Toronto

Today Jack’s Corner is at Niagara Falls, Canada.

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We arrived to Canada fairly late, so after dodging border security’s questions about Ebola we headed straight to the hostel and settled in with some beers at the hostel bar. We also ate some vegetables for the first time in a while to cure our scurvy.

Monday was the only full day we had to explore Toronto. So we woke up early – took advantage of the free bacon & eggs – and began to wander the city.

The highlight was definitely the Steam Whistle brewery where we got treated to a tour and some delicious free beers along the way.

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But not all was fun and games in Toronto. After we checked-out Wardo and I headed in separate directions for the train station. Aidan and Platty went with him, and Josh joined me.

Once we got to the station we couldn’t find the boys anywhere and there was only 5 minutes til our train left. We rushed around the station, bought our tickets and got on the train with seconds to spare. It felt like we were contestants on The Amazing Race.

But the question remained. Where were the other three boys? Had we deserted them in Toronto?

I wrote a live blog detailing the horror of the ordeal as it happened. Warning: parental guidance is recommended.

9:44am. Tuesday December 23. We have just boarded the train to Niagara Falls. All transmission with Platty, Wardo and Aidan has been lost. Josh and I were unsure of there location so we panicked and boarded the train.

9:47am. I have turned on global roaming in a bid to regain transmission with boys (expensive, but you can’t put a price on friends). I’m hoping they’ve found a local Starbucks for free wifi.

9:48am. Josh has gone alone in search of boys to see if they are on another carriage. A risk, but a risk worth taking.

9:53am. Josh is still not back and my global roaming is not working. Ground control to major Tom.

9:56am. Josh still not back. I’m suspicious that the North Koreans may be involved.

9:58am. It’s almost 10 o’clock. Only 6 hours til sundown. Send help.

9:59am. Josh has returned. Still no sign of boys on front half of train. Commence search on back carriages.

10:02am. A stranger is approaching me. Maybe they have word of the boys whereabouts.

10:03am. The stranger just kept walking. Houston do you read me?

10:05am. Josh has returned. Access has been restricted to the rear carriages. Maybe they are locked in there?

10:08am. We have reached the conclusion that the boys are not on the train because Aidan and Wardo are wing-manning Platty.

10:12am. Josh and I are keeping spirits up by admiring the beautiful Canadian women on the train.

10:13am. Woman*

10.24am. We reach our checkpoint at Burlington Station in t-minus 20 minutes. We pray that the boys are there too.

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10:25am. Spirits are low in the carriage as Josh looks upon photos of the missing.

10:46am. We have arrived at Burlington. We waited in agony as the boys did not hop off the train.

10:50am. Josh and I have made the executive decision to continue with the mission and proceed onto the bus to Niagara Falls.

11:25am. The long bus ride only leaves time for analysing our movements. Did we make the wrong decision?

11:26am. Maybe.

1:18pm. We have just grounded at nearest Starbucks. No free wifi. I repeat, no free wifi.

1:36pm. Generous civilian at Sheraton hotel gave me access to wifi. Commencing transmission.

1.37pm. The boys boarded the train after us. We are expecting their arrival at Niagara soon.

1:48pm. Contact made. All three boys recovered. Zero wounded. They were not pleased with our actions.

…but you know what they say: “better you than me!”

Fin.