Gentle Readers - we got home last night around midnight Austin time. It was an exhausting day of travel, plus the return trip takes a little longer. I think Carolyn and I both felt more wear and tear because of all the changes in the US and also because we were going home without our sweet Rudy in the cabin with us.
The preparations to leave get a little easier each time. This time there were fewer repairs and less maintenance in the apartment, and having the small apartment next door was fantastic! It was time consuming but not terribly difficult to get all our belongings packed away in the space.
Our last day in Montpellier was gorgeous, cool and sunny - a great walking day!
This was taken about 24 hours before our departure. We both took breaks to practice guitar or do other things to lower the stress level - and just to enjoy our last day in France. Here, Carolyn is in our music room. How many musicians can you identify on the wall behind Carolyn?
The studio apartment packed full of our stuff in preparation for leaving. We added hanging rods up high on the wall to store our clothes—top left you can also see more clothes hanging on my pull up bar. We’re quite vain and have too many clothes.
Another view of the studio, looking back in the opposite direction. Guitars, clothes, tools, art supplies.
In the Uber on our way to Gare Montpellier Sud de France. The driver was cranky about the dog, since we neglected to indicate we had a dog when requesting the car. Our mistake. He wanted us to get out, but then we agreed that we’d stay in the car and he was allowed to be as surly as he wanted all the way to our destination.
At the train station waiting for our train. It was chilly!
Carolyn and Woody keeping each other warm in the train station (Sud de France).
We had to change trains in Lyon, this is the second train - the double deckers are always a little bit of a pain, but it was fine once we got seated. Some trains have larger overhead racks where you can actually fit a carry-on size suitcase. I prefer those. Carolyn looks cranky here because she doesn’t have much leg room.
We arrived at the Paris train station in the evening, so Gare du Nord wasn’t as crazy as usual.
Standing in the taxi line in the cold outside Gare du Nord. With the heavy bags and Woody it felt like a very long walk to the taxi stand.
We made it to the Novotel at Orly airport. We have stayed here several times and it’s always very comfortable and the staff are nice. Woody and I are waiting for Carolyn to get back from the bar with cocktails.
As usual I was downstairs an hour or so before Carolyn. I love the breakfast buffet at the Novotel! I alway sneak Woody a few bites of bacon.
Honestly, the automated latte machine is probably my favorite part of the Novotel breakfast buffet.
Our flight to Newark was late afternoon, so we had time to crash in the hotel room after a generous breakfast and too much coffee.
We had a moment of panic when the check-in crew asked us for new paperwork for the dog. We’d never been asked about it before - turns out it was new this year. I’m going to blame Trump/DOGE.
Everyone had a chance to relax in the airport lounge before boarding. I discovered an outdoor deck for watching flights take off and land. And a good place for W to stretch his legs.
On board the La Compagnie flight to Newark. Every time we fly with La Compagnie, Carolyn and I look at each other and say “We’re SO lucky to be able to travel like this!”
The pre-takeoff ritual always involves a synopsis and ranking of the movie options by Carolyn, who is then annoyed to find me watching “Superman Returns” or some corny western when she wakes up over Newfoundland.
There’s a chunk of time missing here because I forgot to take pictures in Newark and when I did remember we were in the customs/passport control area with NO PHOTOGRAPHS signs posted everywhere. I was exhausted and the uniformed staff really put us through the wringer looking at the dog’s paperwork, x-raying our bags multiple times and asking us all the questions repeatedly “Anything to declare, any plants, any food, any cash over $10K, any drugs, anything you bought in France, have you been on a farm, has the dog been on a farm? What were you doing in France?” Maybe the current administration has turned the a-hole dial up to 11 nationwide, or maybe everyone’s looking for something to put on their weekly email to Elon describing the five things they did this week.
We finally made it through customs/passport control, now waiting to board the flight to Austin. Woody was THIRSTY but he didn’t want to eat.
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Maybe it’s just that we’ve been away for five months but things felt more aggressive during re-entry this time. There was new paperwork required for the dog even though we have his passport with his vaccination information in it. Fortunately, Carolyn was able to get the required form on her phone rapidly. In the end it was all fine but it was extra-grating. I honestly applaud the security checks and a robust system. I’m sure it’s not an easy job and probably pays terribly, but the attitude of the people doing the work is different in France and the US. The French security workers’ attitude is, “We’re doing security checks to make sure everyone is safe, please be cooperative.” The people and police are polite and unfailingly courteous, helpful even. In the US it feels like the attitude is more militaristic, they assume everyone is a threat and treat them accordingly. The interaction often starts with hostility and curtness. This felt new to me, but Carolyn says I make the same claim every time…so maybe it’s not new so much as freshly disappointing.
Home at last, walking to luggage claim in Austin, TX. Woody in the foreground and Carolyn directly ahead. It was a long day.
We are happy to be back in our Austin home. Woody is happy to have a yard. I went to the grocery store this morning (in my car); I already miss walking to Les Halles to do my shopping for the day and stopping to grab a coffee and chat with the barristas at Coffee Club or Cafe Cours. Twice in the grocery store I spoke to people in French automatically. I take that as a good evolutionary step.
So glad you are back in Texas!! Hope to see you soon!!!
XXOOO Peg
Welcome back! Wish it were less of a Mad & Evil Empire feel here. The worm will always turn, though…