Today started out early for me … like 5:30am to put together the last bit of packing.
Admittedly, I’m not the best at packing light. Visits back and forth to France include shipping a few boxes by Fedex. It’s down to three 16″x20″ cartons each way.
My travel luggage is pretty reasonably sized. Except for the fact I chose a large handbag as a carry-on instead of a small suitcase and purse. Of course, by the time I lugged it on my shoulder it through check-in, I realized it was too heavy. So now I have a new traveling companion: a wheeled cart from Brookstone.
No cost savings here, but it is light, easy to roll, and it folds down easily. So far so good.
While putting the buldging boxes together last night with packing tape, my son commented I had bought the wrong boxes. “Heavyweight,” he said.
“Just wrap them with extra plastic wrap,” I said, undaunted. “If they’re dropped, they’ll bounce.
On the ride to the airport this morning, in the backseat with my fourteen month old grandson who was strapped into the car seat, we held hands all the way .
Those little hands will be a bit larger the next time we meet.
There were sad goodbyes to Bentley and Maddy, too. I’ll miss our walks along the wooded trails in the neighborhood.
Cutting up with seat mates
Judging from the travelers who I sat beside on the two legs of the U.S. Journey, this is going to be an interesting trip: a master craftsman of knives, and a nanny for a high-powered family in DC.
The blade smith, Wally Hayes, sells “folders,” swords and the like to Saudi kings and American rock stars. After mentioning “folder” several times, I finally asked what he meant. A folder is a folding knife, not a marketing brochure as I thought. Duh…
The nanny told me of her glamourous life in DC, meeting Presidents and dignitaries. Vacations with the family are to exotic places all over the world.
I may have stumbled upon a new career!
Now, so that I can post this before leaving the States, I’ll say: stay tuned. Iceland and landing in Paris next!
Categories: Around France, Blog
Oh how I feel your pain! I went to Brazilia on a business trip with $6.00… The old rely on the ATM at the airport for currency…but, they were local issued cards only. Yikes, luckily, one of my calls was at the U.S. Embassy and I used one of the ATMs at the commissary…and I was traveling with a colleague who had cash. And, have I changed my ways? Not really.
Last year my flight to Paris was four hours late which resulted in my missing the train to Montpellier, which resulted in an additional 3 hour wait, which resulted in my taking the wrong suitcase from the train, which resulted in an unplanned trip to Bordeaux the next day to pick up my bag.
That’s why we’re buddies. Great minds!
Hello Deborah, I’m English and live in Avignon. I’ve lived in Provence now for 15 years. I’ve been a Brocante dealer, an Artist, a decorator, a delivery driver for the Midi Libre but now I just paint pictures and do small jobs here and there. Love your blog. I adore Uzes, it’s a super little town and you are right about the weekly market, one of the best in the region. You must visit Avignon in July for the theartre festival, the biggest in Europe. Good luck with your move and settling into French life… in will be fun.
Thank you for your note! I’m just learning of the festival in Avignon. Any suggestions for performances to attend?
I never get that lucky with seatmates on a plane!
Just wait til you find out what happened next!
Looks like you are having lots of fun and we will be in Brittany the 1st of July but not in Uzes until the middle of September when you will be well settled. Have a wonderful summer.
Amazed you can get everything into three boxes.
My Mum would need about thirty…