I have been remiss in keeping you all informed these past couple of weeks. The countdown for me has started and so much has happened…you all need an update. 

I mentioned that there was a glitch in my plans that was creating stress and tension in my moving forward with this adventure. It all had to do with the long-term visitor visa that I discovered I needed from the French Consulate in order to stay longer than 90 days…I was considering 180 days at least. Well, I got all my documents ready, notarized, duplicated and hanging on the edge, so-to-speak. What was missing was the appointment to present myself in San Francisco for the final say. I was looking on the website at least 3-4 times daily to see if any openings were possible. Much to my dismay, it was not in the cards. Not able to contact them by phone (their rules) of my calamity, my emails were overlooked and the earliest appointment I could find was May 19th….it was not to happen so, I had to rethink my adventure.  This is exactly what I had to do!

Flexibilty has been my middle name…I will now be headed to France for 90 days. Not a bad option to say the least! Land in Marseilles, head to Aix and venture locally to points of interest for a couple of months and then proceed onward to Paris for the final 3 weeks with a stop along the way in Lyon. I had other plans for stops, but they will have to be saved for another time….and yes, there will be another time, guaranteed!

I remain determined to not feel rushed in my attempts to see the sights, experiencing the lifestyle. We will see how this gets played out. ETD….15 days…so much to relay….so much still to accomplish! I’ll keep this updated, it needs to become routine

I haven’t created a post in almost a week! In that time, anxiety is growing and I’m checking things off on the list that continues to grow. I went to So. Cal. to visit family which was great! I arrived into Palm Springs in such a wind storm that even the flight attendant said upon an accomplished but very turbulent landing…”Now we can take a sigh of relief!”. It wasn’t as warm as I had planned for but it was lovely all the same. The intention was to catch up on some long-overdue visiting and that was accomplished. I also was able to procure a new phone to take with me in France so I can get service when I get there. (Thank you Myrna for the patience that was required as I went through the lengthy process of transferring/backing up data…I appreciate it). We did discover that Aix has an Apple store so some one will have a clue of what I need to do and how. Without my son Kyle’s help, I will probably be meandering around in a bit of a technological fog! I will miss his knowledge/advice….along with his reassurance that only children can give to their parents!!

And with that, I have to bid him a Bon Voyage as the first to take off!  Mixed feelings, but as a Mom, I have certain privileges!! Sending him off to Agentina…seems more unknown that what I have gathered for France, but this is his adventure and Mom has to let it go….and so I shall! I ‘m sure it will be life changing and just where any of us will be in 6 months is your guess as well as mine! So, we will bid him farewell at the airport and hope that Skype will come into play when possible. I also have Whats App to help me along that communication need!

SO, now back to preparations for France….continuing, but I realize that I must stay flexible and determined. In a previous post, I mentioned that a visa is necessary for a stay longer than 90 days. It’s becoming a bit elusive due to some difficulty securing an appointment at the French Consulate but I am determined not to give up. That’s where the flexibility comes into play…I might have to fly off on a moment’s notice and hope I make it in time! Hold good thoughts for me! In the meantime, I’ve been checking on hotels upon my arrival….driving options…activities to acclimate to my new surroundings…and then dealings at home while I am away. Hence the comment that the list, even though getting accomplishments checked off, continues to grow longer.  

Visiting Family in beautiful Palm Desert  

KB and Bella climbing throughout the Living Desert

Such a bundle of fun energy! 

Let me start by telling you I’m making a trial travel run to So. Calif. tomorrow to go visit my Dad and Step Mom for a few days….it’s been awhile and actually overdue, so I’m going to make up for lost time before my French adventure begins. Just a carry-on should do it.  But, actually what is making my adrenaline flow…anxiety overload will be revealed!

I was browsing the internet yesterday just filling up on a variety of topics related to France and that solo travel “thing”. I thought I’d just check some of the government sites as to the particulars for travel and this is where my heart dropped! There amongst the warnings and inoculations I don’t need, was the statement to the effect that a visa is needed if planning to stay beyond 3 months/ 90 days. Panic was all too quick to rear it’s head!  I hadn’t checked and why the hell not? No explanation for that one…inexperience in overseas travel on my own is all the excuse I could come up with! Still, what was I thinking and now, what can I do? Bless my daughter to step in and jump onto sites to evaluate what I might be able to do.

So, here’s the result so far….I’m thinking I’ll be flying to SF sometime soon to present what is needed for consideration for a long term visa. The website says it could take 3 weeks! I’d say I’m cutting it close! But I have also thought if it’s not possible I will come up with a Plan B or Plan C!  I’m still working on that but it might just be that I’ll be venturing to other lands after my 90 days are up. I could even head back, but I think not…but possibly Spain or Italy might come into play. Either way, it’s not as catastrophic as I first imagined…honestly! I just need to jump on the information needed before I get my “appointment” with the French General Consulate! This traveling thing is not as smooth as I had hoped…but I’m determined!

  
So, here’s my “Scoops” who’s thinking that she’ll blend in so completely that I won’t notice and take her along. I will miss her but leaving her in good hands!

This next week will be crucial in the dictation of how I will proceed. Wish me luck…

Here I am at 1:24 in the morning – I’m awake and can’t seem to get the monkey brain to quiet down with all that l’m creating. I woke up with the phrase “like a grain of sand” with toujours (always, en Francais) thrown into the mix. So, now I’m trying to decipher/interpret what it means and why did it wake me up!

First, I realize I forgot to take my Xanax at bedtime. I haven’t had the need prior to recently, but now it seems I wake due to something of utmost importance followed by difficulty returning to my slumber. I need to write down these critical items on my list (one of many) that I need to remember in preparation for my upcoming adventure. I have quite a few pads of legal-sized paper containing those lists. I’m pretty organized, or perhaps it’s a figment of my imagination, but I’m going with in -trying to stay sane.

Tonight, it’s different. This phrase, “like a grain of sand” and toujours – what is the reason, here and now. Let’s break it down…..

All that I’m experiencing is just “a grain of sand” of importance – yet it is. It is my world yet in the scheme of things, it’s not that immense. I guess it pulls me back to the once infamous phrase, ” don’t sweat the small stuff because it is all small stuff”. Take it for what it is, but move on to more when it comes to the big picture. Oh, this idiom is playing out tonight/this morning. If I discover something similar en Francais, I’ll let you know.

All my preparations are important, but it’s just a small component of the whole picture ahead. Right now I’m pondering my life, but I’m just a small speck in the world of humanity, a small speck in the whole of the universe – OMG – just a grain of sand “so-to-speak”‘ keeping it all in perspective. Each grain is important to the whole.

So, now you’ve got a taste of what is brewing in my head – all in the spirit of adventure. I am hoping it will all calm down once I’ve boarded that plane to Marseilles. But then again, these random thoughts just might occur more frequently. Oh, heaven help us!

Put it out there today on social media….wow! I’ve received so much support and positive feedback, it warms my heart! 

I first want to tell you about my sweet neighbor, Don. I went to his funeral today amidst all my excitement. I had to pay my respect to the ultimate of English gentlemen. His daughter brought  a book by the other day that he wanted me to have for my journey, A Year in Provence.  He loved to hear of adventures….having an incredible collection of stories of his many experiences, 93 years worth of stories. I hope to carry this spirit with me in the days ahead. I’m feeling that I’ll be carrying many spirits with me on this trek and I am comforted in this thought!  Love and kindness has been shown to me in so many ways and I hope I can share it with those I will be introduced to…a feeling of  melancholy to temper the excitement that’s starting to permeate through every cell. I guess this brings some balance to it all. 

So, that’s all I’ve got for tonight.