It was our last morning. We were at the Comfort Inn next to the Bordeaux airport and we had an 8am reservation for the free airport shuttle (mind you we only needed it for the bags because we had walked the distance 3 times already). [Resolution: NEVER travel with this much stuff again!!!!!]
By now we had the routine down. Set the alarm. Try to wake up just before the alarm so you won't hear the awful noise. Shower if that wasn't done the night before. Jump into the clothes laid out. Hot rollers and hairspray - essential. Makeup - almost as important. Munch the breakfast treats we had saved. DONE. We checked out of the hotel. Our shuttle was a poor man with barely enough space to fit our bags in his car. [Remember Resolution!!]
Arrived at Bordeaux airport more than two hours before our flight, concerned that we couldn't confirm the night before and didn't have assigned seats - no problem - it was a French airline and a small airport - we got the emergency row, checked our bags to our home and got boarding passes to Atlanta. The flight was on time to Paris. In Paris, we tried to avoid going through security again; no luck. Every hallway dumped us outside. We eventually found the right terminal, passed security and found the gate. NO TIME FOR SHOPPING IN THE DUTY FREE STORES - they started boarding for Atlanta as soon as we arrived. We had no more room in our luggage - so no loss.
We got to our seats. This time we received head phones, eye masks and EARPLUGS????? in addition to the pillow and blanket. Three rows ahead of us there was a whimper and Janet said "Oh no, a baby." NINE HOURS LATER the crying had not let up. By now it was a gusty wail. The poor baby had just flown nine hours from India and was overtired. The flight attendants were glad they could move around and get away. But hey, I was still floating - totally contented - remembering bits and pieces of the trip. It didn't matter at all.
Arriving in Atlanta we were herded through the lengthly (3 step?) process at customs. Crowd control shouted at us to move to probably the longest line available each time as we stumbled along. We claimed and redeposited our bags to more shouts and found our gate to HOME...or so we thought.
Janet took a nap. I called my boss. We looked up a couple of minutes to boarding time -- the gate had changed to the other end of the terminal.
Janet ran ahead and threw herself in front of one of the electric carts that shuttle old people (we qualified by then) and we loaded up and raced to the new gate. We were all amused by surprised looks from people on cell phones as we pulled up inches from where they stood. Pilots of course thought they owned the place, but our driver said "No, they come and go - I am in charge here." We tipped her well as we jumped off and got in the check-in line to board for home. We tried to pretend we were asleep the last leg - we had had enough airline pretzels and soda.
A phone call from the taxiway confirmed my dear husband was at the gate and had been waiting an hour in case we arrived early. I put on my French hat. Janet and I grabbed our things, and were so glad to be HOME.
Here is a picture of Janet and me with our splurges: Janet's cashmere scarf and gloves from Amsterdam, our linen cabbage rose pins from somewhere I can't remember, and my French hat from Bordeaux. Notice the smiles. We had a great time - a once in a lifetime experience, just the two of us with our guide, to the most amazing variety of places and adventures in the countryside of France.
The next day, the doorbell rang, and this flower basket arrived as a welcome home/Mother's Day/birthday/Christmas present from my daughter.It is called "French Garden."
Love to you all from
Janet and Rozanne
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!!!!!
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