Leg 9 · France · complete
Eurostar Plus back to Paris, one last chocolate and dinner, a night at the airport, and a two-hour security line that proved the plan right.
“I felt like I'd gotten what I needed for my soul, in so many ways.”
The Eurostar took me back to Paris, where it all began, for one last evening before the flight home. The leg was about getting home well, and it worked. It was also the last chance to sit still and take it all in.
Jet lag coming home wasn’t bad. I woke at 4 or 5 a.m. regularly and was in bed by 8:30 or 9 p.m. for a couple of days, but it didn’t affect my days, and within two or three days I was back on my normal schedule.
Front table, last night.
Eurostar Plus from St Pancras was money well spent. The seat alone was worth it for the extra space, especially traveling on my own, the meal was a perfect snack for the journey, and the wine was really good.
The train took me back to the last time I was in Europe, on business, when I also rode the train into Paris. That trip was with Jive too, so coming straight off seeing Mustafa, I found myself remembering all the great experiences from my eight years there. It was a good time to reflect on this trip as well, and how amazing it had been.
Arriving at the Gare du Nord put me right back into rally mode. I needed to store my luggage, I wanted to go back to the chocolate shop, and I had to eat dinner before heading out to the hotel. But walking out of the station instantly took me back to arriving in Paris that last time, and the hairs on my neck stood up.
I left my bags at Stow Your Bags by the station and went back to Alain Ducasse's chocolate shop in Abbesses, where the Montmartre food tour had taken me at the start of the trip. I asked about the spread, and they told me it counts as a liquid. I wasn't checking a bag, so I passed on replacing it, but I did bring home a few chocolate bars.
Dinner at Les Chenapans was perfect. It was on the way back to the station, and I sat at the front table outside, watching everyone bustling past. It was another moment to reflect, with the comfort of having nowhere to be and nothing I had to do, while still being able to relate to all the people on the go. Onion soup and steak: probably my favorite meal of Paris, and it felt fitting that it came on the last night, as a temptation to come back someday.
My last real meal of the trip was bittersweet. But sitting there with my wine, just soaking it all in, was freeing. It validated the whole trip, and in that moment I felt very blessed. Then the RER B out to the Hilton at CDG.
Planned: Eurostar Plus 12:31 · RER B to CDG · Hilton Skylight dinner
Not everything is better in Europe.
The night at the airport Hilton was definitely a good move, because the security line at CDG was crazy. The passport scanners kept malfunctioning and they had to reboot the system a few times, so it took about two hours to get through. Our flight was delayed while people who'd missed their flights because of the line were moved around. I was really glad I got there three hours ahead, because I still had time to enjoy the lounge.
It was more annoying than anything. I really like efficiency, and the whole thing felt like a serious lack of planning for how to keep people moving. At points I couldn't help laughing at how uncoordinated it was. Sadly, it reminded me of regular security at so many American airports, so I took some comfort in seeing that Europe doesn't get everything right either.
The Charlotte connection was fine. I have Global Entry, which is nice, but even the regular line was moving smoothly, and I was through customs very quickly.
On the plane home I was texting with Adin, my oldest son, about a ride from the airport. He'd driven me to the airport at the start, too. He was working and wasn't sure he could make it, but he got off in time, and seeing him really softened the landing. He lives with me, so we usually see each other every day, and 28 days apart was hard. Having him be the first person I saw felt really good. He'd cleaned things up before I got home, so I didn't have much to worry about that night. I could relax, catch up, and get some sleep.
I definitely feel different being back, but I can't put my finger on what it is. I'm always looking to grow in some way, and international travel can fast-forward some of that growth through all the different experiences. So maybe that's it: I expected to feel different, but the areas that fast-forwarded were so varied that it's hard to name just one or two.
Planned: CDGVAL to T2 · AA 787 CDG→CLT · AA 2873 CLT→PDX
Ate hereVisitedPhoto spot
2. Ate here · Sun, Oct 4
Onion soup and steak for the last dinner in Europe.
Open in Google Maps ↗Arrival: Eurostar Plus St Pancras→Gare du Nord, RER B to Roissypole
Hilton Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport · Roissypole · 1 night
Definitely a good move. It made the next morning really convenient, which mattered when security took two hours.