Finally half the trip down... so about 12 hours left I'd say... HAHA!!! Anyway, in the 'transit lounge'... I hesitated to invite myself into the 'high class' lounge... as it said "on invitation"!!!! Anyway, at least it gives me time to cath up on the time lost and I'll be able to publish everything as soon as I arrive in Paris!
Okay where did I leave you last. Diving, spending money on it to occupy myself cause no job. Well the script hasn't changed much... didn't dive that much in the second week (after that week end) too busy and saving money! Jobs... nope... so that is why after a lot of reflexion with my mum we thought maybe I could leave earlier for France. She had her ticket for Sunday so I could try to leave Saturday and that's what I've done. After being on waiting list to find out if there would be possibilities for my flight to be brought forward, we got it!!! What else has kept me so busy this week that I haven't been able to write a blog to let you know about my change of plans...
Well yes... my shipping... My stuff arrived like the same day I arrive in Tahiti... The company that took care of it at first told me that it woudl take to 3 to 4 days of filing and paper work. However, after 10 days (wednesday this week) my mum and I satrted to express our disappointment. Anyway, after telling them what we thought (I have to say, for this my mum is better than I am so you get the picture!!!!) they told us everything would be ready for us to pick it up on thursday. HAHA but let's keep in mind that we are in Tahiti so people finish work about3 or 4pm!!! And my mum works til 4pm. Conclusion we had to wait friday and I was leaving saturday AND all my stuff where in the shipping (my backpack, my clothes everything!!!) so imagine the stress (keeping in mind that my mum stresses more than I do HAHAHA)! Another affect: on fridays everything closes earlier: my mum doesn't work the afternoon and the place closes at 2pm. However, she had a lot to do as she was going in holiday. Anyway, in the end after a lot of contagious stress we made it... got all my 22 banana boxes.
To relax and enjoy the last times in Tahiti I went to my scubadiving club and snorkelled in the blue water, said my goodbyes and went out for dinner with my mum and a friend of hers. We enjoyed the rest of Friday cause we knew Saturday would be hell considering I had to do my luggages for Frances now-> winter_ Indonesia-> mission, so special stuff_back to France-> summer_New York (taking in account that I had to go through my boxes from the shipping). My mum had to do hers plus we had to leave the house, take care of the dog, and do the last minute things. Anyway, as you saw from my last blog... the day was a hell of a day... but we made it!!!
Well, I'm not too sure where I'm staying yet where I get to Paris in 12 hours... Thank god it's the morning. But yeah I kind fo found a place, cheap, but... I don't ahve any confirmation so I just hope that after 24 hours flight, me getting to the centre of Paris with 2 big bags, my freaking heavy laptop and my daypack they will not tell me that they haven't been able to confirm my reservation!!! I'll be real bumped down... and might have to spend huge amount of money (cause all the places are freaking expensive) just to get a place to sleep... In the mean time, no need to stress....!!! Breathe.....
Okay HAHAHAHA now the following part is for girls only!!!! :p Well, I'm not gonna give much details cause there is no need to but yeah... I never thought that I would learn taht much from a very arrogant (cause of the age) 18 year old American guy!!!! Man... got a whole education!!!
Abour 48hours later in the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse = Train with high speed) from Paris to Toulouse....
Well here we go made the rest fo the journey to Paris. The other 10/12 hours were okay. Managed to watch most of the movies (Step up, Open Season, The Illusionist, You, Me and Dupre). Once in Paris took the RER (train of banlieu/suburb only in Paris) to central Paris then the Metro (subway) to where I had 'booked' the room (that I was talking to you about earlier). I had called and the guy had asked me to send him an email which would be the reservation. Anyway, so making my way there... I have my huge backpack on my back, my daypack that I carry on the front, on my left hand I'm carrying my laptop (for those fo you who've had a chance to carry it they know how heavy it is)_with my harddrives and so froth_, and in the other hand I'm caring my little NZ black and grey bag filled up with warm clothes. People look at me weirdly.... I wonder why!!! Anyway make my way to the "AppiHotel". Get to the reception, very nice man welcoming me and telling he has just replied to my email-reservation but that he couldn't have me cause they are full!!!!!!!! Of course..... But that's okay.... He was actually really nice and found me a place to stay for the night after 10 phone calls (no idea why but yeah everything was booked out!!!) and swearing quite a bit (french people swear a lot!!!!). Went back to get the metro and find my 'wonderful' hotel I had to wait til 3pm to get access to my hm.... how should I say... amazing room at 52 euros a night for a that even the worst backpacker in New Zealand would beat from far away!!!!! I was so tired. My luggages were pulling my body apart walking in the underground of Paris. I was sweating like a pig and the only thing I wanted to do was taking a shower and lie down for a while... but I had to wait 4 hours to do so.
