Travelling around the world from New Zealand to France again in the pursuit of our dream , I was reminded of a book my Dad gave me when I was about 11 – ‘Le Long Voyage d’une Lettre’. The book recounted the journey a single letter took to reach its destination, detailing the many and various steps and stops along the way. As we wound our way from airport to airport to train station over several days this past week, it did feel a bit like a mail run at times, and we are certainly glad to have reached our destination.
Wellington airport – the journey begins.
On board the first flight. Feeling perky. Straight into the in-flight entertainment. Such a long way to go…
Sydney airport. one (short) flight down. So far so good.
Hamad International Airport, Doha. Possibly early morning. Looking a little less perky. Jaded in fact. The fifteen hour long-haul flight is now behind us. That’s got to be a good thing.
Made it to Charles de Gaulle after flight three (seven hours) and found the train station. That’s got to be worth a celebratory ice block. Just two short trains rides to go (two and a half hours) and we can rest.
After a night’s sleep, a long day of trains. Leg one: regional express train Dunkirk to Lille (half an hour). Here we are waiting at Lille Europe train station for leg 2.
Lille-Nimes by TGV – train a grande vitesse. Four and a half hours in a small compartment, at close quarters with just six other random strangers. Entertaining in any (and many) languages.
Nimes train station. Transit before leg 3: Nimes-Perpignan. No, it’s not over, so that coffee was much needed! Last leg really was a mail run, stopping at every station between the two cities. But a very scenic route through wetlands and salt marshes, so worth the amble.
After one final two-hour bus ride Perpignan to Quillan, and a lift to collect the rental car a further half hour up the road, littlest traveler and I are happy to finally reach our destination.
Jet lag over, and after a weekend of recovery, the adventure begins. Tomorrow, little boy is off to French preschool (la maternelle) and the rhythm of life over the next few weeks will kick in with its various challenges.
Admittedly, this trip took a particularly circuitous route, for various reasons. But there just doesn’t seem to be any easy way to do it, other than accept it’s a long way round the world, however you go about it. Bring on teleporting!
Yes I’ve done that before 😣. Oh well, worst part over. Interested to see what you think of la maternelle. My son went to elementaire in France for a year.
Well, I know it’s challenging with children, but I enjoy travelling – by train at least. There’s not much fun to be had from a flight, especially in these security-conscious days.
Yes, sadly plane travel doesn’t get any easier on the security front. We just get more resigned to it.
I can’t understand how come you ended up in Dunkirk and Lille, arriving in Charles-de-Gaulle airport (and going to Perpignan) ?
That’s not obvious! Given we were flying into CDG this time, we decided to take the opportunity to visit friends in Dunkirk.
Right ! There was a gap in your relation of your trip back to France 😉 Hope you enjoyed your stay in the northest spot in France…
Wow, you are back with the littlest one?
Yes, we should catch up sometime!
Yes.We should! I’ll email you