#Stranded #Ashtag #HomelessInToronto

That’s right… I’m no longer making my 9am flight to Heathrow Tuesday April 20th. It is officially cancelled and I’ve been on the phone to Air Canada inquiring about my options.

I’ve managed to book a flight to London Heathrow via Chicago April 29th but have been advised that this may need to be rescheduled should things continue as they are. So nothing new there.

My additional 9 days will probably be spent bouncing between friends and hotels! HAH! I’m just grateful I won’t be sleeping on the floor of Lester B. Pearson  ;)

One thing that’s evident in situations like these is how resourceful people can be… not to mention how useful social technology is.

Volcanoes and Social Technology:

• Twitter has a variety of hashtags to organize related conversations and tweets pertaining to the volcanic ash fiasco: #AshTag, #GetMeHome, #RoadSharing – you’ll have to try search.twitter.com yourself.. twitter has been acting up non stop for me ;(
• Sites such as roadsharing.com are being used to find creative options to get back and forth.
• Tod (at) TodBrilliant (dot) com has created a Facebook page offering a survival guide for stranded travelers – smart!
• And Denise Balkissoon from the Toronto Star has been using social to secure interviews with people stranded as a result of said fiasco.

Alas, there is not much one can do but sit tight or… perhaps explore a route via Tangiers Morocco (Canadians do not require a visa) where you can get a boat to Gibralta Spain and then continue your journey by train, bus or taxi. Or vice versa.

Regardless of your situation, I wish you the best of luck in getting to your destination.
photo credit: Amy Mud Pie