For a change I had a work-related trip abroad that even I couldn’t wring a bit of enjoyment out of.  I like to arrange schedules so that there is a little scope for sightseeing, photography, shopping or museum-visiting but this time it all went horribly wrong.

Started at Crawley station just after 6:00am.  Met my colleague at St. Pancras and took the Eurostar.  Various Metro delays meant that we only just got to head office in time for our meeting – so no chance to get even a snack for lunch.  The meeting itself over-ran by quite a bit.  In fact it over-ran the time the translation ladies were contracted for so they had to pack up and go, leaving three Brits in the middle of a meeting conducted in French…

Took the Metro back to Gare du Nord afterwards and finally had time to eat.  Persistant drizzle all day so no enthusiasm for taking photos, and not enough time to find a major FNAC or Virgin Megastore and look for French music DVDs.

The Eurostar home arrived late and I finally reached Three Bridges at about 10:00pm.   Not complaining though: got to expect the odd duff trip.  Last time I managed a couple of hours in the Palais of Versailles gardens and an hour in Montmartre cemetery so on aggregate I think I am winning, and at least it kept me away from news sources.