Nope, not glamorous at all. First off, it is winter in Europe, which basically means that - most of the time - there is hardly any sun. i.e. it is Grey.
Now, I think I had updated most of you on the baggage fiasco - if not, here's the short version:
1. I did not check baggage allowance prior to the flight properly (honestly I was quite busy)
2. At the airport I got the least cooperative lady, who was also a supervisor, to un-help me.
3. I repacked my bags. Oh - in the middle of all this one of my bags broke :)
4. After significant repacking I still had an entirely full bag of stuff - 20kgs. SO we decided to ship that to me in Paris and the earliest it could make it out was on the 5th/6th. So I thought - easy peasy I'll just take a trip to the city!
WRONG!
Because this story is so fresh and still makes me cringe with annoyance and borderline anger (at the comedy of errors), I'm going to keep it rather short. Highlight the major "points" if you will.
- Was notified on Tuesday that my bag had arrived. I was going to wait until the weekend but luckily I called and was informed that everyday the bag sat in the airport was an additional 50 Euros :)
- So the next morning, I got up at 5AM to catch a bus to the train station. I wanted to get to the airport by 8AM when the office opened.
- A really nice lady at the train station in Fontainebleau suggested I buy the one-day fare so I can use any mode of transport all day for just 20 Euros (one way was already 15 or so Euros so it was quite a steal)
- Train from Fonty to Paris was about 45 minutes. Very little issue.
- From Paris I had to take a train to Chatelette (sp?) and then change one more time to get to the airport. This was slightly confusing since many different lines come on the same track and depending on what's on the screen and the direction of travel, you do or don't get on. I got on, correctly, thankfully - mainly coz I speak French, overheard someone talking about CDG (Charles De Gaulle Airport) and also because I just followed anyone with bags looking like they were ready to travel - which is VERY different from passengers who have just arrived.
There's a gleam in your eyes when you have arrived - this urge to just get home and rest and kick up your legs and so on. With travelers there's more of an alertness - a presence even - readiness to continue the journey. ANYHOW:
- Finally got to CDG and then tried to find the building that the cargo was in.
- Boarded a bus to the cargo holds (mind you, it had started raining quite a bit)
- After a lot of conversation I finally got off at one of the stops and then in the pouring rain started to walk around looking for B4 - remember, each of these cargo buildings is the size of a shopping mall and I had been let off near B1... so about 15 minutes later I make it into the building and am directed to SEVERAL counters. First to look at a paper to confirm it is the right paper. Then to get it signed. Then to take it back to make sure it was signed. Then to pay. Then to confirm payment with a 3rd party. And finally to go wait for my bag, which the first person who confirmed my bag was there, couldn't actually already get started. I had to wait each step of the way.
- The thing really helping me through was conversations with my better half who was being quite encouraging, although I know deep down she wanted to ask, "did you really need to ship this bag? does it really have anything worth all this hassle?" - but she didn't! She was sweet about it and is still. And if you're reading this, jaanu, you KNOW you were biting your tongue and I really appreciate it. I was already asking myself the same questions - not to worry!
- That and a phone call from Mom at one opportune moment (when I was just about to go livid on the authorities for making me run around in circles) - and I'm really patient. I may seem restless and active, but I am patient. Thanks MOM - she made some pretty funny jokes about Europe and France and whatnot. Good times.
SO that was that. And then I made my way home, dragging my bag along the road to the bus stop.
- Then my Paris one-day card stopped working, probably because it was drenched in my jeans.The bus operators were quite nice about it - and one really nice kind old man helped me find my final train back to Fontainebleau.
I ended up missing 2 classes and getting to campus just 3 minutes before my 3rd class started around 13:27pm.
Funny thing is that my professors were both AMAZED that I actually got my bags and got back to Fonty in one piece in one day. I am GLAD I did not mention it to them face-to-face when I was leaving (I sent emails) because that would have severely discouraged me. I did not want to inconvenience any of the very helpful INSEAD friends I'd already met.
And that, my friends, was my first trip to Paris. I did have time for an eclair, hot chocolate, and a sandwich du jambon, but all that was purchased at CDG so nothing new, eh?
Next time maybe I'll check out one of those big tall buildings or places where they apparently store nice drawings and paintings... :)
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