After a pizza and packing party the night before, the team arose at the crack of dawn, ready for lift-off. A swift bus-packing operation ensued, marshalled by the baggage masters Claire and Pete, along with adjutant Matt, and we bid farewell to Bisley—departing just three minutes behind schedule.

The journey to Heathrow was plagued by traffic, but spirits remained high as we rolled into Terminal 2 with our 900+ kg of baggage in tow.

Check-in was a relatively pain-free, albeit slightly prolonged, process—made more bearable by designated ‘coffee master’ Jason, who ensured the team was well hydrated and a little more awake than before by putting in a team coffee order.

A certain team member’s hand luggage was mistaken for hold luggage due to its size, and after a few frowns from the Air Canada staff, we were on our way through security and to customs for rifle checks.

This is the make-or-break part of the process—previous teams have succumbed to delays and even missed flights, as each rifle and its accompanying documentation must be scrutinised by the UK Border Force. On this occasion, we passed through at what Jon U described as a “slightly below average speed,” with the final team members dashing to board the plane after the gate had already closed!

The most exciting part of the flight came when Sasha discovered the world’s smallest grape in his fruit salad—and with that, we touched down in Montreal. The work wasn’t done yet, however. After a very prolonged baggage claim and Canadian customs stop, we loaded the cars and set off on the final stretch: a 2.5-hour drive to Quebec City and our first hotel stop of the tour.

Stay tuned for Day 2…

MHB