To each and every one of you...

As a sat on my Blackberry texting all my friends from around the world to wish them a wonderful Christmas, it dawned on me how many friends I have that I am horrible at keeping in touch with. I sent messages to my closest friends; Catherine, Katrina, Keshia, Caitlin & Pam, and then scanned through my phone to send festive wishes to those I only see once a year (if not less).

Lucia, the best roommate I could have ever asked for! The Slovakia native taught me more than she will ever know! It has been ironic that we have become closer now, when we live in separate countries! Lucia is the sweetest person I have ever met, and I can only hope our paths in life will cross again.
Dawn, my fabulous Abu Dhabi friend who I have known only since 2007. Her and her husband Paul were great friends to me while I spent some time on my own in the foreign city. I though of her and how she must be enjoying her English Christmas in Coventry with her friends and family.

Christie, or as i call her "My best Abu Dhabi" friend, whom I haven't seen in years. She left me on a midnight flight from Abu Dhabi to Manchester in the new year of 2008. I miss my wino friend, who was always good for a laugh and always made sure i could keep up with conversations and jokes with other English folk. 

Dale & Jane, Though i didn't actually contact this pair, I thought of them and their daughters Eden and Neve. The time spent with this couple in Bahrain was very much once in a life time. I wish them all the best in the new year while they raise their girls in South Africa.

The Barraclough/ Bristow Family, The first year since 2008 that I will not be with them at Christmas. I hope Lydia, Ella, Joshie, and Callum were good little ones and "my friend" St Nick found them this year. Though I have heard that the stomach fly hit this Bristol family home. May each of you feel better! Hugs and Kisses to all from Canada.


Though not always the easiest, I did have a wonderful year of traveling, and learning about myself and the world around me.

Stories from a Flight Attendant

When people hearing that I was a flight attendant, I usually get one of two reactions. A) "Wow... How did you get that job?" or B) "Well you must have some stories to tell!" I have had the chance to travel the world with the world's leading new airline that lucky for me had the policy that the crew hotels had to be of a certain standard.  People are expecting to hear random travel stories that I simply... do not have.



I have never been or almost been arrested in a foreign country, but I have stolen red roses from a kid outside of a Bangkok nightclub with my crew members.

I have not caught anyone having sex in the lavatory, however I have nicely asked a woman to turn around, get off her boyfriends lap and buckle her seat belt on a flight to Frankfurt Germany.

I have not had anyone purpose on a flight, but I have had a woman tell me that she couldn't sit by her husband because they were fighting.

I have not used drugs in a random Asian country, but there was this one time in Munich that my crew had drinks with our airlines competitor crew and it got a little heated.

I have not had a passenger threaten my life, however when a fellow crew member emptied an entire bottle of Tabasco sauce on the passenger's breakfast meal, we wondered if the passengers heads were going to stay attached.

I have never been involved with an emergency landing, though I have told passengers that because i had no more milk for their baby the captain would be landing the plane just for them!

Like I said, I just don't have those scary, eventful, thrilling stories to tell like most travelers do...but I do have my own kind of stories to tell!

Flight from Frankfurt to Abu Dhabi

A little Piece of Italy

Every sell proclaimed traveler has that trip that changes their life for the better or the worse. Some it may just be a check off a mental "bucket list", others it may be a place they dreamed of seeing since they we're small. While flying I saw a lot of places in many different countries. And the trip that stands out in my mind was my trip to Italy.

It all started in May 2008 when I got lucky and got called off a standby to go to Milan for a 72 hour layover. Still being "green" in the world for cabin crew I was so excited and immediately called my mother, who's dream it is to see Italy.

The only way that I can explain why this trip in particular changed my life then for the simple reason of a very large check on my then very small bucket list. The crew and I spent a wonderful 72 hours between Milan and Venice, eating, drinking and shopping in true Italian fashion. I remember the feeling I got when I got off the train in Venice... I oddly enough for the first time in my life, felt safe, like one would at home in their own country. Why? Scanning the Venezia train station, I counted 22 Canadian flags on backpacks, suitcases, sweaters, and hats. And being a proud Canadian, my maple leaf (which went with me on every trip I may add), was happily displayed on my hand jacket!

Nothing extremely special happened on this trip, and to be honest I wasn't feeling great when I was there, it just felt amazing, knowing that something else could be crossed off my "to -do " list. :)