Mixed Feelings

I’m currently somewhere over Iowa at about 36,000ft on an Air Canada A220 (née Bombardier CS-300) heading to Denver and then onwards to Newport Beach, California.

I haven’t set foot in the USA since March 18, 2023 and quite honestly, I had zero intentions of visiting until the situation there changed for the better. But some recent changes at work meant that I was invited down to take part in some meetings.

I had actually considered what I would do if I was asked to go the US for work and had mostly decided that I would politely decline. But when push came to shove, I opted to make the trip even though I’m not especially thrilled about it. My work would have been fine with it if I had decided to participate remotely, but it’s not the same, and given the circumstances, it made more sense for me to head down and be there in the room for these meetings.

The whole customs thing was fine – I flew out of Toronto Pearson which has pre-clearance meaning that I was in Canada and could simply withdraw my request to enter the USA if there were any issues. I didn’t really expect any problems entering the USA, and there weren’t any. I’ll be happy once I’m back on an Air Canada Dreamliner heading back to Toronto on Friday.