Canadian Bacon?

I woke up as the airplane clumsily touched down at Toronto's Pearson Airport. Later as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes I realised there was a snow storm outside, accounting for the earlier 'clumsiness'. It was beautiful, scary yet stunning. I could hardly make out the terminal building through the thickness of the falling snow.

A rush through customs and into the arrivals lounge. There is he. Casually leaning against a pillar. It could have been yesterday that we said goodbye in the cold winter's air, and not 15 years earlier. He battled the snowy roads and a little while later we settled to a comforting breakfast of Eggs Benedict, with both Canadian and 'regular' bacon. The bacon debate aside, we laughed and tried to catch up on lost time. Major achievements, notable relationships and everything else in between.

That afternoon I settled into the Cosmopolitan Hotel. A nap in the thick 300 thread count sheets and then down to the Spa. I was really treating this as 'time out'. The room was spacious and airy. The music zen-like and the yoga mat in the closet a pleasant surprise. (Being one who endeavours to travel with a yoga mat, but never do). Definitely deservant of its Conde Nast Hot List 2006 status.

In the evening, and the next day, there was more catching up. Two friends I have not seen for 1.5 decades and another for a few years. It will never cease to amaze me how some people you do not see or talk to for years, and when they are standing in front of you, it is like no time has passed. You slot right back into it. Times and lives may have changed but the bond is there, and will always be.

The next night we celebrated D's success. I listened to his friends rave about the adventures and his clients about his talent. Left me with a smile on face. Fantastic to see my friends happy in their lives. When you think about it, it is really all that matters.

I jumped in a taxi in the early hours, waking up as we touched down at LaGuardia. The sun was out and my aviators were nowhere to be found. Still wearing my red party dress as I waved past the doorman, rushing upstairs for a few hours sleep before W's arrival, and doing it all over again ...