What a day of traveling it took to get to Hendaye. 7 hours on a plane next to a 1 year old, forty five minutes in Reykjavik, Iceland, and then 3 hours on a plane to Paris. My plane to Iceland left at 4:30 pm, and I landed in Iceland at 630am (11:30 Seattle time). We flew north, over the night. Between the two flights, I slept maybe 2 hours.
Here is a picture of me at the airport in Reykjavik.
Here is a picture of me at the airport in Reykjavik.
THANK GOD Ellysar (Tom's sister's friend) met me at the airport. It was the first time I have ever been kissed as a greeting… by a beautiful stranger no less. I think that is a good way to say hello! Maybe we should kiss in America as well. Elyssar grew up in France but her parents are Lebanese… She had the most gorgeous, long, curly brown hair I have ever seen, and dark brown eyes. She had a habit of picking up the conversation whenever it would begin to settle, which when I first met her caused me to do the same. After a short while it felt very comfortable though, and she was a good conversationalist, even if I missed a couple things here or there. Her English was quite developed and she had an amazing vocabulary for someone who has never lived in American or Britain.
She did an excellent job of introducing me to Paris, and to France in general. She was full of energy and life, and humor, which hit the mark around 60% with me. Elyssar was my first French teacher, and she taught me how to say hello, how do you do, and a few other things, all of which I forgot besides hello. She also insisted on explaining the transportation system to me, and the locations of everything… I was far too tired to appreciate these lessons in direction, although I did grasp a few generalities of how to get around (to my American friends, I strongly recommend a beautiful and friendly personal tour guide although I don't believe many Americans are so lucky as I am). This is where I need to be? or, This is where I need to go? were my general questions. As long as she said yes, I let go of the details.
From the airport, I took a rail that led us to a real train station, where we left the airport train system to get on the RER. The RER is a railway system for the city, and we took this into Paris. I got off this train, and Elyssar took me back to her apartment to take a shower and change… I was still wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt, and it was about 85 degrees in Paris. It felt great to clean off after 20 hours of travel.
After that, Elyssar took me to the subway station, which was a maze of underground tunnels. I would have never figured it out. Not ever. I would be still wandering around down there right now. Right after the subway we stopped for food at a restaurant down the road from the train station that I needed to be at. Elyssar steamed muscles in a white wine sauce, which was absolutely amazing. The meal came with french fries and bread as well as a 25cl size Pilsner. I argued with Elyssar for two or three minutes before she would let me pay for the meal (ridiculous, as she had paid 10 or 11 Euro for me to ride the train and subway already).
She took me to a market to get some water ("for babies," she said. "Evian is gentle") and then to the train station where her initial plan was to leave me to wait for my train. She thought twice of this, and waited until my train came, and then walked me about half a mile down, to the right car, and then took me to the right seat and explained to me what the train ride would be like. She kissed me goodbye and I settled in. A dark-haired man a few years older than me sat down next to me, but I was feeling too tired to start a conversation and he seemed to be in a bad mood. A woman had already tried talking to me in French and I was not feeling very outgoing. At this point, with the exception of several short catnaps on the plane, I had been awake for 48 hours straight.
I just wanted to sleep, but I felt incredibly insecure as my suitcase was in a luggage bin above my head and all my valuables, passport, etc. were in my backpack under my seat. The train departed and my seat mate began working on some paperwork. I noticed a Grant Thornton stamp on his paperwork, and I asked him if he was employed by Grant Thornton…
Networking on a train to Hendaye. I guess I truly am an accountant. He was in his third year of employment as an auditor for GT and was going through some audit work for an IT client that mostly offered IT solutions and Network solutions. He was on vacation for two weeks
"Auditing!" He exclaimed in frustration… "Even on holiday I am working!" We laughed. I can't fucking wait. We talked a little about the auditing industry in America and France, and I enjoyed talking to him. Soon I passed out, and slept for about three or four hours.
When they woke me up to check my ticket, I was so confused. Where the hell am I? I couldn't understand anything they said to me, but finally I realized that I was on a train, and they wanted to see my ticket. I handed my ticket to the people asking for it, and the man asking for it uttered something quietly and laughed. I was wishing I knew how to say, I'm sorry. I am an idiot american, I no speak French, but instead I just smiled like an idiot who couldn't speak french.
My new GT friend got up to leave the train and handed me his business card, for when you start work, he said… Good luck with Deloitte. You will need it! he laughed and got off the train. I spent the next half an hour trying not to fall asleep again, and finally got off the train in Hendaye. If I wasn't so tired, I may have been worried about finding Thomas, but I couldn't hardly think.
Fortunately I saw him right away. We went back to his flat, and he made me some pasta before I passed out. I sent mom and dad an email each, saying I was fine. I spent about twenty minutes trying to get my computer online, but alas, I think I am to be off the grid for the next six weeks.
