Eiffel In Love
Bonjour!!
Back again! Wow, I cannot believe how fast the rest of abroad flew by, I barely had anytime to breathe, let alone write a blog post. It's so crazy to think I was in Europe just two months ago.
I guess I'll pick up where I left off....Paris, France.
Sadly, I will not be experiencing this historic city with my OG travel buddies, Caroline and Kerry, because they have already been...#RUDE! But not to worry, I am not tackling this French endeavor alone. A friend from SVC, the same girl I traveled Scotland with, and I were ready to conquer France! My time in Europe was quickly slipping away and I knew I would regret it if I left abroad without seeing Paris.
As I began packing for my next excursion I receive a call from my cousin, who informed me that Notre Dame was on fire. She's not a worrier, but she insisted I check the news to make sure it was still safe to go. I receive a couple texts from family members back in the States to ask if I thought it was still sage or if I had any info, which I didn't. A bit conflicted whether I should go or not, I pack my bag, get a couple hours of sleep and off I go to meet my friend in Charles De Galle Airport. If you have forgotten...I'M ABROAD, so nothing can stop me.
I arrive at the airport, where Casey has been waiting for me for an hour or so. Before we arrived, we had planned on meeting in Terminal 1, but we have a small change of plans since she has flown in to terminal 2. Casey reports she is in terminal 2B, so I hop on the bus, get a bit turned around but make it to terminal 2. After walking around the terminal for about 30 minuets I am so VERY lost. I have made it to the train station, the food courts, all the different check-in kiosks but no terminal 2B? I stop a local Parisian woman and asked for directions to terminal 2B. She looks at me puzzled and says, "we don't have a terminal 2B in service". Just my luck!! Somehow, by the good grace of God I find Casey! Amen!! Oh boy, the travel mayhem has already begun, and we've only been in France for an hour.
Casey and I are ready to tackle Paris, so head off to the train station which is beneath the airport. Obviously, we don't know French and all the transportation information is in French and all look similar. One thing is for sure, we have learned how to problem solve while being abroad! Finally, we find our train and determine which stop we should hop off at to get to our Airbnb. At about 11pm we arrive to our cute, one-bedroom studio, complete with white walls and light blue accents. We're exhausted so decide to stay in for the night and get up early to take the hop-on, hop-off tour in the morning.
The morning comes quickly, and we hustle to get ready, so we can get the early tour bus. We hit another speed bump while we try to figure out how to work the Airbnb key lock box. As we are standing in the small courtyard fussing with the key box we see a large French man standing over us in the vacant apartment next to us. Slight panic sets in but the adrenaline forced the pertinacity key lock box open. Just in time, Casey and I sneak out the courtyard and make it to the streets of Paris. Yikes, France has already been an adventure and we've been here for less than 10 hours.
Off to the hop-on, hop-off tour where we see all the magnificent sites Paris has to offer: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triumph and everything in between. Casey and I have a full-on photo shoot while at the sites because, we may never be back!
The day passes by quickly and we, meaning Casey, decides that we should climb the Eiffel Tower. Of course, I know I am terrified of heights, yet I still decide yeahhhh sureee why not, I can handle it. Man was I wrong!? By this time, it's dark out and the lights to the Eiffel Tower are periodically lighting up, so pretty but I'm a bit side tracked FREAKING out.
We climb up maybe 20 stairs and I clamp up. I can't move. I am literally freaking out. Shout out to Casey for dragging me up the stairs. Finally, I can see the landing!!! We've made it to the second floor.....or so I thought. I see the landing and crawl on all fours to reach the tables at the center of the Eiffel Tower. For some reason my automatic response to having a fear of heights is to get as close to the ground as possible. Unsure if other people react this way, but I'm in a full-blown army crawl trying to reach safety when Casey says, "You ready to go to the second floor?" UHM WHAT!! THERE'S A WHOLE NOTHER FLIGHT?!! That's a hard no. I grab a seat in the center of the Eiffel Tower, knees still locked, pretty sure fully sweat through my shirt at this point. God love Casey, because she marched her way right up to the second floor all by herself while I sat trembling in the middle of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, LOL.
As I'm sitting there, I hear soft sobs coming from a table next to me. We all know I'm not great with emotions and I'm still freaking out about the fact I am in the middle of the Eiffel Tower like 9 billion feet in the air. But, somehow, I manage to make may way over to the crying 15-year-old girl. I later find out her sister and cousin dragged her up the Eiffel Tower even though she's terrified of heights. We bond over our traveling and fear of heights and have a good chat about Germany, her home country. I think my favorite part of abroad is moments like this. Getting to meet people in ways you never would at home.
Finally, Casey makes it down from the second floor and we begin our decent to the ground. I swear I looked like one of the pilgrims coming off the ship kissing the ground when my feet meet the solid ground. HA! Paris, you challenged me and showed me history, class and a unique culture.
I'll be back someday...but I think I will admire the Eiffel Tower from the group.
PQTH,
HAN
