So woke on Sunday to not quite pelting but definitely emphatic rain in Paris. Given basic chores already achieved of bike being re-assembled, tyres successfully inflated with no apparent leakage of the sealant, and SIM card installed and working on late Saturday, went back to bed.
Eventually resurfaced, nice chat with Aicha and Mamadou at reception, did a couple of hours walkabout in the mixed showers and sudden burst of sunshine, heeded lesson learned from last time out, and set off for Gare Montparnasse in plenty of time (I thought). Forgot that it’s a complicated situation; who knew that Sunday afternoon traffic exponentially increased from a Sunday morning, who knew that Paris indeed has wind tunnels and slick cobblestones (making for a somewhat heartbeat stimulating ride to station), who knew that Parisians tend to demonstrate, closing down streets, on a Sunday afternoon, who knew that Gare’s have Halls like airports have Terminals.
Eventually arrived in appropriate Hall to zoo of waiting people, but this time cleverly waited back until correct platform flashed up on board; me and the other thousands of passengers.
But again, TGV did it’s always amazing speed thing and arrived Hendaye; cycled up hill in the dark to same hotel, same manager, all good. Bit different to think that one can take a train from the capital city to country’s extremis in 4-1/2 hours.
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