| Burgers,
Toilets and the Eurostar - by Skywalker
My Travel Tale relates to a day I'd rather forget! Last year
(June-2001) I was staying with a friend of mine Xavier, in
Paris. Xavier had taken Monday off work and our plans were
to travel to London from Paris for a long weekend.
We awoke Saturday morning excited and ready to set off for
the Eurostar station in Paris. Our train was due to leave
Paris for London at 8:19 AM. Everything until now had been
happening smoothly, quite likely due to the fact that I hadn't
become involved in the day's proceedings just yet! As we went
to the ticket counter for the customs check, suddenly it dawned
on me that I would need my passport to get into England. A
sinking feeling swept over me, my passport was safely in my
bag back at Xavier's house!
This wasn't good, and it took me awhile before I could convince
Xavier I was not joking. After several attempts at trying
to convince the immigration officer my drivers licence or
perhaps my video store membership card was as good as a passport,
I realised it was futile. The only way I was going to get
on the Eurostar was with my Aussie passport and a ticket reissue.
Well after a few "I can't believe it looks' from Xavier",
we were riding the Metro and RER again back to his place to
collect my little piece of Aussie identity. I'm not sure if
my explanation to his brother that in Australia we only need
to take our passports when we fly overseas, not just to catch
a little train was very convincing? Some 2 hours later we
were to try the custom guys again, this time with success
YAHOO! London, here we come.
The Eurostar is one of the TGV trains and therefore can hit
speeds of 300km/h. Before we knew it we were cruising along
the train tracks feeling like an explorer from the past, except
it wasn't the wind blowing in our hair but the air conditioning
instead! As the pains of hunger started to bite, we decided
it was time to eat.
I told Xavier not to worry, I would venture off to the food
carriage and pick us up a couple of burgers. I snaked my way
down through the carriages moving from handhold to handhold
as the train floated across the French countryside. I found
the food carriage without too much trouble and before I knew
it, I had our lunch and was heading back towards our seats.
As I passed the toilets I thought, maybe I should go now,
as it's a bit of a walk from where we were sitting. Now I
know what you're thinking, "how could he go to the toilets
with a couple of burgers in his hands"? Well, the burgers
were nicely sealed in polystyrene containers (like the ones
we used to get at McDonald's).
Gingerly I entered the single toilet cubicle looking for a
place to put the burgers. I saw a small sink in the corner
and thought that seemed a logical place. It was away from
everything, clean and as the burgers would actually be sitting
in the sink in their containers, they couldn't fall onto the
floor if we suddenly swung around a corner! Good thinking
Jeff I thought, that would be the spot. I did what I had come
here to do and then looked for the button to flush the toilet.
Where was it? There was no button on top of the toilet. This
was France, it had to be around here somewhere I thought?
Suddenly I saw a button on the floor beside the toilet, lets
try that I thought, so I stepped on its rubber surface. Nothing?
I tried again. This time though I could hear something, water
running, but not the toilet? I suddenly realised to my horror
that the button turned the tap in the sink on!! Oh no water
running on top of the cherished burgers, I quickly grabbed
them out of the sink shaking off the water from the polystyrene
containers. I hesitated to peek inside, I hoped they made
these containers waterproof I thought, it would be the sensible
thing to do.
Reluctantly I opened the lids to inspect the merchandise.
It looked like only the edges of the burgers appeared a little
soggy, I hoped Xavier wouldn't notice as I repacked them.
I couldn't believe the tap button would be on the floor beside
the toilet. After looking closer, I discovered the button
to flush the toilet had been on the other side!
Finally I made it back to our seats and handed Xavier his
burger giving him the "driest" one, but to my disappointment
and embarrassment he noticed the soggy edges. After trying
to explain what happened I had to just start laughing, as
he shook his head in amazement. I was supposed to be somewhat
of an experienced traveller but after a day like today, I
felt like just going home haha.
Submitted:
1 April 2002
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