And he's off

Number One Son and his Dad in Colorado - age 6

I'm up at an ungodly hour because my Other Half and Number One Son left an hour ago to head to the airport. He is off on his first solo trip with his ski team to Colorado for ten days. Of course after saying goodbye - twice - I couldn't get back to sleep but luckily neither of the other boys have woken up yet. I am so excited for him but unbelievably nervous. Nervous about the airport, they have 15 kids travelling with three coaches and travelling nowadays is so much more complicated than when I took my first trip alone. Then, of course, there's the worry about the fact that they are going to train for ski racing and will be spending all day, every day careening down the mountain at crazy speeds. He has a North American plan on his phone so he can call and text us when ever he wants which won't be often enough for me but at least I can remind him to brush his teeth via text. He didn't take my advice to pack a pair of underwear and his toilet kit in his carry-on bag since for him the only priority is that the airline doesn't lose his ski or boot bag. Clean underwear be damned.

Back when I took my first solo trip to visit a friend in Colorado for Spring Break things were very different. I think we arrived at the airport less than an hour before the flight and my Dad might have even been allowed to come to the gate with me. Today they will be checking in two hours in advance in the hopes that they all make it through customs and security in time to board the plane. We had to make sure he has enough cash to pay all the baggage fees at check in on the way home even though the surcharges added to the cost of the ticket were already well over $100. But Number One is a seasoned traveller, he knows how to stand in line, remove his shoes at security and hopefully they will have a few luggage carts to carry all the skis since manoeuvring three bags through the customs maze will be tricky.

Carry on bag circa 1980 (14 year old girl)

• Seventeen magazine
• paperback copy of latest Judith Krantz novel
• toilet and make up kit with lots of hair scrunchies
• Le Sport Sac bag to hold everything
• laminated birth certificate
• American cash to shop at the GAP (which hadn't yet come to Canada)
• reminder to buy film, take pictures and send post cards to my grandparents

Carry on bag 2011 (13 year old boy)

• Archie comic digest
• Kobo ereader loaded with sci fi series, iPod, Blackberry with three different chargers
• sandwich, granola bars (since the airline only takes credit cards to buy food on board)
• Billabong back pack to hold everything
• passport, letter of consent to travel alone across the border
• debit card to shop for gifts for his brothers ;-)
• reminder to take pictures and send them in emails to his grandparents

So I will be spending the day nervously waiting to hear they have arrived safely or at the very least I hope to get a text ;-)