From rainy Manchester to very rainy Toronto!

In an eery reversal of last year, we had a traffic and rain free trip until we parked at 09:45, when the heavens opened and we decided to wait in the car for it to subside. Every time it looked like stopping and I poked my head out, it would wait until I got to the boot before tipping down again.

The route to the checkin point was less than well signposted and the queue was quite long when we got there – of course, our line had to be the one with the difficult family with oversize and overweight baggage which took a long time to sort out. Our main concern was that we may not get two seats together but we were OK. The passage through security was thorough but one of the easiest passages we have had. Into the departure lounge quite unstressed, where we had a drink and a bacon bap. We got on board the Transat Airbus 310 in good time but had to wait 30 mins for a clubclass passenger who was late. Someone who obviously was more important than the rest of us put together. The seats were very comfortable and there was more legroom than we had on the jumbo with BA last year – all in all a pleasant experience.

We arrived about 30 mins late, had a relatively easy passage through airport controls apart from a mercifully brief encounter with a fairly miserable immigration officer who'd had a charisma bypass. I thought of asking him if he was having problems with his piles but decided that I should hold my tongue. We emerged to see Ollie and Ang waiting for us at the arrivals gate.

The rain had followed us to Toronto and a heavy mist shrouded the city but we managed to see some of the landmarks on the way to the hotel.

CN Tower

Ang & Ollie, The Keg