My 2025 A to Z theme is Airports, Airstrips, Aircraft, and Airlines I’ve known and flown with. I’ll be using IATA codes where they’re available. My inner travel agent emerges at this point as I’m the FTO (family travel organiser) and now, the online travel agent.
CDG Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France
We have visited CDG a couple of times over the years. On one trip we did a quick skip across from London to see a Monet expedition, just a “weekender”.
The more memorable time was in 2010 when we’d been planning a trip to England and Scotland after visiting Paris and Provence. Literally within hours of our departure from Darwin, we received news that no planes were flying that day due to the volcanic ash in the atmosphere from the Sangeang Api volcano in neighbouring Indonesia. It was one time I was certainly pleased I’d made most of the on-land arrangements for us. I had to change the BnB bookings for Paris and Arras, the train bookings, and reschedule our tour of the Western Front. I’m quite sure no travel agent would have been on hand to do that for us asap over the weekend. In the end it was all sorted and we missed none of our planned trips, but I was very relieved when our luggage turned up safely at CDG.
CNS Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia
We’ve flown into Cairns several times over the years: as a gateway to our 2012 flight to PNG, to see the amazing scenery and world features like the Great Barrier Reef, or for a short holiday without our teenaged children. (A shame that the daughters had to deal with a tree that fell on the roof of our house during a storm while we were sitting by the beach).
When flying into Cairns, we both always felt at home because the scenery reminds us so much of Milne Bay, PNG, with the jungle and the ocean. It never felt as humid despite similar temps.
CMN Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca, Morocco
We were so excited to be flying to Casablanca from Spain in 2017 for a small group tour. Morocco had been on our wish-list for quite a while. It’s always a bit anxiety-provoking to arrive somewhere which is unfamiliar and where you don’t know the language. We were very much reassured by being met by our tour guide. Casablanca didn’t hold us in thrall although there were some interesting sights, but other places surpassed it.
CHC Christchurch Airport, South Island, New Zealand
Both times we’ve visited New Zealand it has been with our children. In 1976 we arrived in Auckland (AKL) and left from CHC, having been gallivanting around both islands. The second time, in 1984, it was to take all three daughters for a trip to the snow, so Christchurch was our inevitable starting point. I guess we were busy wrangling the family through the airport so no photos were taken.
CHX Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, British Columbia, Canada
I had planned a float plane trip as a treat for Mr Cassmob’s birthday…and me too <smile>. By coincidence our first hotel in Vancouver had a prime position overlooking the Harbour flights. I managed to get anxious about clambering clumsily into the aircraft but, of course, it was much ado about nothing. I’d love to do another float plane flight some day, anywhere.
CANADA RockiesHeli, Kananskis
Our 2017 trip to Canada, was full of adventures like the float plane ride above, dog-sledding and a helicopter flight over the Rockies. It was Mr Cassmob’s first helicopter flight, and only my second. It was so much fun and we had a perfect day for it, book-marked by bad weather days. The only daunting thing was flying close to the rock walls…after flying in small aircraft in PNG, this did trigger some anxiety.
Reflections
This series of posts was not just for A to Z but also to try to assimilate the many trips we’ve taken, when, and which stopovers or transits we had. I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that even two memories combined haven’t always come up with solutions to every question. More surprisingly, I haven’t found itineraries for all of our bigger trips…maybe they’re still lurking in the memory boxes somewhere.
I also thought I had my photos classed under directories for the trips, but it’s apparent I need to lift my game and download all photos to an external drive, classify them and give them better names and tags as discussed by GeniAus.
Have you been to any of these airports? What was your experience or special memories? Do you have a favourite “C” airport?
Are you like GeniAus with her excellently curated images, or like me, with a pseudo-organisation that lets you down?
Family history across the seas 
I’ll pick Christchurch airport. Aged 17 it was my first overseas trip. I don’t remember the airport but the sight of the mountains we flew over reminded me of layers of chocolate and icecream.
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I think for Aussies seeing mountains lathered in snow for the first time is a memorable moment. I always think of the royal icing on Christmas cakes..
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This theme is reviewing so many memories. It’s a challenge to find a different one from the ones you reported.
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With the number of flights you’ve done, surely there must be a few dramas tucked away. 😀
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Yes, some are definitely airstrips. Peter’s seen more of those than I have.
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I’m impressed that you’ve been to enough different airports to do a whole A-Z challenge.
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I love the photo of y’all in Canada! I’ve flown through CDG – we actually had to run to catch our next plane. I had made the mistake of packing some body powder in my carry on. I know it was not smart – I was hurrying and just didn’t think. When they were checking my carry-on, it caused a slow-down!
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I had to laugh at the baby powder…so easy to forget, so much drama arising. Glad you made the flight though.
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First flight in a light aircraft was with my future father in law from Waikerie to CBR for a parade at Duntroon. Even living years later in Canberra and flying with small children, can’t say I remember much about it.
Have been to Christchurch, NZ and CDG in Paris. CDG was always a challenge, minimum spaces, designed to move people on quickly. Lost the car once in the airport parking, took a while to find it!
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You would have been very experienced with CDG but I smiled at “losing” the car. We did that once in Brisbane, returning from a longish trip. Had to wander the long-stay car park pressing the car key button until we could hear the beeping. 😂 Now we take a photo so we don’t forget – we are getting older. That would have been fun going to Funtroon.
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You have a couple of exotic places in there. I have few memories of them but remember being in the wrong terminal for a tour pickup at CDG. I will take note next time as I have just booked some flights there from LHR (excited about having 4 days in Paris).
That photo of you and Mr Cassmob at the heliport just radiates joy. I’ve only done a few helicopter rides, I love them.
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So easy to get scrambled with multiple terminals. I hope you got to the right place in time. Days in Paris are such fun.
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Memories here that I haven’t thought of in ages. Canada is a favourite and I’ve been four times, once in each season. We did the Rockies Heli. It was a life highlight.
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Those would have been great experiences obviously including the heli flight. I rather wish now we’d gone to Canada earlier rather than multiple times to Ireland. id have liked to visit Eastern Canada as well. C’est la vie.
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No reason you’d have been to CLE, but that used to mean I was almost home.
https://nydamprintsblackandwhite.blogspot.com
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No Cleveland hasn’t come up on our touring itinerary from Oz. I feel the same way though when we land in Brisbane.
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I’ve only driven into Canada…
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Well you are much closer 😉 I wish I could too.
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The last time I was at the CDG airport was perhaps more than 20 years ago. My recent trips to Paris, I’d travel there via Eurostar from London.
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Eurostar is a relaxed way to do it, for sure. We’ve only done that once.
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Yes, watching the scenery is a pleasant way to pass the time
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