Kristie's Paris Trip Blog...

[Kristie]

Holy COW… I mean really, if you’ve never had a “HOLY COW” moment, you’ll enjoy this bit-o-drama.

I had a great time in Paris on Doug’s first TOE to Paris, which just happened to be a 48-hour layover, unbeknownst to us, that’s not at all common. Paris layovers are typically 24-hour layovers and this just ended up to be like a fluke…WHOO HOO, lucky for me! Anyways, the trip over the pond was a good time, I was able to sit in biz elite and the A line took great care of me, talked to me quite a bit as I asked questions and even coming to ask me for the camera at which time, we realized the three pilots weren’t communicating too well because Doug already had the camera for someone to take landing photos. Doug was only able to take a 2 hour break because it was TOE in which it was his job to do most of the work, learning along the way. In fact, Doug had to do both takeoff and landing, because that’s what you do on an OE (operational experience) flight. OE is similar to any other type of “on the job training”. The Captain did most of the training and talking and even at one point said “I’m tired of talking, you look hungry…go eat” which was Doug’s clue to take a break. By then, I was sleeping about the best over the pond flight sleep I’ve ever had. I figure I must have felt really safe because I never really sleep that good on a plane. I was sleeping so good that Doug actually scared the crap out of me when he tried to wake me up. No joke! Haha

Later in the flight, as Doug was bringing ‘er in for a landing, it felt like his speed was a bit too fast and he coming down a bit too fast, I figured he was gonna bust the landing but in the end, he actually ended up greasing the landing and got a nice round of applause from both crew and passengers as a lot of international pilots aren’t able to do landings of a feather like that since they don’t typically get a chance to do a lot of landings and especially on their first overseas flight! The rule is that a pilot has to do 3 landings within 90 days…so that can be quite a time delay between landings. He got 2 thumbs up and a few high fives from the A line crew (flight attendants) and a lot of “now, that’s a landing, thanks!” from passengers leaving the plane. ME, I told him he did a really great landing and then I asked him out. Yea yea, I know we’re married but hey, what else do you say to someone that your horribly proud of at that moment? I’m such a jokester! Hahaha

Anyway, I had to take separate transportation from the crew, this time, since the crew has French work visas and are automatically shuttled to the hotel straight from the plane. The hotel (Novotel Tour Eiffel) is about 30 minutes via taxi or an hour via train/walk. By the time I got to the hotel (RER B and RER C trains), Doug was already in a deep sleep, so asleep that he didn’t even wake up as I kept knocking on the door. After about 10 minutes or so, I finally went down to the concierge and had him rung up on the phone and he finally let me in. By then, I was SO cranky, I too needed a nap. I mean, can you imagine taking an hour long train ride on your own, learning the system again, with train line swaps and all then walking about 15 minutes from the train/metro station to the hotel in drizzling rain…and then…your husband not even waking up while you bang on the hotel room door? The nerve...so a 3 hour nap did wonders for me and Doug and I were ready to go.

2nd wind coming up next...

[Kristie]

So, Doug tells me “Word is some of the DAL crews will meet up at the Airline Lounge at 6pm, but everyone has to bring a bottle of wine with them”. We start heading to the local Monoprix, which is a department store and grocery store in one and about 3 minutes from the Novotel. We pick up some wine, bread and cheese (cuz I said we needed to have food to go with the wine) and headed back to the hotel’s Airline Lounge (Crew Lounge as they call it). We walk in and there’s a Korean crew there but nobody else except Delta folks which has me puzzled because Continental, Korean Air and a few other airlines all stay at the Novotel. Do those crews do the slam-click even when overseas, I wonder?

There are about 6 other people in there by the time we get there. Pilots from the ATL and CVG flights and about 2 or 3 flight attendants…mostly a “sausage party” as Doug calls it. We sit there, taste testing the different wines and notice nobody has a wine over 3 euros total cost. I’d say this crew lounge time is a bit like a happy hour of sorts talking to the other crews from ATL, CVG, JFK and believe you me, if you don’t know some airline/airplane/aviation lingo, you’d probably get lost pretty fast because believe it or not, most of the conversation revolves around the flights, crew, passengers, handling of the plane, turbulence etc etc.

