Kate has arrived

She is here, already now for nine days. I know I let everybody wait to continue the lovestory unfolding between us. I am sorry for that. It's just that this first week we were busy with each other and many things to do. And unfortunatly Kate feels very sick, she's got a cold and it looks like she has an acute Otitis. In one hour we will consult a doc.

Paris, that's where Kate would arrive. For the 2 simple reasons that it's much cheaper to fly to Paris then Amsterdam, and secondly who wouldn't like to meet his/her love in the city of Romance? I booked a beautiful little hotel in the quartier Opèra. It is one of the rare romantic hotels that can be found with beautiful furniture, colorfull classic rooms with rich wallpaper, curtains and bed linnen. With those typical Paris acenseurs (elevator), to small for ones suitcase and themselves. The hotel is situated at walking distance of the Sacre Coeur, and rue la Fayette. Kate would arrive at 6 AM at saturday morning so I arrived friday night to have a quick sleep before picking her up from Charles de Gaulle. I studied the route at least 10 times, to make sure that I would be there promptly. The idea of getting late was terrifying me.

It's 4 in the morning, I stretch myself and take a moment to think. It's still dark outside. I can hear my heart beat with a little excitement. This is it, the long awaited moment. I jump out of the bed, energetic. I take a shower, I let the hot water warm my body and it makes me feel even more energetic. The wet shave makes me feel fresh, I always stuck to wet shaving. I could never understand why somebody would use an electric lawnmower for ones face with the feeling of tearing the hair and burning the face. I check thoroughly that I am smooth like a babies bum. I get dressed, just jeans a t-shirt and my favourite spanish boots. I promised Kate not to overdress, because it would make her uncomfortable. Days before I was joking I would turn up in a 3-piece suit. I get my bag with papers and keys and head down to the reception desk. The night watch smiles at me and opens the front door. I turn left and leave the rue de la tour d'Auvergne and walk donwhill to the garage that is near rue de la Fayette. I get a bit cranky by the thought of paying 8 hours of parking the same as 24 hours. But something small shouldn't ruin my mood. I pay the fee and move to the elevator. I hold the doors for a friendly eldery couple rushing in after me. After some searching I find the car and I am off. At the exit of the garage I turn right in direction of rue la Fayette. The streets are empty, it makes me feel like I am the ruler of Paris. I pass the church of Saint Vincent de Paul, a beautiful roman style church with 2 square towers. There is something spooky about this church he reminds me of some movie the prince of darkness. After the curch I see on my left Gare du Nord, totally dipped in silence and no sight of a living soul. A big difference compared to daytime when there is police, travelers, traders, drug dealers, junkies and clochards. At the crossing with rue de Fauburg Saint-Denis I head north in the direction of Port de La Chapelle, it won't be long before I am on the A1. Then it will only take 20 minutes to Charles de Gaulle. I start to feel butteflies in my belly with the thought that only an hour or so is seperating me from Kate. Nine months I waited for this moment. I feel one way awfully peacefull and excited at the same. A hunch of premination tells me that her flight will arive more early as planned so I am happy with the fact that I got up more early. After 2o minutes of quiet highway I take the exit of Charles de Gaulle. It looks much different then I thought and I feel a bit lost. Also the fact that the signs are pretty confusing, I figure it out and before I know I find a parking place. While walking into the elevator I hear a somebody addressing me. I look over my shoulder and I see again the eldery couple. It's a funny coincedence and we start to laugh. The woman tells me that she is going to pick up her cousin from south Africa. We arrive at the hallway for arrivals. I check the information table, it's 5.20 AM and I see that the flight of Kate already arrived. I rush to the exit where she would appear but there are still no people leaving. With every minute I get more nervous now and I look back over the past months. How we got to plan this, how we spent so much time on Skype. How we built our rituals around our seperated lives with Internet as the thin thread. At some point I see more and more asian people leaving the gate, for me the sign that any moment Kate could arrive..... I am excited and filled with undefined expectations. I see a big suitcase and I see her........ to be continued.