The travel begins

Some of you may remember that my summer turned into a very busy travel and conference season. The Big Trip has now started - a trip to England, France and Switzerland (England and France to see friends and family and because we planned on doing this trip after I finished my dissertation but didn't have time then, 'cause I was starting a job or something, Switzerland for a conference).

We flew to London-Heathrow arriving about 6 am Monday morning, spent time finding out my English money is so old they don't accept it anymore and we didn't have any new money, and making our way to Victoria Station where we met my mom (also visiting) and took the cell phone she loaned us so we can be in contact with our realtor 'cause our IL house is up for sale. We had lunch together, then walked to Hyde Park (all realizing this was the middle of the night for us), and slept under a tree for an hour and a half.

Made it to St. Pancras in time for our Chunnel to Paris, but didn't realize we had to exchange our vouchers for tickets, and held up the security line with all our luggage. The Chunnel ride was lovely (we were 22 minutes underwater), and then we arrived in Paris and realized the only machine to sell us Metro tickets only took change and credit and didn't accept our credit and we only had 40 Euro (a wedding present from 4 years ago from my French host parents) in bills. A random guy helped us out, but may have shortchanged us, but we didn't care by this point.

We took the metro to the neighborhood of my parents' friends' apartment, made it there by about 11 pm (having been traveling with short naps for about 36 hours), got the neighbor to let us in. Had a shower, and crashed into bed. Thank god.

Now we've been up long enough to make it down to the guichet automatique (for money), and the boulangerie (for croissants), and ate breakfast on one of the 3 balconies. And took this picture from one of the other balconies. Nice view....

So we have the Internetz here, but will be busy sight-seeing for a few days. I think I have a few posts scheduled in the interim, but can't remember. Then off to Switzerland on Friday, with uncertain internet access again. So posting will be sporadic, but you can be secure in the knowledge we are having fun and spending vast quantities of money because the exchange rate is so bad.

A bientot!