Heading home

After spending our final night with some camp stove cooked food (cabbage & sausage plus rice) Pete and I tried to organise our gear for an early departure the next morning.
(me for the train and him heading up the Gorge de Gats with a tailwind)

Packing up went well (except for the usual snail attack on the tents) and we heading into Die to the train station...., only to find the train had been replaced with a bus....which didn't arrive.
(bike box not left where the bike shop said it would be, suspect that the garbage guys removed it for them, how nice)
Caught another bus within the hour though (didn't say it was going to Valence?) and said au revoir and bon voyage to Pete and headed for home.

Finally arrived in Valence after a few detours (with amazing scenery) and the bus passengers apparently knowing more about which direction the bus should be going than the driver.
Ran/rode around for a few hours trying to organise a bike box and tape and started pulling my bike to bits at the train station, only to find the bike shop guy had put the pedals on REALLY well. Had to put the bike back together and go find a shop that could apply some greater force than I could get with my bike tool to loosen them up.

Finally packed and have a ticket to Lyon and then onto Paris via TGV, only problem is that the first train is delayed by 20mins and the connection is for 10mins...starting to see a pattern here?

Anyway, all has worked out (to some extent) and made the next TGV for Paris, even will all the delays and associated hassles/stresses going on, it's wonderful to be whizzing through the countryside at 200-300km/h. Chances of Australia getting this capability anytime soon....not good.

Checkin at CDG airport was interesting, even though I've weighed and calculated that my bags are within my baggage limits allowed (30kg), apparently my bike is classified as sporting equipment and subject to an 80euro fee by AirFrance??? (this is despite bike and bag weighing 28kg combined and the passengers next to me checking in a 32kg bag?)
...more questions for Qantas when I get home.

In Singapore now and enjoying the comforts of the Qantas club (ie free internet and champagne) (and mildly glad to be out of AirFrance's hands)
blog to you all in the next day or so to let you know how the last part turns out.