"Photos of trip to Paris & Cote d' Azur" and mini report by Seaurchin
Oct 28th, 2006, 10:09 AM
#42
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Ain't it the truth, LI!
I think some info on my flights home may help someone flying out of Nice and connecting back to the US.
We had the 6:40 AirFrance out of Nice, we had the taxi drop us off just before 5AM because I knew the booths wouldn't open until 5:00AM and I was right. At the desk I asked the clerk if she could book my luggage on my Lufthansa flight out of CDG through FRA to LAX. She looked surprised like no one had ever asked that before and after talking it over with her supervisor she did. I checked the tags on the baggage like I have learned to do and it did say LAX at the end, so I mentally waved goodbye to my bags as they disappeared behind the flap on their little conveyor belt. I got a bit worried later though when I wondered why she looked surprised at the question.
She didn't weigh the luggage and we sat in the empty lounge even before the shops opened. It is amusing to watch all our fellow passengers sitting dazed in the still dark airport.
Flight to CDG was fine but there I had to transfer to Terminal 2, no one seemed to be able to point me in the direction of a shuttle to get there. I literally asked about 4 or 5 agents and they all gave me different answers and I kept going in and out of exits on their directions. I finally found one man who told me the shuttle only leaves from a certain exit way down the hall so I toddled off, thankfully without luggage. It was now about 9:00 and I had an 11:45 flight so I wasn't very worried.
I saw a shuttle w/o any signs lit up on it and asked the driver "terminal 2?" he said oui so I got on, there was one young man sitting there too. The bus pulls away and goes out of the airport and on a little freeway, oh no. I sat there, what else could I do and thankfully the bus came back into the airport and drove by the hotels. He drove a bit further and parked under what looked like a dreary concrete parking structure so I sat there. The young man jumped off and the driver sat there like a stone. The young guy popped his head back in and said you want terminal 2? I said yes and he said this is it. Really? oh thanks. He asked where I was from and I said Los Angeles, he lit up and said he wants to go to Hollywood, told me his name, pointed me in the right direction and waved goodbye.
I stood in a very very long line for Lufthansa to check in and then had a horrible ham and cheese sandwich downstairs. When I got to the "satellite" it was very crowded and after an hour or so I could tell that nothing was happening plane-wise.
I went over to the desk, no one else was in line, and asked about my flight, the clerk said all flights were delayed, especially out of FRA so I would have to wait. I told him I would miss my connection to LAX and he kindly put me on an earlier flight out, he started punching keys on his computer and said you have one bag? I said no two and he looked concerned and said don't worry we will find your other bag and get it on this plane with you. Egads. That flight did board shortly after this but I cant remember the time and the pilot came on and said we were waiting for a last minute passenger's bags to be boarded, which was me, sorry about that. I did feel a few eyes turn to me because that flight was well over two hours late leaving and the passengers had bonded in their wait time.
We arrived Frankfort at 1:41 and the flight to LA was sked to leave at 2:00
I literally had to run to get to my connecting flight. I was running along with four East Indian men who said they were on my flight. One was the leader of our pack and he frantically led us down the corridors. Thank goodness I had on running shoes. All of a sudden we lost track of the signs for our gate. The leader pushed some buttons on an elevator and then we all ran down a stairwell when the elevator didn't come. No, downstairs was wrong.
We ran along like the Keystone Kops. I went to an employee walking along and asked her with the Indians talking nonstop behind me. She told us to go back upstairs so I pushed the buttons on the elevator which had followed us down. The men were now screaming at me that I pushed the wrong button. My nerves at this point were now shot as they say. The elevator doors opened and the men all ran the other way down the hall, I yelled after them but had to let them go and I ran the other way. I bumped into one of the Indians who had used the stairs and he said they were going to Dubai. I said you told me you were going to LA and he shrugged and ran off. What the heck?!
I went through a few passport checks, a body search where I left my jacket on the xray and the clerk had to run after me to give it to me. I was told to take anything liquid out of my purse and put it into a bag, my lipsticks too. I had just paid so much for my chanels that I thought I would risk international security and hide one of them on the bottom of my bag, so I did. I took out one sacrificial lipstick and makeup but they just put it all through security in the little baggie.
When I got to the gate there was only one employee standing there, everyone else was on the plane. I actually ran down the tube and jumped onto the plane. As soon as I entered, the captain said "boarding complete" and the doors were shut. Glares at me as I found out later they waited over a hlf hour for me to explore their airport with the Indian men.
