Day 2 – The Lounge Life and the Struggle Bus

Wednesday, Oct 29 – Travel Day 2
Location: Toronto → Vancouver
Mood: Hot, hormonal, slightly feral but holding it together

Last night, Mom and Steve’s flight got delayed. They didn’t land until 11 p.m., which means I was already dead to the world by the time they arrived. Probably for the best because I needed a full night of unconsciousness after the last week.

Before bed, I filled out our Thailand Digital Arrival Card (pro tip: you have to do this before checking in for your flight). Then we had dinner downstairs at the hotel — incredible burrata, nice wine, zero regrets about not leaving the property. Normally, we’re the “go explore” types, but sometimes it’s nice to just be lazy. My brother would call it lame, but I call it self-preservation.

The Sheraton Gateway at Terminal 3 might be the most underrated travel hack there is. Pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot tub, business centre — the works. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve checked into beautiful hotels at midnight, slept for four hours, and checked right back out. Brutal. So now, if we’re in transit, we always aim for an early flight so we can actually use the place. A quiet hotel day mid-travel is rare, and I’ll take it every time.

Only downside? Watching one server snap at another in front of guests. Are we starting a Travel Pet Peeves list now? Because that’s on it. Nothing kills a vibe faster than watching someone publicly belittle a coworker. Save that energy for the walk-in fridge, my guy.  Or better yet, check yourself altogether and stop.

Brent watched the Jays game (they won), we drank a bottle of wine, and called it. A solid night in, just the way I like it, before a travel marathon.

This morning, I woke up in full love-affair mode with this hotel. We got an early start — I answered a few client emails, downloaded content from Devour! to edit on the plane, and then hit the Marriott lounge for breakfast. Huge spread: egg-white frittata, smoked salmon, chicken sausage, toast, fruit — heaven. I’m not usually a fan of buffet-style dining, but I’ll admit this was pretty good.

Then came my morning battle: installing my Alosim eSIM. Why is this still a nightmare in 2025? I fought with it for half an hour before giving up and moving on to downloading backup codes and securing my password manager, because when you land in a new country, every app on your phone suddenly gets amnesia and locks you out.

We took an “airport walk” — which, yes, sounds like something retirees do — then grabbed electrolytes, cold meds, and toothpaste at the pharmacy before rewarding ourselves with Caesars in the lobby bar.

Dinner was in the Maple Leaf Lounge before our Toronto-to-Vancouver flight. Leg two of the journey. I’d love to tell you it was uneventful, but… no. I was boiling hot the entire time (perimenopause is a cruel mistress), my seatmate was practically in my lap, and I’m still sick.

Also — the sun. Oh my god, the sun. I had the middle seat, and it was blazing directly into my face, so I dimmed the digital window. Still bright, but manageable. Then Lean Guy sat down, immediately opened it all the way, and said, “I’ll put it down once we get going.” Spoiler: we were delayed 20 minutes, and he never put it down. BRO. I was baking. I swear I got a tan on half my face before we even left the runway. (See photo — this is my villain origin story.)

And because the travel gods have a sense of humour, I started my period and my brand-new manicure peeled off one entire nail. I made the mistake of trying a new spa right before the trip, and now I’m paying the price. It’s such a small thing, but between that, the sunburn, the seat leaner, and my new default body temperature (which is apparently “just hot” all the time) — this was a day.

To be clear, I’m not miserable — I’m just documenting the chaos. I actually love the rhythm of travel. Usually, I find airports kind of meditative. But this time? Let’s just say I’m not my best self.

I’m writing this from the Maple Leaf Lounge in Vancouver. We’ve got three hours to kill before boarding the long-haul to Bangkok, and honestly, I’m just hoping to sleep through most of it and wake up with a new attitude.

Oh — and one more thing. The response to my first diary post? Way bigger than I expected. Turns out, you all love this messy, real-time chaos. So here we go. Day 2 down, 28 to go.

Photo of the Day:
📸 Mid-flight glow (aka the unrequested sunbathing experience).

Missed Day 1? Read it here →