Going to France 🇫🇷, Part 1

On the road again, I am not complaining, I love it. Today I am at Wroclaw airport, waiting for my flight to Beauvais, then it will be a one hour bus to Paris. I am so glad Ryanair kept that airway open, it’s so more convenient that taking Air France or KLM through Amsterdam. Plus if I was taking KLM today I would be like an idiot because the flight on the way here has been cancelled the very last moment… KLM is so bad, their customer service is useless, I would recommend Ryanair even if it’s the king of low cost.

I am always quite early when I travel by plane, I don’t like to rush to the airport or through security, I like to take it slow, anyway traveling by ✈️ is for people who like to travel fast while taking their time… I always buy something for my grand father when I travel back to Paris, it became kind of a little competition each time to find a thing to brinh back or food that he won’t hate or hide somewhere pretending it was good. 😇

This time I am also planning to go to the mountains, to see the last snow of April and enjoy the fresh air, I’ll be experiencing the night train, I read it was renovated, hopefully this time it will work (last time I was 8h late at arrival).

I can easily recognize all the blue passeports in the crowd waiting for boarding. Ukrainians are easy to spot, they look tired, worried and often travel with their pets. It has been a month since the conflict started and nearly 80 000 people arrived in the region of Wroclaw. Like I always said, the fastest way to go to France from Lviv is through train to Wroclaw and plane to France. I sincerely hope they will be able to start a new peaceful life, and maybe, one day, go back to Ukraine.

I am not sure how the conflict will evolve, so far it looks like Russia will concentrate it’s shelling and forces to the east of Ukraine like they started to do in 2014. The shelling of Marioupol is the saddest thing to read about this week, people there have no way to escape, are starving, have no access to water or basic needs. It seems that Russia decided to make it look like Warsaw after the uprising in 1944. F*ck Putin. There is no good issue in this conflict, in most scenario the best issue is the death of the Russian leader. It’s hard to tell the truth into what the people of Russia are really thinking of the conflict, they just don’t have access to information, and recently not access to any western media, like China would do…

Polish people are the best activists in all European countries so far, they have been demonstrating peacefully, boycotting Leroy Merlin, Auchan and Decathlon. They are doing all what they can to welcome millions of people, I am just so ashamed to be French and having to listen to the pro Russians in French medias.

French are obnubilated by the presidential elections, even though it won’t make a difference given the last polls Macron will stay in place and nothing will change.

It’s good to remember how this week has been amazing in Wroclaw, the weather was a great spring weather with temperature up to 26 degrees, still 0 at night though…

I heard the weather will be so shitty next week, so it was great to enjoy every days like we did. It was the restaurant week and we have been trying two different places witch both offered great soup, a nice main, and amazing desserts for as little as 59 PLN. Yes, sometimes we forget that Poland doesn’t have Euro !

In France 🇫🇷 Part 2

Tonight, I decided to take the night train to the south of the French Alps. After a few days working from Paris, I wanted some fresh air, and the best way to be able to go there, not losing a day of work, is to take this train 🚂.

They beautifully renovated outdated wagons that had, until last year, the same exact design and comfort as 40 years ago.

This train for me is full of souvenirs, i took it the last time to flee paris before the covid lockdowns of 2020.

Some probably hate it that it takes so long but it’s such a charming way to travel, plus with a good night of sleeping you are able to not lose a day to travel and feel ready for new adventures the morning after.

With it, you can always expect to meet nice people who have the same philosophy of slow traveling, because traveling on it also means sharing a compartment with 6 others, in tiny but sufficient beds, 3 on each side. Of course you can also opt for a first class cabin, that you can also privatize to yourself but unless you are traveling with your loved one it’s not as fun !

Between the slight movements of the train balancing from side to side, and the noise of the railway, I find it very easy to have a good night of sleep. The carrier provided a little warm blanket and a pillow which are both sufficient ! They also offer a sleeping mask, and a bunch or other things in a little amenity kit such as solid toothpaste or ear buds as well as a bottle of water.

You have a cute little lamp and a electricity plug witch is a big luxury compared to the old cabin where you would have to stand in the tiny hallway to be able to charge your phone!

Those trains are full of funny stories. I just met this woman she didn’t woke up to exit in a citie called Die and will ahve to wait until next stop to go back 😅

Last night on the PA they made the announcement their would be a breakfast in car 7, i went the whole way there just to find two sleepy guys being like uhhh you Will need to wait we are sleeping still 😆😆 not what i was sold but it’s fine .

I will enjoy the 30 next minutes lying on my little bed writing those lines before arriving to my station 🚉 called « Gap » . This place is the last train stop before the valley I am going to, a 40 min car ride is still needed to reach my place !

This region is called Hautes Alpes, litterally the high alps, most summits range from 2500m to 4000m. According to the weather forecast It should be freezing and also snowing, i am quite excited to see the last snows of the year ! Usually in March and April you can still ski, but you are likely to be able to seat on the grass near the slopes at lunch time or be able to ski with a light jacket.

Somehow the valley I am heading to offers the best 5G network I have ever experienced, very practical to work on the go, you can basically be in the middle of nowhere and still ensure a great service to your clients 😄

It’s so close and so far at the same time. But let me show you down below 👇 why it’s worth it !