By Gabrielle.
Today is a travel day, and so was yesterday. Sometimes it feels like a lot of navigating goes in to getting from point A to point B. You know what I mean? So many little connections to make before I can see my family. (Man oh man I miss my family!) Here’s what my travel has looked like:
- I left the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City at 9:30AM yesterday and took the shuttle to the airport.
- I boarded a plane at 11:00AM and stopped at JFK for a short layover in the evening.
- At 7:00PM New York time, I boarded a plane to Paris.
- This morning around 8:30AM Paris time, I landed.
- I made my way through customs, located my luggage and climbed in a taxi to the Montparnasse Train Station at 9:40AM.
- I arrived at the station at 11:00AM, just missing the 10:55 train, which means a 3-hour wait before the next train heads to my little town of Argentan around 2:00PM.
- And now, it’s 12:30PM in France, and I’m writing this while sitting at the Montparnasse train station, my luggage piled around me.
This isn’t much of a post. It’s mostly me just keeping myself awake so I don’t miss the next train. And thinking about the challenges of travel, and how to me, it’s worth it anyway, even if it involves jetlag and delays.
P.S. — I snapped the photo with my phone as we were landing in Paris. Minutes later, the sun started rising.
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I like hearing you say that it’s worth it. Sometimes travel does seem like SO much trouble, but I guess you do have to go through some trouble to do awesome things :)
Can’t wait to hear more about Alt!
Welcome back, Gabby. So glad that you had a safe, uneventful (tho long) journey back. That photo is lovely. xo
I try to look at the travel time (and delays) as transition time so you are decompressing from all the busyness of the conference and digesting that information and getting ready to transition to the busyness of home. I also like to spend the time reading and looking at the photos I took – helps to pass the time . Oh, and people watching – always entertaining.
I like that Grace. I’ll see if I can adopt that thinking on my next trip.
I love the photo and your expressions!
As good as it to do “our own thing,” I can feel positively addicted to the kids! Also, Kudos to you and the information spread about Alt (… and founding it!) & also, the classes — I managed to take my first classes ever : 1-2-3-4!, this weekend. They were honestly so informative and since I took them during Alt, this added so much festivity. Happy Monday!
Agreed. Planning two huge trips this year that will involve quite a bit between Point A and Point B and I cannot wait!!! It’s totally worth it.
I’m exhausted just reading this!
That is a LOT of tiring, yet worthwhile travel. After a long trip, I usually return with great appreciation for everyone/everything in my home. Nothing compares to cuddling the kids in your own bed after a few nights away, right?
So true! Once I arrived home, I just wanted to hold still and be around everybody.
I know how hard it is to be away from your family, but just think about how much harder it is to travel WITH them. Every time I travel with my kiddo, I’m so so thankful to be home. Have a very restful day!
You are amazing, Gabrielle.
Hang in there, you are almost home! Glad to hear that your travels went well, and were worth the effort. Hope you have a wonderful evening snuggling back into your family. :)
I really appreciate that you have such a gratitude toward your life. It is one of the many reasons I love your blog. Happy travels and enjoy reconnecting with your sweet family.
Bonheur, mon ami!
Betsy
PS: You’ve inspired me to try out some new phrases in my signature.
I like the new signature!
My husband and I love to travel frequently. Last summer to get home from South Africa it took 4 airplanes and many many long layovers. My extended famil y also lives very far away from me. I’ve finally learned to look at the travel portion of my trip as just part of the whole journey and adventure… it helps… a bit….
Was at ALT for the first time last weeekend… it was a great expierence. Thanks
I always feel like I have been cramming for a final when I take an all night flight. Even if I manage to sleep I wake up with an airplane hang-over….befuddled and almost out of sorts:)
I hate it when I feel like I’ve spent half my vacation in transit! But isn’t it SO awesome that you can be in Salt Lake City at 9:30am one day and in a small town outside of Paris by the next afternoon? Our ancestors would have killed for that kind of time!
I hear you. It took me 16 hours to get to ALT from Canada – I almost gave up and just wanted to go back home. On the way back the delays also added up and kept me from my family. It was a tough two days of travel – but the 3 days in SLC were so inspirational and invigorating – so worth it. My babies stayed up really late so they could pick up their mommy at the airport ;)
The weather was so tricky this week! I’m glad you made it.
we once went to a wedding on a coast of africa and it took two commercial flights, one overnight in immigration detainment, one bush plane, one motorboat and one donkey to arrive – sometimes it really is about the journey! welcome home!
Oh dear! You are one heck of a trooper. Alt was amazing though, so thank you (thank you!) for making the trek west for all of us!! Sending you lots of wishes for rest and happy family time.
There is something kind of magical about waiting in a train station for a train to come. Even when one is exhausted. Siting on the bench. Wandering around, deciding if the pain au chocolat is worth it from the bakery in a train station (sometimes yes, sometimes no!), and the quick little heartbeat when you see your train pull in. That’s one thing I loved about France was traveling by train.
I agree. Train travel has its own romance.
I definitely know what you mean, sometimes traveling can feel like going from point A to point B.