This was a very turbulent week. Especially Monday night till Tuesday afternoon was tiring. As I said back then: "Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong." Tuesday noon, half a day later than expected (I spare you the details of the moving episode) I finally had all my stuff at Laryn's. One hour before I had planned to depart for a one and a half day trip to Calgary with Anya. I was already kind of tired but as it was my last chance..

But - I thought - before leaving I have to fix something else: "When I had booked my flight home I was told I'd receive a confirmation e-mail within a couple of days. Now it's been two weeks already. I should call and ask what's the matter."

So I called Air Canada. After explaining the lady what had happened she repeated my flight details: "Edmonton - Frankfurt."
"No Edmonton, Frankfurt and then Linz."
"I have you booked to Frankfurt only."
All protests that I had booked a flight to Linz and that I could prove it by forwarding with my original e-ticket that I had an open return to Linz (and not Frankfurt) were in vain. In fact I got really mad at that lady because she stubbornly and monotonously repeated: "I have booked you to Frankfurt only. Contact your travel agency."

I have no idea how Air Canada works. I mean, every bank keeps records of its customers' transactions. So wouldn't an Air Line have a record of my bookings and changes? Shouldn't they be able to see: this customer had originally an open return to Linz, so yes there must be a mistake? Apparently not.

Anyway, so I wrote an e-mail to my travel agency in Austria. But as it was already 2pm here (i.e. 9pm in Austria) I knew I'd receive answer only during the night or morning the day after. But my mood to travel was finally gone completely.

Well the next morning I had received a very nice e-mail by my travel agency that that they contacted Air Canada in Vienna and I just had to call to book the extra flight. Great! So I called Air Canada. And the lady I spoke to this time was incredibly nice and apologised and of course they'd immediately book my flight from Frankfurt to Linz.

But by the time of calling I had already come up with an additional idea: as Air Canada had screwed up my flight and caused me all these troubles I should ask them whether they can give me a flight one week later. See, time here looked so terribly limited that it would be just great to have a week more time. But only if they don't charge me their 180 Dollar fee for changes again.

And again the lady was incredibly nice. Of course that's possible! I had not received a confirmation, the flight had not been entirely booked through, therefore, changes could be made without paying the fee again. I was jubilant!

And then we were looking on flights. The nicest one went via Vienna, not Frankfurt. So the lady said: "I have to check whether your ticket allows changing the route. Shall I do that for you?"
"Oh yes. That would be great. Thank you very much."
"You're welcome."
A couple of minutes in the line and she was back: "Your original ticket was issued last May. Tickets are only valid for one year."
So I explained to her that I had called Air Canada earlier this year and that the agent had told me that's not a problem and that I had been surprised too. (So now that is finally the explanation why every single of my colleagues had to book their return flight within a year and only I didn't have to: only because their agent messed it up!)

"I can't decide that. I have to contact a superior." Holy Crap! So suddenly I was not only in a position of having no flight from Frankfurt to Linz. Suddenly I was in a a position of having no flight at all anymore!

Another anxious 10 minutes in the line. Then the lady was back. Not at all friendly anymore. A bit grumpily she explained that the agent back then had made a mistake and that that's very unusual and she will issue me a ticket but there will be a note made that no changes whatsoever would be allowed to this ticket anymore. I had the feeling that Air Canada blamed me, as if I would be some cunning guy who talked their innocent agents into things they actually were not permitted to grant.

But anyway - in the end everything worked out fine for me, I got exactly what I wanted. So, my dear friends and family, as a result of all this you have to wait one week and one day longer for me. I will leave Edmonton on Friday 28 September (so I can have a last farewell with the German Club Thursday night) and arrive in Linz on Saturday 29 September in the morning..

See you soon!

PS: I've heard numerous people complaining about how badly Air Canada sucks. I on the other hand can just say: Thank you, Air Canada, for sucking so well!