Pages

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Trip to Mont Saint Michel

Date 24/12/2011 ! May be its last blog of the year!

Read http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/index.htm for book information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Saint-Michel

For practical info, read below

I started my journey with covoiturage.fr by booking my one way trip with awesome couple Flore and Phillipe. Nice guys to company for journey. We did chit chat while on the way with African, Brazilian, Spanish music. Couple speak French, English, Portugese and Spanish so it was OK for me. We started around 10am and reached by 2pm at Mont Sainte Michel ( Pronounced as Mo-Sa-Mishel in English). We followed the path http://g.co/maps/r7gng
I had not booking my journey back to Paris. Flore was bit surprised to know it and was very curious on "how i will travel back to Paris?" I too wasn't knowing it but i said its adventure to go for unplanned and unknown first time journey! You get to learn lot of new things. And surely I did it!!!

I went inside the big doors. I saw couple of museums and reached to main door to buy the tickets. Its 9Euro normally. I reached top of the mont and came back by 4pm. I meet Flore and Philipe on way back in restaurant for lunch. Omlette with fries was good for me.

I reached down to look for transport. Best way is to meet guys from tourism office. Lady gave me path details and handed me over the small paper to track my way to Paris. I had to take bus at 5.15pm from  Mont Sainte Michel to Rennes and from there I need to catch hourly train to Paris. Bus took the way http://g.co/maps/d7jwr .

French speaking couple was sitting on first sit at entrance. I was just second in row so got front seat just behind the driver. I was watching people of multiple ethics and languages were riding the bus. There were many of Japaneas, Chinease, Turkish and one English speaking family. There was no one who knew French except the driver and couple on front seat at entrance. Bus moved slowly and said good bye to  Mont Sainte Michel! It was beautiful in evening.

We cross road toward Rennes for an hour. I was thinking to take a train to Paris from Rennes. I was worried if they have train from Rennes and obviously I had pay heavy for booking at last minute. There was clear signal on next circle. Driver was running at speed of around 30km/hour. Suddenly signal light turned red and bus stopped with couple of glitches. Signal turned green in small time, we were good to go. Driver turned the gear. Grrrrrrr...rr.. and peeep peep peep... sound started.
Driver couldn't start it.
I was getting worried. I understood something is wrong with the bus. Its public transport bus and could be possible to go down anytime! Drive now called his superior sub station member for help. I could only understand word like "Merde, ohh.. putain!!"
Its was sure, its going to take some more time. People on back side starting gossiping among them.

Driver got up from seat and wore his over coat and came in from. Started speaking with French guy sitting in front row. French guy pointed his finger to me!!! I had understood, they said English (Anglais) while speaking.
I was seeing the console of display was shows windows commands on black prompt. It was again MS Windows and bus never started running. It was lot of electronics and software stuff in bus. I never understood why French make things more complicated and comprehensive to use. Bus is simple device to run an engine and move on with help of mechanism of ignition engine and fuel. It will only need light and power supply for ignition and front lights. I was afraid, what is use to this shit electronics display and 100s of button on driver panels. Its all use less to fix the bus. Even driver wasn't sure on whats wrong with bus. It was bad!!!
Below conversation in French written in English to read it correctly. Correct spelling and meaning in bracket next to it.

Driver turned to me asked,"vule vu parle aungle?? (Do you speak English?)"
I understood what he was saying, so said "Oui! j parle aungle" (Yes! I speak English.)
Now driver started in fast French, which was impossible for me to understand or guess. "£%^*&(*(*$£%$"!
I said, "J compre ampu faunce!" (I  understand little French )
French guy sitting on front explained to me that, driver will go out and look for another bus to carry tourist to destination. He want me to explain same to passengers as most of them were non-French tourist.
I said,"J compre. I understand. I will do it!"

I stand up and announced clearly to everybody,"Hello all, bus is not working properly. Our drive is going to bring another bus for us to go to Rennes bus station. Please wait for him. He think he will come back in 5-10 minutes. Don't worry. Thanks!"
Japaneas couple sitting in 5th row was little worried, they asked, "what wrong with bus and when he is going to come back?"
I said,"Hope so he will be back in 5 minutes with bus! But I don't know whats wrong exactly. Its all electronics more then mechanics in this bus!"
passengers on back side started gossiping on same. I think so all understood the problem.

After 8 minutes, drive came back and with bus. As bus reached near us and drive was visible. Passenger on back benches said in single volume,"Yatto!!"  It wasn't so laud but was in sync. I knew the word !! Yes finally ! I repeated with them, "Oui, yatto! Its done!"
We moved out of bus as instructed by driver. While getting into the bus, I said "Merci" to driver, he decently replied with "de rien!! Desole! Merci!". He knew, i can understand these words.

We took the bus and it moved to Rennes train station. We came out and diverted on our own ways. Lot of chinese and japanease touriest started running towards train station as they had already booked the train ticket for 7.10pm train to Paris. I too wanted to catch the same one. But I didn't booked the ticket. I started walking towards the train station in same direction.

I saw the 7year old little girl and her mother. They were sitting next to me in second bus. They were 10-15 meter away. The lady looked at me to bye bye. He bows half and said good bye in Japanease way. I shook my hand toward them and said good bye!! I also saw French couple sitting on front seat. The guy knew me, he waved his hand and said good bye. I did same and said "Good bye!!!"

I managed to buy 62Euro ticket to Paris from Rennes at 8.03pm TGV  with help of French guy who was waiting for his brother to come. His brother knew train ticket booking better then him so he asked to his brothers help in booking the ticket. I guess, its costliest train ticket I had ever booked!!! I had no options. I moved to big display waiting to see platform number to come up. It was peaceful journey way back by TGV train. I reached Montparness by 10.20pm. I took metro and reached home by 11pm.

Was too tired and sleepy. I managed to upload 2-3 pics on Facebook and went to bed! It was long long day!
Bon nuit!!!

1 comment:

  1. Thank you! Its interesting to go out and make the blog post to help other in doing same.

    ReplyDelete

Comments welcome :