only retrieving our bags when the row in front of us had exited the plane. We tried. But unfortunately, few people followed the rule. Also, the 2-metre distance and proper mask usage seemed to elude many. We were given forms to fill in for the government indicating where we would be staying, how to contact us, and to show we understood the quarantine rules. Then our photos were taken and placed on a group kind of ticket we used for the family and we were questioned by immigration about the same issues on the form. We were asked if we knew how to get food and supplies to us without leaving the quarantine, how we would be travelling to where we were quarantining, and then given a handout with infographics on how to quarantine properly and told AHS (Alberta Health Services) would be in contact in a couple of days. Then we went into a socially distanced lineup to be able to leave immigration. In the line, we had to download an app that connected to that group ticket I mentioned before and fill in additional information about where we would be staying. When the app registered us, we were permitted to leave the lineup, have our temperature checked, and then enter into another lineup to speak with a nurse from AHS about how we were feeling, what to do if we were unwell, and again to demonstrate we understood how to quarantine. Phew! To be clear, Canada wanted us to quarantine!
But, FYI, Immigration and AHS were also not interested in looking at our negative COVID-19 results. I’m so happy we all had a q-tip shoved 5 inches up our nostrils and then wiggled around!
We finally got outside – DEEP BREATH IN – oh that clean crisp air was a delight to our lungs! And as a treat for our eyes and hearts, our old neighbours and good friends came by with their massive truck and loaded up our 9 pieces of checked luggage, our 4 pieces of carry-on, and 2 of our 4 backpacks. In case you’re wondering, we were all masked (them and us) and didn’t ride in the same vehicle. Our family followed them in a taxi with the cat and we headed to our rented suite downtown to begin our time in quarantine.
Our suite is basically a serviced furnished apartment. We have 2 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Unfortunately, no balcony, but the windows do open. … and here we sit! I’m writing on Day 2 of quarantine. So far it’s MUCH calmer than Day 1.
On Day 1, one of the first things I did was to place an order for grocery delivery. That was at about 8am. Thankfully my mom let me use her number as a contact as we didn’t have one any more. Then I ordered breakfast and coffee from a popular food delivery service (also using Mom’s phone number). After about an hour I was wondering why breakfast hadn’t arrived. The app said it was delivered. I typed in a live chat to figure out where the food could be and after quite some time of them insisting we had the food and me assuring them we did not, she offered to reorder or refund. I chose refund: I wasn’t going to leave such important business to such clearly inept people again. I then tried to order the same thing from another food delivery service but their system was having issues with my credit card. Sigh … ok, fine, back to the first service. I asked the same person in the chat if they could actually just reorder. No, she could not as the order had now been closed. Fine. I will just do it again. And now THIS company has issue with my credit card, too. Double sigh. Now I’m calling the bank to work it out. The bank needs to verify my identity by asking me to go onto my online banking app and tell her the last thing purchased on a specific day. … But the app won’t let me log in as I’m not where they’re used to me logging in from so, as a security measure, would I like to be called or texted with a secure code? Well neither, because that was an Abu Dhabi number and I’m now sitting in Canada with no phone number. Oy!! So then I had to have her change my Abu Dhabi phone number to my mom’s phone number, so the system could text my mom a code that my mom could then Messenger to me so I could get into my own banking to then tell the woman about a specific purchase so SHE could verify it was me, so that she could unlock my credit cards, which had apparently been locked for my own security. But what about my sanity? lol So … at about 11:45, I was able to again order that coffee and breakfast. It arrive 15 minutes after my grocery order. At that point, I REALLY needed that coffee. 😉
Through this, we are also trying to get cell phone plans. I had no idea this would be such an unexpected barrier! We spent hours looking through plans and choosing what we needed/wanted. When it finally came time to pick the company and sign the contract online, we were told to go to their downtown location for 5:00 to pick it all up. I told the gent that I would double-check to ensure our friend could be there for 5:00. He then informed me that it had to be US who picked up the phone, SIMs, and plan. I reminded him we were in quarantine. He told me I could just press my ID against the glass of the store. Evidently, he thought quarantine was just to protect that one employee in the store from any COVID-19 we might have picked up en route. Day 1: no love.
Now on Day 2, we still don’t have phone numbers or plans, and as I began to write this, I suspected we might by the end of the day. However, I have just learned we will not have one until the end of next week! So just a few days before we leave quarantine, IF it runs on time. And speaking of time, WILL THIS DAY NEVER END? I’ve been up since 3am and keep looking at my watch and wondering how long until dinner where we can wind down. Oh …. Only 10am. Dang! But I’ve gotten to speak (via apps, of course) to some friends and family and that helps pass the time. It’s nice to catch up and even nicer that we’re on the same time zone so I don’t have to be super-aware of the clock. I’m a little worried Monkey has painted all of his D&D characters that I brought to last the 2 weeks, but I’m sure he will find something to fill his time. I have been thinking about getting a large paint-by-number that Bee can hang as wall art when he’s done. And there’s always our wonderful friends who offer to drop items off for us, if we need. I did pack a lot of items for quarantine in our air freight. But I’ve learned today that we cannot have the air freight unit we are OUT of quarantine, so that’s handy! Haha – what can you do but laugh?! Now the focus will be the Mr. working hard on the new gig and taking in loads of new information for his new role. And then, of course, there is also the task of finding a place to live! We need an address before we can register the kids in school … if there will be school. There’s so much to consider! … and I’ve got 12 more days to think about it all! 😉
ninjachelsea 
Oh wow!!! WOW!!! To all of it.
I’m so glad you’re back safe and sound. Can’t wait to see you all! ❤️❤️❤️
We look forward to it too! 😀 You will have to let me know what will work for you. Maybe another art walk?