So last time I wrote the blog Sam and I were making our perilous way to a show in France…
The Journey looked so straightforward on paper, travel to a show just outside Paris, easy for sure!!
Of course it was never going to be THAT easy; it's the WKD Show Jumping team here, adventure stalks us like the lion a deer...
Of course once again we found ourselves in a sticky situation wondering how the heck we were going to get out of it....
It all started so well, Sam and I for once arrived at Belfast City airport well on time for our flight to London; the plan being, going to the Canadian embassy where Sam was applying for his visa for spruce meadows in Calgary, then hop on the Eurostar and gently relax as the train took the strain to Paris, where we would alight and jump on the next train to Palasieu a short hop to the show in the local university campus....
God laughs as man makes plans....
Firstly we were informed that the flight to London is delayed for an hour and a half, of course this happened whilst we were actually boarding on the plane, so a flight of an hour ended up with us trapped on the plane for nearly three, then we realised that it would be very tight for the embassy, so as I realised that with luggage it would hamper our progress, I sent Sam ahead to the embassy telling him I would meet him at the Eurostar terminal; that was a lovely journey, me and my not so light suitcase on and off tube trains under London !!
I breathed a sigh of relief how once again we had nearly brought things back on track...
It was as I sitting finally at the train station with the luggage then I received the call from Sam, asking did I, by any chance have his passport!!
Yes he had gone all the way to the embassy with no passport!!
We decided the embassy project would have to wait and that we will just get the earlier Eurostar to Paris; except when we went to change our booking the computers all crashed... Eating our booking!!
Forty five minutes and a very cross pair of Show Jumpers, later we finally got on a train...
For it to grind to a halt!! Apparently there was a problem crossing the tunnel and we will be delayed for an hour and a half!! Could this day get any worse!!!
Of course it could....
Arriving late at night into the Paris Gard du Nord we quickly ran to catch the last train, buying tickets at one of the terminals, only for them to be snatched out of the machine by a scary looking guy...
We decided it was maybe better not to argue and hopped on the train.
It was not the most pleasant journey I must admit as we appeared to be sitting in the gangster and pimp section of the train. As I clutched the shopping I had bought in London to me tightly I vaguely wondered if the garlic baguette I had bought for dinner might possibly work as a weapon in the event of a situation breaking out???
Anyway eventually we arrived at Palasieu station unscathed, were we proceeded to look for a taxi rank but there was no sign of anyone...
Tired, exhausted and by this stage so over the whole travelling thing we must have looked like two refugees as we sat on our suitcase outside the station as we reviewed our options.
Out of the dark, a guy walked over and asked in French where we wanted to go!
Sam, a little cautious after our previous mugging experience replied that we do not understand French but I had a feeling this might be our only chance out, how the students maybe made a bit of money on the side...
Five minutes later Sam, I and our large suitcase where squashed into the back of a 2cv heading, we hoped, to the show.
I must admit both of us where extremely relieved when the guy asked would a charge of twenty euro be ok as to that point we still were not certain if we had been sent an angel or an axe murderer!!!
What a start to the show!
However, obviously karma likes balance and that show actually turned out to be a super one for us, my two mares townhead casita and Vera, who was having her first show back after eight months out with injury were placed every day. Vera and I even managed to win the last days medium Grand Prix!!
Sam also had a super show with good placings from all his horses including being placed with diva and Louis in their respective Grand Prix and sumas zorro showing her usual fantastic ability by finishing third in the final big tour two star Grand Prix.
The lorry was over flowing with flowers and bottles of champagne as it left the show provided by the sponsors of interflora and tattinger who had made sure the prize winning combinations were well looked after!
The grooms and lorries all packed up and were ready to leave, as they were heading straight home to Ireland for our big international two star at Balmoral; which unusually for us was just twenty minutes from our doorstep.
That just left Sam and I to make the journey back home...
Surely this would be a lot smoother than on the way to Palasieu?!
Yup, you guessed it, we managed to once again miss the first train; and then Sam ended up delayed at the embassy and I got a phone call as I sat on the plane home waiting for him asking whether I thought he might make the plane or not!! as he was just getting out of the taxi at the airport!!
I looked out of the window as the plane taxied down the runway I replied that that really depended on how fast he could run, but that I doubted he could overtake a plane!!
Oh it's not easy being a Show Jumper! Thank goodness the following week promised to be a bit easier from the transport point of view, we could surely manage to get to a local show in one piece…
To find out more catch my next blog coming soon!!!
Photos:
1-Sam looking worried we were being kidnapped on our way to Palasieu!!!
2- Sam and zorro third place in Grand Prix.
3- Vera and I proudly flying the Irish flag in our Grand Prix.
--ENDS--
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