J'arrive!!!!
It's happened!
I was numb leaving honolulu. Clai and I had the perfect 'going away' meal: pork cutlet with gravy on everything. The mac salad also had way too much mayo! Who could ask for better!
The flight from hawaii to vancouver was packed and I spent a bit of the trip just staring at this guy across the aisle who was asleep before the plane took off and then woke up 15 minutes before we arrived. Man, how do people do that?
Vancouver. Customs. Luggage transfer. I had to grab my bags and then plop then on an unmarked conveyor belt, not unlike the disney madhatter ride. I watched my suitcase and duffle bag disappear with all the other suitcases from other flights waiting to get on other flights...confused? Yeah, me too. I deposited my mes valises wondering..will I see those bags again?
The plane arrived late in Toronto. It was already past the boarding time for my flight to Paris. I quickly exited the plane mumbling my flight number to myself. I located boarding information on the screen. Okay, flight 880, Paris, gate: BUS. I put myself in 'amazing race mode' and looked for someone to ask where this bus could be found. Scooting a distance of 2 city blocks with my perpetually errant backpack which preferred sliding on its side to gliding on its wheels (like my cat Yahoo when I tried to walk her with a leash), I found a very long bus waiting just outside the door. Within seconds of boarding the bus took off. I am going to make this connection!
It wasn't until I started seeing planes to the right and left of the bus that I started worrying. Hey, isn't this the bus that will take me to the terminal that will then allow me to board my plane to Paris? But why is the bus guy turning left..hey I can see the plane that I just got off of..wait a minute, we're headed for the RUNWAY! All the buildings and all the terminals were now BEHIND us! I saw a plane turning to take off. Even the people on the bus started having curious looks on their faces...yikes, why are we so calm when things appear to be going so wrong!? I watched planes taxing all around us and then we disappeared down an underpass. Oh great.
If you ever thought rental car places were far from the airport, I gotta say, this TERMINAL seemed outside of the airport! But finally the bus stopped in front of a building. No sign, no words of instruction from the bus driver, I just got off and followed an unmarked path to my plane. Exhale.
The flight was easy. I had food, room, lots of everything. Almost seven hours later I slipped out of the plane and found my luggage like an effortless delivery. But no one was there to claim me.
Like the first big WAAAAAHHH of a new born, I was forced to speak my first words . "Je voudrais une carte de telephone s'il vous plait."
Yeah, I can do this :)
An hour and a half later, my rendez vous with Laurence was JOYOUS! Leave it to Paris to make coming to the airport a challenge for a local. Out of a sea of unknown faces, I saw a welcoming smile ... "Leona! c'est moi, Laurence. J'arrive!"
I won't go into the details of our journey to the apartment, but here are the ingredients: one suitcase which could not be pulled by the handle because it was jammed and broken (Air Canada had also ripped out the front pocket), one duffle without wheels, and my carry on which prefers side sliding over rolling. Laurence was great, she took the duffle and carry on. That left the handle-less suitcase for me. But there was another malfunction going on. I had bought a new pair of pants for my trip. They were one size too big, perhaps two. Whatever it was, I had to hike them up throughout my trip or wear them SURFER style!
We had to make several connections to get to the apartment. At each connection I faced at least two flight of stairs. Step ,step, slip , slip. I could feel my pants heading south. By the time I got to the top my pants would be in the latter stages of ECLIPSE MODE. Oh my gawd it was awful! LEONA MOONS PARIS..its just the beginning I was hoping for! On my final ascent, a guy, (probably reacting to the the grunting,huffing and puffing ) carried my my suitcase to the top. ok, ok j'arrive!
It was 1pm when we got to the apartment. Can you imagine what I looked like? 18 hours on three different planes, 26 1/2 hours of actual travel, a crash course in baggage handling and then DING DONG...what was that strange noise? The door bell? ooooh no no no not yet! Yes, it's Stephan! My online friend who had helped me find the apt, who had already met Laurence and who was ready to take me to lunch!
hahahahaahahah. Oh where is the mercy? Ouf, I looked like what the cat refused to drag in, but out the door we went. Quick goodbyes to Laurence, I locked the my apt for the very first time, and we were off! J'arrive!
Stephan and I made our way down the street. My first meal. The power of now! If you are chinese, you know how to set aside the fact that you don't look good if you have the opportunity to eat something good!
I won't drag this out. My lunch was exquisite. I ate duck (it's the chinese french connection)...perfectly seasoned and tender (yes there was fat!) and for dessert..creme brule with fresh rasberries. I'm sorry. I don't want to lie. It was incredible. It was the best I have ever had and I wiped up the gravy with the only kind of bread I really enjoy. I'll stop..but it was wonderful.
Lunch was just down the block so I returned ready for a shower. No, I need to unpack, no I need to..and then again..ding dong..the door. Laurence was back from doing errands and ready to take me on a quick walk around my quartier. Everyone has their favorite bakery, and favorite place to buy fruits, or veggies or pastries. First stop, favorite pastry shop. Laurence munched on a chocolate eclair for her late lunch snack and of course I had to try a croissant. I couldn't imagine a more typical activity then walking around with a parisian eating pastries!
If you note the time of this blog, its being posted at 3:30 am in paris, 3:30pm in hawaii. I'm hungry so I'm making an omelette with the ONLY two things in the frig..eggs and habanero chilis. If you know me, its a sign! A sign that I'm home. I love chilis, the habanero is the hottest around, and like me, Laurence had it in the freezer, ready for the next delicious meal. Its snack time for me..comme d'habitude at 3:30 in the morning. J'arrive!
