Three out of four flights and I’ve finally made it to France!!!

I am currently sitting in the Orly airport enjoying free wi-fi and waiting for the chance to drop off my bags. Apparently bag check in is much more efficient in France and you can’t check your bags in more than 90 minutes before your flight. Unlike San Francisco where bag check in ends 70 minutes before departure. I like the efficiency. I think. It means that I am currently waiting with all my bags and watching the clock as I really would like to freshen up in the bathroom – but there is no way I fit through the doorway with all my stuff. And yes it’s a lot of stuff. Even the Air France staff was a little taken aback.

I will confess – I do feel a bit ungainly sitting next to all of these put together and lovely French women. I’m in sweats I’ve been wearing for about 22 hours, have no make-up on and I’ve got all of this baggage. I REALLY need a shower! I smell like plane.

But I am surprisingly awake. Maybe not at my best, definitely struggling with my rusty French, but awake. Apparently two cocktails at the airport and two glasses of wine on the plane are conducive to actually sleeping. The empty middle seat in my row helped a lot too!

I was also surprised by customs – or the lack there of. Maybe I am just used to fling to London Heathrow where they are overly cautious. But they barely glanced at my passport. Didn’t even check my visa or look at my bags. The whole thing took about 30 minutes – 5 of which was waiting in line and the rest was waiting for my bags to be unloaded.

Well writing this post has killed about 20 minutes, about 50 to go. I’m going to go find something else to keep me busy so that awake status doesn’t change! Looking forward to finally arriving in Bordeaux.

A plus tard!