Day Four

I know I know. It’s Day 9 and I’m posting Day 4. Sorry I'm late.


Friday was the “big day” according to Johnny. It was his last chance to get Tamara to fall for him by surprising her with out Hot Air Balloon ride. I woke up early in the morning and had to make arrangements to get to the train station and then our ride from the station to the balloon site. It was a very hectic morning. The gentleman as the front desk helped me map it out and told us where to go and when to leave and everything. I finally got the kids ready and we left to grab some sandwiches to eat on our 3 hour train ride. We got to the metro, which is really close to us, and I realized I forgot the tickets in the room (which they NEVER asked for!!!!) So I ran back to the room, dodging people, small children, and animals. I swear I felt like a football player and probably looked like one too! I get back, we jet to the metro, and head for the train station.


We get there and have no idea where to go. The train was leaving in ten minutes and we didn’t have our tickets yet. We stood in one line, she said to go upstairs. So we did and stood in another line. She said to go upstairs… which “upstairs” woman?!?! By the time we got to the right ticket booth, the train had left already. The Loire valley is really far and we wouldn’t have made it by any other train, bus, metro, or taxi on time (4pm) for the balloon company to pick us up. I had to act fast. I felt like it was my fault for forgetting the tickets and making us late, but that only took maybe five minutes. We still would have had to wait in lines and stuff. Even then, we should have left earlier, which is kinda my fault, but the guy said 11:30!! I trusted him =/ Jerk.


Anyway, so I called the balloon company and told them that there was one last train but it didn’t get there until 5:06, an hour late, but could they still wait for us? Surprisingly enough she said yes! Yipee! I really didn’t care at that point about the balloon ride, I just didn’t want Johnny to kill me for making him lose out on over $1,200!! I made it through that flaming loop, but the next one would be even higher (I’m totally picturing I Love Lucy when she was dressed like a horse or something and she couldn’t jump through because of her calves or hamstrings or something. Lol.)


Anyway, we get on our train and we have assigned seats clearly printed on our tickets. Instead, Johnny and Tamara want to sit in these other seats and I’m trying to tell them these are not our seats but they both just turn around and sit down. Whatever! Why not just freaking sit in the right seats? I don’t get it. As soon as I sit down, seriously, seconds later, a couple walks up and says that those were their seats. Of course they are! They’re definitely not ours, sir. Oh how I wanted to just grab one tiny smart remark from the millions that floated through my head… but I didn’t. I bit my tongue yet again.


I fell asleep until we got to our connecting station. I asked the lady if this was the right station, and she looked confused, but motioned with her hands to stay here on this train, or at least that was what it looked like. So we sat down again for a few minutes but we all kinda felt that we should be getting off so I went to ask her again and her eyes got really wide and she motioned to follow her. She ran off and I was trying to keep up with her, carrying my Mary Poppins bag. At some point I thought maybe I’ll just wait for her, but she kept turning around to make sure I was there. We seriously ran through probably six cars. By the time we got to the front, the conductor lady on the outside spoke English and said we needed to switch trains but HURRY because this front door was the only door open (why?!?!)! So here I go, booking it to the back of the train to get Johnny and Tamara. People were looking at us like we were freaking insane… which I guess we are. Crazy Americans. We jump off the train and I wish I could tell you some amazing story like the door was closing and the train was already moving and it caught my jacket so I did a sweet spin move and the train took off with my jacket!!!..... Alas, I cannot. We made it actually. She ran us down the stairs to our next train and we jumped in just in time.


Whfew!!! What a freaking rush that morning was!!!! Once we got to the right station, the lady was really nice and wasn’t upset at all. We got to the site and they were still blowing up the balloon. We all jumped in and well, it was… pretty? He dipped the balloon down a few times so low I thought maybe we were landing. I mean, less than two feet off of the ground! And once I swear we were going to land in water. And then Tamara, "Do you think this thing floats?".... (cricket, cricket) It’s a basket Tamara. I don’t think so ………


Unfortunately, I can’t say many amazing things about the balloon ride. Really wasn’t that big of a deal and all of the madness from the morning was definitely not worth it. We only saw one castle and there were bugs crawling all over the place. It got a little crazy when we landed because you have to squat down low and the basket usually tips over and you crawl out. Ours didn't and I was a little disappointed. It would have brought some sort of thrill. Afterwards we had to help them deflate the balloon and pack it up. It’s harder than it looks really. This old man was video taping the whole time and even had the camera in one hand and using the other to help with the balloon. He ended up falling and rolling over and I couldn’t help but laugh so hard I had to turn around. I know it’s sad but I wasn’t laughing at him, I was laughing at how funny it would be to be sitting there watching the movie and then all of the sudden you see sky, and then ground, oh wait, that’s just grandpa rolling on the ground.


And theeeeeen they broke out the champagne and orange juice. Geez these people don’t quit with the drinking!! So we all had a toast and since it had been hours since I ate last and I had two small glasses (because the guy wouldn’t stop filling it up!!!!!), I um… well, I was having a good time. lol.


Out train didn’t leave for another two hours and out of a different train station. The lady, named Lidy actually, said she would show us the station and then take us back to the town so we could eat and then we’d walk back to the station afterwards. Sounded like a good plan.


They crammed us in the back of this van to take us all back to the meeting place. It was Johnny and I and these two young guys (the sons of one of the ladies that worked there) in the back of a van/bus thing. We’re all cracking up and Johnny is asking them how to say inappropriate things in French (does this surprise anyone?) There’s an older couple in front acting like they don’t hear us but they’re cracking up as well. I’ll admit, we were ALL a little tipsy. So I, really just trying to cover our butts, ask the guys if they want to come to dinner with us (and then take us to the station so we wouldn’t have to walk lol). I’m smart like that right? Johnny, the weirdo that he is, of course assumes I’m flirting, which, ok I guess that’s valid, although I totally wasn’t. They agree to show us a good restaurant and take us, no problem!! Yipee!! So we go eat and Johnny again is saying things he shouldn’t and I feel bad for the guys because Johnny is loud and saying things that are offensive to French people. I wanted to shove a dinner roll in his mouth so bad and just tell him to shut up!! Then he tells me and the guy to take a picture together and have him kiss my cheek and then he’s trying to make the guy feed me! WHAT THE HECK!!!! Seriously, he’s weird, like… something in his brain is just off! I'm so over our "friendship."


After dinner they drive us to the train station which was SO far! Even though Johnny was acting weird and trying to get me to kiss this guy, I’m still glad I spoke up because it was almost 9:30 and dark and cloudy and this was the last train and we totally would not have made it if we had walked there! It was like a maze! They were crazy to think we would have been able to find it alone!!


Anyway, we made it home and knocked out!!! We planned to go to the Louvre the next day but I didn’t plan on waking up until I wanted to! I needed some freaking sleep!!!