On May 31, Megan and took ourselves and our luggage by cab to the car rental place. We'd planned to go by the Metro, but were very tired because we'd both been sick with a cold. Megan was pretty much over hers, but mine was really gearing up. It had also been difficult to sleep the last few nights because of the heat; it was more like July than May.
We finally found the car rental office (deep underground in a parking garage) and began the check-in procedure. The clerk asked to see my driver's license and my heart just stopped.
I had forgotten my driver's license in Canada
 |
| The end of a wonderful trip! |
We were devastated, but had to make alternate plans quickly. My decision was to book the next three nights at the airport hotel where we were booked for our last night in France (the fourth night). This was not the most elegant solution, but probably the most convenient. Because I was becoming progressively sicker by the minute, the thought of running around town, looking for a better location just wasn't an option. As well, the airport hotel would allow us easy access to the train and subway transportation systems and we wouldn't have to shift locations again before leaving.
What would we do during those remaining days? Well, go to Disneyland, of course! Silly question! For two days we took the train to Disneyland, spending Sunday at Disneyland itself and Monday at the Disney Studios.
Here's Megan's report:
Forgetting a Driver's License at Home!
Today we went to go get our car at the car rental. We were right on task but Aunt Janice forgot her driver's license at home, so we did something else instead. First we went to the hotel at the airport. This meant we wouldn't have to move our luggage around any more. And we could also get to the trains and metro easily. So the first day there we just hung out because Aunt Janice and I were sick. On the second day we went to Disneyland Park for a day. The third day we went to Disney studios. Tomorrow we're doing nothing because there's a strike going on .But that's ok because it's our last day anyway.
The End. By: Megan Beurling
Megan was right. On our last day in Paris, everything (airport staff, train staff, subway staff, all public works staff - everyone - went on strike. Even if we'd been able to rent a car, we would have been returning it that day and might have had real trouble getting from the car rental out to the airport hotel. The Lord may have been protecting us through this whole (mis)adventure.
Even the next day, until our plane actually left the ground, I was very worried because there were still rotating strikes going on at the airport. It wouldn't have surprised me a bit if our plane had left the terminal and then returned again because of the strike.
But we did leave successfully. I told Megan that, because we missed our visit to Normandy, we just might have to make another trip one day!
Overall, Megan and I had a wonderful, wonderful time. I recently visited the Royal Ontario Museum with her and it prompted us to reminisce about many aspects of our museum visits in Paris. At one point in the Toronto subway system we heard musicians playing their music in the corridors; we turned and grinned at each other, remembering gypsy musicians in Paris' Metro.
If you've enjoyed reading our adventures in this travelogue, you may be interested in reading my other travelogues, including my adventures with 12-year-old Nick in England (May 2004). His travelogue begins with some advice Megan wrote for him.
Au revoir!
