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Cold weather leaves many Canadians 'dying to go south'

The cold weather has left many Canadians looking for a chance to soak up some sun in a warmer climate.

Unexpected delays in winter? It's the price you pay to get away

CBC News ·
Winter weather can cause headaches for travellers, as in the case of a major cold snap that grounded hundreds of flights at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport earlier this month. But some travellers say possible delays are part of what you have to accept if you want to head south when it’s cold in Canada. (Aaron Vincent Elkaim/Canadian Press)

Pat and Doug Johnson say they like spending time outdoors in the winter.

But at the moment, enough is enough.

"We do outside activities, we have a cottage and we do snowshoeing and all that stuff, but this winter is maybe a little bit too much," Pat Johnson told CBC News in an interview on Sunday.

Pat Johnson, of Guelph, Ont., may not relish the process of travelling, but she says it's worth it when you get to your destination. (CBC)

They’re not the only Canadians looking for a few days of sun.

Travel agents say their sales are up, perhaps in part because this winter has already felt so long and so cold.

Jennifer Braithwaite of the Barbados Tourism Authority said, “The phones are ringing off the hook, people are dying to go south.”

And while some people may not relish the process of boarding a flight to travel, Pat Johnson believes that it’s a small price to pay for a change of scenery.

"We actually look at the air travel part as the penalty we have to pay for travelling," Johnson said.

"Once we get to our destination, we forget all about the problems until we have to leave to go back home."

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