The flight across the pond amounted to exactly 136 songs on my iPod. That's pulling it out less than an hour after take off and powering down the electronic device just before landing in Paris. One hundred thirty six songs from Atlanta to Paris. That means there's still 2001 songs I've yet to listen to on this journey.
I'm sitting here in Paris waiting for my flight to Nice. The Charles de Gaulle airport is divided into lettered terminals the French translate as 'halls'. Quite the contrast from my last mass transportation infrastructure in Atlanta, the Halls here are not in alphabetical order. I knew this. But it always throws me for a loop — literally.
I couldn't resist sharing with you my view of a businessman in a taupe trench coat seated opposite me. In his mid-50's sporting a white button down shirt with a flared collar he rifles through his briefcase with his right hand while digging into his nostril with his left. This has been going on for more than a couple minutes. One knuckle in he twirls his finger in a pirouette and then finally pulling it out he brushes and flicks his five o-clock stubble apparently relishing the texture of his upper lip. Repeating his ritual he goes for the other nostril seeming unaware anyone watching him. Perhaps totally subconscious. Perhaps he just doesn't care. He's deep in thought while reading his papers. I'm deep in blogging his actions. The things we do for entertainment.
Truly airports are some of the best people watching venues. Passing through immigration and customs here was a breeze. No questions. Not even a stamp for my passport. Security too was uneventful. Unlike any US airport I did not have to take my computer out of my bag nor were people taking shoes off or otherwise going under the wand treatment. And to think just a few weeks ago the US government forbade a number of Air France flights from heading to the States.
I'll be a Nice then St. Tropez in a few hours. I'll be linking up with my buddy Bryan who along with me co-founded Wirestone in 1999. He left the company late last year and has been traveling through Europe with his family since the end of December.
It will be a nice reunion in the South of France. Much to discuss. Much to reminisce.
