Atlantic Rollers

Back-blip 3 of 4

A very successful meeting with our French, German and Spanish colleagues concluded with a fine lunch at our very impressive 16th Century Basque-style farmhouse-converted hotel. We had an hour before our flight so we popped into Biarritz where the surf was up and the sun providing 20 degrees of autumn sunshine. This is the view looking south towards the Pyrenees and the Spanish border.

If we thought the journey out was eventful, the trip back home nearly didn't happen. We got to Biarritz airport in good time and arrived at Orly without a hitch. We got to the to the train and found our platform for the connection to Charles de Gaulle just fine, all going to plan. Having got on the next train we weren't clear whether we had to change again for the airport or stay on board so I struck up a Franglais discussion with a young Frenchman who very helpfully pointed out that we need to change a few stops along the line.

It wasn't much later when an announcement came over the PA system, in French of course, the summary translation of which was that everyone had to get off at the next station - a problem on the line it appears. Uh oh. While we had a little contingency in our timings it wasn't a lot. To make matters worse the next station was the Gare du Nord, one of the main stations and it was jam-packed.

We stayed with the hoards waiting for some clues as to what to do next and along came the next announcement en Francais. The Frenchman we'd spoken to on the train spotted us and said that we'd have to find a bus, follow me he said. What choice did we have, we didn't know the area at all and didn't have time to find a taxi - if any were left with everyone having beaten us to the exits. Luckily our friend knew exactly where to go and we were soon on a bus. A slow bus, stopping at every opportunity, plus the traffic was pretty bad at least initially.

Time was now getting really tight, confirmed by the estimated time of arrived on the digital display in the bus. We were discussing Plan B options, overnight stay, later flight etc. when the French lady next to me, in excellent English, confirmed that she was going to the same terminal and was also tight for time. She suggested that we could get off in a couple of stops and catch a taxi from the nearby rank. Fleeling slightly less anxious now we sat back and awaited for the designated stop but, guess what, not a single taxi in sight! Plan B back on the agenda.

The lady, getting increasing worried about missing her flight, strode down to the driver, had a brief conversation and soon we were increasing speed, taking little time at stops and improving our ETA by the minute. She was first to get off bus and immediately dashed into the terminal while we looped around the airport one way system to our stop. Finally.

Well, not quite. While we had checked in prior to our first flight we still had to go through security, which turned out to be relatively quiet thank goodness, but also to catch a train to our gate. we eventually arrive with about 20 minutes to spare and even had time for a natural break before boarding. By a majority decision of 2-0 we will never be using this route to get to Biarritz again!

By the time I got back to Bristol from Birmingham airport is was 11:20 and the end of another exciting travelling experience.