As I sit here waiting to board with my fur and my carry on baggage next to a plastic seeing-eye dog – I feel like I am already in Paris with pup at my side!
The flight was delayed which meant a scramble to get the flight from Sydney to Singapore and no time to collect tax for my recent purchases.
I didn’t realise at the time, how grateful I would be later to have had a shower at Singapore airport and to have brought a change of clothes.
Did you know that Malaysian mouse deer is at its most tastiest, fried?
This is what I learned, while I had a foot and leg massage and a shower during my stop over.
The short flight from Heathrow to Charles de Gaulle didn’t disappoint, not only did I get that window seat but I was on the right side of the plane which meant I had magnificent sweeping views of a very White Christmas Paris, The Eiffel Tower pointing up in all its glory along with the giant La Defènse arch, tears started stinging my eyes again as I fought to hold them back. What is it about Paris that makes me so emotional? Maybe it is just everything.
After waiting an hour and not long before the conveyer belt stopped, I had a sinking feeling that myself and a couple of people left at the carousel were not going to have bags today.
My biggest fear was the driver with the key to my apartment would only wait half an hour after the flight as specified, it seemed the good omen had done its dash.
But it hadn’t the baggage is lost but the driver waited. I am not sure if he realised how grateful I was.
Ted my Polish driver was watching the time as he was due to have Christmas Lunch with his family. When the key didn’t fit in the door after we had both read the instructions for the 10th time I could sense he also was about to unravel. Neither of us noticed we were in the wrong apartment block, phew.
We got in, I gave him my complimentary bottle of French red wine to share with his family to offer my thanks.
I did joke if a fur coat and a smile would suffice, at the moment, it will have to, as that is all I have.
But, after all, I do have Paris.
