Well, we didn't exactly miss it, but my back decided, on the morning of our early flight to Whitehorse, to go into spasm! Tying my bloody shoelaces! Let me say that again...tying my bloody shoelaces. My timing (if not my tying) is immaculate!
And where do you want to be when you are suddenly and rudely incapacitated? A slightly grotty hotel on the outskirts of an airport, 8000kms from home? Wrong! Although it has to be said the staff were terrific and very helpful. But as ever my calm and wonderful wife held everything together, including me, and sorted everything. We had no choice but to cancel flights and without being able to get there on the day the accommodation went begging too! And the dog sledding. And the hot tub! Has to be said, I was a bit miserable for a while.
But Nareesa booked us into a lovely hotel, with views over the Fraser River (ok, the airport) that I can lounge in for the next 48 hours or so, whilst waiting for the strong drugs to take effect. She arranged a doctor visit to confirm that I was in no fit state to fly, and thereby hopefully allowing us to claim the losses on insurance. Not that it will compensate for the loss of the experience, but I live to fight another day - and the Yukon will still be there!
I am just about over the disappointment now and the enforced rest is already reaping results; I should be able to walk to the Starbucks across the road by tomorrow morning!
And with any luck we will be back on track on Sunday and heading for Regina as planned. And, you never know, perhaps I will find a husky in Saskatchewan.
Not much of a blog then - much as I love (a damp) Vancouver it is no substitute for dog sledding, the northern lights and an outdoor hot tub in the snow in cold, but fresh, minus 20 Celsius!
So best leave it there and I will pick up this story again on Sunday night or Monday morning, when hopefully we have reached Saskatchewan and are in the safe hands of my cousins for Christmas!