Getting to our home in France was not what we organized, but we went with the flow, as you do.
Leaving a very wet Auckland...whoa neddy! Back up the horse....
All seated and pulled away from the Gate at Auckland International Airport, we were stopped. We thought we were waiting for another plane to land before taxiing onto the runway.
Announcements, announcements, anouuuuuuncements! (sing the song, it helps!)
"We will be returning to the gate as we have smelled a burning of some electrics. We just want to check it out with one of our engineers".
Deja Vu? This happened the time before last also! Crikey! Something about leaving Auckland...are we really supposed to leave, one could ask??
One hour later, all checked out, some water being distributed up and down the aisles etc...no snacks yet...this is almost 9pm, and thank goodness we had thought to have a pre-dinner dinner.... knowing we would be eating about an hour after take-off, as you do on these long-haul flights.
So, back to the runway and take-off this time. With a 13 hr flight to San Francisco ahead of us, I just wanted to take my 'mother's helpers' (two little blue sleep aids!) and nod off, but I knew I would be starving in the morning, so endured (not really) the evening meal which was delicious, coming from the AirNZ kitchens, and especially the Kapiti Ice-cream 'Lemon Shortcake'! WOW! If you haven't tried it, do it!
Auckland was pretty wet for our departure, which always creates it's own issues...turbulence isnt my favorite take off or landing. A fully laden aircraft lumbering into the clouds above the ocean...well, I dont look!
An Airnz plane waiting for passengers...raining much!
We were packed in more closely (sardines doesnt really describe it)!than usual it seemed. Waz was pissed off that he had a leg support in the middle of his foot area, and our knees touched the seat in front, especially when they reclined their seats, in front. Older plane? Our trip TO Auckland had been fantastic, with heaps of leg room in Cattle Class.
While the little blue pills helped somewhat, it was a restless night for both of us.
I dont normally watch movies, preferring to sleep on the overnight flights, but I did end up watching a couple. Dont ask me what I watched, I cant remember any of it, lol.
During the flight we made it known that we would now be missing our connection in SFO, to Paris, being an hour late with an already tight layover. The airline staff were fantastic, and booked us on the only flight to available to Heathrow, now flying with British Airways instead of Untied, and onwards to Paris from there with BA.
It is 37 years since I landed at or left Heathrow, London, and I hoped it would be a LOT different to my memories of the over-crowded place it had been. Silly me! It was as crowded as I remembered, but more modern and attractive...but crowded. I think someone who doesn't frequent the airport must have designed the spaces around the gates/restaurants, which all blend into one. I object to having to find a seat in a restaurant when most of them are taken by people who are no longer eating or drinking, but hanging out waiting for flights because there is no other space to sit.
The food was expensive (spending British pounds, now) of course, and not frightfully imaginative, and the English Breakfast tea we ordered came with milk...no question about whether you wanted it that way, lol...you got it the way the English drink it...and we haven't drinked it (deliberate grammar error) that way for a millennium. But it was hot, so it was ok!
Eating at regular times when the body tells you to eat...well, I'm not sure the body was telling me anything other than go to sleep, at this stage, but we ate anyway. Dont ask me what we ate, coz I dont remember! sheesh!
Onwards to Paris. A 45 minute flight on an aircraft (inter-European hopper) where, to get a cuppa you had to fork over about 2.30 pounds. No such luck mate. We asked for water, which came from a tap on the aircraft...warm. lol.
Arriving in Paris, you notice the lack of toilets immediately. At least the Heathrow toilets were clean. We always fail to understand what the French dont get about keeping bathrooms clean...but that could fill a whole book, and I dont want to go further into that. Those of you who know French loos will know all this! lol.
We were only 5 hours behind our previous schedule, and checked into our favored Ibis Styles (ee beece steels) Hotel at the Airport...Terminal 2, Roissey-Pol stop on the shuttle....Always comfy beds!
They didnt have our booking, claiming that we were booked into the hotel 20 mins down the road. Eh? I didnt have the confirmation printed out...for lack of a printer, but they accommodated us, and upon seeing that we are indeed multi-repeat customers they gave us a free drink at the bar. WOW!
We also had a room on the 8th floor which meant we had a fabulous view over Terminal 3 activities, out the huge window. Nice! This cloud formation was like no other we had ever seen.
As it was 5.30-pm by this stage, and I was fading fast...lack of sleep and good regular food will do that for you....we decided to stay at the hotel and eat our dinner there. Food being a necessity, by this stage, but not something to remember...I think I ordered the Smoked Salmon Salad. Not memorable, but I needed veg/salad, and a pick-me-up...being the rolls with butter while we waited for the main course and copious quantities of water.
What delightful American table mates we had, this evening. Always a pleasure to communicate with those who travel and find out where they have been and where they are going. My blood sugar level had obviously risen, as Waz had to drag me off to bed....to sleep! 8 pm and the light was OUT!
4am and the light was ON! Yep! 8 hrs of sleep later....and we were up and dressed and waiting for the buffet to open downstairs which it does at 4.30am.
Plenty of other people out and about at that hour, similarly sleep challenged, I imagine.
We heard what we thought were kiwi accents across the way, and of course I had to enquire. Nope! Aussies, but hey, we all come from the lands downunda, right? They joined us at our table and we learned a heap from these delightful people. I love hearing where people are from and the fact that it is such a small world, we knew the same people from their hometown:)
Joan and Peter (mother and son) were off to the D-Day beaches and St Malo/Mont St Michel for the next week before flying to Germany to connect with their cousins there. As Limousin Cattle breeders in Australia, they return to the origins of the cattle each year (being France) for selection of sire sperm (AI or Artificial Insemination) and to get together with other breeders worldwide, of course.
