What an early morning! The day I had long anticipated– of Helens arrival in Paris. I left the hotel by 6:35 A.M. to go hail a cab. First I thought I’d try United again or the Air France bus, but the phone cabinet was conveinently locked and dark. As I tried to leave, the front doors were bolted closed and to no avail would open. Starting early of stress. So I rang the buzzer and finally it opened.

Helens Arrival in Paris

I saw a lady going to the post and asked her, “Pardon…metro?” She replied, “No, not today.” And I continued to the taxi area where one young man stood waiting. Shortly a woman joined us, said some things in French, then was picked up by a passing car. Then the guy walked away after no avail. So I began to try and wave down taxi’s, which were all full, or had their light on. Ones who didn’t have anybody were going to pick somebody up. After about 20-30 taxis went by in the course of just ten minutes, I began to wonder what my plan B was. I figured someone must be coming to this area and would have to leave an empty taxi. Right. That’s what happened. (Before then, one driver even told me he was finished for the day. “Termini.”)

So the ride took about 242 FF or 45 minutes. There was no French or English conversation, so once he understood United Airlines I relaxed as best I could till we got there. Once inside, I had to find Arrivals upstairs and United wasn’t open till 8 A.M. so I was still not sure it was the right airport (but I figured I’d have time to get there if need be).

Well thank Allah!! As I saw the arrival board and quickly scanned it for flight 942 from Chicago, it was there!!! Somehow I managed everything!! That point I found a nice quiet, smoke free chair in front of a fountain and went to sleep for 1/2 hour.

I awoke and went to check out the airport, got to the gate and waited… waited… waited for Helen in her little gold shoes to appear!! There were three of us in the front with cameras, and we were all waiting 40 minutes after it landed.

Finally Helen came and popped her head out to let me know she was here and just had to get her luggage. That took another 20 minutes. Meanwhile a guy and his friend from America were waiting for his girlfriend who missed her flight yesterday, due to bad weather, so they had to spend the night in the airport – due to the strike!

 

June 1999