After all the wine is gone, those of us that remained there decided to go out for dinner. By then, it was at least 8pm (not even dark yet). The other F/O from our flight already has a French dining book in hand and has suggestion for dinner ready to go that is but a few blocks from the hotel. It’s called Oh! Duo.

Their food was fabulous, I had a goat cheese salad as a first course, Lápin (Rabbit) as the main course and an apple tartini along with café crème for dessert. The conversation (even though still mostly aviation talk) was fabulous and we had such a good time that we closed the place down and finally finished our dining experience at midnight.

Now, the other guys tell me that dinner occurrences like this don’t always happen, it just depends on how everyone clicks or what everyone’s schedule is like because again, layovers in CDG are typically 24 hours in which case most crews can’t even stay out till midnight because they have to be getting up at 8AM and as Doug is learning, sleep is really important before these flights.

At this point, the horror of my trip was only waiting in the wings and I had no idea what I was in for later. I was only concentrating on taking everything in and having some fun, meeting new people and getting to know how this whole overseas thing works.

3rd installment coming up...

[Kristie]

The 2nd day, The Captain and F/O decided they were going to go on a bike tour, so Doug decided to stick with me for the day and we walked around the Tour Eiffel area, got some food on the Rue Cler at the Café Du Marché restaurant and just milled around. Now, the Café Du Marché is on the Rue Cler which means it's right in tourist territory. the food is good, but not excellent like some of the other "outside the tourist area" restaurants are. I had a roast chicken that came with some great mashed potatoes. It seemed to early for wine, so we opted to just do water and get an espresso (they use Lavazza) as our "dessert".

We knew we would be meeting up with the guys again in the crew lounge, so we also stopped off at the Monoprix again for some more wine to not only fill Doug’s luggage but bring to the crew room as well. We were able to fit 9 new bottles of wine in Doug’s luggage and took 2 down to the crew room. We also again brought some bread, proscuitto, spicy Spanish chorizo and some goat cheese with Provence herbs mixed in (YUM!).

So we did the same crew style yappy hour again mostly talking about flights, aviation related stuff with a new set of crew. A part of that crew was also going to be on the CVG flight that the guys were flying, so it was good for the flight crew to meet some of the cabin crew ahead of time. We again hung out for a long period and then decided to go for some dinner.

This night, we went to a restaurant that Doug and I had already been to, on our previous travels to Paris. We actually ate at this restaurant on or around a holiday time because i remember it being the only restaurant we could find in the area that was open. It’s really an excellent restaurant called Le Bistro Champetre and has only price fixed menu’s that include 2 courses of either first course & main course or main course & dessert or 3 courses of first course, main course and dessert.

Because we were such a large group (9 of us including one female pilot even), they gave us a free Kir to start our dinner off (a Kir is an aperitif that mixes white wine with a small amount of liqueur). The dinner was absolutely to die for...every order we had was perfect. For 34 euros, I had escargot (snails in garlic, herb & olive oil sauce) for the first course, rack of lamb for the main course and café crème along with crème brulee as the dessert and the taste, consistency of the meal was impeccable. Doug’s other F/O decided to take on a dare and had a cooked Kidney dish. I even sampled it and it wasn’t that bad, just interesting. For dessert, everyone else had the crepe with grand Marnier (which is flambéed) and that was also delicious, after a taste of Doug’s. Our waiter also “gave” us a small cordial of champagne to go with our dessert.

Yes, the menu might have been a bit expensive but we’re talking at least $100 per person, probably more, for that same type of food, service and atmosphere over here in the US – easy!! And no, in my opinion, Ruth Chris’s is no match. It is one of those restaurants that I’ll always recommend to someone whose never been to Paris…as a first experience, you really must try this restaurant, they truly use the Parisian culinary arts…. highly highly recommended!

I had a great time hanging out with the various based DAL crews, trying many different types of wine and spending some quality time with the man in Paris. Most of the other crewmembers thought I was a flight attendant and that we were dating but not married. But honestly, they welcomed me with open arms when they found out I was traveling with him and not working the flight and I tried to stay in line with gratitude and friendship including understanding the basic aviation principles and conversations (even though I did stick my foot in my mouth but one time).

Anyway, I think I got along with everyone just fine and I think that’s why they might have been surprised that I wasn’t a flight attendant or pilot. My observation after the trip, is that maybe most pilot wives don’t travel overseas with their husbands or they don’t like to hang out with the rest of the crew because it seemed to me that they were a bit surprised that I was even hanging out with them. Might be a misconception on my part, but that was the basic feeling I got.

