The Beginning...

I sat in the airport for what seemed like forever and a day. It couldn't have been more than 2 hours in reality. But there I sat. Scared. Confused. Overwhelmed.

Up until that point, I was feeling pretty damn good. However, I was not anticipating the immensity of what I was attempting. I had navigated my way around Charles de Gaulle International Airport fairly well. Found the bathrooms to freshen up. Found the payphones. Found the RER train that takes you into Paris. Now aside from that - I had no idea how to actually use the payphones. Nor did I know how to buy a ticket for the RER. Nor where I was going.

I thought to myself - "You're going to starve here, on the floor of this airport. That will be your legacy."

Looking at all the maps and instructions I could find - none of it made sense. Fortunately, the lady behind the ticket desk spoke "a leetle" English. In what I would eventually find to be a fairly common occurrence, the person I simply had to communicate with spoke some English - and I was grateful beyond words.

On the RER - I met my first fellow traveler. He was more experienced and gave me some pointers to help me better fit into my new surroundings. I remember being nervous - and hot. No A/C on any train in Paris. The RER stays above ground for about the first 3/4 of the trip. After that, it ducks into tunnels as if trying to avoid being caught by the city.

Nothing can prepare you for those first few seconds as your head rises out of the station stairwell. The smell and aura of the city surround and infiltrate you. You think you know what Paris is like. "Sure, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame and all that..." European History class and travel books in Borders do not give it justice.

The city is beyond description. It is romantic in ways that even Shakespeare would be envious of. However, it is just as modern as New York. The metro can get you within a couple hundred yards of any point within the city. It is picturesque - every turn you make is another opportunity to break out your camera. Every structure is detailed and designed in ways "modern" architects would never think of. And the city is better for it.

After getting lost for about 2 hours looking for a hostel, I settle on a hotel. More money, but I have a single room with my own full bath and free breakfast in the morning. I change places the next day, but for now - this is exactly what I need. Although I am tired from the 36 hours of travel and walking around in the searing sun of the summer - the city calls me out into her warmth and beauty.

So after my shower, I head out into the unknown. The unseen. The undiscovered. This is the beginning of my journey. This is the beginning of my Life.