I was sweating like a whatever as I had done all of this while wearing all my heavy clothes that I didn't want to pack!
I sat down and it took me a long time to catch my breath. It was a nice flight to LA and I sat next to an empty seat with a lovely German lady sitting at the window seat.
So the moral of the story is, be prepared for anything when you fly.
Bye for now.
I think some info on my flights home may help someone flying out of Nice and connecting back to the US.
We had the 6:40 AirFrance out of Nice, we had the taxi drop us off just before 5AM because I knew the booths wouldn't open until 5:00AM and I was right. At the desk I asked the clerk if she could book my luggage on my Lufthansa flight out of CDG through FRA to LAX. She looked surprised like no one had ever asked that before and after talking it over with her supervisor she did. I checked the tags on the baggage like I have learned to do and it did say LAX at the end, so I mentally waved goodbye to my bags as they disappeared behind the flap on their little conveyor belt. I got a bit worried later though when I wondered why she looked surprised at the question.
She didn't weigh the luggage and we sat in the empty lounge even before the shops opened. It is amusing to watch all our fellow passengers sitting dazed in the still dark airport.
Flight to CDG was fine but there I had to transfer to Terminal 2, no one seemed to be able to point me in the direction of a shuttle to get there. I literally asked about 4 or 5 agents and they all gave me different answers and I kept going in and out of exits on their directions. I finally found one man who told me the shuttle only leaves from a certain exit way down the hall so I toddled off, thankfully without luggage. It was now about 9:00 and I had an 11:45 flight so I wasn't very worried.
I saw a shuttle w/o any signs lit up on it and asked the driver "terminal 2?" he said oui so I got on, there was one young man sitting there too. The bus pulls away and goes out of the airport and on a little freeway, oh no. I sat there, what else could I do and thankfully the bus came back into the airport and drove by the hotels. He drove a bit further and parked under what looked like a dreary concrete parking structure so I sat there. The young man jumped off and the driver sat there like a stone. The young guy popped his head back in and said you want terminal 2? I said yes and he said this is it. Really? oh thanks. He asked where I was from and I said Los Angeles, he lit up and said he wants to go to Hollywood, told me his name, pointed me in the right direction and waved goodbye.
I stood in a very very long line for Lufthansa to check in and then had a horrible ham and cheese sandwich downstairs. When I got to the "satellite" it was very crowded and after an hour or so I could tell that nothing was happening plane-wise.
I went over to the desk, no one else was in line, and asked about my flight, the clerk said all flights were delayed, especially out of FRA so I would have to wait. I told him I would miss my connection to LAX and he kindly put me on an earlier flight out, he started punching keys on his computer and said you have one bag? I said no two and he looked concerned and said don't worry we will find your other bag and get it on this plane with you. Egads. That flight did board shortly after this but I cant remember the time and the pilot came on and said we were waiting for a last minute passenger's bags to be boarded, which was me, sorry about that. I did feel a few eyes turn to me because that flight was well over two hours late leaving and the passengers had bonded in their wait time.
We arrived Frankfort at 1:41 and the flight to LA was sked to leave at 2:00
I literally had to run to get to my connecting flight. I was running along with four East Indian men who said they were on my flight. One was the leader of our pack and he frantically led us down the corridors. Thank goodness I had on running shoes. All of a sudden we lost track of the signs for our gate. The leader pushed some buttons on an elevator and then we all ran down a stairwell when the elevator didn't come. No, downstairs was wrong.
We ran along like the Keystone Kops. I went to an employee walking along and asked her with the Indians talking nonstop behind me. She told us to go back upstairs so I pushed the buttons on the elevator which had followed us down. The men were now screaming at me that I pushed the wrong button. My nerves at this point were now shot as they say. The elevator doors opened and the men all ran the other way down the hall, I yelled after them but had to let them go and I ran the other way. I bumped into one of the Indians who had used the stairs and he said they were going to Dubai. I said you told me you were going to LA and he shrugged and ran off. What the heck?!
I went through a few passport checks, a body search where I left my jacket on the xray and the clerk had to run after me to give it to me. I was told to take anything liquid out of my purse and put it into a bag, my lipsticks too. I had just paid so much for my chanels that I thought I would risk international security and hide one of them on the bottom of my bag, so I did. I took out one sacrificial lipstick and makeup but they just put it all through security in the little baggie.
When I got to the gate there was only one employee standing there, everyone else was on the plane. I actually ran down the tube and jumped onto the plane. As soon as I entered, the captain said "boarding complete" and the doors were shut. Glares at me as I found out later they waited over a hlf hour for me to explore their airport with the Indian men.
