Travelling in Stormy Weather

Last week, I went to Toronto to attend a conference and it seemed that I was doomed to travel in stormy weather. On Wednesday when I left Ottawa, the wind was blowing and they were predicting a mixture of snow and freezing rain, so the airline put me on an earlier flight. The takeoff was bumpy but once we were high above the earth, everything was calm and smooth sailing.

When one is looking down on a storm from above the clouds, it can appear so soft and beautiful, like a great endless field of fluffy cotton batting. 

But then the plane landed in the wind (a white knuckle landing) and I had to take a ferry from the airport to the mainland. The waves were very high, with whitecaps, and the ferry strained to get across. 

Not a great day for views of Toronto. The sky appears to be eating the tops of the buildings and the CN Tower has disappeared into the thick clouds. It was one of those days that it was better to be above the earth than on it. But I got to my hotel and attended the conference for the next three days, then flew back to Ottawa on Saturday - which just so happened to be the day another bad storm blew in. This one was almost worse than the one on Wednesday and I didn't even dare to take my camera out because I was afraid it would blow right out of my hands. Another wild ride on the ferry across to the airport and another bumpy take-off in the plane - then above the clouds again. Phew- I was glad to get back to Ottawa. Next time I fly, I think I will try to appease the weather gods before I go!