So it turns out that getting to Orléans - or just France in general - was not as easy as I’d hoped. This is a really long post - so be prepared!
My first flight of the day from Phoenix to Washington D.C. was just lovely. I somehow ended up in the “economy plus” section, even though I didn’t pay for it. Razu and I also had the whole row to ourselves - which was great because I could put him right next to me. He did really well on the first flight - only crying on take off and landing. I also learned that he liked the option of being able to see out of his crate - because he also cried when he couldn’t see what was going on. Once in DC we ducked into a family bathroom so he could stretch and go potty and eat a little. Well, he did stretch - but not anything else. After that I grabbed some lunch and headed to our gate - there I met four other girls who were also teaching assistants. One was renewing - so we got the chance to pick her brain about what the experience is like. I also met a really nice lady who lived in San Francisco and was a professional photographer. She was extremely nice and really helpful - she even got Razu a cup of water (which he didn’t drink - I did squirt 2ml in his mouth though).
All of this is pretty nice and normal - but the shit hit the fan once we took off for the next flight. The flight was completely full, with tiny seats (especially by international standards). I had the good fortune to be sitting right next to the group of assistants as well as every other young person on the plane (we all used the same flight booking agency). About 3 minutes into takeoff Razu started screaming - he was really upset. I thought it was a little unusual because he had only meowed quietly the last time - but I figured he was just mad that he had to go through this whole process again. Everyone around me understood - and then a few minutes later we started noticing little bits of white fluff in the air - it kinda looked like a pillow had exploded. And then our section of the plane got really hot. And then it was essentially snowing this white crap -- and then everyone started coughing. At this point the flight attendants realized that something was wrong - so they started passing out masks to our section of the plane and running around turning on the little air vents above us - which just made it hotter. At this point Razu was just about howling - and I realized that the hot air was coming from the large vents near the floor. So I put my hand on the floor - and it was also pretty warm. This was when I realized that Razu was getting way too hot (which explained the screaming). I took off his blanket covering and started fanning his cage - and when I saw the flight attendant I explained that he was going to get overheated and that I needed to hold onto him because the floor was too hot. She said that I wasn’t allowed to have him on my lap - and then I did something I never do. I said, very firmly, “My cat is not safe where he is - you need to do something for him.” So she offered to take the carrier to an unaffected section of the plane. I really didn’t want him away from me - but his health came first. So she takes the carrier - and he flips out, and then I cry. Which prompted all the assistants around me to say that it was ok - our flight would be fine. Sure we would - but would he be ok? At this point, I realized that the snow was insulation - and the captain announced that we would be fine, nothing to worry about. About 2 minutes later we learned that we had to turn around and go back to DC. So we made a big circle and landed 15 minutes later exactly where we started. And then had to wait 3 hours for a new plane. I later found out that an air conditioning duct had blown - which explains the heat and blowing insulation. I was also reassured that they can’t use any toxic materials on planes - so at least it wasn’t fiberglass! This whole experience was pretty traumatizing for both me and the cat. Once we were on the ground Razu and I found a quiet spot and I e-mailed my parents and Alain. Razu started feeling better - and I forced more water into him. Although, I now had to worry that Alain wouldn’t be able to come and get us since our flight was delayed 3 hours.
The next flight went fine, sleepless, but fine - Razu and I took several bathroom breaks where I would let him out of the cage. A couple of times during the middle of the night he would just sit quietly on my lap. He didn’t much care for the makeshift litter box I had made him - and he ended up having a little accident - but I just washed whatever I could in the airplane bathroom sink and hung it to dry over my armrest.
When we got into Paris I started worrying again. I got all my luggage - which was 80 pounds checked and another 16 for Razu + carrier and probably another 20 for my carry on bag. So - all told a bit heavier than me. As I walked out of customs I looked for Alain - but didn’t see him. All the other assistants had collected their luggage before me and were gone. And then it was just me and Razu and all my crap in the Paris airport - alone with no backup plan. I really didn’t want to go all the way to Orléans with all that stuff after everything we had been through -- so I called my parents on a pay phone (and had to use their credit card since the machine wouldn’t accept mine) to see if Alain had responded to my e-mail and get his cell phone number - which I had written down, but didn’t want to dig for in the middle of the airport. I called them back and learned that Alain wasn’t coming, but that I should get a hotel in Paris and go from there. I noticed that there were several hotel phones, and my mom and I agreed to use the Hilton since she has a lot of points there - so my plan was to call her back in 5 minutes and go from there. And then the phone stopped accepting my credit card - and there was no place to buy a phone card. So, once again I was alone with no help. I tried calling several hotels to get a price - but I simply couldn’t afford 300 euros a night (yes, that was the best I was quoted). So I sat down next to a young kid who asked if he could use my laptop. It turns out that he had been at the airport since 7am waiting for someone to pick him up (it was now noon). I told him that there was no wireless in the airport - so it was useless.
