Let the next adventure begin! I am now starting to get settled in my tiny studio flat in Montmartre, and it’s wonderful. After all the trials and tribulations leading up to this point, I’m glad I came. In a way I feel like this stint is partly about closing the “Europe chapter” on my own terms, without an economic crisis to send me home. When I go home at the end of this (whenever that may be), it will be because I’m ready. And, I’m almost ready. Stay tuned – some craziness first, of course!
Mime in Montmartre
Getting here was a significant undertaking in and of itself. I had some pretty stressful last few days, packing up and moving from my apartment, wrapping up projects at one job while starting another (they actually overlapped a few days), and of course saying goodbye to friends and family. (See the “Tough Transitions” post last month).
With two bags of moving material (read: climbing and camping gear) I kissed my patient and supportive guy goodbye in the airport and headed to London, where I have about 10 plastic boxes full of, dare I say, crap in my ever so gracious friend’s attic. I decided the gigantic 18-person Peruvian tent, among other things, needs to go home. Why did I ever bring it to London? I’ll be heading home for the holidays, so this visit to London was as much about moving things to Paris as it was about moving all the extra crap back home. Have to take advantage of flights before I book a shipping company to take the rest.
This led to a record amount of baggage, almost none of it with wheels, to heft onto the Eurostar. I now had three large check-in size bags and three carry-on size bags, only one with wheels. If it weren’t for friends helping me at either end, I don’t think I would have made it.
The looks I got from the very-well-put-together European business travellers were priceless. Amazingly, the only stranger to help me was a short and plump, sweet-faced African woman on the French platform. She only took my rolly bag, but it allowed me the ability to walk more than 2 meters at a time.
My new place is a small studio flat in Amelie’s hood. It’s pretty awesome. I now know where I’ll be for the next few months. Yay. :)
Le Sacre Coeur
