Part of the World Project. One country, one evolving collection of places, experiences, photographs, and memories.
My experience
An unexpected overnight connection brought me through Canadian immigration at Toronto Pearson. I entered the public landside area and was legally free to explore, although I stayed at the airport through a cold, exhausting night. Under my own border-entry rule, Canada counts as a visit—but I still have Toronto itself to explore.
Places and journeys
Toronto Pearson International Airport (landside)
An unexpected night in Canada
In 2013, a winter storm disrupted my return journey from Spain to the United States and left me with an overnight connection at Toronto Pearson. It was hardly the Canadian adventure I would have planned, but it became one of the stranger travel memories in my collection.
I cleared Canadian immigration and entered the airport’s public area. By my counting rule, that makes Canada a country I physically entered, even though I never went sightseeing in Toronto. I was exhausted, it was freezing outside, and I ended up spending the night at the airport instead of exploring the city.
That experience explains why I try to be precise about what visiting a country means. Canada counts for me; claiming I explored Toronto would be a different story. I hope to return for a proper visit.
Photographs and future chapters
I’m gradually working through my personal photo and video archive to add more of the experiences behind this destination. This is a living page, not a finished guide.
Explore more places
Other country chapters in The Americas: United States · Mexico. Browse the full The Americas list or explore the travel map.
