Even though the really picturesque part of my Paris trip is over, I still have to document my return home. You see, whenever I fly somewhere I feel like it is so much more than just getting from point A to point B, and it often involves life-sucking energy withdrawls, strange smells (depending on who I'm seated by) and the Jimmy leg, so it's no wonder that the super power I dream of most is teleportation.
I'm really not keen on getting up super early in the morning, but my flight was at 9:25am and Michelle said they're notoriously slow at the airport so I shouldn't risk leaving any later than 6:30am. Aye carumba! Michelle had ordered my taxi the night before and the driver was right on time, but he didn't seem very happy about it. He didn't say one word to me the entire drive! (My taxi driver 11 days earlier had pointed out all kinds of things along the drive and warned me of pick pockets.)
I didn't feel the need to chat either, but the lack of talking amplified the strangeness of the situation. Here I was in a foreign country relying on a complete (and unfriendly) stranger to take me to the airport, I really don't want to think about all the things that could have gone wrong there.
What made the drive even weirder was that I kept hearing an odd noise. It seemed to occur at regular intervals though so I couldn't figure out what it was. I finally decided it sounded like snoring and began to wonder if he had a baby in the front seat of the car (which I sitting directly behind). I was intrigued.
As we pulled up to the terminal, I saved us from getting hit by a woman backing out of a parking spot (the driver had been looking at the terminal) by letting out a yelp, which he did NOT thank me for doing. I think I deserved some sort of discount for that, but hey he didn't abduct or murder me so I let it go. The ride this time was 4 euros more expensive because he had started the meter as soon as he pulled up at the apartment; I guess that's good incentive to get there early eh? I barely had enough cash to pay him, which meant he didn't get a tip...oops.
Upon getting out of the car I peeked into the front seat expecting to see a car seat and was surprised to see a little black dog (sort of Boxer looking) asleep on the front seat!
The airport was pretty empty at that hour and they had lots of helpful people directing clueless travelers where to go, so I checked in within 10 minutes of arriving at the airport...not too shabby.
Things were moving quickly through security as well so I was all set and in the terminal by 7:30am. It was nice not to have to worry about anything. I was able to get a couple croissants for breakfast and read my book for awhile.
I had forgotten to mail my postcards while leaving the apartment, and had seen a poste drop-off box in the airport, but it turns out there aren't any mail drops
after going through security! So I had this big stack of postcards and had paid .85 for each stamp on them and really wanted to mail them. I thought about asking one of the terminal's store employees to help me out, but didn't think that seemed like a very French thing to do. It turns out I'm not French! I went into one of the stores (a liquor store with no customers) and asked the woman working there if there was a poste box nearby (even though I knew there wasn't) then she actually volunteered to mail my postcards for me! That's not a very French thing to do either, but she said she does it all the time. I was delighted, and must say that other than my taxi driver every French person I dealt with was pretty nice.
Isn't this terminal cool looking? It was very clean and modern in there. It was missing bathrooms though (what the?) so I had to wander around for awhile before finding one for my last on-land visit (I never go when I fly).
My plane boarded on time and I got to the seat first, which was nice because I was able to get all situated without bothering my twin (I mean seat neighbor). I scored with my seat neighbor, he was a nonsmelly, nonchatty, man in his 50's of normal size so there was no oozing into my seat or leg bumping going on between us. He was friendly without telling me about it.
I was able to sleep for a lot of the flight (though it was that choppy, in and out of consciousness kind of sleep) but that made the time go faster. I was awake for lunch and to see Land of the Lost which is a dumb movie, but still made me laugh. ("Chaka, did you say Chorizo tacos? Don't even mess with me because I am super hungry.")
I felt a little twinge of patriotism when the woman who stamped my passport at Customs said, "Welcome Home."
I wheeled my bags out to the curb and waited for my mom, who it turns out was down the way waiting for me and had left a message on my cell phone, but I hadn't brought my cell phone with me. I sat and read for 10 minutes then decided to walk down further just in case she was parked further down and she was. Oh well.
We stopped at JCW's for a late lunch (I was starving) and I must say that a burger has never tasted better in my life!
I walked in the door and was greeted by Landon and Whitney and Madison and Taylor (it was a Monday and they come over after school on Mondays). Whitney had gone all out on her Welcome Home signs and cracked me up with the details on them.
Randy and I figure this one was just an excuse to draw animals.
Randy had even gotten me a fresh bag of pebble ice!
It was good, yet strange to be home after such a great trip. I ended up unpacking and doing laundry right away because I needed to make myself stay awake until night time. Luckily I felt really good and made it until 9:00pm that night. I went to bed early like that for the rest of the week and never experienced any of that terrible jet lag like I had last time I came home from Paris.
**Did you make it through this post?
Do you think traveling is an ordeal?
What food would you miss most?**
Comment Window Tidbit: Never fear, I replenished my B vitamins today and am in good form. I have been struck by a great desire to shop (don't tell Randy) and don't know where that came from. I can't put up much of a fight when the money's not there, but still.
