Since I last blogged I have been to Paris, Windsor Palace, Stonehenge, Oxford, and yes, finally, Canada (Toronto, Uxbridge, Peterborough)!

Once I arrived in Toronto I squeezed in visits with a lot of friends and family. After waking up at 6:30 AM GMT and flying 7 and a half hours without sleeping, I arrived at Pearson airport at 14:30 EST (or 19:30  GMT). I went through customs without any issues (except a really rude customs agent), and grabbed my bags from the luggage claim (my bags were the first and third to come out, benefits of flying first class). After baggage claim, I was sent to the Canadian Immigration area where they simply looked at my customs card and told me to move on. I guess I’m not that special.

I spent the afternoon hanging out with my brother and friends (and one very affectionate and shedding cat) before we went out to my cousin’s karaoke birthday party at 20:00 EST (or 1 AM GMT). We sang until about 23:00 EST (or 4:00 AM GMT) at which point we switched to a pub called James Joyce where some college friends of ours were playing in the house band. When they saw me arrive they said over the mics, “Have you heard? Kat Abraham’s back in town!” and then they sang me a song (albeit, the song was Weezer’s Say It Ain’t So, but it’s the thought that counts, right?). By the time we left the bar is was 12:30 AM EST (or 5:30 AM GMT) and I was head-droppingly tired. Remember, at this point I’d been awake for 23 hours. Despite falling asleep the moment my head hit the pillow I still woke up at 7 AM Toronto time! And so it would go for the next week.

I am still getting used to this timezone and not having a job or anything to do (that doesn’t involved sorting or folding or tidying) has just been perpetuating my going to bed early and getting up early.

I have a notebook full of travel writings from my trip to Paris and my last days in England, which I will transcribe and post here in the coming days.

Until then, I am just enjoying being back in Canada and having my parents make dinner for me everyday. Delicious, free, dinner.