Off to the Azores – Planning

Monday, August 6th, 2018

Well, it’s been a long time in coming, but I’m finally flying to the Azores, Portugal.

My family is originally from the Azores – from the main island of Sao Miguel (Saint Michael).  I have aunts, uncles, and cousins back there, and the last time I was there is was 11 years old.  That was 37 years ago!  So this is going to be a serious reunion of family, and a much needed refresh of early memories of one of the major trips in my life.

When I was 11, there are a few things that stand out – I recall the three aircraft that we had to take to get there – Air Canada DC-9 to Montreal – Mirabel (YMX), then the Boeing 707 from TAP from Montreal to Horta (HOR) in Terceira (next to the airbase stationed there, Lajes), then finally the old Hawker-Siddeley 748

via SATA from Terceira island to Sao Miguel, landing at Ponta Delgada (PDL).  It was quite the trek, when you factor in all for the stop-over times.  I recall being impressed at the serious hunk of meat hanging at the sandwich shop selling smoked meat sandwiches at Mirabel.  I recall the cool looking line of fighter aircraft lined up at the military at Lajes (TER).  I also recall the relatively unnerving landing at Ponta Delgada…I had a window seat, and I could see the airport and the nearby cliffs.  As we turned and made final approach, I looked out and down to the ocean below – as we approached and descended, the reefs and rocks jutting up from the water were getting ominously closer and closer till finally there was runaway, a bump, and a quick stop.  It didn’t help that I saw all of these older folks, and the priest, all saying prayers as we made our landing.  This wasn’t the first trip either.  At age 7, I took the same trip, but rather stopping off at Terceira, we stopped off at the island of Santa Maria, again to pick up the HS-748 to reach PDL.

Things have certainly changed since those days.  To get to the Azores from Toronto, its now a direct flight, and the regional airline of the Azores, SATA, has has taken over the route and flies three times a week.  In those days, you simply packed, had a family member look after your place while gone, but now, as Brampton has become a much larger city, with all of the problems that comes with it, alarm systems, camera systems, smart lights, and other security considerations are now undertaken.  Add to that – I am the IT Manager for a small but dynamic company – so prep at work – procedures, network diagrams, VOIP numbers, data plans, unlocked mobile phones, and remote access all become necessary.  By my own experience – the world has certainly shrunk – by travel time with direct routes and more efficient transportation, and by the incredible connectivity the Internet and computer technology has afforded us.  Even Google Street Maps, has allowed me to test my early memories, by allowing me to virtually drop myself in my dad’s home town where we stayed decades ago, and amazingly, I could find the house where my paternal grandparents lived, find the old church in the centre of town, spot my uncle’s house where we stayed, and even “walk” up to the gates of the cemetery where my grandparents and other family members are now buried.

Its has been far too long for me to have been away.  That will corrected soon.  And despite all of the prep work both at home and at work to travel – the effort makes future travel a lot easier.  The Azores is just the beginning of me going off to different places around the world.  This trip needs to be the first of many more.

Joe de VA3POR