The travels of Brammers, part fuck me I am over it

It's 2am, and raitala and I have tickets from CDG to Heathrow at 8pm tomorrow night, as the Eurostar is cancelled and ferries look as though they will be, too. While I had been wishing we could see more in Paris, I meant to come back, not stay indefinitely. At least we are reasonably sure the planes will be flying. And it was beautiful today, though I have recalled that I actually hate Versailles ... alas, after arriving there. It is one of those places that causes aesthetic fatigue, but not in the enjoyable sense, rather in the 'Really? Are you sure?' sense. Though some of it was comedic.

Anyway, we are up at 6 to go to Gare du Nord and cancel our train to Calais, which we booked when the ferries looked more positive. And we have a back-up plan of finding a private airport and looking fetching if all else fails.

One very nice thing has been the great deal of help offered by our hotel staff. Hotel Europe Saint Severin, if you are ever in need of a mid-priced Paris resting spot. On the left bank, right by the Cluny, and with unfailingly fabulous, patient and multi-lingual people on the front desk, 24 hours. Plus, a really lovely hotel cat who runs to us when she sees us now. Ah Isis, you know how to pick them!

The travels of Brammers, part fuck me I am over it

It's 2am, and raitala and I have tickets from CDG to Heathrow at 8pm tomorrow night, as the Eurostar is cancelled and ferries look as though they will be, too. While I had been wishing we could see more in Paris, I meant to come back, not stay indefinitely. At least we are reasonably sure the planes will be flying. And it was beautiful today, though I have recalled that I actually hate Versailles ... alas, after arriving there. It is one of those places that causes aesthetic fatigue, but not in the enjoyable sense, rather in the 'Really? Are you sure?' sense. Though some of it was comedic.

Anyway, we are up at 6 to go to Gare du Nord and cancel our train to Calais, which we booked when the ferries looked more positive. And we have a back-up plan of finding a private airport and looking fetching if all else fails.

One very nice thing has been the great deal of help offered by our hotel staff. Hotel Europe Saint Severin, if you are ever in need of a mid-priced Paris resting spot. On the left bank, right by the Cluny, and with unfailingly fabulous, patient and multi-lingual people on the front desk, 24 hours. Plus, a really lovely hotel cat who runs to us when she sees us now. Ah Isis, you know how to pick them!

Brammers and Rai: the flight to Britain, part 1

Rai: Hmmm. Thwarted by Eurostar, we have booked a rather expensive ticket to Calais, only to find that the ferries may not be running and the trains from Dover to London are likely to be dire.

Brammers: So, stuck in Dover or Calais, eh?

Rai: Fie upon you, do not speak such evil. Let's book a flight.

Brammers: Is it less than 400 euros? Absolutely.

Rai: Hurrah! Yes it is! Right, we will rise at crack of dawn and return our tickets to Calais for an almost full refund, thus making the terrifying sums we have just spent on flights less awful.

Brammers: Sounds good.

Three Hours' Sleep Later

Rai: Please nice woman at ticket office, may we have our money back? Thank you!

Brammers: Should we have coffee now? Or sleep and actually enjoy it later?

Rai: Oh the latter, I think. Ah, back at St Michel. Good god, how did they get dog poo on the escalator?

Brammers: No idea, I just hope it IS dog.

Rai: What lessons have we learned today?

Brammers: People in Paris are, on the whole, quite lovely and helpful, and the Metro is a terrifying place before 9am?

Rai: Yup. Right, three more hours of sleep, let's fit you in before we need to check out.

Will our heroines be able to fly home tonight? Will Brammers make it back to the Louvre with a functional camera card? Will Rai and Pin make it through the Cluny before 4pm? Will the kindness of strangers continue to be the only think stopping the rapid onset of the screaming abdabs?
Stay tuned for the next fascinating installments!

Brammers and Rai: the flight to Britain, part 1

Rai: Hmmm. Thwarted by Eurostar, we have booked a rather expensive ticket to Calais, only to find that the ferries may not be running and the trains from Dover to London are likely to be dire.

Brammers: So, stuck in Dover or Calais, eh?

Rai: Fie upon you, do not speak such evil. Let's book a flight.

