Goodbye Bristol

Our last week - what an emotional roller coaster (interview by telephone, planning for holiday and lots of farewell hugs).  Saying good bye to everyone at work and lots of dinners out.  We felt humbled and touched by our gifts and lovely messages from people.  We have wonderful memories of our 4 years in Bristol and lots of friends to keep in contact with. We packed our bags and out the door - oops the handle of one suitcase broke - so we caught a bus down to Broadmead where I sat minding luggage while Harry went to find a bag shop (came back with a black bag, when there was a purple one on offer as well - I ask you!!).  Threw the little one in the big new one and then off to the bus station and then to the airport where our first task was to repack our new black bag.   Handed the old one into 'odd shaped bags' for a scan (wouldn't want to be blamed for a terrorist alert) and then found we were over weight by 6 kilos (£10 a every kilo) so we switched our heavy shoes into our hand luggage and we were sweet!! Big bag - not a lot of room for everyones luggage in the rental car. Harry thought that he could leave the bags behind as he really, really, really wanted to drive the latest model Ford Focus - but I thought clothes would come in handy during the holiday - and so he reluctantly wandered back to the  rental car desk while I sat in the 25 degrees sun minding the bags (could be a new found occupation I think).  The boot of the Renault Kangoo looked big enough and off we went to the hotel which we found surprisingly easily - Paris is always a place that confounds our best navigation skills.  The hotel restaurant was closed (all of August - I thought it was peak tourist season) and we were told that 'its o.k. just 2 minutes away by car is 4 restaurants' - there was McDonalds, KFC, Buffalo (American Grill Bar) and another bar.  Back to the hotel to get organised for our early start (Jim and Margot arrive at 7.20 am) only to find the shower is blocked - but that's o.k. our friendly hotel staff provided the tools!  Took a while to have a shower - every minute we had to plunge.