{"id":3046,"date":"2019-06-29T03:04:51","date_gmt":"2019-06-29T07:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/agaaga.blog\/?p=3046"},"modified":"2022-01-22T15:29:28","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T20:29:28","slug":"planes-trains-and-automobiles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/2019\/06\/29\/planes-trains-and-automobiles\/","title":{"rendered":"Planes, Trains and Automobiles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/img_7350.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5130\"\/><figcaption>The kids and I started our day off with a long cooling swim at a friend&#8217;s pool. Everyone else was in school or at work \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Our journey from Toronto to Seville started on foot, around 1:45pm Thursday June 27 2019 in Toronto, with a 15 minute walk to the GO bus stop and Yonge and Sheppard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5534.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3047\"\/><figcaption>Starting the trip<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_7353.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3054\"\/><figcaption>Practicing with all the luggage in the heat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5538.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3048\"\/><figcaption>First wait &#8211; this was a short one!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5540.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3049\"\/><figcaption>Best seats on the double decker GO bus!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After a 30 minute GO bus ride, we took the Terminal Link train from Pearson Terminal 1 to Terminal 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5554.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3051\"\/><figcaption>Terminal link train at Pearson &#8211; another favourite!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Our first flight (Toronto YYZ &#8211;&gt; Montreal YUL) was delayed by about 2.5 hours due air conditioner problems. We watched as multiple mobile air conditioning units were towed up, hooked up to the plane, and fiddled with&#8230; none of which seemed to actually help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5563.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3053\"\/><figcaption>Sunset from the plane on the approach to Montreal. The exciting light show on the way in turned out to be a thunderstorm that resulted in a 2.5 hour delay to our next flight!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Piano at the Montreal airport\" width=\"1032\" height=\"581\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/t6ViOe8Yf6c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption><meta charset=\"utf-8\">While we waited in Montreal, Nolan entertained the waiting passengers as did Felix.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The plane for Madrid finally left about two and a half hours late. As a result we missed our connecting train to Seville. While waiting for our luggage in Madrid, Neil contacted RBC Visa Avion insurance to open a claim. They will cover the cost of our dinner and the new set of train tickets we had to buy. Glad we booked everything on that card!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The taxi driver who took us to the train station offered to drive us all the way to Seville for less than the cost of the train, but we didn&#8217;t want to be cooped up in a van for 5 hours. Also, we weren&#8217;t sure if the credit card insurance would pay for a taxi vs. a train. So, as soon as we arrived at the train station, we arranged our new tickets to Seville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/dsc00020.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3057\"\/><figcaption>First view of the Atocha train station at Madrid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_7362.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3067\"\/><figcaption>Everyone&#8217;s still smiling &#8230;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_7365.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3068\"\/><figcaption>Chillin&#8217; in the green space in the train station<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The trains were almost fully booked, so we ended up with about 5 hours to kill in Madrid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s a Vodafone shop just down the street from Madrid Puerta de Atocha  train station. We got two local SIM cards on a promotion: 10\u20ac activation, 15\u20ac per month, 18GB data and 800 minutes (local and international).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5587.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3059\"\/><figcaption>Not-so-quick stop to obtain SIM cards &#8211; making good use of the Spanish we learnt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Next stop (and not a moment too late!) was for food and water. We had a very relaxed and enjoyable dinner at Sidrer\u00eda Restaurante La Casona near the train station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_7366.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3069\"\/><figcaption>Tapas for dinner. Some interesting things on the menu (according to Google Translate anyhow)!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5591.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3060\"\/><figcaption>First meal in Spain! Spanish omelette, mixed plate of jamon, and pulpo (octopus) which Nolan devoured. Also bread and cervesa, of course.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_7368.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3070\"\/><figcaption>The kids were so fascinated by this leg of ham, they asked the staff to bring it out so they could pose with it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5594.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3061\"\/><figcaption>Our train to Seville &#8211; departing at 9:25pm, instead of the 3pm train we missed. It&#8217;s now 2:25pm on Friday back in Toronto &#8211; about 25 hours after we left our house.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5595.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3062\"\/><figcaption>Lara sketches the thunderstorm from Montreal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5597.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3063\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A smooth 2.5 hour train ride brought us to Seville, where we learned two things very quickly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Taxis in Seville take a maximum of 4 people &#8211; even if it&#8217;s a minivan.<\/li><li>Do NOT cross the lanes to the taxis waiting on the far side from the line-up (even if it looks like you&#8217;re headed for the only taxi in sight large enough for your family)! It causes significant consternation and rapid Spanish commentary from the local cabbies \ud83d\ude42<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>15 minutes by cab (passing Las Setas, to Nolan&#8217;s great excitement) brought us to our home in Seville, the Apartamentas Campana. Lii Ling had access codes pre-arranged via AirBnB which got us in the front door and into a mailbox containing our access card. We got into the apartment around 1am Saturday June 20, 2019 in Seville &#8211; around 30 hours after we had left home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5599.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3065\"\/><figcaption>After 30 hours of travel time, we made it to our apartment and after a shower the kids were asleep instantly [I am not kidding!]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_5598.jpg?w=1032&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3064\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Final note: The kids were AMAZING, despite all the delays and the epic journey. We kept them fed, and ensured they slept on the plane; that, combined with the novelty of new surroundings and the excitement of buses and planes and trains and taxis helped them keep it together surprisingly well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our journey from Toronto to Seville started on foot, around 1:45pm Thursday June 27 2019 in Toronto, with a 15 minute walk to the GO bus stop and Yonge and Sheppard. After a 30 minute GO bus ride, we took the Terminal Link train from Pearson Terminal 1 to Terminal 3. Our first flight (Toronto [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3067,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,50],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-internationaltravel","category-spain"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/img_7362-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3046"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12280,"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3046\/revisions\/12280"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3067"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agaaga.khoolbrew.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}