No speedy getaway!

Allow me to explode a popular travel myth; there’s no such thing as a quick getaway.

My wife and I went to Montreal last week to see one of our own, Kirk Starratt, receive an Ovation Award. Ovation Awards are a peer-nominated acknowledgement of the best of the best among Transcontinental Media employees and Kirk was one of only 21 people chosen from over 250 nominations across Canada. Needless to say, it’s a select group.

What I didn't know was the names of those who had nominated the recipient were put into a hat and a single winner was picked to share in the celebration and excitement of the ceremony. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather when an e-mail arrived saying I (and a guest) had won the opportunity to attend. Hoo-hah! We were going to Montreal! It was a fantastic trip and the company took very good care of us. Taxi fare, five-star hotel downtown, buffet chits and a gala evening that featured a four-course meal, entertainment and a dance.

Remi Marcoux, Transcontinental's founder and Executive Chairman of the Board, was there, as was Media sector president Natalie Lariviere and a host of senior executives to honour and applaud the Ovation recipients. As prominent as each is, the focus of the evening Friday was on the Ovation winners, all of whom were introduced individually and brought onstage as comments from co-workers were read aloud and displayed on a large screen for the audience. It was quite a moment for all concerned and I was happy and proud to share in Kirk’s success.

But as much fun as it was, getting away is a significant undertaking, especially when you have a couple of kids. First we had to line up a sitter for three days (huge thanks to Auntie Ann!). That's no small feat because folks are busy and can't often afford that kind of time commitment. That was the biggest hurdle because if you can’t manage the child care, you’re out of luck. One of us could’ve gone, but it’s way more fun when you can take a trip together.

Once the care issue was resolved, it was then a matter of appropriate and widespread notification. We left contact names and numbers not only for us in Montreal, but for Auntie Ann (house and cell phone), friends and neighbours. We gave our big fella's daycare all the info, did the same at our daughter's school, brought her bus driver into the loop in case there were any issues there and lined up the neighbours around the corner should additional assistance be required at any time during the ‘getaway.’

It may sound dramatic, but since we had never been out of the province together -- or anywhere else for that matter -- without the kids, we checked our wills to ensure, should anything unforeseen occur, they would be cared for. Overreaction? Maybe, but it's funny how a worst-case scenario doesn’t seem so unlikely when the possibility of a situation that could change everything is in play.

We packed, left hours early to accommodate the myriad security measures at the airport, did the Park 'N Fly thing, got stuck in rush hour traffic in Montreal, enjoyed a great couple of days touring the city, took in the gala and then packed up and headed home Saturday evening.

We flew into Halifax, snagged our luggage, did Park 'N Fly again, found the truck in a dark and driving rain, hit Tim's for a double/double, rolled through fog until we cleared Windsor and arrived home safe and sound. No issues, no problems, everyone was fine and we’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Of course, we’d need to get a babysitter, make arrangements with school and daycare, line up the neighbours, leave reams of contact information, catch a plane, train or automobile and actually get out the door on time.... You know the drill.

Getaway, you say, as in quick and speedy exit? Yeah. As if!