4th installment to follow...

[Kristie]

So we’re onto Day 3 and It’s time to get back to the States. I wake up at 5:30AM, figuring at least 1.5 hrs to get ready/packed up. The alarm was actually set for 6AM but I don’t much like it when the alarm goes off, so I get up early anyway. Figured if I give myself a head start since I really couldn’t sleep all that great (Novotel, nice hotel, just hard bed and hot room). Get up, get ready, head out the door at 7:30, figure giving myself at least a half hour head start to the train and the whole transportation ordeal.

I walk up to the Bir Hakim metro entrance, ask for “un billet to Charles de Gaulle” and start walking to the RER portion of the station. It’s a bit of a walk because Bir Hakim is known as the metro station and I’m not taking metro, I’m taking RER (regional train). Champs De Mar is the actual RER station, which is attached to Bir Hakim, but is about a 10-minute walk. I get to Champs De Mar and take a look at the TV screen. The TV screen shows what train is coming up when and at what station location on the platform. you need to meet the train at that particular station location because not all trains are long trains, some are short and only stop at one portion of the platform (if that makes any sense?).

Anyways, after looking at the RER map and determining, after about 5 minutes, that this probably isn’t the platform I need, I start walking down to the end of the platform to walk underneath and switch sides. I get to the end of the platform; see my destination station on a sign and figure, ok, now I know I’m doing the right thing and going in the right direction.

Get on the other side of the platform, next train comes up in about 5 minutes, hop on that, go a few stations down and get off at St. Michel/Notre Dame station. From there, I needed to change from the RER C to the RER B that goes directly to the Charles De Gaulle airport. I get on the RER B, we’re cruising along, I myself realize, dang, I’m making excellent time, I’m smirking, feeling pretty confident with myself and then somewhere in the middle there after the Chaletet Les Halles station (not EVEN at a station), the train comes to a dead stop.

Quirking my head, I’m thinking, “hmmmm this is odd”. Figure nothing to it really, not gonna start worrying. 5 minutes later, we’re still sitting there… 10 minutes later, still sitting there. It gets to about 15 minutes later and someone comes on the intercom (I figure it must be the train engineer haha) and says some gobbledygook that I can’t understand. Said it so fast, I couldn’t even get a single word and I’m not THAT bad with my French. So, no real movement from anyone on the train, figure maybe its no big deal – again, not wanting to worry myself.

Then, another 5 minutes go by, guy comes walking into the car talking to the people, I assume talking about what’s going on and I still can’t get a single word to comprehend in my head. People start getting a bit antsy; I figure NOW, ok, this isn’t good. Something’s up and start txt-messaging Doug about there being a possible problem. All of a sudden, the train starts going backwards…yea, BACKWARDS!!

Now I KNOW something’s just not right in the world, but still, not gonna panic quite yet because panicking will get me nowhere fast. As we get back to the Chalelet Les Halles station, everyone gets off the train, so I follow along asking around to see if anyone speaks English and can help me with figuring out what in the world is up…

So, I see other folks with luggage heading upstairs (probably to another train, I assume). Decide to follow thinking they probably know what the heck their doing whereas I’m just a wee bit lost at this point. I see a sign that shows another track heading to Charles De Gaulle and board it. Notice a TON of people on there with luggage. I figure ok, I’m in the right place, right time, everything is going to be a-ok. The new train i'm on goes down one more station to Paris Nord, and stops. We're waiting for it to depart and i'm still thinking everything is going to work out.

next...

[Kristie]

NOT…in a matter of seconds, another announcement comes on over the intercom, everyone starts gathering their things and getting off the train. That’s NOT a good sign - at all - and by now, I’m starting to get flustered, big time. I haven’t yet left the train as I’m a bit undecided on what to do. I start asking around again to see if anyone speaks English and no such luck - again. Then, the train siren sounds (typically meaning the train going to start moving again) and you hear this mob of people panicking saying in French “get off the train, now” or something to that nature (granted, I still can’t really understand what they’re saying). But seeing them all scramble tells me something is really REALLY wrong here and I need to get off the train ASAP.

