This trip is starting to feel like a commute. We have done it enough times now that most of the steps feel familiar and we don’t get surprised too often.
Morning in Austin on day of departure, I’m up at my usual 4:00am. This is everyone’s drugs: caffeine for me, Gabapentin and Tramadol for the dogs. On our vet’s advice, we start medicating the dogs the night before travel to reduce their anxiety (and ours).
Waiting to board the first leg at Austin-Bergstrom airport. The dogs are both pretty chill at this point. A nice lady came over to pet Woody, talk dogs, and tell us about her son who is cadet at West Point.
We have boarded our flight to NWK! Both dogs are under the seats in front of us. Rudy is growling a little, Woody is asleep.
The crew is kind about Rudy coming out of his carrier after Carolyn explains that he won’t growl or bark if he can sleep in her lap. “Okay, but…it never happened!” says the very nice flight attendant.
We have collected our bags and now have the chance to relieve the dogs before our flight to Paris. Somehow we couldn’t find our way back to the fenced doggie relief area that we usually use.
The whole family relaxing in the La Compagnie lounge as we wait for our boarding. Several travelers came by to introduce their own dogs or talk about the dogs they left behind. One nice lady shared her frites with Woody. Carolyn is giving Rudy a dose of his travel meds hidden inside a chunk of hot dog.
Carolyn takes a selfie in the airport lounge. Looking good for one third of the way through the trip!
And one more shot of the dogs sleeping in the airport lounge. I love these two scruff-butts!
Carolyn and Rudy slept the entire flight, missing dinner and breakfast. This is remarkable since missing a meal isn’t Rudy’s style. Once again, the in-cabin crew was really nice about Rudy being out as long as he stayed put and was quiet.
Preparing to land and the accumulated detritus of our seven hour flight. Rudy is back in his carrier for the landing. Woody has been sleeping peacefully in his carrier the entire flight.
Just the tip! Rudy isn’t allowed out of his carrier in the Über, but he can stick his head out. We are on the ground in Paris! The Über situation at Orly airport is a mess and it’s one of the things that still trips us up; there’s no clearly marked area to meet ride-hailing vehicles.
Gare du Nord, the Über dropped us right by the entrance. There was time to hit Starbucks and find a place to sit. We talked to a nice couple from Utah who had spent the last two years in Paris, they were about to return to the US as their kids started grade school.
On the train to Montpellier! Somehow we ended up in a three seat bench. It was fine since nobody was seated in the third seat and Rudy could get out of his carrier. This was quite lucky as the car was otherwise full. Carolyn and I were both spent and thin-skinned at this point, but we held it together.
And finally back in our apartment in Montpellier. Woody went straight to the sofa and sacked out.
Thank you for looking everyone, we are so happy to be back in Montpellier and our lovely little apartment!
Thank you for sharing. Love seeing how y’all navigate the commute.
you all have nailed this gig !!