26 Hours in Paris
As we fly over Gander I am listening to The Bravery and thinking back to my 26 hours in Paris. Yes, it was a very quick trip and it was a long way to travel for such a short visit. But, for me, to spend a few hours with family, friend or love, I would gladly do it again.
As far as spending 9-10 hours in a plane each way, I don’t mind so much: it gives me a chance to relax or to get caught up on movies. Flying Business Class on the way up there made the journey easier, too. Flying Coach on the return is not so bad – you get used to it and you also learn where to sit to make the trip easier. There is also a routine that I have come to expect on these trips that somehow makes it more tolerable for me and my body has adjusted to it. (For example, I always manage to wake about an hour and half before landing in Paris – enough time wash up before they serve breakfast.)
I am sure some of you are thinking about the expense. Well, I probably spent about as much on this trip as I would staying in Houston (going to happy hour or dinner plus flying do add up). It’s funny how you can find a way to travel even on short notice and when flights are almost full when you really want to go and you know how to use the system. Years ago a trip like this would have taken a lot of planning and saving. The idea for this trip and planning happened the day before the day of travel. Actually, since I have traveled to Paris so often planning is more of matter of making sure I can get on the flight and that my favorite hotel in Paris has a room for me.
This is my fourth or fifth trip to Paris so far this year so I am not your typical tourist. Instead, Paris has become like a home away from: I have an area of town that I know fairly well plus restaurants and shops that I like to frequent. I also know a few people here so I can always call on them.
While I may not visit all the tourist attractions any more, I still enjoy spending time on the Champs-Élysées. This is my favorite place to sit and people watch. It is almost a game to try to figure out people’s nationalities before I hear them speak: are they Chinese or Japanese? Or maybe this other person is one of the many Russians that are starting to become so common in Europe. Of course, Americans are easily identified even when they are not wearing their t-shirts with the American flag and eagle on them (yes, you do see a lot of this).
I think these quick trips are easier for me to deal with than the idea of spending a weekend in Houston’s summer heat. Yes, some of the places I may fly to are hot or hotter than Houston but somehow they seem tolerable.
This weekend it was Paris. Last weekend I flew to Mexico. I already have a few destinations in mind for the next month or so. I guess this is how I cope with our summer heat and boredom (when it gets hot in Houston, you really don’t want to step outside).