I’m thinking, ok, are they striking? Was there a strike planned? What is it? So I get off the train as fast as I can, and stand there for a minute a bit stunned actually trying to figure out what’s going on and/or what to do. I text message Doug again and tell him something really is up, I’m in trouble. I practically started crying but I just KNEW if I broke down right then, right there, I would no doubt miss the flight and then I’d really be upset...I don’t need that. He texts me back, advises to find information and talk to them. Good idea. So, I gather up my flailing emotional self, take a few deep breaths and repeat to myself that my main objective is to get to the airport ASAP, any way possible. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO WORK THRU THIS.

So I head upstairs bag in tow looking for the information booth. By now, I’m hot and sweaty, I’m emotionally drained, I’m absolutely frantic and my arm is starting to hurt from lugging this bag up flight after flight of stairs – no, not all Paris stations have escalators or elevators. I don’t see an information booth anywhere and Doug keeps text messaging me for updates. I don’t have time to keep texting him back nor do I really have time to keep searching for the info booth, so I do the only thing I can and make a plan – Find an ATM, get money!!! Take TAXI!!!…

Now, I’ve never taken a taxi (outside of the US) before but I’ll deal. I’ll do what I have to do to make that flight because if I don’t, I’m S.T.U.C.K. and Doug and the guys will have no choice but to leave me behind.

So, I walk throughout the Paris Nord train station looking for an ATM, because of course, I have no idea how much taxi is going to cost and I know I don’t have enough euros to get me to the airport (I gave most of mine to doug and it was just gut instinct that it would be pricey). 5 minutes later, I find the ATM; luckily have no problem taking out some cash (not always the case in europe!!).

So, I proceed outside to try and find the taxi stand, walk over to a guy who is letting people off and he says, “Taxi Madame”, I nod and he points to the south. Ok, taking that as I need to walk down to this big blue sign that says taxi. Stand there for a minute or two and the same guy drives by. As he drives by, he points again to the south. So I look around, see another taxi sign on the train station sign with an arrow pointing east, walk down to the sign, look east and see an actual taxi stand. Hmmm there’s a clue! :-P

next...

[Kristie]

Now, the taxi stand is pretty similar to the taxi stands they have out in Vegas (if you’ve ever seen those), so again, I know I’m doing something right. Get in line for the taxi, wait about 3 or 4 minutes before the next taxi shows up, put luggage in back and in my best French (remember, I don’t have a “best” French), the taxi driver and I communicate that I need to get to Charles De Gaulle airport.

He asks me which terminal, which entrance…I really don’t know, never taken a car to the airport before, always taken train. So I tell him delta airlines. He doesn’t speak a lick of English but he understands Delta and we proceed down the road. By now, it’s at least 10AM and if the train had been running correctly, I would be standing at ticketing at the airport by now.

Anyways, to get my mind off of the “well, I could be… but I’m not” scenario, I kinda sorta somehow, in my worst French accent, ask the taxi driver how long it’ll take to get to the airport, he says 12 minutes. No problem, I start relaxing. We get on the freeway and I see a sign that confirms it’s about a 12-minute ride. Cool, feeling safe again!

Road tour was neat; we drove past the football stadium (to us, it’s called soccer), drove through a really long tunnel and eventually got to the airport. For that 13-15 minute ride, it cost me about 32.50 euro (don’t forget currency exchange rate), so it’s a bit pricey but it did what the job required and I did get to the airport just a little late.

I get through ticketing in about 15 minutes, which is pretty good. The Air France gate agents were really very nice (compared to past experiences) and I was on my way to security. It’s about 10:45, the flight leaves at 11:45. I see a backup in the regular security line, and my ticket has a word “business” on it, so I figure I’ll go thru the first class/business security line, which was, for all intents and purposes, a lot shorter.

Unbeknownst to me, it was also a hell of a lot slower. I mean honestly, I finally got thru the security around 11:20. I figure I have 15 minutes to make the flight, I better get bookin’. I didn’t even put my belt back on, I just RAN, literally… kept reminding myself…GO…GO… GOOOO!! Good thing I did too because I completely(!!) forgot that they close all international flights 15 minutes prior to leaving. I enter the terminal (it’s about a 3-8 minute walk with stairs involved) and hear an announcement about it being the “final final” boarding call for Cincinnati out of Gate 74…I start running like mad, luggage in tow, because I know they’re waiting for me and they probably would never leave me behind but….you just NEVER know.. it IS a different country.

