Planes, Trains & Automobiles

So I have to congratulate myself on this one. After only 9 years, I got around to scrapping 1 photo of my first trip outside of the country. And it isn't about La Belle France or the Eiffel Tower or the Louve. It's about trains...and planes...and automobiles! And the huge headache that they all caused us.

When I saw this patterned paper in the SC Lewis and Clark add on, I knew exactly what I wanted to scrapbook! All of the logistical mishaps on our 9 week tour of France. What better paper to scrap a page about traveling, as in the actual movement from point A to point B, than a paper chalk full of different modes of transportation. Plus, it has this gorgeous vintage vibe to it! Perfect for all those France photos I'll one day get around to scrapping...As you can probably tell, I take my scrapbooking one page at a time.

A lot happened on the trip, as you can see from my journaling above. And I actually had more to say! Just ran out of room. Oh well, maybe I'll get around to my trickery and hide some journaling somewhere. But for now, I'll just post it below.

Journaling Reads:

Planes, trains and automobiles? But yeah, what does that have to do with traveling in luscious France, you might ask. Umm...near utter disaster at every corner, is what it meant for this trip. We should have known right out the gate (pun intended) that any and all forms of transportation were doomed to be cursed!

But let me start at the beginning. Our first flight from San Antonio to Houston, ended up being delayed. So when we finally did get to Hobby Airport, we, (including me and my 40 lb. school book filled backpack) had to run from one terminal to the next! Only, to be informed that our plane had already left the gate. But what, sweet hope?! You mean the plane is back at the gate?! Something had gone array and the plane had ended up back where we needed it to be. It took some clever pleading on our part, as apparently the FSA deems opening the cabin door again a big no no, but they did! We made it through the 9 hour flight virtually unscathed and safely landed at Charles du Galle airport. Crisis #1 averted!

Next on the agenda? Two lovely days touring Paris and then were set to take the train down to Bordeaux. Except wait...what? All of the taxis in Paris are on strike? You mean there’s no one anywhere to lug us and all our baggage to the train stations?! Mon dieu! How could this be? Thankfully, we’d made friends with our lovely French hotel receptionist and she graciously secured a private vehicle to take us to the station. Now, you might be thinking a shiny black car was what awaited us. But you’d be mistaken! Our gracious chauffeur was none other than a deliveryman and our fine carriage, none other than a delivery truck. I cannot stress how emphatically we did not care! Transportation Crisis #2 had successfully be avoided!

We spent five beautiful days in the French countryside, staying with a family who’s daughter had lived with Karen as a foreign exchange student, when she was younger. We ate well and spent time with Martinne’s family, toured the surrounding villages and shopped. Boy did we shop!! Between the three of us girls, we had a total of 11 bags in tow! How the heck were we going to get all of that on and off the train at the appropriate stops?! The answer? Very very quickly. I doubt the three of us had ever moved faster in our lives, but we made it back to Paris, all luggage in tow.

These were just small logistical details of a truly amazing experience abroad. We definitely made it home with fond memories and a new appreciation for traveling at home in the US!

xxbesos

j.leija