Brammers: Is it less than 400 euros? Absolutely.

Rai: Hurrah! Yes it is! Right, we will rise at crack of dawn and return our tickets to Calais for an almost full refund, thus making the terrifying sums we have just spent on flights less awful.

Brammers: Sounds good.

Three Hours' Sleep Later

Rai: Please nice woman at ticket office, may we have our money back? Thank you!

Brammers: Should we have coffee now? Or sleep and actually enjoy it later?

Rai: Oh the latter, I think. Ah, back at St Michel. Good god, how did they get dog poo on the escalator?

Brammers: No idea, I just hope it IS dog.

Rai: What lessons have we learned today?

Brammers: People in Paris are, on the whole, quite lovely and helpful, and the Metro is a terrifying place before 9am?

Rai: Yup. Right, three more hours of sleep, let's fit you in before we need to check out.

Will our heroines be able to fly home tonight? Will Brammers make it back to the Louvre with a functional camera card? Will Rai and Pin make it through the Cluny before 4pm? Will the kindness of strangers continue to be the only think stopping the rapid onset of the screaming abdabs?
Stay tuned for the next fascinating installments!

In which Brammers and Rai have a day of miracles

We begin with pingrid the Magnificent finding us a flight for only 250GBP each. At the moment we are telling ourselves that Eurostar will reimburse it, but we both also have travel insurance, there are reasons to hope. After the morning's journey to retrieve our Calais train money, which went quite smoothly on the whole, Rai and I decided to go back to the Louvre (me with a new camera card) while Pin went to the Cluny. The two of us made it to the metro just as the train was pulling in, got on and had a seat. Hurrah! We then found the queues moving quickly and swiftly, to get in, though massive lines for tickets. So we went to the cafetreia, where the food was delightful! Miracle deux! When we came out, we found a short line and were quickly through and back inside the Musee. After a short while we decided to part, and probably meet back at the hotel. Some time later, I wandered down to buy a post card before heading off to the metro. There, three metres in front of me, was Rai! Miracle! we declared.And given there may have been a million people there today, it probably was. The metro appeared as we arrived again, and we were back to meet up with the wondrous pin, who had run out of camera battery in the Cluny, but after I had shot almost everything there. The shuttle for CDG appeared at the allotted hour, isis the cat bid us farewell, and we proceeded on an easy, stress-free journey to the airport. HUGE LINES AT AIR FRANCE! However, we were directed to the Aeroflot sign and checked in with only about 15 people ahead of us. Because obviously the Aeroflot sign is shorthand for 'The Universe would like to apologise for the last few days'. My bag weighed 27kg,  rather than 20kg, because I have a problem when it comes to buying books. 'Eh,' said the lovely Air France woman and ignored it. We made it through passport control and customs, and are now sitting at our gate waiting quietly and patiently. And, in final proof that today is making up for yesterday, after I realised that I had eaten not a single macaron the whole time I was here, there was a Laduree stand at passport control. So very very very delicious ... If all goes well, in four hours, I will be in London, running a well-deserved bath. Though Rai missed family Christmas and I missed Chanuka meal with friends, but we had each other and the brilliant Pin and many kind Parisians, and so on the whole, I approve of today.

