Get this:  a professional cellist tried to board the plane in Richmond with his cello, for which he had a ticket.  He bought two seats.  United, in its infinite stupidity, upgraded him to First Class, "because you're such a good customer," but did not upgrade his cello, and, in fact, gave away both of his seats. They eventually fixed it, and someone got a surprise free upgrade to First Class, but I think someone else got bumped, because the flight was completely full.

I forgot about him in my annoyance about having to put my backpack all the way at the back of the plane. His deal was worse.

Apparently the idea that a woman would come all by herself to Brandon, Manitoba just to watch curling for 9 days is so weird that it makes you look suspicious to the border control agent, who grilled me mercilessly.  I had to recount a list of what was in my suitcase before he finally decided to let me in. I think what tipped the balance is that he found out I was an English teacher.  I guess he figured that accounts for all kinds of strange behavior.  

No trouble getting the rental car and getting out of the airport, but it turned out that Brandon was not 50 miles from Winnipeg...it's 150 miles from Winnipeg.  I totally got that wrong.  It's a nice drive though, and, once you get out of Winnipeg, pretty much deserted.  Straight shot across the TransCanada highway.  The worst, however, was yet to come.