Switzerland to Paris - October 11

October 11

The alarm sounded at 5:45.  We drug our carcasses out of bed, got dressed, and we were ready to go.  We managed to have a quick breakfast and then load ourselves and our luggage onto a small bus for a ride to Charles de Gaul airport.

At the airport we met a Viking representative who took us through the airport and helped us get checked in.  She then took us right to checkpoint charlie and bade us farewell.  Without her help it would have taken us a long, long time to figure out where to go.

Once we made it through all the checkpoints (once for French customs and once for their TSA) we mde it to our gate.  After only a ninety minute wait we were asked to line up for boarding.  After only a short thirty minute wait in line we were able to board.  The next stop is Atlanta.

I hope our luggage makes it as well.

As it turns out, Delta Airlines contracts with Air France on some of their international flights.  It was a great flight.  The seats in premium economy were roomy and comfortable, or at least as comfortable as they  can be for a nine hour flight.  Once on board and in the air we were offered champagne.  Then we got moist towels.  Once it was prepared we were served lunch, which was chicken, peas, asparagus, some kind of cold mashed potatoes (we thought that was odd), bread, cheese, crackers, and some kind of mousse filled donut.  It was very good (except for the potatoes).  We could also have wine with lunch.  After a short while we were given ice cream bars, vanilla or chocolate.  A little while later we were offered snacks of chocolate granola bars.  About ninety minutes out of Atlanta we were fed another meal of danishes, bread, a small sweet cake, some strawberry puree, and a drink that was thinner than yogurt but thicker than milk.  We ate all the way across the Atlantic.  Luckily our luggage followed us.

Once we touched down in Atlanta we breezed through customs with the help of the CBP app on our phone.  We used the app to fill out the declaration form.  Our next stop was to pick up our luggage.  Once it was all accounted for we dropped it off for the connecting flight to Kansas City.  We then made our way through the TSA’s checkpoint charlie.  After not being arrested or detained it was only a two hour layover then on our way to KC.

The flight to KC was less than desirable.  The seats were three across so you got to sit shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you.  At least the guy next to me did not hang over the armrest.  And it was only a two hour flight.  Our luggage made it as well.  Even more surprising was that the three wine bottles we had in our checked bag made it to KC intact.  VICTORY!  It must have been the way the bag was expertly packed.

Sabrina picked us up at the airport and took us home.  It’s good to travel but it is always good to be home.  We emptied our luggage, took showers to remove the travel funk, relaxed for a short time, and went to bed.

Saturday morning I awakened about three hours earlier than I wanted to.  So I did three loads of laundry and hit the super market before sunrise.  I figure I will sleep well for the next several nights.

EPILOG:

All in all the trip was great.  There were some minor hiccups along the way but these were easily resolved.  With the exception of continually running out of Coke Zero I thought Viking cruise line took very good care of us.  The program director’s name was Buyjon (pronounced boo-yon).  He was from Serbia and sounded exactly like the Count from Sesame Street.  I kept hoping he would count something like the Count (“Von, Two, Thrree … Ahh haa haa”), but he never did.

My favorite city had to have been Paris.  There was much to do and much to see.  We would like to have spent another four or five days there, but we could not.

Our favorite small town was Zermatt, Switzerland.  It looked like the quintessential Swiss village.  Plus we got to see the Matterhorn.  Or at least most of it due to the clouds.

My favorite cathedral was the Notre Dame cathedral of Reams.  It was truly magnificent.

The favorite pipe organ was the small section of the larger pipe organ in Trier.

The most scenic day on the river was the day we spent sailing the Maine River and seeing all the castles along the way.

The short time spent at the Military Cemetery in Luxembourg helped me appreciate the sacrifices that have been made in the past so we can enjoy what we have now.

It was a great trip.

Our next trip will be another adventure.