So, left my luggage at the hotel and went for a walk next to the Gallery Lafayette being just in front of my hotel (HUGE very famous shopping center_the place where my mumalways wants to go shopping when we come to France/Paris. It's a big attraction!). Got some food: a sandwisch with my favorite ham!! (yeah I know I'm supposedly a veggie but there I had to please msyelf somehow and can tell you that some lettuce and tomatoes weren't going to do the job).
Next thing, found an internet coffee to try to find a hotel/motel or some kind of accomodation for the next 2 nights as it was agreed with my folks. I would stay in Paris for 3 days, try to find some work then come donw see my Dad in Toulouse and then spend some time on my own at my place next to the Atlantic Ocean in a region called Les Landes (it's actually my dad's place but it officially becomes my house this year_ doing this cause otherwise if I wait til my dad passes away I'm gonna be against huge succession taxes). Then, both my folks join me there and then... I'm not sure what the plan is... I might follow them to Gernese (british _I think_ islands off the coast soemwhere.... :-/ ). Anyway, in the mean time I was in front of my screen getting desperate... all the places were fully booked and the places I found.. well... yeah... don't know wasn't right... the whole thing wasn't right. About 3pm got my to the hotel and discovered my room!!!!!!!!!!! That's where it hit me: I'm not staying in Paris 2 more days!!!
It wasn't the state of the room in itself I mean I don't care about that... as long as I ahve a roof all good..... it's the price I paid for it!!! For 52 euros (= 96 NZ$_keeping in mind that yes the Euro is high for a start) I would expect something decent... well yeah... I had at least the shower in my room but no toilets. The state of the bed linen, the floor, the wallpapers... god for that much it REALLY pissed me off!!!! I would have been better off going straigth down to Toulouse cause at least there there would have been my dad waiting for me and it would have been much better. So decision taken, next day I was going down!!!
After a half-sleep of 2 hours to get over my emotions and a hot shower to gte rude of the sweat, the jetlag, the tiredness and so forth went to book a cheap (39 euros) down to Toulouse. Called my dad to let him know and went to see a French movie.
This morning, left the hotel after a simple but nice breakfast and a political conversation with the receptionist (big dilemna in France as presidencial elections are in less than 3 weeks and big deal about who's gonna be elected!!!). After getting a compliment from him "oh my god you're strong" I went down the tiny staircase telling myself that missing a step now would be the worst thing to do (couldn't see much with all I was carrying).
In the metro I put my hand in my pocket to get my ticket and find the key of my room!!!! SHIT!!!!!! Well... no getting back... so I guess I'll make a phone call and send it back to them!!!!
Get to the station in time... find the train starts to look for my wagon number 20 2nd class.... pass the second class and oh... what 1st class now? What the ... okay starts to walk back.... I must have missed it! A woman looks at me and tells me "you better step on it cause otherwise it's gonna leave without you!" Yeah.... that would be BAD!! So I follow her advice and I guess I can keep walking in the train.... so keep on moving to the back to find my wagon.. 2 wagon down I'm tired, find a hasher (not sure if you call them like that, the people who verify your tickets in the trains) and ask him where wagon number 20 is located "Oh it's at the front but you cannot get access to it now it's too late"!!!! Shit!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh well... I put my bags down and took it on one of the folding seats on the platform and sat there for my 5hours journey!!!!
snapshotsfrom the lanscape from Paris to Toulouse from the platform
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