I was sweating like a whatever as I had done all of this while wearing all my heavy clothes that I didn't want to pack!
I sat down and it took me a long time to catch my breath. It was a nice flight to LA and I sat next to an empty seat with a lovely German lady sitting at the window seat.
So the moral of the story is, be prepared for anything when you fly.
Bye for now.
Oct 28th, 2006, 07:23 PM
#43
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Thank GAWD you were wearing running shoes! I think I better do that the next time I have connecting flights.
I'm glad you at least got on your plane. Last year I had a similar helluva time getting out of Rio--got stranded in Rio for 2 days, then when I got out, got stranded in Sao Paulo because Delta would not let me board the plane. The original airline (Varig) quickly admitted their fault and put me up in a brand new hotel for the night. That whole ordeal made me 2 days late for work....at my new job!!
I'm so glad your flight to LAX was good, at least! That was a very nice report and I'm hoping to meet up with you again in my travels. (I think I'm supposed to be in LA next June.)
I'm glad you at least got on your plane. Last year I had a similar helluva time getting out of Rio--got stranded in Rio for 2 days, then when I got out, got stranded in Sao Paulo because Delta would not let me board the plane. The original airline (Varig) quickly admitted their fault and put me up in a brand new hotel for the night. That whole ordeal made me 2 days late for work....at my new job!!
I'm so glad your flight to LAX was good, at least! That was a very nice report and I'm hoping to meet up with you again in my travels. (I think I'm supposed to be in LA next June.)
Oct 29th, 2006, 08:15 AM
#44
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Melissa, yes, three flights in one day is too much, imho. If connections are too tight it is a hectic way to end a nice trip. And who can account for bad weather delays!
Yes, hope to see you in June!
Yes, hope to see you in June!
Oct 29th, 2006, 10:30 AM
#46
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WHEW ... I got an extra hours sleep last night (day light savings time) and I am still exhausted by that marathon run.
Isn't amazing how many workers, airport, train stations, department stores, etc.. know absolutely nothing about anything at their work place. It must be wonderful to go to work every day and be surprised constantly. Last week I asked a young girl at Target where a certain section was .... she looked at me as if I asked her how to get a VAT refund
The important thing is that you and you running shoes made it and lived to tell the tale.
Yes, I promise that there will be a trip report of our Holiday stay - a report of perfect connections, luggage sitting there just waiting to be picked up, cold, but not miserable weather, and wonderful Holiday lights and food.
Nina
Isn't amazing how many workers, airport, train stations, department stores, etc.. know absolutely nothing about anything at their work place. It must be wonderful to go to work every day and be surprised constantly. Last week I asked a young girl at Target where a certain section was .... she looked at me as if I asked her how to get a VAT refund
The important thing is that you and you running shoes made it and lived to tell the tale.
Yes, I promise that there will be a trip report of our Holiday stay - a report of perfect connections, luggage sitting there just waiting to be picked up, cold, but not miserable weather, and wonderful Holiday lights and food.
Nina
Oct 29th, 2006, 03:39 PM
#47
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Raspail! slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch......
Seriously have a wonderful time in Paris and be sure and report afterwards, I know I love reading trip reports and various takes on things. Try Sip Babylon!
Nina, you too!! I love your statement "go to work every day and be constantly surprised". Pretty much says it all.
Seriously have a wonderful time in Paris and be sure and report afterwards, I know I love reading trip reports and various takes on things. Try Sip Babylon!
Nina, you too!! I love your statement "go to work every day and be constantly surprised". Pretty much says it all.
Nov 2nd, 2006, 09:39 PM
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Sea Urchin,
I know the run you did -- we did it with the kids. It was really stressful. Some people looked kind of mad at us when we boarded so late but then they saw the kids, and that seemed to calm everyone down. One couple got up and gave two of them their seats so they could be near us (very kind, and not at all asked for).
I know the run you did -- we did it with the kids. It was really stressful. Some people looked kind of mad at us when we boarded so late but then they saw the kids, and that seemed to calm everyone down. One couple got up and gave two of them their seats so they could be near us (very kind, and not at all asked for).
Feb 14th, 2007, 11:21 AM
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SeaUrchin - What lovely photos. I love the way you shot Notre Dame through the trees. Later on I plan on looking at your Florence/Rome photos as well. It will surely inspire me for my April/May trip to Italy and Paris. Great report as well.
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