Departed Singapore 9pm yesterday. Arrived Paris about 14 hours later including a 1 hour stop in Dubai. We knew we had to get to Amiens by train but were not sure how to book and where to go. At the ticket office, the conversation went like this.
Peter: Do you speak English
Station Attendant: A little
Peter: We want to catch the train to Amiens
Station Attendant: Jibbberish, jibberish, jibberish 11.55 or 12.26 Piccardie
Peter: No we want Amiens
Station Attendant: Jibberish jibberish jibberish Piccardie 11.55 or 12.26
Peter: I'm not sure what you mean
Station Attendant: Rolls eyes I tell you once more jibberish jibberish jibberish Piccardie
Helen: OK Piccardie (gathering that we had to get to Piccardie and then somehow on to Amiens)
Station Attendant: 11.55 or 12.26
Helen: 11.55
Station Attendant: 110.80 Euros
We pay
Station Attendant: Go that way 3 or 5
And off we go, ticket in hand thinking we will need to catch a cab from Piccardie to Amiens not even knowing how far it was.
We look at our tickets. Not sure which is the carriage number, which is the seat number or the line number whatever. Finally Pete decides to go back to the information desk and discovers we have a ticket to Piccardie and a ticket on the shuttle bus to Amiens. What a drama.
At last we relaxed after working out that the train would leave from either station 3 or 5 and that our seats were in business class, one a window seat (thank goodness for senior French -venetre =window)
Decided to get coffee whilst waiting for the train. Conversation with girl at café went like this
Helen: 2 cappuccinos and 2 wraps
Girl: That will be 10.80 Euros.
I give her 20 Euros
Girl: Do you have any change
Helen: No
Girl: I have no change can you use card?
Helen: No I have no card
Girl: I have no change
Helen: Wait I will go and see if my husband has change
Girl: Where is he, I have customers waiting.
Helen: Just over there.
Girl: These people need to be served. (She has not made my coffees yet)
Helen: I have no change (give her 20 Euros and she gives me change!!!!)
Ah - the French!.
3 comments:
I had a very similar problem at the train station in Paris!!! The ticket lady made me cry. Why do they have to be so mean?! Can't believe the coffee shop lady though. Who does not have change in a shop? I would have said no thanks, I'll get my coffee elsewhere. Hope your France trip gets better.
It won't be the last frustration in France I'm sure and for some reason train stations are a problem along with cities and touristy places but out in the country people are much friendlier.
Glad you are blogging , I look forward to seeing what you are up to. We went and watched the sunset at the lookout at Yulara but without the happy hour, it's not the same without you
I agree - Ah the French!!!!
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