I get to the gate, they ask me who I am and start laughing – AT ME!…I tell them my name and that I’m standby…they start saying things like “OH, YOU’RE the captains wife, where have you been?” “We’ve been waiting for you” “the crew has been frantic about you” “did you go have lunch or something?”.

I’m standing there huffing and puffing exclaiming that a 45+ security line is the cause and they’re still laughing at me asking me “why didn’t I get to the airport sooner”, I exclaim back “train broke down, had to take taxi” and their eyes just went wide with “wow, she’s had a hell of a morning”. They ask me the pertinent questions “did you have your bag at all times… blah blah blah” and say “go go go”, I go up to the girls at the gate, get my seat assignment and get on this 8 person van (yup, not even one of the typical buses – so you know your really REALLY late just based on that observation).

Apparently, there were 5 other late passengers, but I was the last of the last and the sole person they were waiting for – come to find out later – the crew was never going to leave me behind and knew I wasn’t on board even though the Air France agents were telling them all non-revs were on board. Come to find out, the flight attendants had been talking to ground crew the entire time and even told them not to give me a hard time because it was the broken train that made me late, not any other reason. Even the flight attendant that typically does the French announcements was telling the agents where to go/what to do when I got there and that there was NO WAY they were going anywhere until I was found. Doug said later, had he known security was taking so long, they would have gotten me through faster. Now that I know that, if I have a problem like that again, I need to keep up on the updates because I did stop updating once I got to security, thinking I was in the clear.

It’s comforting to know they were never going to leave me behind but being in a different country, you know that they can’t always abide by those rules when they have a push out time like international flights do. I don’t like to take those chances. So 4 hrs later (7:30AM – 11:45AM), I’m finally on the plane trying to get de-traumatized and realizing I just did the impossible. I DID IT, nobody else. I got myself out of an ugly UGLY situation and got to my destination on time, albeit late, without falling apart like I was going to earlier. Unbelievable!!

I’m thinking I’ll probably save up the extra money to take a different mode of transportation next time just in case and thinking that it’s probably good to have other backup plans in place - in case something like this happens again. I learned a few good lessons, I learned that I could do what needed to be done without “my drill sergeant” along (haha) and I was successful even with the worst of the worst situations upon me. That’s a damn good feeling, I have to admit and I’m pretty proud of myself too.

Now the question is, do I really want to go to Madrid in a week? Haha

At least on that trip, spouses/companions can ride the crew van – whew!!! ?

The End...thank goodness i made it home!!

Proof is in the pudding... set your mind to it, you can do anything. seriously.

The text messages between doug and I are pretty interesting.. we took a look at them on the way home... I'll put those up later too so you can see just what was happenin' (if your interested).

Sorry it's a long story, but it's a long story, really no other way to tell it and it gives others good info on where to eat, what to do, what crew does on int'l layovers and just an idea of what can go wrong all in a span of 4 hours!

any questions, let me know...

btw, not all int'l layover hotels have airline lounges and airline lounges are typically where the flight/cabin crew go to pick up their hotel keys...there's typically a sitting area, television, fridgerator and sink/nuker available in there. I think one of the F/A's said that there's only 2 int'l locations that have fridges in either the room or crew lounge. She knew because she's still breastfeeding her 4 month old (she's 43) and choose trips based on having a fridge avail. I knew i'd forget to put that in there but i'm not gonna go all the way back up top to rearrange. HAHA

[skyrocketocelot]

Kristie, you're awesome!! That is such a great trip story and you're my hero for navigating France and making it back stateside!


side note: I think if pilots get together, they talk about aviation. Non-stop. It was that way when SO instructed for ATP: every pm after work at the bar, they talked about flights and weather and ATC and terms and how to do this and that and the other... OI Way to fit in so well!!

[christykay]

How fun!
Maybe you should consider being on the Amazing Race?!? That experience sounded a bit race like.

[Kristie]

It's pretty true that if your up and up on understanding aviation and what your husband does in flight, before/after...you'll get along just fine with everyone else.. it's all about "the more you know".

[ccbegay]

great story...i sat here in suspence waiting for the next installment! oh my goodness...way to go though...i would have blown a gasket...