Well after a while his person came - turns out it was his girlfriend - and I started to freak out again. And then she offered that I could stay with them until I figured out what to do. I figured I would follow them to their hotel, rest for a bit and then either go down to Orléans or find a place in Paris to stay. I suggested that we take a taxi and that I would pay for it -- but she had already paid for their return RER so they were taking the RER B train no matter what (which is like a subway train). Since they were the only help I had I went along - So up and down 2 sets of steps I went with my 2 suitcases (which did not work together very well) and onto the train. We got off at Gare de Nord and then proceeded to wander aimlessly because neither of them had any sense of direction. Lucky for them, I know how to read metro signs. I got us to the right exit, and the guy and I sat down while the girl went to see how far away the hotel was. I bought the guy and I lunch - and we waited (I was so over hungry and stressed that I ate all of 2 bites). It turned out that the hotel was literally just down the block - so we walked there. They didn’t have any empty rooms - but I was able to sit on their room’s floor for a while. I borrowed her cell phone to call Alain - but he didn’t answer so I left a message. At this point they were in full on make out mode - so I just curled up the floor to sleep for a bit. Alain finally called back and told me that it would be best for me to take the metro to a different train station and then catch a train to Orléans. He said he would come get me at the station.
After a while I called a taxi - no way in hell was I going to take the metro with all that crap! 16 euros later I was at the station - with all my crap + one very upset cat. I went to buy a ticket - knowing that there are trains every hour to Orléans - and was told that there wasn’t a train to Orléans today (which I knew to be a lie). I asked - what do you mean - and the lady explained that there were only trains to the station outside Orléans and that I would have to take a tram to get into the city. Good enough. I bought the ticket and then learned that I had to wait 1.5 hours for my train. I found a little seat and Razu and I waited and waited. When it was finally time to go - I realized that there was no way I could get all my stuff into the train without the risk of having something stolen. Fortunately, a very nice French lady asked if I needed help (which I definitely did). She grabbed the smaller of my big bags and hoisted it on the train and a nice young man grabbed my giant bag and put in on the train - they even put it in the luggage racks for me. The minute I sat on the train I fell asleep. An hour later we arrived in Orléans - and I once again had to get all my stuff off the train. So I grabbed everything and tried to maneuver it - and once again a nice guy (who was boarding the train) helped me to get everything off. I walked to the exit (down a set of stairs - where two more French men took my giant suitcases down the stairs), bought a phone card and called Alain. “I’m at Fleurry les Aubrais.” He responded that he’d be there in half an hour. I called home only to learn that my mom had managed to book a room at the Hilton in Paris for me using points. They were even going to come and get me. Turns out that the credit card company put a hold on the card for suspected fraud - which explains why I couldn’t use the pay phones.
Alain came and got me - and bitched that my suitcases were really heavy (you think? yeah, try hauling them on two trains and through two train stations). He explained that, for some reason, he thought that my plane came in at night - so he was never able to come get me after all. He also said that he originally thought he could come into Paris and get me - but was glad that I was willing to do the trip on my own. He’s a very nice guy and his mother’s flat is really nice and very big too! He took me out to dinner last night with his two boys - and told me that since I was in France I should speak French now -- but I was much to tired to even think, let alone in French. So we talked in some English, some French.
So, once it was all said and done - it took me 25 hours to complete a 15 hour trip. I’m bruised and exhausted, but I’m in Orléans! Actually, I have no idea where I am. I know that I’m in a suburb of Orléans - but I don’t know which one. I have no idea if I’m north or south of the Loire or east or west of the city center. I went to the grocery store today with the intent of getting a cell phone, but they didn’t sell any. I bought Razu a litter box and some bowls for food and water as well as a few groceries for the week. I hope that I am able to get a cell phone tomorrow - Alain mentioned that I could probably find one in the city center - so as soon as I get my bearings that is where I’ll go. I don’t have a map or internet access and no way to call anyone - so I didn’t feel that it was the best idea to get completely turned around after what I went through yesterday.
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