*Lana's Daily Fun Fact*
If you're ever stuck at San Francisco International Airport, find time to eat at Burger Joint. It made Oprah's Top 20 List of best burger establishments in America. Unfortunately, we were in the wrong terminal and didn't have time to eat there. Don't eat at Mission Bar & Grill; although their cheeseburgers aren't too shabby, it's not on Oprah's Top 20 List.

*Dave's Daily Fun Fact*
Watch out for Canadian Customs Officials. I'm convinced they're out to get their highly-intellectual and technologically-superior south-of-the-border neighbors. Make sure you clean out your ears the night before. Don't let it turn into this:

Customs: So, where will you be staying in Vancouver?
Dave: Oh, we'll probably check out the suspension bridge.
Customs: ???
Lana: (interjecting) We'll be staying at the Pan Pacific Hotel.
Customs: (looking at Lana) I guess you planned the entire trip.
Lana: (shaking her head) Yes.

Yay! What better way to celebrate our one-year anniversary than with a relaxing cruise to the cool climate of Alaska! After a long first year of residency for Lana and a grueling first year as manager for Dave, this trip was much anticipated. We started off with a quick trip to Petco to pick up another automatic feeder for Tubby. We had 4 months to set everything up, and of course we wait until the night before to discover that one feeder isn't sufficient to deliver enough food for a growing turtle.

As we drove to Ontario International Airport, we got a call from Air Canada that our flight had been re-routed. Instead of Ontario - Denver - Vancouver by 8:30pm, we were changed to Ontario - Los Angeles - San Francisco - Vancouver by midnight. Amid mental curses and threats, we knew everything would work out and hoped for the best. At the ticket counter, we asked about the flight change and the attendant wasn't even aware of it! We would have been stuck in Denver if Lana had not said anything! Although she couldn't change the airports, she was nice enough to book more time-friendly layovers and we were able to get to Vancouver by 9:15pm.

We had our traditional pre-flight meal of pepperoni pizza Combos and a fruit smoothie. Our 15-minute (yes, that's one-five) flight to LAX was onboard an EMB-120, a twin-turboprop airliner that's about the size of my little toe. On our SFO to YVR flight, we got stuck in the middle of a Taiwanese tour group that spoke absolutely no English whatsoever. I sat next to the "ringleader", apparently the only one of the group who could write in English (they all gave him their Canadian declaration forms to fill out, the poor sap). He kept elbowing me and touching the buttons on the airphone in the seat in front of me. I felt like I was sitting next to a 4-year-old.

While waiting for our luggage at the carousel, we retrieved only 3 of our 4 bags. When I went to inquire on the fourth (literally a duffel bag full of shoes), I was informed it was sent to Denver. Apparently technology had failed us again. I wasn't having all the bad luck; my ADHD flight neighbor had his suitcase damaged and was having a heck of a time trying to put in a damage claim.

We took a taxi to our hotel ($28.10, but thanks to the amazing exchange rate of 1.04:1, it was really only $27.02. What a deal) and crashed immediately once we got to our room. The Pan Pacific is a beautiful hotel; it reminded us of our wedding night at the Hyatt Regency. As we reflected on a long day of travel and mishaps, we put our lone pair of shoes in the corner and hoped our duffel would make it.