On The Road Again…

(you really should play this while reading…hokey, yes, but so apropos!)

Wednesday evening, March 21, 7:30 pm.

Here I am, riding the rails from Paris to Clermont Ferrand, and almost at a loss for words about my first trip ‘home’ to the USA and back!  There’s a gorgeous sunset out of my window seat, and my compartment mates are nice and silent…what a great way to decompress!  I’m liking this train travel!

So, like a movie that shows the ending first and then short clips in reverse chronology, here’s the adventure du jour…

WHAT DID WE ALL DO BEFORE GOOGLE/PHONES/GPS???  Last night was going fantastically well – I made the flight on standby (yea!), First Class upgrade on flight home, bags arrived (although one was unzipped – grrrrr) and no customs questions at all.  In fact, they waived me through.

THEN – DISASTER ON ARRIVAL!  I had NO cell service, no “wee fee,” no breadcrumb trails. Couldn’t find my way to the Metro without the app, took a cab ($$$ or should I say €€€ – highway robbery expensive) to the WRONG train station (Gare de Lyon was BEAUTIFUL; however, I needed to be at Paris Gare Bercy!).  [No cell service to verify which station. And I couldn’t remember.]

So I walked a kilometer in the wrong direction schlepping a 48 lb. suitcase, a 22 lb. carry-on, a 15 lb. fully loaded backpack, and a purse….and I was praying that the suitcase wheels didn’t fall off in revolt of the weight and the seriously uneven pavement. Trust me, it was very likely! Managed to “recalculate” the route to the correct train station using my masterful command of the French language (ha ha), buy a ticket, and with 10 minutes to spare, hopped on — the wrong train car!* After getting settled and unpacking my computer, a nice Frenchman showed up and wanted his seat. Two minutes to go, repacked the 90 lbs. of albatross, said my “pardon, pardon” in French as I stepped on passengers’ toes, and relocated myself and my gear to the next train car….and then promptly passed out!

All’s well that ends well….and Tanner is calling the taxi to take me home to the apartment tonight, so I should collapse by midnight!

Brendan and I were able to steal a few hours together to have dinner several times in Atlanta (both within and outside of the airport terminal) and also had a few moments to see Ryan, as well. (Ryan is his long-time friend/college roommate /groomsman /Delta colleague.)

Ryan’s parents are living in Prague for work.  We are living in France for work and going to Prague in May.  Such a tiny, tiny world… (and see?  We aren’t the only crazies who move 5,000 miles for their job!)

With six hours to kill at Atlanta’s HartsfIeld Jackson – AKA the world’s busiest airport, 250,000 PEOPLE A DAY – I started hoofing at Terminal A and concluded at Terminal F, looking at all the shops and restaurants along the way…including the many Airport Art exhibitions. Did you know there is a tropical rain forest walkway, complete with bird and frog sounds, between Terminals A and B? There’s a lot to see if you don’t take the plane-train.  It’s a beautiful $4M walk-through work of art.

Doesn’t matter how much time we have with our kids, it’s never ever EVER enough!

Robert and Leslie were kind enough to host me all weekend in Augusta and include me in a VERY fun dinner party with their friends and dogs.  Be sure to try Fitch & Fifth – it’s fabulous. And I learned a new song – “You’re Welcome!” (right click if you want to sing along!)

And I had my fix of Rotel dip!!!  (Thank you, Rob and Les!) I haven’t ‘pined’ too much over not-available-in-France foods, but I did have a fantastic steak, baked potato (no BPs in France that we’ve found so far), root beer and, of course, Jamil’s in Tulsa….

Tulsa was two weeks of a speeding bullet. Clocks run much faster in Tulsa, apparently, because the days just sped by.  De De and I kept the coffee growers in Columbia in business, and I was so happy to see Larry and Myrna, and Cheryl, too! We loved on the Aunts – Joan, Marcia, Ann, Carol, Eleanor, and Jody; had a rare dinner with cousins; visited with Jim, Cindy Duck, and Brett…and I hadn’t forgotten how to DRIVE!

And I shopped online!  Zappos delivers free both ways – but not to France.  Mom had never seen anyone order 12 (okay, maybe it was 15) pairs of shoes ‘just to try on.’  Ha ha.  (This is part of the reason that the suitcases are so heavy – mea culpa.)  (No, I didn’t keep them all!) Clothing in France is très chère, and I needed to stock up some appropriate spring/summer gear….and SERIOUS WALKING SHOES.

When visiting Europe, shoes are the number one most important thing to consider!  They must carry you for long distances!  So throw those cute little slippers out la fenêtre and bring on the Vionics!  Pricey.and.completely.worth.every.penny.

I had a marvelous time, even though three continuous weeks is the longest time that mon mari et moi have been separated in years.  Now I jump back into Wonderland, knowing that I’ve forgotten every French word I ever knew, and wondering if I’ll know where I am when I wake up tomorrow morning…or afternoon…

Next trip: In 8 days, head for Amsterdam and South Holland for a four day weekend, IF Air France is not striking with the railway unions! (And they say that they are…)

Next task: Getting our French drivers’ licenses ASAP…at the Prefecture, of course!  (think ominous music here)  And French lessons, to begin (again) soon!

Mais maintenant, BACK TO FRANCE!  Let the journey continue!

I miss you all and have pangs in my heart – it was really so difficult to leave you.

Love, Mindy

PS – Made it home late.  Note to self – NEVER PACK THIS MUCH EVER AGAIN, regardless of the reason, unless we hire a sherpa!

*Re the train cars – it’s just wrong to have two first class train cars next to each other with the same seat numbers.  This is the 2nd time I’ve been in the right class, the right seat, on the wrong car!  Welcome to France!