Circle of Hell #1: Cancelled trains in foreign countries
It all began on Saturday the 18th, when Julia and I decided to take advantage of the cheap Saar-Lor-Lux ticket to go to Saarbrucken, Germany for the day to check out another Christmas market. We caught our train in the afternoon and a couple hours later we were wandering the slippery, snowy streets of the capital of the Saarland region. We had a nice time checking out the decorated wooden huts and bought a few handcrafted wooden ornaments, drank hot chocolate, ate tasty delicacies and hung out in a cafe to warm up our feet. (Unfortunately neither of us were wearing very functional boots). Before we left we got to listen to 6 accordionists playing advent music in the church, beautiful!
We headed back to the train station to catch our train to Metz, and were looking up at the board to find what platform to go to. Instead of a number, it simply said "Zug fällt aus". Now, I admit my German is a bit rusty, and I wasn't quite sure of the meaning, but I knew it wasn't good. Julia and I headed into a newsstand and I asked the girl if she spoke English. She said a bit, and I asked what "ausfallen" meant. "To fall out?" she said, unsure. Nope, the train definitely did not fall out. I asked her to pass me one of the dictionaries she had behind her. Apprehensively I looked up the verb: "to break down" (for machinery). Shit. Broken train? We went up to the info desk to find out more. Nope, the train definitely was not running, and it was the last one of the day. Any busses? Nope. Best we could do was take a taxi. SHIIIT. We HAD to get back to Metz that night, it was imperative...I had a train to catch from Lorraine at 7:30 the next morning! We were panicky...as were other stranded French passengers. Everyone started talking to each other about the situation. Luckily we came across another couple who were trying to get back to Metz as well, so we banded together and went in search of a taxi. We managed to find one that would fit 6 people, and Julia and I climbed in while the French couple went to look for a couple more passengers that could split the cost with us (we discovered it was going to cost us 120 euros for the trip.) We waited for a long time (our taxi driver kept asking "Warum warten wir?" aka Why are we waiting?) when finally the couple came back with a younger man, who was extremely drunk. Peu d'importe, at least he had money. We were on the road, in the midst of snow and a Turkish driver who didn't know what it meant to drive carefully on slippery roads.
The trip took about an hour, and we chatted all the while with the very friendly couple. The woman remarked how amazing it was I spoke both French and German and thank god I did, since I was the only one in the car who could communicate with our driver. Indeed, as we got closer to Metz, I had the dude in the front seat yelling directions at me in French that I had to translate for the driver in German. Aie, talk about linguistic stress! All I can say it, thank god I know German, and thank god I know French. I completely butchered the grammar and I'm ashamed of what my German skills have been reduced to (I used to be quite good in university), but I could understand and I could be understood, despite the fact that I'm sure I sounded like a cavewoman to the Germans. In the end, we made it to Metz, (25 euros each poorer) and managed to catch our train to Nancy no problem. The nice couple even came with us to the train station to make sure it wasn't cancelled, having offered to drive us if it was. Awww!
Circle of Hell #2: Cancelled buses due to snow
To save time and hassle, I had booked my train ticket to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris from the Lorraine station, which is about 30km north of Nancy, instead of the Nancy station since trains only run to Gare d'Est. Certainly makes life easier when you're carrying luggage, and there's a very handy shuttle service that runs between the Nancy station and Lorraine. Win-Win everyone!
I was due to take the shuttle early on the 19th to catch my train to Paris and then my flight out. My one tandem, Anne-Laure, however, had warned me that it was due to snow on Saturday night and that I might want to make sure that the shuttle bus to the train station was running on Sunday morning. So sure enough I checked at the info desk at the train station, and the man said it was quite possible that the shuttle could be cancelled weather depending. So, how would I get to the station? Ah yes, a 60 euro taxi. Great. Thankfully, I have amazing friends, and I very apologetically asked my other tandem, Jean-Michel (the only person I know with a car) if he wouldn't mind driving me to the train station if the shuttles were cancelled. He was more than happy to oblige, and at 6am Sunday morning, in the snow, he picked me up outside the school. And thank god he did, because of course, the shuttles were cancelled. Dodged that bullet! I was extremely grateful, especially since I made him get up at 5am on his only day off and drive in unfavourable weather conditions. I did, however, give him money for gas, buy him breakfast at the station, and insist on taking him out for dinner when I got back. He's one of those refuse-y type people so I really had to push. Let me thank you, dammit!
