Too-lost and Toulouse.

I don’t know whether to admit how much of a disaster this day was. But I know you, dear readers, sort of love the stories of disaster. So here I go. Of course all is well that ends well – keep that in mind. 

I had been in Geneva for a week – missing my lads and all that. After the sociologists left, I knuckled down to do some work – found free internet at the university and got some reading and writing done. I was awaiting my friend Marc’s return to Geneva and staying in his wonderful apartment.  During the week, I had a fantastic fondue, and learned the various rules around it from Marc’s lovely ex Claire (no water, only white wine).  

Once Marc and his girlfriend Leela arrived home, I decamped for the youth hostel. It was good – and cheap – at least in the dorm that I was in – about 36 bucks a night including breakfast. My room had four in it. On Friday I knew I'd had to get up early. I had to catch a train at 7:30 am to Toulouse to meet Mac and Sidney the following day. I also knew I had to be somewhere at 4 pm where I could run a two hour conference call to examine someone’s Master’s degree.  I was planning to be at a hotel in Toulouse.

So I needed an alarm clock. I bought one – a cute one that had dogs on it and was supposed to bark like a dog. Butt the trouble was, it sounded like attack dogs and seemed only to stop when I yanked the batteries out. There were no volume controls. So I thought to myself. I can’t do this to the three people sharing my room. After all, I always wake up when the sunrises, at least  briefly. I’ll be fine. And so I went to sleep last night, after a lovely meal with Marc, his girlfriend and roommate. It was reasonably early so I thought I’d arise at 6ish. 

But of course I didn’t. I woke at 7 am – with a 7:28 am train to catch. I grabbed my stuff and ran to the train station, backpack bumping –  sweaty. I get there by 7:20, and try to find the kiosk where I’m to print off my boarding pass. Not a chance. I’m trying to weave through crowds, I find a kiosk, but there’s no option for Toulouse. I get to the ticket seller place and there’s a line. I’m basically crying/complaining/swearing and beginning to make a scene – and my French is getting worse. Someone tells me that you can pay on the train. I’m desperate so I just run for it. But of course I’ve missed the train.  Taking pity on me, the French customs guy tells me that RailEurope tickets are picked up in another building. I thank him shakily and head over there. Of course that building isn’t open until 8:30, but there is a small sign telling me about an office somewhere in building number one where I can pick up the tickets. Whatever. I’ve missed my train. 

I go to Starbucks (argh – even worse in a land of amazing local cafes) because there’s free wifi with expensive  coffee. I need a plan B. I check the train schedule. The only other train today leaves at 2 pm, missing my conference call – which I can’t do. Its taken months to schedule the exam.. What to do? Then I remember that people here keep telling me that flying is cheaper than train travel. My eco-sense is horrified, but I check the prices. Indeed, I can fly to Toulouse for less than 200 bucks. And get there in 90 minutes. I’m in. I book a flight. If I didn’t have the money  and a credit card, I’d be out of luck. I return to the now open RailEurope.  They tell me that I can get a partial refund on the train tickets I had paid for. Good. Off I go.

I fly to Toulouse, all is well. I take the bus from the Airport into town and get off the bus when I realize I’m near my hotel. I leave my laptop computer on the bus. I realize this as its pulling away. The driver doesn’t notice me flailing along behind him. I run, sweaty again, to the Gare Centrale. There, a cluster of military looking cops direct me to the right area of the station. The bus is there, so is my laptop and I again, shakily, sit down and try to stop sweating. It’s really hot here. I now have 90 minutes before I have to chair this oral defense via teleconference. I get to the hotel, (small, good, red-light district). I  check in and wait. I realize I should get online to see if anything has changed and realize that my computer battery is dead. I need to charge it, but the adapter that worked in Switzerland doesn’t work here. Shit. I head out and find a shop and buy one. The new one makes my computer flash with weird surges and my computer doesn’t really charge – at least not quickly. Finally, ten minutes late the call comes, the student passes, and all is well.

What a day! I’m exhausted but so excited to see Sidney and Mac tomorrow morning. They’re probably in the air now. We’ve been apart too much – what with Vegas, the canoe trip and Geneva. I want them with me to start the next chapter of our adventure.

BTW – Toulouse is full of tourists, but is incredibly pretty. Windy streets with signs in Spanish and French.  Red coloured stone. I need to learn more about the history here. I bet its interesting. But a demain, a demain.  

And yes, I would lose my head if it weren’t screwed on…