My love for travelling has brought me to the Montreal-Trudeau Airport a few times now to board on International Flights, but it was mostly for a quick jump to hop onto a big Boeing for long hours.

Tonight, after missing my long flight (now I know I have to arrive 3 hours in advance!)  to London, then Bangkok, to Australia I’ve decided that I would stay in the airport and explore it as much as I can along with my luggage stroller and baggy joggings before my changed flight to Chicago in a whooping 8 hours time, next morning 8:45 AM.

Sadly, while waiting in line with other people who had missed their flights, I overheard the conversation of a couple who had also missed their flight and were arguing whether they would book another flight or not. ”Ben c’est supposé être nos VACANCES! Entoucas, moi j’retournes pas à maison pour m’asseoir et rien faire toute la fin d’semaine!”, said the woman to her man. They were probaby going ”dans le Sud”.

So, I started off around 10PM my long ”Nuit blanche à l’Aéroport Trudeau” by strolling all around the airport’s terminals in my extra baggy joggings and luggage stroller observing the people, stores, exhibitions and places. I love being around travelling people, going incognito on my own and pretend being from Asia not Canada as I was born, as everyone labels me to be, but I keep hating it when I speak in french to Air Canada french canadian people and they keep stuttering back to me in bad english. *shrug* Just like when I get the ”Wow, tu parles français tellement bien!” For those who don’t know, french is my native language, I’ve been through the french educational system all my life and my written french is above average local people. 101 law child. Studying good like an asian should.

I then took the time to view a photographic exhibition about the foundation of our city, Montreal, from the first occupation by Iroquois people to the French colonisation and other immigration waves with the airport being renewed all the years while. Funnily, I was the only person to stop and read the exhibition until someone else saw me and came to see by curiosity as well.  Aren’t we a bunch of sheeps? *grin*

My next stop took me to the luxurious Marriott Hotel located within the airport. As I entered the glassy doors and cristal chandelliered lights, mustering up the most of my confidence in my baggy joggings and luggage stroller, I noticed an exquisite exclusive ”Marriott business place” and ”coffee area”, but it was empty. Only the bar of the hotel was full. Oh well, let me plug my laptop to charge it and sit comfortably in those luxurious chairs as those who have the money keep checking in the hotel. Ain’t no security is allowed to chase me away right? Hmm…

Half an hour later, I went to check out the ”International Arrivals” area, a place where excitement, emotion and suspense shall be awaiting.  I will need coffee to survive the ”Nuit blanche à l’Aéroport Trudeau”.

As expected, the ”Arrivals” section was full of ”Heyyy, I’ve missed you!”, ”Welcome back!” and ”Welcome to Canada”. Actually no, half of the arrivals looked like people who came back from getting a tan and were frantically anxious to head home and a minority as opposite were taking much slower strides, taking the time to discuss with the arrived person, who seemed to have came from far with a story to tell. There was a man who obviously came from Haiti, it was written all over his cardboard box. As usual, there were the immigrant families flashing pictures of their loved ones as soon as they were passing through the glassy doors.

Being in a long distance relationship for about 3 years, I was imagining being reunited with my nigerian fiancé, him coming to Montreal or me arriving somewhere in Africa again through International Arrivals as our hearts and eyes devour an emotional feast of ”Wow, I’ve missed you, but now I am with you and my soul is at peace.”

Around midnight, the airport started emptying and stores closing. I found myself strolling through the hallways with mostly left the staff of the airport, security people, few travellers sleeping on benches and a few travellers that looked awfully lost. I have to admit that I felt kinda scared strolling through huge empty halls and kiosks by myself surrounded by metal and glass breathtaking structures with no human in sight. They even closed down the lights in some areas of the airport just like in that Terminal movie. I’ve decided to come back to the luxurious Marriott’s huge and empty lounge to kill some hours.

4 hours till check-in to Chicago. New itinerary: Montreal-Chicago-Singapore-Perth

3 hours till my flight, finally to start my journey with United Airways.

…What a night, what a day.