Circle of Hell #3: Delayed trains (due to weather, again)
My train to Paris was delayed an hour due to snow. This weekend just keeps getting better and better...
Circle of Hell #4: Cancelled flight home
Luckily it didn't much matter my train was late arriving at the airport, since I had a good 5 hours before my scheduled flight. So I sat in the terminal, reading a book and sipping a ridiculously expensive coffee, and regularly checked the flight boards to find out when I could check in. Finally my flight came up, British Airways flight, 2:45, to London Heathrow. And there blinked the dreaded word: CANCELLED. Oh NOOOO. I KNEW this would happen! The ONE time my flight is cancelled, and it's when I'm trying to get home for Christmas. Panic-striken, I ran to the info booth to find out what to do next. I had to check with the BA check-in counter. As I made my way up there, I noticed a very long line snaking alllll the way down the terminal, hundreds of people. Please god, don't let this be the line I have to...SHIT. Everyone was lined up for the BA info desk. My heart dropped. That line was HOURS long. I happened to bump into a nice young man who was trying to get home to Edinburgh who was doing the same as me. He offered to stand in line together and we could each take turns going up to the actual check-in counter to get more info. So we made our way back to the beginning of the line, which took a long time considering it was so far back and the terminal was absolutely PACKED with people. As it turned out, all BA flights had been cancelled, and what was worse, Heathrow airport was closed due to weather. CLOSED, one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. Aiieeee...the Scottish guy went up first, his flight had been rerouted to Paris since it couldn't land in London, and he would have to go talk to AirFrance about getting a flight home to Edinburgh. Then it was my turn. I was given a number I could call and was told there was no way I was getting out of Paris today, at least not to London. There were already thousands of people stranded there, and they were the priority. Best I could do was wait in the lineup to get my ticket changed or cancelled. I was heartbroken and miserable. What if I couldn't make it home for Christmas? The backlog of people in London was astronomical. I frantically called and texted mum and dad and Alex over the course of the day to get info and give updates. They looked into other flights for me but there was nothing. I even left my luggage in the BA line with some people and got in the Air Canada line to talk to someone about possible direct flights. There were none and the waiting list was 20 people long, although I did get a free chocolate croissant for waiting.
The line snaked on and on. I heard someone say it would be a 4 hour wait. 4 hours came and went. My back ached from standing, I was anxious and stressed and tired. I couldn't eat or read or do anything but stand and wait, and chat a bit with the people around me, all in similar situations. Another hour passed, and another. Finally a BA employee came around with info sheets on how to rebook if we didn't get to talk to someone today, and a reimbursement package info sheet. 200 pounds a night for hotel, 50 for transport and 20 for food. Luckily I had texted Jean-Mi about my cancellation, and he came to my rescue again and said a good friend of his lived in Paris and she would be happy to welcome me for the night. At least I knew I had a place to stay, and I was utterly grateful. More waiting and waiting, and FINALLY I was at the front of the line! By this point, I had been in the airport for almost 12 hours, and 10 of those I had been standing in line. The entire time I had been desperately hoping that I would get home before Christmas, as I had no plans and nowhere to stay but my own apartment in Nancy, all alone, if I didn't. I waited anxiously at the counter as the employee searched for tickets. "Tomorrow, 12:00 from Paris Orly to Washington, then Washington to Toronto." TOMORROW!!! I WAS GOING HOME!!! I could have kissed him, I was so happy! I thought it would be Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest, but here I was with a next day flight! Excitedly I called my parents and Alex to tell them the news, and called Jean-Mi's friend Marina to let her know I would be taking a taxi to her place (thanks to BA). I was exhausted, but extremely relieved. Marina and her roommates, who live in an apartment on the top floor of what used to be a hospital in the 5eme arrondissement, were extremely friendly and welcoming, and even fed me and made me feel right at home. I was so, so grateful, and couldn't express my gratitude enough. But as everyone kept telling me, "if we were in your shoes, we would want the same". Thank god for wonderful people.
