Trains, planes, and a REALLY long walk

Day 2 begins with some extra sleep (till 10am) and a French language lesson for Kim - who apparently has a GIFT for picking up languages and accents (Kelly is writing :-)). Uncle Harold took us to the neighborhood restaurant, La Monia, a two minute walk from their home. Our lunch was delicious! Check out the pictures! Uh... including the wait time and conversation, our lunch was a 3-hour ordeal. Surely conducted in the true European fashion.

(Kim writing now... note that some details have been highlighted to increase your comedic reading enjoyment. All things below are TRUE in their entirety but some moments of brilliance have been left out so as not to distract from the comedic nature of some events.)

We spent the next several hours packing and trying to book a hotel in Paris near the airport (so we would be close for our early morning flight to Italy). Ever try packing only a backpack for 10 days in Italy - to be carried by..... your own personal pack mule?.... not. Uncle H took us to the train station and sent us on our way... his last words being "this is the train you get on.... I think."

Uncle H to Kelly: "This is the train you should get on.... I think."
Kelly's response: "That's GREAT! thanks for dropping us off!"
Kim: "Thanks Uncle Harold." but then hesitates, glances around for signs that this is indeed the right train, while scanning the surroundings for mafia and/or possible pickpocket thieves while calculating the risk of getting on a train that i THINK will take me where I want to go.

Needless to say, we got on.

Ten minutes into the train ride we did indeed confirm that we were heading south. the clouds cleared and I saw the sun was on the left - (west) so we knew we were going the right way. the train ride was quick, peaceful and only slightly creepy. check out the only Frenchman who makes eye contact with strangers. Funny how he sat behind us AND we got him on Camera!

After this train we got on another train and we KNEW this one was the right one... overcrowded beyond belief, hot, no windows, and never have we have experienced such cacophony of body and/or food odors all in one place!

Got off the train and then entered the coordinates for our "walking distance" to the hotel. an hour, several neighborhoods, eight round-abouts, and an interstate later, we are finally here. Six minutes on gps really refers to DRIVING time, not walking time and does not take into account all the wrong turns we made because gps is also the thorn in my flesh right now. Blast these tiny European streets! Approaching the sign for our hotel felt like crossing a marathon finish line because... remember, we are our own personal pack mules as well and we were both carrying like 50 pounds on our backs.

- sigh -

The Lord is indeed good to us and looking back on the events of today... not sure either of us should be alive or have all 4 appendages intact. BUT we have a Savior who watches over even the steps of these two tourists AND has blessed us abundantly on the way.

Now we just hope that our taxi to the airport will indeed show up in 6 hours (5:30am) because the nice gentleman at the hotel counter only spoke French and Dutch. We smiled and nodded a lot and willed ourselves to understand each other. So.... we will, Lord willing, be flying to Italy tomorrow.... we think :)