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Almost didn't get here on time! Tube strike in London, I called a taxi at 12:45 for a 2pm train. But it's an international high-speed train, with bag and passport checks. Taxi came quickly, but got stuck in traffic near the station; I got out and walked. Yay for GPS, so that I could! Made it to the train with less than 10 minutes to spare.
Nice wide seats, no fans and kind of hot though maybe that was me running with my bags, cleverly designed table that can fold up so you can get in more easily, plugs hiding under the middle of the table I realized much later. Ride started out very smooth -- at first I thought we were standing in a tunnel while some other train whooshed by, and only careful observation let me see tunnel blur that indicated we were moving. Bunch of tunnels through south England, for a while I wasn't sure if we'd Chunneled yet, until I saw English signs and a chalk horse on a steep hillside, which made me think I hadn't explored England enough after all. Faint smell of urine on the train, I note I was in the Standard Premium class, or middle class, of cars. Later replaced by a rather overpowering smell of perfume or something.
Actual Chunnel crossing was 20 minutes or less, was in England at 14:34 (before the horse) and in France at 14:56. Free meal:
One tiny chicken drumstick with peanut satay sauce, salmon
and potato tart, and spiced caramellised almonds. Rather strong spice.
Oh, and a bun. My introduction to European meal portions, or just a
light snack? Coffee too, and a dark chocolate with Earl Grey tea.
Tray has high friction with the table. I didn't get a chance to look
underneath it.
French landscape: flat farmland with empty fields or cows and treelines.
Oh, plugs seem beneath the table, in the middle. Hillier near Paris. Didn't see houses until 17:23 on an alleged 17:26 arrival, but we actually pulled in 9 minutes late. Took 3 minutes to walk off the platform.
ATM in the side of the currency exchange booth, in an international train station, did not have any obvious non-French menus. Unlike the UK ATMs, which typically asked "what language" right up front. I went out and found a bank ATM which did hold my hand. Got semi-lost from trying to follow a map without being fully online; I'd have had less trouble taking my hostess instructions literally. Nice place, a full apartment to myself as she and bf are staying at a friend's place as the friend is on holiday... musical flats.
Fifth floor, actually the 6th by US standards since they start from 'ground', not '1'. Different plugs than in the UK, fortunately I got a European converter kit.
Neighborhood is very immigranty, but also with random shops scattered
around, like clothing shops. Hostess is very well prepared -- maps,
even travel guide.
Wi-fi didn't seem to work for
eee, like A&L's place, but it did after hibernation. I was going to try
cable next, then reboot to older version.
I found food, though the close supermarket was closed, a further "big" one wasn't where she said it'd be, and what I did find there had no produce. Bread, salami, and cheese! And nuts, and bahklava.
Possible plans for tomorrow: walk around, figure out the Metro, stay in and cram some French.
Oh, I'm a few blocks north of Gare du Nord, the train station that is, and east of Montmartre, some important neighborhood.
Nice wide seats, no fans and kind of hot though maybe that was me running with my bags, cleverly designed table that can fold up so you can get in more easily, plugs hiding under the middle of the table I realized much later. Ride started out very smooth -- at first I thought we were standing in a tunnel while some other train whooshed by, and only careful observation let me see tunnel blur that indicated we were moving. Bunch of tunnels through south England, for a while I wasn't sure if we'd Chunneled yet, until I saw English signs and a chalk horse on a steep hillside, which made me think I hadn't explored England enough after all. Faint smell of urine on the train, I note I was in the Standard Premium class, or middle class, of cars. Later replaced by a rather overpowering smell of perfume or something.
Actual Chunnel crossing was 20 minutes or less, was in England at 14:34 (before the horse) and in France at 14:56. Free meal:
One tiny chicken drumstick with peanut satay sauce, salmon
and potato tart, and spiced caramellised almonds. Rather strong spice.
Oh, and a bun. My introduction to European meal portions, or just a
light snack? Coffee too, and a dark chocolate with Earl Grey tea.
Tray has high friction with the table. I didn't get a chance to look
underneath it.
French landscape: flat farmland with empty fields or cows and treelines.
Oh, plugs seem beneath the table, in the middle. Hillier near Paris. Didn't see houses until 17:23 on an alleged 17:26 arrival, but we actually pulled in 9 minutes late. Took 3 minutes to walk off the platform.
ATM in the side of the currency exchange booth, in an international train station, did not have any obvious non-French menus. Unlike the UK ATMs, which typically asked "what language" right up front. I went out and found a bank ATM which did hold my hand. Got semi-lost from trying to follow a map without being fully online; I'd have had less trouble taking my hostess instructions literally. Nice place, a full apartment to myself as she and bf are staying at a friend's place as the friend is on holiday... musical flats.
Fifth floor, actually the 6th by US standards since they start from 'ground', not '1'. Different plugs than in the UK, fortunately I got a European converter kit.
Neighborhood is very immigranty, but also with random shops scattered
around, like clothing shops. Hostess is very well prepared -- maps,
even travel guide.
Wi-fi didn't seem to work for
eee, like A&L's place, but it did after hibernation. I was going to try
cable next, then reboot to older version.
I found food, though the close supermarket was closed, a further "big" one wasn't where she said it'd be, and what I did find there had no produce. Bread, salami, and cheese! And nuts, and bahklava.
Possible plans for tomorrow: walk around, figure out the Metro, stay in and cram some French.
Oh, I'm a few blocks north of Gare du Nord, the train station that is, and east of Montmartre, some important neighborhood.