A walk in the cool morning air followed our first breakfast...we have a circuit around the hotel that we favor, and we enjoyed the cool but not cold air. This is coming up summer here! yay!
Paris was a warm and lovely 26C yesterday. What a pleasure to see all the green leaves on the trees, and for us the anticipation of the vines being in full leaf.:)
We decided, at about 7am to have another breakfast and stash some food for our trip on the TGV to Angouleme. They dont seem to mind...in fact, we are always encouraged to eat as much as we like and have numerous breakfasts if we wish.
So with our hands full of hard boiled eggs, thick slices of Pain Cereal (Grain bread), some fruit and a couple of pouches of pure apple sauce, we went back to make final departure preparations in our room. We were due to leave the Airport on the TGV, via about three stops, to Angouleme, arriving around noon. We did in fact arrive at 12.15pm, but as the Car rental place was closed for lunch (who does that!??? small towns, that's who!) we had to wait until 2.30pm for them to re-open.
eating our lunch in the main hall of the newly renovated Train Station, we spent time observing people, various doing word search in French (Waz is getting really good at this!) and finding more food. Our small selection of food from the Hotel failed in most departments, but the greatest flaw in the meal was the lack of cheese! How could I have forgotten the cheese??
Let me back-track a day or two.
Our final day in Auckland was spent cleaning the apartment, finding that we did indeed have a mouse under the sink, and it had an affinity for the dish brush...eh? I left the mess there, as I had not been provided with a vacuum cleaner.
Our Eggs Benedict were pretty and tasted great. They should have at $19! Love NZ bacon! Waz likes his bacon super crispy and eggs hard. I like mine lightly cooked (eggs) and bacon average. The pesto as a garnish was excellent, as were the pea shoots.
After breakfast we made final preparations for departure, leaving the apartment around 10am.
A visit to the Mother Unit was in order, and having worked with her all the previous week to make some big changes to her diet, I was determined to make sure she had enough food to last her a while. Getting her feedback is important, and we made a couple of changes, which necessitated Waz and me going to the grocery store. That complete, Waz and I enjoyed our last lunch in Auckland and headed back to Mum's to make her some lunch. She was still in her night wear, not feeling 100%, and she was most grateful for some tender loving care.
It is tough to leave our elders when they aren't feeling well, and I dont know when I will see her again. We do what we can for our family when we can, but it never seems to be enough. Mum's mental state has deteriorated, and I have been grieving over this since we left. I have no idea what state she will be in the next time I'm home, and I fear that she may be in an even more compromised situation and possibly not living independently any more. Tough calls to make! We three siblings are determined for her to live a quality life as long as she is able, in her own apartment within a retirement complex. There is no elder care available there, so thank goodness for socialized medicine in NZ where she can get help in her own home from Govt. agencies!
The car had to be returned by 3.30pm, and we were glad it was the weekend in Auckland. The traffic is lunatic no matter the day, but slightly less on a Sunday.
A stop for fuel and a coffee before returning the car and being driven to the International Terminal.
We did our thing at departures and passed through security so that we could enjoy some quiet time before the flight boarded just after 7pm. I was feeling pretty emotional about Mum still, and found tears flowing without having much control over them. I let them flow!
Oh, now I remember...I watched the movie Lady Bird. This of course was exactly the wrong movie to be watching, about a mother - daughter relationship, at such a time. Just as well the cabin was dark inside!
Back to Angouleme: Finally the car rental shop opened and we found we didnt have a booking with THIS depot, but with one up the road some 2kms. To heck with that! They did honor the booking (same company) and today when we returned the car, he insisted on showing me on their website, which depot I should have booked under. I swear it wasn't there when we booked!
Anyhoo...we had to rent a car to get home, the half hour drive from Angouleme. We booked the car for a day (not inexpensive, I might add...we need to figger this out a whole lot better!) and returned it this morning. Our Depot manager was very personable and we managed to laugh at our jetlagged logic (or not) together. He was most understanding.:)
Waz followed me into Angouleme in our car, this morning. We had set up the GPS so that I wouldn't get lost (he is normally the navigator) but once I found the signs to SNCF Gare, I followed those. Good to know my brain still works on jetlag! ha!
When we picked up the car yesterday we had stopped off at Auchan in La Couronne, a suburb of Angouleme which is closer to home, and did a food shop. We wont have to be buying food for another week hopefully! Too much to do. The car was pretty packed full of suitcases and food, and it took a while for us to unload when we got home.
Speaking of home...WOW! All the green everywhere. What a delight to be driving the familiar roads which in winter were in a less verdant countryside, but this time we are surrounded by vines with leaves, trees with leaves and fields with green crops. Gorgeous!
The house wasn't too dusty after 5 weeks away, and we felt inclined to get to work straight away. With our first container due on June 6th or thereabouts, we are feeling the push to complete so many small items on our long list.
I think I have finally 'hit the wall' tonight. Since the middle of the afternoon, I have been pushing myself to complete projects, but not really had the wherewithal to do so. Waz is a bit of a machine too, and completed a fair number of projects that were outstanding. Only at my insistence did he not go out at 7pm and do some more. They can wait.
Im off to bed now. Cant keep the eyes open a moment longer.
What a dry post, lol...sorry! Im sure there will be plenty more in coming days.
Some photos for you to enjoy. Garden and lawn are a total mess, but they can wait!
Night night.
I had pruned heavily before leaving in early april, and now everything is overwhelming.
xx
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