I was numb leaving honolulu. Clai and I had the perfect 'going away' meal: pork cutlet with gravy on everything. The mac salad also had way too much mayo! Who could ask for better!
The flight from hawaii to vancouver was packed and I spent a bit of the trip just staring at this guy across the aisle who was asleep before the plane took off and then woke up 15 minutes before we arrived. Man, how do people do that?
Vancouver. Customs. Luggage transfer. I had to grab my bags and then plop then on an unmarked conveyor belt, not unlike the disney madhatter ride. I watched my suitcase and duffle bag disappear with all the other suitcases from other flights waiting to get on other flights...confused? Yeah, me too. I deposited my mes valises wondering..will I see those bags again?
The plane arrived late in Toronto. It was already past the boarding time for my flight to Paris. I quickly exited the plane mumbling my flight number to myself. I located boarding information on the screen. Okay, flight 880, Paris, gate: BUS. I put myself in 'amazing race mode' and looked for someone to ask where this bus could be found. Scooting a distance of 2 city blocks with my perpetually errant backpack which preferred sliding on its side to gliding on its wheels (like my cat Yahoo when I tried to walk her with a leash), I found a very long bus waiting just outside the door. Within seconds of boarding the bus took off. I am going to make this connection!
It wasn't until I started seeing planes to the right and left of the bus that I started worrying. Hey, isn't this the bus that will take me to the terminal that will then allow me to board my plane to Paris? But why is the bus guy turning left..hey I can see the plane that I just got off of..wait a minute, we're headed for the RUNWAY! All the buildings and all the terminals were now BEHIND us! I saw a plane turning to take off. Even the people on the bus started having curious looks on their faces...yikes, why are we so calm when things appear to be going so wrong!? I watched planes taxing all around us and then we disappeared down an underpass. Oh great.
If you ever thought rental car places were far from the airport, I gotta say, this TERMINAL seemed outside of the airport! But finally the bus stopped in front of a building. No sign, no words of instruction from the bus driver, I just got off and followed an unmarked path to my plane. Exhale.
The flight was easy. I had food, room, lots of everything. Almost seven hours later I slipped out of the plane and found my luggage like an effortless delivery. But no one was there to claim me.
Like the first big WAAAAAHHH of a new born, I was forced to speak my first words . "Je voudrais une carte de telephone s'il vous plait."
Yeah, I can do this :)
An hour and a half later, my rendez vous with Laurence was JOYOUS! Leave it to Paris to make coming to the airport a challenge for a local. Out of a sea of unknown faces, I saw a welcoming smile ... "Leona! c'est moi, Laurence. J'arrive!"
I won't go into the details of our journey to the apartment, but here are the ingredients: one suitcase which could not be pulled by the handle because it was jammed and broken (Air Canada had also ripped out the front pocket), one duffle without wheels, and my carry on which prefers side sliding over rolling. Laurence was great, she took the duffle and carry on. That left the handle-less suitcase for me. But there was another malfunction going on. I had bought a new pair of pants for my trip. They were one size too big, perhaps two. Whatever it was, I had to hike them up throughout my trip or wear them SURFER style!
We had to make several connections to get to the apartment. At each connection I faced at least two flight of stairs. Step ,step, slip , slip. I could feel my pants heading south. By the time I got to the top my pants would be in the latter stages of ECLIPSE MODE. Oh my gawd it was awful! LEONA MOONS PARIS..its just the beginning I was hoping for! On my final ascent, a guy, (probably reacting to the the grunting,huffing and puffing ) carried my my suitcase to the top. ok, ok j'arrive!
It was 1pm when we got to the apartment. Can you imagine what I looked like? 18 hours on three different planes, 26 1/2 hours of actual travel, a crash course in baggage handling and then DING DONG...what was that strange noise? The door bell? ooooh no no no not yet! Yes, it's Stephan! My online friend who had helped me find the apt, who had already met Laurence and who was ready to take me to lunch!
hahahahaahahah. Oh where is the mercy? Ouf, I looked like what the cat refused to drag in, but out the door we went. Quick goodbyes to Laurence, I locked the my apt for the very first time, and we were off! J'arrive!
Stephan and I made our way down the street. My first meal. The power of now! If you are chinese, you know how to set aside the fact that you don't look good if you have the opportunity to eat something good!
I won't drag this out. My lunch was exquisite. I ate duck (it's the chinese french connection)...perfectly seasoned and tender (yes there was fat!) and for dessert..creme brule with fresh rasberries. I'm sorry. I don't want to lie. It was incredible. It was the best I have ever had and I wiped up the gravy with the only kind of bread I really enjoy. I'll stop..but it was wonderful.
Lunch was just down the block so I returned ready for a shower. No, I need to unpack, no I need to..and then again..ding dong..the door. Laurence was back from doing errands and ready to take me on a quick walk around my quartier. Everyone has their favorite bakery, and favorite place to buy fruits, or veggies or pastries. First stop, favorite pastry shop. Laurence munched on a chocolate eclair for her late lunch snack and of course I had to try a croissant. I couldn't imagine a more typical activity then walking around with a parisian eating pastries!
If you note the time of this blog, its being posted at 3:30 am in paris, 3:30pm in hawaii. I'm hungry so I'm making an omelette with the ONLY two things in the frig..eggs and habanero chilis. If you know me, its a sign! A sign that I'm home. I love chilis, the habanero is the hottest around, and like me, Laurence had it in the freezer, ready for the next delicious meal. Its snack time for me..comme d'habitude at 3:30 in the morning. J'arrive!
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