Je Suis Rentre'

At the end of August and beginning of September in France, there is a lot of talk about "la rentrée".  It 's the time when vacation ends, kids go back to school, and life returns to normal. 

On Saturday night I had my "rentrée" when I returned to the U.S.; a little sad to be leaving Paris, but happy to be going home.

I checked out of the apartment on Friday afternoon and moved into a hotel about six blocks away.  Before the check-out, I decided to wheel my one big suitcase down to the hotel.  But I got across the street and it was so heavy, that I decided to take a taxi.  After the check-out, I left the apartment for the last time carrying a very full duffel bag that Rick had brought over on his last trip.  Once again I got across the street to the taxi stop, and took a taxi to the hotel because the bag was so heavy. On that taxi ride I decided there was no way I could pull a very heavy bag, and carry a very heavy bag along with my carry-on bag.  So as soon as I dropped the duffel bag at the hotel, I walked back to the Bastille to a suitcase store and purchased a new rolling suitcase.

So then all I had to worry about was how much overweight those two bags were going to be when I checked in at the airport.

 

I had good karma all day Saturday.  The driver picked me up at the hotel at 9:15 a.m. (he was early).  He asked me which terminal and I told him Terminal 2.  When he asked me which Halle in Terminal 2, I told him I didn't know but it was US Air.  He told me that US Air was in Terminal 1.  I hadn't really checked online to see which terminal US Air left from, but when I had asked Rick, he said Terminal 2.  But the driver insisted and even showed my the airport booklet to prove that he was right. And he was.  He dropped me right outside the door for US Air.  If we had gone to Terminal 2 like I wanted, it would have been a major hassle for me and those two very heavy bags. 

In the airport when the bags were weighed in I was holding my breath, but they must have made the weight limit, because they sent them right through.  At that point I thought I had nothing else to worry about, until.................I had to go through a French immigration line............and since I had never sent in my papers to the immigration office, or gone for the interview etc.,  I was standing in line wondering if they were going to pull me out and throw me in jail.  But no problem, they just stamped me through (they're probably waiting until the next time I try to enter).

And then when I boarded the plane in Paris................I had the entire bank of four seats all to myself.  So I flipped up all the arm rests, grabbed a couple of blankets and pillows, and went to sleep. And then...when I boarded the connecting flight in Philadelphia, I had three seats all to myself, so I did the same thing.

And I got out of Paris, and off the continent, before the snow!

As much as I'm going to miss this view every morning......................

This view is quite nice too..................................

I'm happy to be home with my family and friends.