I like to tell people about my travels and create an interesting impression. But this will be my third trip overseas this year (Counting Borneo where I left last year on Boxing Day but returned in January.) And three trips is a bit embarrassing as it may seem somewhat excessive and boastful. And the year isn't over yet so who knows where else I might travel.
However this trip is slightly different as I am travelling for family matters. I will be visiting my uncle in Paris and assisting him when he comes out of hospital.
Packing bags for a new trip often includes some unpacking from the previous trip. Examining a small bag of toiletries I notice a small plastic zip-lock bag containing some scrappy notes of foreign currency. I guess they are Chinese are Nepali. This would be something if they were Nepalese because when I caught the taxi to the airport in Kathmandu I promised the driver that I offered him all the rupees I had. I open the bag and examine the notes. They are low value Chinese Yuan and what is that horrible smell. There is a foul odour from the notes and it takes me half a minute to identify it. It is rancid yak butter. I reseal the plastic bag as a souvenir from Tibet.
I have prepared all manner of music, reading and video entertainment for my long flight but on the plane I simply watch the movies on offer. I force myself to stay awake all the way to Hong Kong to adjust to French time. I sleep maybe seven hours on the flight to Paris being awoken at 3.30 for breakfast. It is dark and raining when I arrive.
I catch the RER train to Gare du Nord station and change for the metro. The underground station are nothing extraordinary but some of the stations are elevated above the streets and these are a delightful mix of art deco steel and glass.
I change trains twice and I feel a flood of excitement as I ascend the stairs from a subway station on to a quiet paris street. It is 8am, the rain has stopped and there is a twilight overcast light.
I only get lost once on the way to my uncles flat. One of his friends has organised to meet me and give me the keys. We go out for a coffee and discuss many things.
I pay a quick visit to the Arc de Triumphe and a quicker visit to Bois de Boulogne park and in the afternoon I visit my uncle in hospital. I am glad he is looking well.
A Chateau
My uncle's flat is mostly decorated with bookshelves with fascinating titles such as - Pastoral Quechua, Persian Vocabulary, Grammar of the Hindi Language, Teach yourself Greek, Teach yourself Complete Babylonian, Colloquial Turkish.
At 9.30pm I am satisfied with the day and I fall into a deep sleep.
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