In which Brammers and Rai have a day of miracles

We begin with pingrid the Magnificent finding us a flight for only 250GBP each. At the moment we are telling ourselves that Eurostar will reimburse it, but we both also have travel insurance, there are reasons to hope. After the morning's journey to retrieve our Calais train money, which went quite smoothly on the whole, Rai and I decided to go back to the Louvre (me with a new camera card) while Pin went to the Cluny. The two of us made it to the metro just as the train was pulling in, got on and had a seat. Hurrah! We then found the queues moving quickly and swiftly, to get in, though massive lines for tickets. So we went to the cafetreia, where the food was delightful! Miracle deux! When we came out, we found a short line and were quickly through and back inside the Musee. After a short while we decided to part, and probably meet back at the hotel. Some time later, I wandered down to buy a post card before heading off to the metro. There, three metres in front of me, was Rai! Miracle! we declared.And given there may have been a million people there today, it probably was. The metro appeared as we arrived again, and we were back to meet up with the wondrous pin, who had run out of camera battery in the Cluny, but after I had shot almost everything there. The shuttle for CDG appeared at the allotted hour, isis the cat bid us farewell, and we proceeded on an easy, stress-free journey to the airport. HUGE LINES AT AIR FRANCE! However, we were directed to the Aeroflot sign and checked in with only about 15 people ahead of us. Because obviously the Aeroflot sign is shorthand for 'The Universe would like to apologise for the last few days'. My bag weighed 27kg,  rather than 20kg, because I have a problem when it comes to buying books. 'Eh,' said the lovely Air France woman and ignored it. We made it through passport control and customs, and are now sitting at our gate waiting quietly and patiently. And, in final proof that today is making up for yesterday, after I realised that I had eaten not a single macaron the whole time I was here, there was a Laduree stand at passport control. So very very very delicious ... If all goes well, in four hours, I will be in London, running a well-deserved bath. Though Rai missed family Christmas and I missed Chanuka meal with friends, but we had each other and the brilliant Pin and many kind Parisians, and so on the whole, I approve of today.

In which |Rai and Brammers are delayed

Where I went wrong was in being grateful for our luck before we had finished using it.

Still, it looks as though our flight will still be flying, if up to 90 minutes late. Which gate it will be leaving from is a yet as unresolved mystery, but we have faith that we will know soon. Alas, the two it keeps switching between are at the opposite ends of the terminal, literally. So we have ensconcecd ourselves in the middle.

Happily, across from us are two extremely pretty young men, one blond, one brunet, but not the least bit H/D, because that would be too weird for words. Nevertheless, scenic.

Rai has gone for an adventure to see if she can find news of the gate, I have snaffled a small trolley for our hand luggage, and FINALLY the I cannot remember how to speak French, only Italian brain damage has come in handy as I found an Italian couple who appeared to have finished with theirs and was able to ask for it politely. Whether it was my obvious attempt at decent pronunciation or by slightly crazed look of please god do not make me carry that backpack any further, I will never know, but the trolley is ours and the Italians looked pleased to have helped a woman so clearly to the edge.

Rai has returned with good news, the flight is definitely expected, and definitely at 32. I am going to remind the universe that it owes me for all the running over and that a cessation of the buggerising about at this point would be received wioth gratitude. Many thanks to those who have been leaving encouraging notes along the way, short internet connections have seen me unable to reply, but I hope to have a proper connection back in London.

Ah London, I really do love you ...

BTW, Rai says the drawing exhibition at the Louvre is really good. I spent the afternoon giggling at Netherlandish and German Renaissance works, so I missed it, alas.

In which |Rai and Brammers are delayed

Where I went wrong was in being grateful for our luck before we had finished using it.

Still, it looks as though our flight will still be flying, if up to 90 minutes late. Which gate it will be leaving from is a yet as unresolved mystery, but we have faith that we will know soon. Alas, the two it keeps switching between are at the opposite ends of the terminal, literally. So we have ensconcecd ourselves in the middle.

Happily, across from us are two extremely pretty young men, one blond, one brunet, but not the least bit H/D, because that would be too weird for words. Nevertheless, scenic.

Rai has gone for an adventure to see if she can find news of the gate, I have snaffled a small trolley for our hand luggage, and FINALLY the I cannot remember how to speak French, only Italian brain damage has come in handy as I found an Italian couple who appeared to have finished with theirs and was able to ask for it politely. Whether it was my obvious attempt at decent pronunciation or by slightly crazed look of please god do not make me carry that backpack any further, I will never know, but the trolley is ours and the Italians looked pleased to have helped a woman so clearly to the edge.

Rai has returned with good news, the flight is definitely expected, and definitely at 32. I am going to remind the universe that it owes me for all the running over and that a cessation of the buggerising about at this point would be received wioth gratitude. Many thanks to those who have been leaving encouraging notes along the way, short internet connections have seen me unable to reply, but I hope to have a proper connection back in London.

Ah London, I really do love you ...

BTW, Rai says the drawing exhibition at the Louvre is really good. I spent the afternoon giggling at Netherlandish and German Renaissance works, so I missed it, alas.