Tailed by a Drunkard

Day 11 (20 November 2006). Terrified.



Yes, The title says it all.


QUESTION.

What happened ? Well, after an uneventful day at Vasa Museet (nothing against the museum though - I like the R&R that day), something dreadful happened the next day (you know lar - Murphy's Law, sigh).
When did this happen ? Left Stockholm to go back to Paris for my journey back home. Everything was fine till I hit Paris. Shucks!
How did it started ? The guy noticed I was traveling alone with large suitcase.

BACKGROUNDER.

The day started as usual, woke up, pack my luggage, say bye bye to Elaine and walk to the train station (100-200 meter distance). Easy peasy.

Took the train to Central Station, I was early by 1.5 hrs ON PURPOSE so that I can walk in Gamla Stan (Old Town) to take some building pics and a little bit of souvenirs shopping (buying extra in case I might have miss some folks back home). Alone and very safe (I told you Stockholm is great, didn't I !?!).

Next, took the Flygbussarna airport coaches to the Skavsta Airport, I think it's the domestic cum Low Cost Carrier Airport (1.5 hours odd drive) to catch the flight back to Paris. Reach airport, check-in and was told my luggage is overweight and whether I wish to split some to hand-carry (how sweet I thought). I contemplate and somehow (strangely) I said I'll pay the overweight charges of RM500 (EU€100), my thoughts were at that point of time is that I wanted my hand to be free (since am also carrying my small backpack) for whatever reason. Thus I checked in all my luggage and waited for boarding time. All went smoothly.

Reached Orly Airport in Paris, took a 2 hours bus to the city (this was close to 11pm AT NIGHT - a bit worried), it stoped us far from the train station; have to walk a distance (with big luggage mind you) with NO escalator nor lift. Manage to get a train to the airport (flight was next day at 12pm, I buffered any flight delays hence I thought I should arrive 1 day prior). Still manageable so far (but a bit scared as people are getting lesser at that hour).
You tend to see train passenger coming in and out at every stop, some look friendly but some hemm.... I kept hoping to see few with suitcases thus knowing I won't be alone on the train ride to the airport; as I too did not know how to get around upon reaching the airport station (praying hard it is open, as I figure I will reach there by MIDNIGHT). Saw a few passenger with suitcase (PHEEEEEEEW!!!!!), however mine was the largest which miiiiiight be a liiiiiittle bit of a problem assuming no escalator nor lift (hemmmm....!).

HIM.

That's when I saw "HIM"; this old drunkard man (well, he looked drunkard as he kept singing loudly and talking to strangers). It was kinda of fine at first as we were seating very very very far a part (ie next coach), but then I caught a glimpse of him looking at me and my luggage, SHIT! I knew I will be in deeper shit!

Quietly and quickly I did a swap of my important documents and split all my cash AND credit cards in other pockets & places (just in case.... lone traveler must be prepared all the time!). When he wasn't looking, I too swap the seat to somewhere closer to "people" (Only god knows how I felt at that time!). Kept looking at the time, darn! It's approaching midnight, and the people getting lesser and lesser and even lesser (well, airport was the last stop and who in the right mind would want to go there in the MIDNIGHT right!!??!). And obviously the old drunkard man DID NOT get down at any stop! OH NO!!! I begin counting all the stops to the airport (and kept noticing him glancing over) and planning my escape route (abit drama here lar).

THE "GUARD".

Finally we reach Charles de Gaulle Airport, I rush to the door making sure I am ahead of other "human" and so that there's a gap between me and "HIM", True enough he followed, but then I can't move fast as they shut down the escalator (MIDNIGHT!), I lug my super large suitcase (THANK GOODNESS I did not split my bags, else I have to manage TWO). As I reach the upper floor, I saw security guard (YES!!!!!), I walked to them and inform there's a drunkard man which I suspected following me, GUESS WHAT!??!?! They say it's ok, normal. WHAT????? Are you crazy?!?!? Does this people even understand what I was saying at the first place!!! GEEE...... Am in bigger shit then before, because there's practically no one around. I asked the direction for the airport (obviously I have to take a shuttle bus to the airport lar... just my luck [I mean, I did mention in the earlier entry that the airport is super HUGE]).

IBIS.

FINE! I hurriedly look for the exit and saw IBIS Hotel entrance few feet away.... (YEEEESSSS!!! God still love me!), I WALKED right in... linger at the lobby (VERY SMALL lobby!), procrastinating check in or "lepak" there (hemm.....), I saw "HIM" liger outside the hotel pretending to smoke. WHAT !??!?! ARGH..... check-in! Anyway, my flight is not until at 12pm next day and I am already at the airport, I can at least (finally) get sufficient beauty sleep before I say bye-bye to Paris. But not before ensuring my luggage is BLOCKING my room door!

What a trip. What an ordeal. What an adventure. What laaar Lily!

Hyperlink & Pic Credits : Nature Travels, Flygbussarna, Ibis, Webster Dictionary,