Paris and packing

September saw another trip to Paris - sorry London I've not been around much! Eurostar was in a mess following the tunnel fire the week before, so I decided to drive to Paris which was fine, even tho' we had to traverse the entire width of Paris in the dark in the busy traffic of a Friday evening. But it was worth it and we had 4 glorious days there and it was all going well until the return.... A flat battery in a underground carpark 5 floors below the Paris streets was not a good start to our journey back to Calais. However, we were saved by a mobile jump start kit and chap from the local garage and we were finally on our way at very high speed to catch our ferry. Odd being on a ferry again after so many years of the train. The train still gets my vote so let's hope the tunnel is repaired soon.

What's the 'packing' about in the title? Well, I'm off to South America for 2 months to do some voluntary work with conservation projects and local communities. I'm looking forward to a different life for a while but at the moment am just hugely relieved that I have got the bag shut for the first time. I hate packing for any holiday but a 2 month trip with outside work clothes, temperature uncertainties and a long list of extras that don't usually get bag space (sleeping bag, water bottles, head net - don't ask! - travel towels, head torches etc etc) have meant I've driven myself mad trying to make sure I pack all the right things and can still close and lift the bag. It's a bit heavy....

I managed to squeeze in a visit to the Rothko exhibition at the Tate Modern today which is good and needs time to really look closely at the painting to appreciate the brush work. All to easy to rush through and wonder what the fuss is all about when faced with a seemingly black canvas - anyone seen the play 'Art'? Also saw Hedda Gabler at the Gate Theatre which is a very small room in Notting Hill. It was good and well performed tho' the lead character was hard to feel any sympathy for and therefore the play lost a bit of its power but was well worth seeing.

So, back in a couple of months when I shall be ready for all that London has to offer.

Sue