"You can always take the safe with you!" or Every Holiday Should Provide You With At Least One Good Dinner Party Story!

It is now Saturday and I have spent the 36 hours since arrival sleeping, catching up on tv, sleeping, washing and sleeping. I wouldn't call it jet lag I'd call it dry socket lag! The journey home itself was fine. An empty seat beside me on the first leg which was great and a sleeping five year old on the second leg so that was also good. No sleep on the first leg but watched the first series of a Kelsey Grammer show 'Boss' which was enjoyable and made the time pass quickly. 'Once Upon A Time' and some nodding off filled the last leg. A swift passage through customs completed the journey.

The Paris end of the journey was a little more dramatic. The shuttle was collecting me at 8 so having packed the night before the alarm woke me at 7.15. After showering I decided it was time to get my ticket and passport out of the safe. It wouldn't open!! I had reopened it at least once since first putting them in to check flight time before booking the shuttle. What followed was an hour of drama with two staff members focused on the task, lots of phone calls, me trying to make sense of the manual as the one with the best English and sending the shuttle man away when it was evident it wasn't going to be open any time soon. The title of the blog was one of the suggestions made to lighten the atmosphere. By this stage the safe, me and all my worldly goods had taken up residence in the foyer to the amusement and sympathy of guests trying to check out amid the drama. Lots of deep breathing and positive self talk and I stayed quite calm. The boss/owner arrived and after some time and with difficulty he did open the safe. It was then I burst into tears! A cab was going to take 15 minutes to arrive which was going to be too late so I was driven by one staff member in another staff members car! The traffic was heavy but I got there in time, in fact there was no one at check in the counter. My bags also made it home so all good. Moral of the story - open your safe as soon as possible before departure!

It has been a very diffent holiday.  Not the momentous lifetime highlight that has been my other two visits to this part of the world, but a two week holiday like no other!