Gettig to Taize

Wednesday 14-May-2010

Its Bastille Day so we are leaving town.  Got up very very early.   At 6am the feellow arrived at the flat to get the key and return our deposit.  We had 45 minutes to make our train.  Wheels wabbling as we dragged our suitcases to the subway we ran only to discover that our metro tickets were no longer valid.  As I approached the window, tman inside said "Don't speak english" and closed the window and disappeard into a side room.  Tried the vending machine but it only took coins and who knows hat ticket we needed and we still needed that man to open the gate so we coud get our bags through.

 Wherewas the Germans have a very simple system with ticket inspectors and fine to enforce through fear the holding of a valid ticket, the French have a turnstyle with a extra full body height gate piece to stp you jumping over the turn style and this makes it very hard to get bags through.

Gave up.  Marcus and I ran back to a hotel we had passed and comdeered two taxis.  Drove back picked up the rest of the family and the mountain of luggage.  Full speed to the trtain station.  Arrived in the nick of time.
Found our patform and boarded the train.  TGV first class this time.  (Only because it was a 18eu special upgrade from second class for the entire family).

We had to cange trains.  Interestingly at some deserted railway station in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere.  Who do we chat to on the platform but some more Aussies.

Then on to Maccon (I think) then a couple of hours wait.  Then a bus to Taize.

And the rest will have to wait till after lunch.

Bye