I embarked on my journey to France at 5:45am Monday morning from my sister's house in upstate New York. She drove me the hour to the train station in Syracuse, then hugged me goodbye before I boarded the a train bound for New York City. The train ride was beautiful - all mists and fall colors, reminiscent of something from a fairy tale! New York City was very crowded and busy but I still managed to run some errands around Penn Station without getting too lost, then took the metro to JFK International airport.
I had purchased a ticket with Norwegian, a transcontinental budget airline - they weigh EVERYTHING (max 20 kilo for checked bags and 10 kilo carry-on total). I was 4 kilos too heavy, so I had to rearrange and pay $60 for being over, but the ticket was so cheap (and I was bringing 3 bottles of wine and 6 cans of beer as gifts for my host), so I really can't complain about the additional charge. What I can complain about is security. I hate TSA in the USA. They're inconsistent and overly strict. I had brought a lovely squash bisque to eat for dinner before I boarded my flight, but it security did allow it through, and because I didn't want to throw it away, I was escorted back out to the check-in area and had to go through security all over again, without my bisque which I defiantly ate while waiting in line. The flight itself was uneventful; I had a pleasantly short conversation with my seatmates before the plane departed and we all fell asleep. Norwegian charges for everything but water, so no meals or snacks were provided. As I knew this ahead of time I had packed some snacks, but it didn't matter as I slept most of the flight.
I had planned 2.5 hours between landing and the departure of my train from Paris to Toulouse, which I thought should have been enough time. We left and landed only slightly later than scheduled. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time to get through customs quickly. My luggage was fairly fast, too. There was a slight hiccup when I attempted to purchase the metro ticket from the airport to the train station in Paris, when my debit card was declined (apparently because it's foreign), but the assistant helped me by escorting me to where I could pay with cash. I took the tram into the city, and then managed to haul all 35 kilos of my luggage up and down flights of stairs to make my connections, too!
The trouble came when I was trying to leave the metro and enter the train station. Because my bags kept getting caught in the turnstiles, I elected to use the special gates for people with luggage or prams; the are open to let you in, but they close behind you and only open again after you deposit your ticket or scan your card. I thought I could scan the QR code on my train ticket, but it didn't work - neither gate would open. I couldn't get through or back out the way I came. I had to shout for help until someone came along to let me out, but it took a few minutes and but the time I figured out where my train was, it was time for departure and they'd stopped letting people on. I arrived in time to beg to be let through, then watched the train leave without me.
I was directed to the ticketing office. Because I had gotten stuck in the metro gate, they put me on the next train for free, which was very kind because my ticket was non refundable. Then, while waiting for my next train, I was trapped in a bathroom stall, when the lock on the door jammed. I tried to open it several times then started knocking on the door until the attendant came and opened it with a screwdriver. I spent the rest of the time sitting in large open spaces until the platform for the train to Toulouse was announced.
I was a bit confused when trying to find my carriage (the train was actually going to two different destinations), spilled coffee on myself in all the excitement, but finally found my assigned seat, only to discover that it was occupied. Wanting not to cause a fuss, I chose am empty seat close by (which I preferred anyway), and practiced my French during the 4 hour train ride. My host was waiting for me upon arrival, drove me to my new home for the next 6 weeks, and prepared a lovely late dinner for me. Then, having traveled nearly 4,000 miles in 36 hours, I finally curled up in a comfortable bed and slept. I had finally arrived and this was going to be a wonderful adventure.
Oh - I almost forgot to mention a most auspicious sighting! When we arrived at my host's home, I saw a wild hedgehog - my favorite animal! SO COOL!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment