What are snowbirds?

a) Birds that fly south for the winter.

b) Canadians who spend the winter months in warmer climes.

c) A demonstration team of the Canadian Forces who perform aerial acrobatics.

d) All of the above.

One of my favourite things is flying and travelling by plane. When seeing planes or flying in them my soul sings. I even harboured fantasies as a child of being able to fly a DC10. I still would like to learn how to fly a plane one day so today, after a dry spell of no air travel, I decided to take in the Canadian International Air Show that happens every Labour Day weekend at the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) aka The Ex.

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/snowbirds/index.page

http://cias.org

https://theex.com/main/entertainment/air-show

Seating for the air show is included with admission to The Ex or you can watch it for free in public spaces along the lakeshore or in the newly opened (2017) William G. Davis trail in Trillium Park.

While flying is not everyone’s cup of tea, here are some of my tips to help make air travel more enjoyable.

• Drink lots of water. Air travel can be very dehydrating.
• Choose your seat wisely when checking in. Don’t leave it up to fate to get a good seat.
• Wear loose-fitting clothing for in-flight comfort.
• Walk around/move at regular intervals during long-haul flights.
• Eat light on the plane.
• Have ear plugs, eye mask and soothing essential oils along with a sweater, blanket and pillow to help make rest and sleep on the plane easier.