The next morning I caught a taxi to Orly airport, which took over an hour because of the weather (snowing, again.)
Circle of Hell #5: Delayed flights (um, yeah...weather)
I waited in line (again), at least it was only a couple of hours this time. Orly had closed its runways due to snow and no planes had taken off, as they were trying to clear the runways of snow. Stupid wimpy Europeans, they really ought to come to Canada and take a good look at what a REAL winter is! I made it through check-in and was given an invite to one of the private lounges, up past security and through locked doors. Of course it was packed with the people on my flight and they had destroyed the free food and drinks, and had taken up all the seating. But I grabbed a Fanta and waited on the floor like everyone else. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting to hear when we could board. After about 3 hours, we finally got the announcement: we were boarding! A cheer went through the room, and I was very grateful that my flight to Toronto wasn't until 8:30 pm, which meant even though we would arrive 3 hours late, I would still have 2 hours to catch my flight. We had to wait awhile longer to catch a bus to our plane, which, turned out, was a BUSINESS JET!!! Yep, Open Skies airlines (run by BA) was a business class flight company, and they had pulled it out just for us! It was, by far, the BEST overseas flight I've ever had (and I've had about 10 by this point). There were only about 60 of us on the flight, the seats were huge, the legroom enormous, full reclining chairs, a personal entertainment player, nice pillows, blankets, socks, eyemask, earplus, toothbrush and toothpaste, full service (took advantage of the wine), 3 course meal with silverware, no bathroom lineups...now THIS is how you fly!
Circle of Hell #6:
To my American family and friends: I love you. You are great. I even love some parts of your country that I've visited. However, I HATE security in your country, and it makes me never, ever want to travel there. My apologies. It took FOREVER to get through customs (oh god, the questions! And what's this with retinal scanning and fingerprinting everyone?!), and such hostility and aggression, geeez! I had limited time to get to my flight, and still had to get my bag off the carousel and recheck it. Then there was security. So much shouting and lines and screens telling you what to do, uuuugh. Plus I had completely forgotten to take my Swiss Army Knife off of my keychain (how did that get through security in Paris? They even handsearched my carryon after it went through screening!), which I had to throw out. I had to take off my shoes and every piece of jewellry I was wearing (which is normally a lot) then stand in that stupid backscatter xray machine with my legs apart and hands over my head like I was being arrested (either that or face the sexual-harassment patdown, leaving no territory uncharted...) I'm sorry America, I love you sometimes, but that day, I sure as hell HATED you.
Circle of Hell #7: Lost baggage
Flight from Washington to Toronto: uneventful. Upon arriving: oh what's that? You lost my suitcase? Of course you did. Icing on the cake to a terrific fucking journey to get back to this godforsaken continent. Thank you United Airlines. Thank you so much for cramming me on your ridiculously small plane, misplacing my baggage, making me (and my dad and Alex) wait forever, fill out paperwork, and make me stand in yet another line. Oh great, you'll get it to me by tomorrow or Wednesday. Well, guess Alex's family won't be getting their gifts until after Christmas. Thank you. GO TO HELL!
(I did receive my luggage, 48 hours later, at my house in London: unharmed and nothing broken at least.)
Thus concludes my ridiculously long and tiring travel weekend. Sorry for the long post. In spite of everything that happened, someone must have been looking out for me, because unlike some unfortunate travellers, I made it home only 24 hours after my scheduled flight, I didn't have to sleep in an airport, and I didn't miss any connecting flights. And I am, as I've mentioned, extremely grateful to everyone who helped bring me home. Thank you.
Merry Christmas!
Oh no! This makes every transportation problem I've ever had seem like no big deal. I'm glad you ended up making it home, I can't believe all that only cause a 24-hour delay.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool that you live in London, I grew up there but have never met anyone else who's been there. Hope your trip back to France went better!