What a day. SO glad we had an early night last night as today was stressful and long in so many ways!
Started out well with both of us showered and in the car for breakfast by 0530, last things packed into bags (tent & fly included) and on the road. We got to Paris Nord train station good and early to activate our Eurail passes without a hitch – yay! Bray was then left guarding our gear at a cafe in the station (with money to keep him fed and watered) while Roni set off to return the vehicle. All seemed to be going well as she navigated through a number of diversions to reach the drop off point in Courbeviour by 0830 – the time appointed to return the vehicle. After parking up she noticed that the whole complex was VERY locked up with no signs of life...a little concerning as there were still a number of trains to catch and some walking required to return to Paris Nord by 1100 for our 1120 train.
Still no action by 0840 and Roni was feeling not so good about the whole thing so set out to find a pay phone (Bray had the cell). Jogged on down the road enquiring of various people who all pointed one way – no phone to be seen and time ticking by... A hotel emptying of tourists caught her eye so questions were asked and a coin phone located near their loos.
Called Peugeot Courbeviour only to get a recorded message saying they are closed on weekends...NOT GOOD! Called the emergency Peugeot number and spoke with 3 people before finding one who could speak English. She listened to the story – we had called 5 days in advance to return as we were meant to and been advised that it was all good, address and time confirmed and email received to doubly confirm this... Not happening though as she confirmed that branch is shut all weekend. ARGH! Her idea was for Roni to call the Charles de Gaulle airport branch and see if someone could come and receive the car. Next phone call...Charles de Gaulle branch, they tell Roni that Courbeviour is shut on weekends...by now a familiar refrain! No one can come so Roni has to go there. She asks for GPS co-ordinates and is given a road and postcode by the lady on the phone. Roni tries to call Bray so he knows what is going on but can’t get through.
Runs back to the car...by now after 9am...and hits the road. GPS takes her to a suburban street 25 mins later outside a dairy with no sign of Peugeot or an airport. Roni is pretty stressed by now and goes to enquire of the dairy owner as to the location of a phone nearby – her emotional state means he offers her the use of his phone instead (not pretty!). Roni gets on the phone again...this time to man at the airport office who gives her the name of a town that is kind of essential to getting to the right place using GPS, still can’t give her a building number but explains what the signage looks like. Back on the road (after effusive thanks and cash to dairy man) and now it is after 9.30....
Following the nav again...this time the end result is a village...the street name is once again correct but no Peugeot or airport. AAARRGH.
Roni has had enough so now simply follows signs to the airport before driving wildly around searching for a sign similar to the one described on the phone. Success!!! By this time it is after 10.40.
Out of the car, hands keys to an official looking guy before heading into the office and bursting into tears. Just too much. They organise paperwork and assure Roni she will make the train (not likely by this stage!!). Signed off, their shuttle takes a now composed Roni to the airport train station where she sprints to make the next train to Paris Nord just as it pulls out. Whew.
Back to Paris Nord but it is after 1120 (not by more than a couple of minutes tho!) – runs as fast as she can through the rabbit warren of a station to try and find the right level and platform where Bray has been patiently waiting. Even asks one of the army patrol men for directions but he doesn’t know so following signs instead.
Arrives at Bray who is already loaded up and waiting...we raced to the platform but it had already left. Gutted.
Off to the ticket counter to queue and hope we can catch the next one. The staff member who served us was lovely! It didn’t look good there for a wee while as all the trains from Paris to Brussels/Antwerp were booked out. Roni turned aside and let Bray do the talking as the shakes and a few tears were still about. The lady managed to sort a schedule for us that still got us to Goes (Holland) within the time Jeanine would be waiting for us. She even managed to refund some of our last ticket reservation as this way was cheaper. AWESOME.
Train then to Lille Flanders (most unsafe feeling there we have had over the entire trip) then to Antwerp. A beautiful station there! Our connecting train was 32m late...arrived in Rotterdam and asked a train staff member for guidance. She sent us to platform 6 to catch one to Rossendal then transfer to another....etc. We nailed it – with the help of some lovely Dutch people!! Arrived late into Goes (had texted Jeanine) to a rapturous welcome.
SOOOO good to see each other, many hugs.... It was late though so we grabbed takeaways on the way home as Dino is 4 years old and well past his bedtime.
Us ‘grown ups’ stayed up chatting until after 1am and were all stoked that there was no awkwardness or weirdness after 10 years! Pretty cool.
Sleeping in a real bed and in a real home for the first time since Phnom Penh was awesome.
