Germany to France

The day started out so well...... Gina and I left for the train station at 7:30am. It was raining heavily, so no chance for a photo of "my" hill. But I do have the mental photo. I bought a ticket from Saarlouis to Metz. I managed to change trains in Saarbrucken and Forbach without missing either train. In Saarbrucken I had 25 minutes between trains and decided to obey the first rule of traveling............if there is a bathroom available, use it. I figured 25 minutes was plenty of time. Of course I had to pay, 1/2 Euro. There was no attendant, just a turnstile. There was no way both me and my luggage could make it through at one time. I had about decided to just leave it on the outside of the barrier: There was a woman and her mom already through the turnstile and by gesturing and with limited English she offered to catch my luggage if I lifted it over the barrier. Oomph....we managed it....mission accomplished. Then I headed towards the platform. I kept thinking there must be a different Platform 11, as this was the same one, and going in the same direction, as when I went to Saarlouis. It felt like I was going back to where I'd just come from. I looked for another platform 11 and finally decided this had to be the right one. Once again I had to hurry to the train. But at least this time the doors didn't close in my face. Plus now I know about the magic button on the outside of the door!

German trains don't dawdle at the station either. When I got on the train in Saarlouis it started moving before I'd found a seat. I timed some of the intermediate stops.......about 40 seconds, so you'd better be ready to board when the train pulls into the station. The same for getting off. The schedule must be obeyed.

Once I arrived in Metz I went looking the car rental area. This is where it started to go downhill. I'd rented the car through Kemwel. They shop around for the best price so they use a variety of companies. This rental was through EuropCar. In addition to the Collision Damage Waiver Insurance I had chosen the "no insurance excess" option. Car rental firms in Europe require a hefty deposit but with this option I paid a bit more for the rental, but wouldn't have to pay the deposit. All was going well until the agent asked for my credit card. Since I'd already paid for everything, except about $60 in local fees, I asked why. To pay the deposit I was told. I explained that I had taken the "no insurance excess" option. Well, they didn't know what I was talking about. I asked how much the deposit was, imagine my shock when I was told 1,300 Euros (about $1,900)!!!!!!!! It was about 11am in Metz, which made it 5am on the East Coast. I couldn't get through on my cellphone so I started looking for a shop where I could buy a phonecard. The young woman in the shop was so nice she spoke about as much English as I do French. But she went in search for someone who spoke English, finally finding someone in the shop next door. I have worked in telecommunications for more years than I'd like to think, but I could not get either my cell or the phone card to work. I was really feeling like a dummy! By the time I found out that I was entering the International code for the US wrong, EuropCar had closed for lunch. The lunch hour(s) must be obeyed.

Thee people at Kemwel told the people at EuropCar that I should not have to pay the deposit. EuropCar insisted that they could not rent a car without the deposit. Which I refused to pay. Kemwel offered to put the charge on their card, but EuropCar refused since I was the driver, not Kemwel. The agent at Kemwel called National Car rental and they agreed to just charge a 1 Euro deposit. By this time I'd spent far longer in the Metz train station than I ever intended or wanted to and I was thoroughly tired of the place. I was starting to feel like the character in the movie, "The Terminal". Just when I thought I might get out of there, the agent at the National counter couldn't find any record of the reservation. The Kemwel agent had called National at the Metz airport. So it was decided that I would go there to get the car. I would take a taxi and Kemwel would reimburse me. I practically fled the station. Everyone I met there was so nice, but I have no desire to ever go to Metz again! Once I got outside I could see that the train station is really a beautiful building--with intricate carvings, including gorgeous Celtic knots.

So off I go in a taxi. The people at the National counter said it was about 20 kilometers (about 13 miles) to the airport and it would cost about 60 Euros ($87). We drove and drove, and seemed to be going out to the middle of nowhere. By this time my nerves were a bit frayed (to say the least) and I was thinking that the cab driver was taking me for a ride, literqlly I couldn't even see any signs that said l'aeroport. But, lo and behold, we did arrive at the Metz/Nancy regional airport. It is about 5 miles past the middle of nowhere. Another pleasant surprise is that the fare was "only" 43 Euros.

The rental was a breeze and soon I was in a nifty little Citroen C4 headed towards Dijon..........hours behind schedule;