God: The Ultimate Travel Partner

God has a funny way of revealing himself.  After waiting out the one hour delay for my flight to Paris, I was finally aboard and settled on the plane to my "final destination."  Fortunately, the sit directly beside me was left open and I was able to stretch out across two chairs the entire 6 hours and 43 minutes of the trip.  I read about a quarter of the novel I am currently reading, "Eat, Pray, Love" which so far I highly recommend,  watched "Chocolat," a film starring Johnny Depp that tells a story about a woman opening up a chocolate shop in a very close-minded village in France (typical, yes I know), and slept a total of 3 hours after my fabulous dinner of prepackaged chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans.  Luckily, I had previewed enough money to by a small bottle of red wine and that a somewhat edible brownie was served for dessert.

Arriving in Paris, it was a current 54°F (which according to Benoît is perfect t-shirt weather in France) and we had arrived an hour behind schedule.  I started to stress ever so slightly when I realized that I had exactly an hour and a half to get myself off the plane, pass through customs, find my other 80 lbs. of luggage, take the airport shuttle to the train station (with 100 lbs. of luggage), and find my platform.  I firmly believe God heard my plea for help with every Hail Mary I prayed silently that morning.  Here are the blessed events that followed:

1) Mexican man (sumbraro and all) helped me load and unload my heavy carry-on bag to and from the overhead compartment
2) With it still being close to 9 in the morning, passing through customs only took a total of 20 minutes (I find that the French are not very strict and do not really care what your reasons are for being there, as long as you are boosting their economy and abusing the benefits of their health and social security system)
3) Now this never happens.  First two bags to neatly fall on the luggage belt...were mine, fully zipped, upright and ready to go!
4) Time check: 10am.  28 minutes to grab the shuttle and arrive at the train station
5) I grab a luggage cart and sprint to the elevator... Hail Mary fully of grace...
6) While boarding the shuttle, a nice Arab couple saw me struggling and helped me to load my bags.
7) Things were going ever too smoothly when the electric shuttle broke down, two stops away from the station.  It is now 10:15 whenever the shuttle starts up and running again.
8)  Arrive at the train station.  I have 8 minutes to drag my tired self and luggage down two flights of escalators and onto the platform.
9) "Veillez-vous un coup de main?" Music to my ears.  A nice, older Frenchman asking if I need help!  They do exist!  They do exist!
10) I make it to my platform the same time the train does and successfully throw my luggage on board with the help of another nice Frenchman who strategically places it in the doorway and behind a chair because there is no place to be had for even another small purse.

The trains were packed and completely full that day due to "La fête de la Bastille" (Bastille Day).  If I would have missed my train.  I would have been stuck in Paris until the following day.  Phew.

The festivities going on for Bastille Day were not the only fireworks I saw that day :) Arriving in Nantes,  Benoit had met me on the platform, dressed in a white dress shirt and jeans with 3 red roses in hand.  "Il fallait que j'ai mise un an, mais enfin, je suis bien arrivée."  (It took me a year, but finally, I'm here).

Well I promised Benoit that I would meet him for lunch (One of the great things about the French lifestyle is that they get at least an hour and half for lunch during their work day).  I am going to stop by a boulangerie (bakery) and pick up some sandwiches.

I love you and much more to come!