Monday 14 July 2008

Farewell Edinburgh, Bonjour Paris!

My original posts on leaving Edinburgh and our hideous Easyjet flight got eaten by the computer so here's what I remember. It was pouring with rain on the day we left Scotland. Even though I had culled some of our belongings the bags seemed really heavy. Like Jack's bottom they seem to be defying the laws of the universe. The more we take out the heavier they seem to get. S had purchased excess baggage (cheaper in advance) and something called Speedy Boarding.
I had a few issues with the security lady as we were going to the gate. I'd forgottenn about the restrictions on liquids and was all stocked up for the flight, train trip and arrival in Jouy where I had no idea if any shops would be open or I would be able to ask for anything if they were. But rules are rules and S did a deal so we could keep as much as possible. Unfortunately the bubble mixture had to go.
Well before the plane was due to go there was a mob around the gate, champing at the bit. Finally they called for Speedy Boarders (us). We stepped forward and I could see some well dressed peoples look shocked and like they were missing out so they stepped forward but they weren't SB's so as we were ushered past they got left behind with shitty looks on their faces. The less said about the flight the better. Just that it was very crowded and not the best fun we've ever had. But apparently we were all packed in like sardines because Easyjet is trying to save the planet. Who would've thought?
We arrived at Charles de Gaulle and found the train station and S managed to acquire euros, tickets and phone JL (our contact and lift to Jouy) while I was not speaking the fluent french I had hoped. In his book Watership Down, Richard Adams described the state that rabbits go into when caught in the headlights. He calls it tharn and that was me. People would speak to me in french and my brain would freeze. By the time it defrosted and I had formulated a response in french the person would be dozing or gone.
We caught the RER to Antony where JL picked us up and drove us to the apartment. S and JL hit it off talking about statistical sort of things while Jack and I relaxed in the back. JL told us that the supermarket was shut (eek!) but that he had taken the liberty of buying us groceries (yay!)
He dropped us at the apartment (back to the land of twin beds) and took S for a tour. Jack and I got ready to unpack the bags and cable tie the beds together.The next day (it was rainy and cold) S headed off to work and Jack and I got to know the apartment and Jouy. We found the boulangerie and bought some fabulous bread and then found the supermarche where we bought other necessities (butter, jam and chocolate biscuits).
S turned up at lunchtime to let me know that we were moving to a better apartment. We hadn't complained about it (it was a bit run down) but someone else had decided it wasn't good enough. We moved upstairs into our new apartment and it was nicer. No peeling paint, no dead plant and this place came with a rainbow. I guess it's worth climbing all those stairs for.

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